Dublin then and now

Dublin in the rare 'Auld Times.'



My city of birth has changed a lot since I was a chap in the '40s. Back then we had Nelson Pillar, which was blown to bits sometime in the sixties. There were trams running along the middle of O'Connell St as far as the Pillar.Now we have the Luas tram running across O'Connell St. Bewleys Cafe in Westmoreland St was the spot for a 'cuppa'.The aroma from those coffee beans was a joy to behold. The Metropole, where we danced the night away to the music of Phil Murtagh's band, sadly gone. My first memories go back to when Caffolla's Ice Cream Parlour sat right beside Lemons' Pure Sweets shop. My uncle would take us to town from Drimnagh by bus on a Saturday afternoon and it was pure magic. Happy times then. Today, Dublin is a lot different. High rise glass buildings all along the quays. Maybe it's because of my age, but Dublin is just not the same. It has lost much of it's character. Progress yes but at what cost.