Place Your Bets: The Bookmakers of Dublin

'Got on a lucky one, Came in eighteen to one...'

Shane MacGowan/Jem Finer, Fairytale of New York (1987)

For as long as there have been sporting contests, there have been men willing to make wagers upon them. The 'Turf Accountant' or 'Bookie' is as familiar a feature of Dublin City as pubs and churches. This gallery depicts some of the places where Dubliners put their money down and wished for good fortune.

Further Resources

The following online resources can be accessed free of charge at your local library. Ask library staff for information and assistance. View a full list of online resources available with your library card.

• 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.
• 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.

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