Oidhreachtigí bhur scéalta
SHARE YOUR STORIES
An bhfuil conaí ort i dteach a tógadh le linn blianta luatha Saorstát Éireann?
Ar bhog do chlann ó thithíocht ar dhroch-chaighdeán go teach nuathógtha?
An bhfuil aon chuimhní agat ag fás aníos i gceann de na luath scéimeanna tithíochta seo?
An bhfuil grianghraif nó earraí cuimhneacháin eile agat a bhaineann leis na forbairtí títhíochta seo?
Má tá, ba bhreá linn cloisteáil uait!
Do you live in a house that was built during the early years of the Irish Free State?
Did your family move from poor quality housing to a newly-built house?
Do you have memories of growing up in one of these early housing schemes?
Do you have photographs or other memorabilia relating to these housing developments?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
‘WE RAN THROUGH THE EMPTY HOUSE, DEEPLY INHALING THE SMELL OF NEWLY PAINTED WINDOWS AND WALLS… JOHNNY FLICKED A SWITCH AND A LIGHT WENT ON. IT WAS MAGIC… A LAVATORY WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR. “THIS IS OUR LAVATORY,” SYLVIA SAID, STARING IN AT IT. “NO ONE ELSE CAN USE IT. ISN’T THAT RIGHT, MAMMY?”.’*
— Lily O’Connor
Tenant Mrs Walsh receiving the keys to her new home, March 1930. Also shown are contractor Mr Tom Crampton (3rd from left), architect T.F. McNamara (6th from left) and members of Pembroke Urban District Council. Courtesy of G. & T. Crampton Archive / Joe Brady.
Contemporary view of houses completed in Tullamore in 1938. Many original features survive, including the railings.
Bhí tionchar suntastach ag an tithíocht a tógadh le linn blianta luatha Saorstát Éireann ar shaolta daoine. Má tá cónaí ort anois nó má bhí cónaí ort tráth i dteach a tógadh le linn na tréimhse atá clúdaithe ag an taispeántas ba bhreá linn cloisteáil uait. Is mian linn go mbeidh bhur nguthanna, scéalta, agus gcuimhneacháin i gcroílár tionscadal nua taighde ar a dtugtar ‘Dídean don phobal, ag tógáil an stáit - an tionchar buan ar an bpobal maidir le beartas tithíochta an tSaorstáit i rith na 1920idí’. Tá an taighde seo á dhéanamh ag an Dr. Ruth McManus ó Scoil na Staire agus na Tíreolaíochta in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus tá sé mar chuid den Scéim Nua Sparánachtaí do Chlár Dheich mBliana na gCuimhneachán.
Is féidir leat páirt a ghlacadh sa taighde seo ar roinnt bealaí éagsúla, lena n-áiritear, do scéal a roinnt trí fhóram ar líne, do ghrianghraif nó earraí cuimhneacháin eile a roinnt, nó agallamh staire béil a thaifeadadh.
Má tá suim agat a bheith páirteach, nó más mian leat tuilleadh eolais a fháil, ná bíodh aon leisce ort dul i dteagmháil liom ag ruth.mcmanus@dcu.ie nó ag Scoil na Staire agus na Tíreolaíochta, Campas Phádraig OCBÁC, Droim Conrach, Baile Átha Cliath 9.
The housing built in the early years of the Irish Free State made a significant impact on people’s lives. If you now live in, or once lived in, a house built in the period covered by the exhibition, we would love to hear from you. We want to make your voices, stories and memories central to a new research study called ‘Housing the people, building the state - the community legacy of 1920s Free State housing policy’. This study is being undertaken by Dr Ruth McManus from the School of History and Geography at Dublin City University and is part of the Royal Irish Academy’s Decade of Centenaries Bursary scheme.
You can participate in this research in a number of different ways, including sharing your story through an online forum, sharing your photographs and other memorabilia, or by recording an oral history interview. If you are interested in participating, or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at ruth.mcmanus@dcu.ie or at the School of History & Geography, DCU St Patrick’s Campus, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
Group of children clustered around the rag man, O’Daly Road, Drumcondra. In this picture he is exchanging sweets and toys for bottles. National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
Newly occupied houses at Crumlin, 1939. Can you spot some of the residents? Courtesy of G. & T. Crampton Archive / Joe Brady.
*Lily O’Connor in her memoir, ‘Can Lily O’Brien come out to play?’ (Brandon Press, 2000). The O’Brien family moved from the front room of a tenement house in Fitzgibbon Street to a new corner house on St. Eithne Road (Beggsboro) in Cabra.