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From the archives: Photos of life in early 20th century Ireland

Can you identify the unknown locations of these images depicting daily life in Ireland in the early 1900s?

May 27th 2012, 7:30 PM 27,704 Views 25 Comments

AMERICA’S LIBRARY of Congress holds thousands of images taken around Ireland by diverse photographers over the past century.

This selection of images is taken from different collections held by the Library, but they were all taken in the early years of the 20th century and they all depict daily life in Ireland, whether it’s the bustle of the market day or travelling rural roads by donkey and trap.

Although the dates were logged by the photographers, some of the locations have not been recorded – do you recognise any of these places?

From the archives: Photos of life in early 20th century Ireland
1 / 17

  • School

    Children playing at a country school in County Monaghan, circa 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Transport

    A young woman in a pony trap drawn by a donkey, photographed around 1907. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Turf

    Women carrying turf in the village of Dooagh on Achill Island, 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • The Market

    The venders' harvest day at a market in Cork, 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Selling sheep

    1901: Visiting Killarney's sheep fair, Co Kerry. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Cottage life

    A thatched cottage in Brides Glen, Co Dublin circa 1908. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Fireside

    Inside a Irish cottage, 1902 (location not marked). (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Eyre Square

    The markets in Galway's Eyre Square, circa 1901. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • St Patrick's Street

    Cork's St Patrick's Street, photographed circa 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Music

    Young musicians from the 'Pipers' Club' in Cork, 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • The Post

    Reading the post outside a family home in Co Monaghan, 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Claddagh

    Cottages close to the sea in Claddagh, Galway, 1901. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Kilkenny Castle

    The "dignified beauty of a typical Irish castle" photographed in Kilkenny, circa 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • The Custom House

    The Custom House on the quays in Dublin city centre, 1908. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • At Work

    A spinning wheel at an Achill Island home, circa 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Trade

    Driving pigs to the market, circa 1905 (location unknown). (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

  • Funeral

    Co Kerry, 1905: A woman wrapped in shawls prepares to travel to her son's funeral. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Children playing at a country school in County Monaghan, circa 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • A young woman in a pony trap drawn by a donkey, photographed around 1907. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Women carrying turf in the village of Dooagh on Achill Island, 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • The venders' harvest day at a market in Cork, 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • 1901: Visiting Killarney's sheep fair, Co Kerry. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • A thatched cottage in Brides Glen, Co Dublin circa 1908. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Inside a Irish cottage, 1902 (location not marked). (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • The markets in Galway's Eyre Square, circa 1901. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Cork's St Patrick's Street, photographed circa 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Young musicians from the 'Pipers' Club' in Cork, 1905. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Reading the post outside a family home in Co Monaghan, 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Cottages close to the sea in Claddagh, Galway, 1901. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • The
  • The Custom House on the quays in Dublin city centre, 1908. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • A spinning wheel at an Achill Island home, circa 1903. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Driving pigs to the market, circa 1905 (location unknown). (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)
  • Co Kerry, 1905: A woman wrapped in shawls prepares to travel to her son's funeral. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

In pictures: New York City street scenes from the early 1900s >

About the author:

About the author
Susan Ryan
@SusanSRyan
susanryan@thejournal.ie

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