The early 1980s were marked by the onset of an economic recession in Dublin, but growth picked back up as the economy began to improve. Two of the most famous shopping centers, Powerscourt and Stephens Green, were opened in the early 1980s.
Dublin celebrated its millennium in 1988. It sparked much thought and discussion about its past and future, particularly about the quality of life in its urban areas. Although Dublin was founded in 841, an Irish king forced the townspeople to pay taxes to him in 988. Dublin becomes an Irish town for the first time that year. A Jewish Museum opened in 1985, and the Anna Livia Fountain was built in O’Connell Street in 1988.
Below are some fascinating photos that show what Dublin looked like in the 1980s by
#1 Kiosk at corner of Leeson Street and Adelaide Road, 1980
#2 Dublin Arts Festival parade, 1980
#3 Bewleys – the legendary Lofty Clattery cafe, 1982
#4 Moore Street dealers, with Arnotts Henry Street in background, 1982
#5 Dublin street scenes, 1980
#6 Feeding the ducks, 1980
#7 O’Brien’s pub, 1980
#8 The Quays, 1980
#9 Webbs Books shop, Aston Quay, 1980
#10 Baggot Street, 1982
#11 Busker outside Cecil Gee, Grafton Street, 1982
#12 Donnybrook, 1982
#13 Hot Rod, 1982
#14 New paving on Henry Street, 1982
#15
#16 Feeney’s, 1980
#17 Maureen’s, 1980
#18 National Library from DPS, 1980
#19 Newly pedestrianized Grafton Street, 1980
#20 The Auld Dubliner pub, 1980
#21 O’Connell Bridge, 1982
#22 The Ilac centre, 1982
#23 Traffic on the Green, 1982
#24 Typical Dublin scene, 1982
#25 Young people at front gate, Greenhills, 1982
#26 Crumlin Children’s Hospital (seen from upstairs on #18 bus, St.Marys Road), 1983
#27 3 Flower sellers on Grafton Street, circa 1983
#28 Freemasons Hall, 1983
#29 Grafton Street, circa 1983
#30 Mulligan’s pub, Poolbeg Street, 1983
#31 O’Connell Street, 1983
#32 Tele-rents on Grafton Street, circa 1983
#33 Photographer on Dublin street, 1984
#34 Sandycove, 1984
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I’ve never seen photos from this time and doubted any existed. Surreal to look at and the city is unrecognisable. Fascinating indeed.
There can be a lot of misty eyed looking back on the 80s. It was also a very repressive and depressing place BUT successive governments absolutely destroyed the architecture and history of the city particularly on the Northside. O’Connell street had the potential to be the most beautiful place but they allowed everything old be ripped out and replaced. I’ve no problem with Moore Street adapting to demands from our new immigrant population but what they allowed to happen to that street is disgraceful.. the plastic hoardings and that shopping mall yoke is disgraceful. They could demand some sort of regulatory control on shop fronts etc. and get some road cleaners .. I used to see road cleaners all the time in the 90s.. do they even exist anymore or is it just one clean every few days with that van that just pushes the dirt around
“Adapting to demands from our new immigrant population” 🙄😖
Why’s that funny? Different cultures eat different foods and meats. The butchers on Moore Street now sell offal again.. my mother used to buy kidney, tripe etc but it went out of fashion and then came back in. A lot of the dealers sell different fruits and veg now.
I wasn’t laughing. Just a bit cringe at how people are so ready to accommodate any changes good or bad when it comes to immigrants. It’s just your wording has that feeling embedded in it. Maybe you meant nothing by it. What is disgraceful that’s happened to Moore St?
They allowed unregulated opening of vape shops, those shitty phone repair shops and they built the ugliest shopping mall in Dublin. There are some nice little restaurants in there but it’s a shit hole. They could have controlled that and demanded owners reach some mandatory level of decent shopfront design. Most of the people opening are immigrants so I don’t accept everything immigration brings BUT if Dublin City Council don’t demand some actual investment by shopowners in control of plastic hoarding etc them people won’t do it. .. and if you can’t afford to open a decent looking establishment then sorry you can’t open it.. but I blame DCC on this. It could be a nice street with original traders, butchers and new immigrant shop owners or stall holders.. all controlled and regulated
Right yea I get you. I have it on well placed authority all those vape shops and Turkish barbers are some kind of tax fraud certain immigrant populations are pulling off. They are being constantly investigated but clearly they’re winning, so those kind of shops have zero interest in improving the buildings they get into
Not sure about the tax fraud. My sons and husbands go to Turkish barbers by choice as they love the service and those dudes are out the door busy with customers. what exactly is the scheme? I’ve heard mention of it before but no one’s ever explained it to me? And regardless my point still stands.. if there was proper regulation their shop fronts would violate them and be shut down regardless.. so blame DCC.
there are non-fraud ones of course, but apparently it’s not the majority. The person who knows this works in this specific area. Mainly I think just running fake business through the books than actuality, letting you clean dirty money you didnt pay tax on somewhere else. Effectively, I’m sure it’s more intricate than that.
Ah, the smell of toasted hops, the friendly bark of the Lockhard as you got out of your car and the tickle of the syringe as you were robbed.
Parnassian summer afternoons by the canal and burning cars to warm yourself by in winter.
Still, there were no foreigners and everyone feared God.