dawsonstreet

Congratulation for your beautiful Album.

Photograph taken from Mansion House looking down on Dawson Street. Dawson Street View Possibly 16th January 1922... after being elected chairman of Provisional Government was on his way to handover at Dublin Castle.

I love the way they're all craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the Big Fella.

I think he's the man in the fedora at the front of the centre group.

Frank is right, Michael Collins seldom wore a hat.

Here is an account of the meeting from the Irish Times August 5th 1924. The President and Vice President of the Executive Council , t Minister of External Affairs, the Chief Justice, the Commander in Chief, His Highness Prince Mirza Khan, Afra ed Dooleh, His Highness the Count von Schlitz, Gennant von Goertz, His Excellency Dr. Magalhaes de Azeredo, Senhor Figueredo, His Excellency the Baron Palmstierna. President Cosgrave, who was accompanied by Colonel O’Reilly, A.D.C. and Captain Murphy, A.D.C., was presented by the Marquis MacSwiney, M.R.I.A., to Dr L.C. Purser, Vice-President of the Academy, and to the following members of the Council who wore their academic robes: - Dr R. Lloyd Praeger, Sir Frederick Moore, V.P.; Dr R.F. Scharff, Dr W.R. Fearon, Very Rev. Dr Lawlor, Dean of St Patrick’s; Dr Kirpatrick, Dr R.A.S. Macalister, De Best, V.P.; Mr E.J. Gwynn, Dr. George O’Brien, Mr. W. G. Strickland and Mr W.F. Butler and to Senator W.B. Yeats, Litt.D, M.R.I.A., and Dr R Macalister, Resident Secretary. The president of the Academy (Dr. Sydney Young, F.R.S.) and the provost of trinity College, the Primate (Dr. d’Arcy) and other members of the Council, were unable to be present owing to absence abroad. The guests were conducted to the Moore Library, where the foreign visitors were presented to President Cosgrave who, owing to his absence in London, had not previously met them. They were then entertained to tea in the reading room , and then proceeded to the library, where some of the famous Irish Manuscripts possessed by the Academy were on view. Having examined these unique literary treasures they accompanied their hosts to the National Museum, where they were received by Mr J. J> Buckley, M.R.I.A., Acting Director, and inspected the Academy’s famous museum of Irish antiquities. We were informed that the exhibition of manuscripts and rare Irish books at the Academy will be open to the public each week-day except Saturdays, from 11.0 till 2.0. A fine collection of similar objects relating to Ireland has been arranged in the National Library, in Kildare street, and is open from 11.00 till 5.0 during the next fortnight.

DannyM8 Excellent, Danny, so we have an exact date too - Monday, 4 August 1924!

Carol Maddock And a couple of NLI connections - Praeger and the last paragraph of the IT piece!! We need the notes feature for this one.

www.britishpathe.com/video/royal-irish-academy/query/Prince Pathe coverage of the meeting and our picture

And this event at the RIA was part of the celebration of the first Tailteann Games. On the Persian Prince Mirza Riza Khan, the Irish Independent said:

In recognition of the splendid work done by this eminent Persian in the cause of peace, many distinctions of a literary and philosophic nature have been conferred upon him. He was the first Persian delegate to the League of Nations, and wrote an ode addressed to the first conference in favour of peace held at The Hague. This ode was translated into fifteen languages. The Prince is at present residing at Monte Carlo, where he owns a beautiful villa. It has been arranged to put the Chief Secretary’s Lodge in the Phoenix Park at his disposal during his stay in Dublin.

(Thursday, 24 July 1924)

The red hand of Ulster is a right hand. I think the image is reversed.

Beara Peninsula Here's another shot the right way around. (It also says Lord Mayor backwards below the Red Hand).

If it was August 1921, then there are only a limited number of dates it can be. The Dáil only sat from August 16th to 27th. Probably it's of the opening of the Second Dáil on August 16th.

Trying to identify the characters in the shot will not be easy as they are very spread out and there are a lot of empty seats! I see Arthur Griffith on the couch in the front with his arm draped over the armrest. The man beside his could be Michael Collins but that will be hard to confirm as he has his head down. On the far side is Count Plunkett easily identifiable due to his age and full beard! Who is the Chair? WT Cosgrave perhaps????

Swordscookie Sean, this was where the note function came into its own.