North Strand Bombing 1941

On the night of 31 May 1941, four high-explosive bombs were dropped by German aircraft on the North Strand area of Dublin City. The casualties were many: 28 dead and 90 injured, with 300 houses damaged or destroyed. Charleville Mall Public Library was designated as the headquarters for the bombed area and City Architect Horace O’Rourke was in charge of the clearance project.

The North Strand Oral History Project

This oral history project is an initiative of Dublin City Archives which aims to collect and preserve eyewitness accounts of the night of 30-31 May 1941. Audio accounts and transcriptions, along with written memories of the North Strand Bombing are available on the North Strand Bombing 1941 website.

North Strand Bombing Photographic Collection

Dublin City Library and Archive houses a collection of 57 photographs illustrating the aftermath of the North Strand Bombing, May 1941.

The photographs of the destruction caused by the North Strand Bombing in May 1941 were commissioned by Dublin Corporation as evidence for the assessment of insurance claims. The work was entrusted to a local photographer, H. McCrae, of 152 Clontarf Road, who began work on 4 June and continued until the end of the month. Further photographs were taken in July and September, and the final photographs were taken on 31 October.

The original photographs measure 28cm (w) x 20cm (h).

For further information contact:
Dublin City Archives
138-144 Pearse Street
Dublin 2
01 222 4997
[email protected]

Copyright Statement

All content on the North Strand Bombing Image Gallery on Dublin City Public Libraries and Archive website is copyright of © Dublin City Council. All rights are reserved unless where otherwise stipulated.

Individual Use

The content of the image gallery may be printed and downloaded on a temporary, non-commercial basis for personal use. Copyright must be acknowledged and content may not be altered.

Commercial Reproduction

Those wishing to use the content of this image gallery for commercial purposes should contact [email protected]

Permission to reproduce images should be sought in writing from the City Archivist, Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. For commercial reproductions, a fee will be applicable.
When applying please state which photographs are being used and give the precise details of the type of reproduction involved – exhibition, book, magazine, newspaper, or other.

All reproduced images must carry the acknowledgement: 'Courtesy of Dublin City Library and Archive’.