The Dublin’s city center was redeveloped in the 1970s, some of it controversial as fine old buildings were demolished. During the late 20th century, slums were demolished and new estates were built on the outskirts of the city to replace them. In the 1990s, however, new apartments were built in the city’s center. Dublin Institute of Higher Education was founded in 1975. In the early 1970s the Irish government canceled the hitherto annual Easter parade, and outlawed it in 1976. They feared it would serve as a recruiting tool for illegal paramilitaries. On Easter Sunday, however, 10,000 people participated in a demonstration organized by the Provisional republican movement. Catholics were allowed to attend Trinity College in 1970 after the Catholic Church reversed its ban. Tourism became a significant industry, and Ireland’s EU membership brought more international organizations and firms to the city. In July 1976 the British ambassador and a young assistant were murdered in Sandyford by the IRA as they drove to work.
Dublin also suffered from “The Troubles” in varying degrees. However, unlike other cities, it didn’t experience paramilitary violence directly, except for a few loyalist bombings in the 1970s. The British Embassy in Merrion Square in Dublin was burned down in 1972 by angry crowds in protest of the shooting of 13 civilians by British troops on Bloody Sunday (1972). Three people were killed, and 185 were injured in the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1973. In 1974, Talbot street suffered the worst bomb attacks. A series of terrorist attacks on Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland on 17 May 1974 killed 33 people (26 of them in Dublin) and injured more than 300 others.
These fascinating black and white photos will take you back to Dublin in the 1970s.
#1 The cavalcade for the new President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh on O’Connell Street following the Inauguration ceremony at Dublin Castle, December 1974.
#2 View down North Earl Street, December 1971.
#3 View from Talbot Street and North Earl Street, 1971.
#4 A group of children playing on a merry-go-round in Ballymun, August 1970.
#5 Former US President Richard Nixon’s motorcade passes the GPO on O’Connell Street, October 1970.
#6 A view of a traffic jam in Dublin, March 1971.
#7 A busy Henry Street with shoppers, June 1971.
#8 Scenes from Grafton Street, June 1971.
#9 The cinema on Grafton Street, circa 1971.
#10 Pedestrianisation of Grafton Street, 1971.
#11 A Lyons tea float taking part in the Community Games parade, August 1971.
#12 The exterior of Trinity College, September 1971.
#13 Thomas Street, November 1971.
#14 Buildings and cars pictured on Meath Street, November 1971.
#15 Pedestrians and shops on Thomas Street, November 1971.
#16 Christmas shopping on Henry Street, December 1971.
#17 Children who were confirmed at the Church of Saints Michael and John, April 1973.
#18 A child making friends with a horse on O’Connell Street, 1973.
#19 A young man filling up his car from a street petrol pump, April 1975.
#20 Christchurch in Dublin 8, May 1975.
#21 The Sam Maguire at Marino school following the Dublin team’s success against Kerry in the 1976 All Ireland Final.
#22 Playground in Dublin, 1970s.
#23 Children perched on the lookout on Killiney Hill admiring the view. Photo by George Bryant.
#24 Switzers department store on Grafton Street pictured, 1970s.
#25 Isaac’s hostel on Frenchman’s Lane, 1979.
#26 Dickie Rock at the opening of a Shopping Centre in Ballymun, circa February 1971
#27 A view of a traffic jam in Dublin, circa March 1971
#28 Scenes from Talbot Street and North Earl Street in December 1971
#29 The exterior of Trinity College in September 1971
#30 The Bachelors, from left to right, Declan Cluskey, Conleth Cluskey and John Stokes, with Diana Landor at the Talk Of The Town in February 1971
#31 A child making friends with a horse on O’Connell Street, circa 1973
#32 Flight hostesses modelling the new Aer Lingus flight hostesses uniform in March 1975
#33 A view of the General Post Office in O’Connell Street, Dublin, 1971
#34 Headquarters of the Knights of Columbanus, Ely Place, Dublin, 1972
#35 O’Connell Street, Dublin, 1970s
#36 Corporation Houses, Kimmage in Dublin, 1972.
#37 Corporation Houses, Kimmage in Dublin, 1972.
#38 Protestors brining a mock coffin March to the burnt-out British Embassy on Merrion Sq that had been destroyed in the proterst the previous night, 1972
#39 March in Dublin the day after the protest at the British Embassy on Merrion Sq following Bloody Sunday, 1972
#40 March in Dublin the day after the protest at the British Embassy on Merrion Sq following Bloody Sunday, 1972
#41 Protestors brining a mock coffin March to the burnt-out British Embassy on Merrion Sq that had been destroyed in the proterst the previous night, 1972.
#42 March in Dublin the day after the protest at the British Embassy on Merrion Sq following Bloody Sunday, 1972
#43 Street scene Arnotts, 1972
#44 Street scene Arnotts, 1972
#45 Arnotts, 1972
#46 Scenes from Talbot Street and North Earl Street, Dublin, 1971
#47 Talbot Street and North Earl Street, Dublin 1971
#48 Talbot Street and North Earl Street, Dublin 1971
#49 Scenes from Talbot Street and North Earl Street, Dublin, 1971
#50 Christmas shopping in Henry Street, Dublin, 1971
#51 Bishop Joseph Carroll,auxiliary bishop of Dublin at the State funeral for General Richard Mulcahy, 1971
#52 Meath Street, Dublin 1971
#53 Thomas Street, Dublin 1971
#54 Trinity College, 1971
#55 The Four Courts, Dublin, 1971
#56 Trinity College, 1971
#57 Trinity College, Dublin, 1971
#58 The Four Courts, Dublin, 1971
#59 Community Games Parade in Dublin, 1971
#60 Community Games Parade in Dublin, 1971
#61 Scenes from Henry Street, Dublin, 1971
#62 Grafton Street, Dublin 1971
#63 Grafton Street, Dublin 1971
#64 The Savoy Cinema in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Circa June 1971.
#65 Irish Girl Guides’ Diamond Jubilee celebrations at Landsdowne Rd., 1971
#66 Northern Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers performs the song ‘Jack In The Box’ on stage for United Kingdom in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, 1971
#67 Garreth FitzGerald at the Supreme Court, May 1971,
#68 Eurovision Song Contest, 1971
Spanish singer Karina posed wearing a pair of purple velvet loon pants as she lies on a wall in front of her hotel before going on to perform the song 'En un mundo nuevo' on stage for Spain in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, Ireland on 3rd April 1971.
These are pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!
That was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!