Dublin in the 1980′s, by Gerry Smith

(c) Gerry Smith. Screen capture from Blurb

I knew my friend, Gerry Smith, was into photography. I have seen some of his prints over the years, but not that many. We get lost touch in late years, save for occasional contact. I knew that he was running on a Blurb book of about of his old work, and this even he sent me a connection to the bible on Blurb and a youtube video of some select pieces.

I bear to say that I was blown away by the work, it actually is excellent.

The play depicts Dublin in the 1980′s, and while I think it murkily from my childhood, the photographs really be a township from another time. Gerry says in his introduction

During the early 1980′s in Dublin, the interior city area was enveloped with half demolished buildings, unkempt sites and a universal feel of disregard for the architectural inheritance of the city. This was a reflection of the overall depressed economic condition prevelant within Ireland at the time.

The wider richly layered social, commercial and architectural heritage represents the `person` of the interior city, which has developed over the centuries to prove the heart of Dublin as unique in the qualities of scale, diversity and quality of place.

The interior city on both sides of the River Liffey encompassed a rich variety of uses and architectural quality, some of which have been regrettably lost to `development` oppotunity, however the restoration of some areas has helped preserve and enhance much of the original character of Dublin`s historic buildings and cultural content.

Some of the market activities that have survived to this day albeit in revised formats include the Moore Street market, the Smithfield Horsefair and the Dublin Corporation Wholesale markets on St. Michan`s Street also in the Smithfield area.

Many of the places captured in these images have become unrecognisable over the years due to redevelopment, however this collection provides a position of about of that which served us well for decades, but no longer remains.

While Gerry discusses the changing architecture of the metropolis in his introduction, what really grabs me is the citizenry in the photographs. The old men and women in particular, but also the children, are from another time and place - somewhere in the past, in story books, no longer present. And yet I want to remind myself that the children in the photos would have been a similar age to myself at the time - it`s not rather the ancient past!

I haven`t seen it in printed form yet, but this looks like a beautiful book that will invoke to a broad audience, not only to Dubs and the Irish.

- Rory

Link to the Blurb Book

Link to the youtube video

Link to Gerry`s website