Joe Curtis – författare

Harold’s Cross got its name from a cross which marked the boundary of the lands owned by the Archbishop of Dublin, and the lands of the Harold clan in the 1500s. Today Harold’s Cross is a bustling thoroughfare, and although it is now a suburb on the south side of Dublin, it was once akin to the best little town in Ireland, being completely self-sufficient, with schools, churches, shops, pubs, hospital, orphanage, convents, monastery, cinema, a major cemetery, mills and factories, park, canal, large and small houses, dog track, barracks, and many farms and orchards. For its residents, it has a rich and varied history, which is beautifully captured in this book of archive photographs.

Mount Merrion lies on the South Side of Dublin, ‘between the mountains and the sea’. In 1711, the Fitzwilliam family walled the area to serve as their private country estate, and the 300th anniversary of this has sparked a new and enthusiastic interest in the history of the area. The early days of rustic open fields and tree-lined lanes are still in evidence, and this book by local historian and long-time Mount Merrion resident Joe Curtis continues that celebration.

Castlebar derived its name from Barry's Castle (Castle Barry), which was located in the open square of the present Army Barracks, up until the time of "The Races of Castlebar" in 1798. Later on, the Bingham family, also known as Lord Lucan, became the dominant landlord. This bustling town is the capital of County Mayo, and was provided with its own courthouse, prison, famine workhouse, asylum, hospital, four different churches, convent, monastery, schools, airport, hat factory, bacon factory, healthcare factory, hotels, shops, and numerous businesses, and the author captures life in the area with a fascinating collection of images.

Blackrock is well known as an affluent and well-loved suburb of Dublin, situated on the picturesque east coast of the city. It was once an independent township, complete with Town Hall, and boasted a thriving hosiery industry, teacher training college, in addition to numerous schools, churches of all denominations, convents, hospitals, orphanages, and local shops. The spacious houses and villas catered for the professional classes who commuted to Dublin city centre by train and tram. Blackrock never fully achieved the status of a seaside resort, but still boasted outdoor swimming baths, and the banks of the railway track afforded sunbathing perches for our pale-faced city dwellers. And, of course, there was always rugby. Nowadays, Blackrock is a bustling and vibrant suburb with every modern amenity and, in this book, author Joe Curtis explores the rich history that has shaped it over time.