Paddy is Still Paddy - Images of Ireland from the Illustrated London News
Published on 15th November 2012
The Illustrated London News was the world’s first illustrated newspaper. It was founded in London in 1842 and continued in existence in various forms right up until 2003. The quality of the images produced in the newspaper – firstly engravings and later photographs – make it an invaluable source of information on the social and political history of the time.
The early material on Ireland tended to focus on quaint folk customs and royal visits, but during the later 19th century, the Land War and the Home Rule movement resulted in Ireland becoming an increasingly newsworthy topic. The newspaper produced a whole series of reports and illustrations under the heading “The State of Ireland.” The tone was sometimes compassionate, sometimes outraged and increasingly frustrated, depending on the correspondent or artist involved. “Paddy is still Paddy – God help him,” is a phrase taken from one such article, and it is indicative of this mixture of irritation and condescension which “the State of Ireland” seems to have regularly produced in those reporting on the country. However, some artists, notably Aloysius O'Kelly, who was a frequent contributor to The Illustrated London News, tended to take a more sympathetic approach.
This Image Gallery makes available online a selection of the illustrations which appeared in the Illustrated London News during the 19th century. The images are taken from the editions held in the Special Collections of Dublin City Library and Archive. The Special Collections also contain a wealth of other sources on this period in Irish history.
Further Resources
The following online resources can be accessed free of charge at your local library. Ask library staff for information and assistance.
- DRI - Digital Repository of Ireland is a national digital repository for Ireland’s humanities, social sciences, and cultural heritage data. Highlights of the collection include the Fáilte Ireland Photographic Collection, the Jacobs Biscuit Factory Photographic Archive Wide Street Commission and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association Archive.
- Irish Times Digital Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Times from the mid-nineteenth century until the present.
- Irish Newspaper Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Independent and a range of other newspapers.
- The Ireland-JSTOR Collection: This online archive of academic articles can also be accessed free of charge at your local library.
For further reading, consult the Library Catalogue.