Dublin Tenement Life

An Oral History of the Dublin Slums

Kevin C. Kearns

• Publisher: Gill Books
• Year: 2006
• ISBN:
  9780717159062
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Irish History
• Index: History

For nearly 150 years, the wretched, squalid tenements of Dublin were widely judged to be the worst slums in all of Europe. By the 1930s, 6, 400 tenements were occupied by almost 112, 000 tenants. Some districts had up to 800 people to the acre, up to 100 occupants in one building, and twenty family members crammed into a single tiny room. It was a hard world of hunger, disease, high mortality, unemployment, heavy drinking, prostitution and gang warfare. But despite their hardship, the tenement poor enjoyed an incredibly closely knit community life in which they found great security and indeed, happiness. As one policeman recalls from over half a century ago, they were 'extraordinarily happy for people who were so savagely poor'.

Contents of Dublin Tenement Life

• History and Evolution of the Tenement Slum Problem
  Physical Deterioration
  Profiteering Landlords and Powerless Tenants
  Overcrowding, Sanitation, and Illness
  Social Stigmas and Stereotypes
  The Press and Public Enlightenment
  Housing Reform and Slum Clearance
  Oral History and Tenement Folklore
• Social Life in the Tenement Communities
  Community Spirit and Gregarious Nature
  The Home Setting
  Economic Struggle
  Securing Food and Clothing
  Health, Sickness, and Treatments
  Entertainment and Street Life
  Religion and Morals
  Courting, Marriage, and Childbirth
  The Role of Men, Mothers, and Grannies
  Drinking, Gambling, Prostitution, and Animal Gangs
  Death, Superstitions, and Wakes
• Oral Testimony: The Monto and Dockland
  Maggie Murray—Age 80
  Timmy "Duckegg" Kirwan—Age 72
  Alice Caulfield—Age 66
  Chrissie Hawkins—Age 83
  Johnny Campbell—Age 68
  Mary Waldron—Age 80
  Billy Dunleavy—Age 86
  Nellie Cassidy—Age 78
  Elizabeth "Bluebell" Murphy—Age 75
• Oral Testimony: The Liberties
  Nancy Cullen—Age 71
  Paddy Mooney—Age 72
  Harry Mushatt—Age 83
  Margaret Byrne—Age 72
  John-Joe Kennedy—Age 75
  Frank Lawlor—Age 66
  Mary O'Neill—Age 84
  John O'Dwyer—Age 70
  Tommy Maher—Age 81
  Lily Foy—Age 60
  Senan Finucane—Age 73
  Christy Murray—Age 86
  Bridie Chambers—Age 66
  John Gallagher—Age 60
  Mickey Guy—Age 72
  Margaret Coyne—Age 72
  Patrick O'Leary—Age 70
  Jimmy Owens—Age 68
  Elizabeth "Lil" Collins—Age 91
  Stephen Mooney—Age 65
• Oral Testimony: The Northside
  Paddy Casey—Age 65
  Chrissie O'Hare—Age 76
  John V. Morgan—Age 70
  Peggy Pigott—Age 65
  Mary Chaney—Age 84
  Father Michael Reidy—Age 76
  Ellen Preston—Age 65
  Thomas Lyng—Age 70
  Una Shaw—Age 61
  Con Foley—Age 75
  Margaret Byrne—Age 81
  Jimmy McLoughlin—Age 50
• Four Tenement Tales
  Mary Doolan of Francis Street
  Noel Hughes of North King Street
  Mary Corbally of Corporation Street
  May Hanaphy of Golden Lane
  

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: History and Evolution of the Tenement Slum Problem
• Chapter 2: Social Life in the Tenement Communities
• Chapter 3: Oral Testimony: The Monto and Dockland
• Chapter 4: Oral Testimony: The Liberties
• Chapter 5: Oral Testimony: The Northside
• Chapter 6: Four Tenement Tales
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Poem ‘Dublin Tenements’ by Susan L. Mitchell
• Acknowledgments
• Copyright
• About the Author
• About Gill & Macmillan