Yeats, W.B., Poems, London: T. Fisher Unwin Ltd

Poems by the Anglo-Irish poet, William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) dedicated to his muse Maud Gonne contains revisions of some his most famous works, plays and poems such as The Wanderings of Usheen, The Countess Cathleen, The Rose and The Land of Heart's Desire.

D.J. O'Donoghue, The Life and Writings of James Clarence Mangan, Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son, 1897

The Life and Writings of James Clarence Mangan by D. J. O' Donoghue is a biography interspersed with the writings of of the 19th century poet, essayist and Irish nationalist.

Dramatis Personae by W.B. Yeats

Dramatis Personae is a four part autobiographic collection written by William Butler Yeats (1867-1939) detailing incidents, events and people he met who influenced his artistic development as a poet.

Those Showband Days (Waterford City Library)

Those Showband Days - a cartoon by Robbie O'Keeffe 1991

© Munster Express (O'Keeffe, Dower and Commerford)

Sackville Street, Dublin, late 19th century

Black and white print of Sackville Street, Dublin in The Industries of Dublin, historical, statistical, biographical, an account of leading business men, commercial interests, wealth and growth, page 20, published by Spencer Blackett, 1887 (approx)with illustrations

© Dublin City Public Libraries

Picture of peasants calling at the door of a wealthier house

In past times people in rural Ireland held superstitions and passed them from generation to generation. Those in the gentry were generally suspicious of these traditions. For example there are many associations warning away the evil eye and protecting things of value. There are also associations regarding certain rituals and good luck omens. For example, it is lucky to be awakened by birds singing on the morning of your wedding and if your wedding dress is accidentally torn on the day. It was also thought that keeping a horse shoe or metal over the door of a house would bring good luck to the household.

Oliver Cromwell

Cromwell only spent 9 months in Ireland from August 1649 to May 1650, but his impact was to be everlasting on the island. With fierce brutality Cromwell succeed in completing the English conquest of Ireland where others had failed. Cromwell first set a course to Drogheda. 3,500 men women and children were killed over the two day battle, with the city suffering heavy bombardment. Nearby towns surrendered or evacuated. Less than a month later, Cromwell arrived at Wexford town. Here over 1500 people were slaughtered in the massacre that ensued. Cromwell rested in Youghal until the spring of 1650 and then turned his attention towards Kilkenny and the Tipperary towns of Fethard, Clonmel and Cashel. By May 1650 Ireland had been placed under British rule and Cromwell returned home. Sieges on both Limerick and Galway, the last city under Irish control to fall, ended in October and November 1650 respectively. English rule in Ireland was complete.

O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 1927-1929

O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 1927-1929. The public transport of the time was trams. The automobile is now much in evidence.

By kind permission of Seamus Kearns, Old Dublin Society