ballsbridge

Who was manning the road block, I wonder? British or Irish soldiers? They are wearing Pattern 1914 leather webbing, that integrated the Pattern 1908 canvas webbing during the Great War. They are also carrying extra cloth cartridge bandoliers for fast reloading. Leather Pattern 1914 webbing was withdrawn by the Britsih Military in 1921, but no doubt it remained in service longer in other militaries that used Britsh equipment. Here's an interesting website about webbing www.karkeeweb.com/1914main.html

In this 1919 photo, taken in Germany, my great grandfather (to the right) is wearing a Pattern 1908 canvas webbing belt, while his friend to the left has a pattern 1914 leather one. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_castelli/5922054314/]

I just saw the date the photo was taken on, so these must be British soldiers, and as all canvas Pattern 1908 webbing was reserved for front line troops, that explains the use of leather Pattern 1914!

Patrick Castelli Sorry, Patrick, didn't get to this quickly enough, but sure you answered your own question without me! :) However, it's an interesting point, and made me return to the description above. I had put in "British soldiers", but have now amended it to "British ARMY soldiers". Those individual men could have been Irish, English, Welsh or Scottish...

National Library of Ireland on The Commons True, I was wondering that myself, they might even have belonged to locally recruited Irish regiments. Even if I suspect that the British War Office made sure all Irish soldiers were stationed and trained away from Ireland...for obvious reasons!

The entrance to the 1907 Irish International Exhibition, Ballsbridge. See archiseek.com/2012/1907-irish-international-exhibition-du... for a better copy of same image. Built on 52 acres that Lord Pembroke had promised to the Pembroke District Council for a public park, lying between the River Dodder, Morehampton Road and Clyde Road. The site later became Herbert Park. All that remains of the exhibition is the pond which was part of the water slide and one of the two bandstands, the other going to Bray.

Suck Diesel My first instinct was Harcourt Street as well but that arch, which looks so elegant, is all wrong! Morning Mary will have to make adjustments.

Swordscookie Looks like some palace from the days of the Raj, except for the heavy overcoats. There are much better versions of this image on internet than this one.

There's some info on Reckitt's Blue here.

Happy Christmas to all.

And we have a winner! John Spooner John Spooner added a note on the picture over Bonafide Travellers. John, do you never sleep?

Wasn't there a law which prohibited selling of alcoholic beverages on Sundays other than to 'bona fide travellers'? There's an advertisement on the 2nd tram (centre-right) with 'Refreshments on Sundays. Bona fide travellers'

National Library of Ireland on The Commons From time to time. I see that Arabian Nights was on at the Gaiety Theatre

Here's the none-too-complimentary review from Freeman's of May 20th 1890, which refers to Miss Vaudray's be-feathered hat (click for a readable version).

Over market gardens tidy, Taverns for the bona fide

John Spooner Ooh, you're ringing vague bells with me about Dubliners heading out to Wicklow hills on a Sunday to go to public houses.