“It was a happy arrangement, the inhabitants of the townships could continue to use the city for business and recreation but leave it and its problems in the evening,” cites Joseph Brady about the the 1834 opening of the railway from Dublin to Kingston (Dún Laoghaire) in Building Healthy Homes: Dublin Corporation’s First Housing Schemes 1880-1925 (co-author Ruth McManus).
Yet, there often feels a ring of truth to this in 2021 too, whereby ‘decision-makers’ retire to their suburban enclaves leaving the troubles of the city far behind.
It’s somewhat ironic to see the Dublin City Council logo emblazoned on this fine body of work, then, given the snide and cavalier approach its current CEO has which, no doubt, greatly diminishes the hard work of many.