Chislers: Images of Childhood in Dublin

'Aisy, aisy, mind the chisler’.

Brendan Behan, The Confirmation Suit (1953)

This gallery consists of images of children going about their business in Dublin from the second half of the twentieth century up to the present day. It shows how Dublin’s childer and chislers filled their days from visits to the beach to dossing on street corners. It also shows the engagement of children in civic initiatives: the Junior Litter Wardens of Cabra and Ballymun, Community Pride events, Summer Projects, and the Community Games.

We hope that these photos will act as memory triggers for you. If you recognise anybody in the photos please add a comment so that we can remember them when they were ‘forever young’.

Also, view a gallery looking at childhood in Dublin from the 18th century onwards and taken from the Dublin and Irish Collection.

Further Resources

Dublin City Libraries has a wide range of sources on the social, political, and cultural history of Dublin, some of which are available online and some through the Dublin City Libraries network.

The Reading Room, Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street holds a wealth of material on the history of Dublin, including books, pamphlets, journals, street directories, and almanacs.

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. Here you will find select digital collections of Dublin City Library and Archive. Our digital repository features photographs, postcards, letters, maps and more.  Traffic jams during the 1974 CIE Bus Strikes, and jubilant Heffo’s army supporters are among 43,000 historic photographs and documents that are freely available online. Highlights of the collection include the Fáilte Ireland Photographic Collection, the Jacobs Biscuit Factory Photographic Archive, 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.