blog

Pop up library
8 August 2025
Dublin City Libraries are delighted to be holding three Outdoor POP UP Libraries in Wolfe Tone Square this August. Join us on the 16th, 23rd and 30th August from 11am to 4pm.

Travellers: Images of Labre Park, Ballyfermot, 1968 and 1969

Labre Park was the first site built specifically for Travellers by a Local Authority in Ireland. It was opened in September 1967 at a cost of £50,000 and consisted of 39 concrete 'tigíns' in a row off Kylemore Road. Each 'tigín' was composed of a living room with a stove, a lavatory, and a place to wash. Residents of Labre Park slept in their caravans which were parked beside or behind each 'tigín'. Rents at Labre Park ranged from ten to thirty shillings per week.
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5 April 2012

The Golden Age of Dublin Bookbinding

Dublin in the late 18th century was a consumer paradise. A building boom had resulted in fine streets and squares of classical houses. Interior design flourished with ornate plasterwork ceilings, painted wallpaper, beautiful furniture of polished wood and gilt, paintings and sculptures, print collections, and libraries filled with books in exquisite bindings.
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21 February 2012

The Civil War In Dublin: Images from Irish Life (July 1922)

On 28 June 1922 the forces of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State, led by Michael Collins, attacked the Anti-Treaty garrison at the Four Courts. This action is generally believed to mark the beginning of the Irish Civil War. The images in this gallery are taken from a special supplement to the Irish Life newspaper that was published on 14 July 1922 entitled 'Ireland's Tragic Week'. Each photograph was accompanied by a short text.
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26 January 2012

A Visitor's Guide to Dublin in 1811

Dublin City Libraries plans to digitise some of its early books and manuscripts, in order to bring the history of the city before a wider public. Many of the proposed works are hard to find and are very expensive to buy. The Picture of Dublin 1811 is the first in the series and it is being used as a pilot project to assess the value of the project.
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29 August 2011

Wide Street Commission Map Collection

The Commissioners for making Wide and Convenient Ways, Streets and Passages in the City of Dublin was established by an Act of Parliament in 1757. The Commission had extensive powers with the authority to acquire property by compulsory purchase, demolish it, lay down new streets and set lots along the new streets to builders for development.
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18 August 2011

‘The Jacks Are Back’ – The Dubs in the 1970s

'The Jacks Are Back' image gallery celebrates the greatest sports team this city has produced. Up da Dubs! These images were taken from the Dublin City Council Photographic Collection and The Reading Room's extensive collection of GAA match programmes. The images taken from contemporary programmes featured in this gallery are copyright of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael/Gaelic Athletic Association.
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14 July 2011

Mr Dixon's Business Collection

Almost 2,000 pictures compose the collection known as the Dixon Slides. The varied contents include photographs taken by Frederick Dixon in the 1960s and 1970s, book illustrations, postcards, advertisements and older photos of events around Dublin. The main focuses of the collection are Dublin city and its buildings.
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16 May 2011

Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association Archive

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association (RDFA) was established in 1996 to commemorate all Irish men and women who volunteered, served and died in the First World War 1914-1918. The RDFA fulfils its remit by organising public exhibitions, lectures, seminars, visits and the publication of a journal, Blue Cap. In 2005, the RDFA decided to place its archive with Dublin City Library and Archive, where it is available for public consultation in the Reading Room. The RDFA Archive is managed by Dublin City Archives.Note: The RDFA collects personal papers of individuals who participated in the First World War. Service records for the Royal Dublin Fusiliers are held in The National Archives, Kew, London.ExhibitionsDublin City Archives has generated a travelling exhibition based on the RDFA Archive, called Letters from the Great War.  For further information, and to book this exhibition, e-mail [email protected]/001: Monica Roberts CollectionRDFA/014: Moriarty CollectionRDFA/017: The Keogh Collection PostcardsRDFA/020: Irish National War Memorial CommitteeDownload the various catalogues of the collections.
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4 May 2011

Derelict Dublin: Images of the City from 1913

This series of photographs is taken from the report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the housing conditions of the working classes of Dublin. The pictures give great insight into the miserable life in the overcrowded and poverty-stricken tenements and courts of Dublin in 1913. Published by the Local Government Board for Ireland, the inquiry was prompted by the collapse of two tenement buildings at No. 66 and No. 67 Church Street on the evening of 2 September 1
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3 March 2011

Working for the City

This image gallery depicts the working lives of Dublin Corporation/Dublin City Council Staff. This short selection of images show  staff at work and, also, how things have changed over the years. It reflects the challenges they encountered and the diversity of skills required by staff in the performance of their everyday duties.
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7 February 2011