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Fascinating image. There's a fair bit of movement from some of the soldiers. Gives it a slightly ghostly feel.

Nick Stewart Some of them were definitely fidgety and must have driven the photographer mad. Do you mean the chap with the newspaper in the row of chairs on the right? He must have been flying through that paper, leaning forward and back...

Great photograph but there are a number of things about it that raise a question mark. Why have they all (bar 1) got their caps on indoors in a recreation room? I've worn uniforms for most of my life and one of the first things one does is take the darned cap off and especially in a room such as this. They are all, more or less, facing the camera which would indicate that it was posed and if so why did the silly beggars insist on moving so much? The likelihood that an Irish ampersand is used in a religious text in a British army rec room is remote to say the least. This was a rec room for other ranks i.e privates as there are no officers present and no signs of ranks on the sleeves of tunics as far as I can see. As regards "Golden SCA text" I expect that it was something like Services Christian Association? Very interesting indeed! Another thought struck me, why all the flowers? There must have been a generals inspection coming off for this level of adornment?

Swordscookie Definitely agree about the posing! Caps were on for the photographer without a doubt. I have another one from the Curragh tomorrow, and again all are wearing their caps... So do you think 16.7.16 is safe enough to assume as the date??

I think it is safe enough. The flowers are "cut-flowers" and are fresh as distinct from pot plants and they are plentiful so that means spring/summer at the least. July is probably right for that shot! The ampersand used up to recently in material relating to the Dept. of Posts and Telegraphs did have the 7 shape but it was distinctively lower that the other numbers.

The Fairy Queen beside the conductor especially looks REALLY happy! No wonder Waterpark were no good at rugby going around in pyjamas all the time!

Fairies, pixies, an animal or two. A King and a Queen fairy, obviously. The dude behind the conductor could be a flower. I'm guessing that all the taller lads at the back are supposed to be humans, as are some of the front row. Something based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, maybe?

Swordscookie On the other hand, Waterpark fly halves really did have wings!

Nice riposte Carol and they did not need a well known caffeine crammed soft drink to get them either!

Olds boys, very well...

Funnily enough a quieter room than the reading room. The prices are almost certainly in £sd and d's rather than s's in an army mess. These would probably have been snacks and optional extras as the soldiers would have been on rations which they would have eaten in one of the dining rooms in the Curragh Camp. No mention of time NLI or did the clock escape your eagle eye on this occasion??? 14,00 hours I make it? What is the dapper civilian doing in the other ranks coffee room?

Those prices would be in pence, as in £-s-d. Presumably, the cost of eating in their canteen was subsidised?

From my days in uniform I remember there was all ways somewhere other ranks could purchase extra food , drinks/tobacoo products etc. after their daily duties,usually subsidised.So I bet those prices are in pence. The 16th July 1916 being a Sunday would explain why these privates are present in the middle of the afternoon.

Swordscookie Did spot the time, but didn't want to inflict my obsession on ye all! :D

philip ward Thanks for reminding me about the Sunday thing. I've decided from now on to always add the day of the week to the Date part of each photo's description, and to tag the day as well. (Will have to do some retrofitting!) That way we can all search for photos on here by day as well as date, and who knows, the data could be useful...