Back in 2011 I attended a conference in Barcelona where social historians and others active in a similar field of history to ourselves from across Europe met up and talked shop. I was very struck in particular by a group called Raspouteam from Paris, who took images of the iconic Paris Commune and essentially pasted them onto the contemporary streets. It was all very naughty, seditious and illegal of course.
‘La Commune’ – BY RASPOUTEAM
The idea of putting historic images back on the street in relevant places stayed with me. When I was fortunate enough to get employment with Dublin City Council as one of their Historians in Residence, the idea came out almost immediately for something called ‘History On Your Doorstep’. It is, of course, very different from that glorious French street art intervention. Done in conjunction with the city, it nonetheless would bring historic images back to the places they depict and capture.
All of the images featured are taken from Dublin City Archives, contained in the expansive Pearse Street Library. Already, a team of us have compiled dozens of these, with a few already on the streets in various forms. They are in Ballybough (Heffo’s Army), Chapelizod, Dolphin’s Barn, Cabra, Finglas and more besides.
Historic images of Seán MacDermott Street and biography of the Fenian leader.
1930s Cabra and Herbert Simms, Naomh Fionnbarr’s GAA.
“Many bridges to cross” – Ringsend.
This is still in its infancy, and hopefully in time the various info boards and banners across the city can be mapped and put online. Do keep an eye out for them however, and remember that these images all come from the archives of the city. Anything that takes history and puts it back where it was made is something I see as a worthwhile endeavour.