North Strand Bombing Exhibition

Introduction 1 The North Strand Bombing was the most serious atrocity inflicted on neutral Eire during the Second World War. On the night of 31 May 1941, four high-explosive bombs were dropped by German aircraft on the North Strand area of Dublin City. The casualties were many: 28 dead and 90 injured, with 300 houses damaged or destroyed. The tragedy has resonated with Irish people ever since, and especially in Dublin, where it has passed into the collective community memory. This exhibition commemorates this iconic event in the life of the city and is intended as a tribute to those killed and injured on that fateful night in 1941. 4 Then ther e was th 3 was going e time I to be kill thought night of ed I the bombi . That was the Strand. It ng of th1. 23 Rutland Place (Car ZA 7373 owned by Vincent Duffy, 8 Mount Brown, Old Kilmainham). Dublin City Library & Archive was not e North2. 153-164 North Strand Road. Dublin City Library & Archive father’s long after death. I my3. Appointment of Gerard Earley as Deputy Area Warden. Earley Family Collection, Dublin City Library & Archive mother t was in be hat nigh d with m4. Oral testimony about the bombing by local resident Chrissie O’Brien. North Inner City Folklore Project planes co t w y5. Inspecting a bomb crater. North Inner City Folklore Project ming over hen we heard th big guns . Then w e that wer e heard down nea e located the r the P somewher firing at oint Dep e the plan ot. They 2 going over es as th were . The pla ey were flying ve nes must ry low be have been what I ca cause we n only des could hea gears of cribe as r a car ja like the heard th mming, t e whistli hen we big explo ng sound sions... s, then t he 5

Ireland’s status in WWII 1 In 1937, the Irish Free State was re-constituted as Eire. The country remained neutral during World War II but a ‘national emergency’ was declared. In Ireland, the period from 1939 to 1945 has been known ever since as ‘The Emergency’. Nazi Germany inflicted a series of aircraft bombings along the east coast, beginning in county Wexford in August 1940, and ending with the North Strand. On 19 June 1941, the Eire government announced that the Nazis had expressed regret for the North Strand bombing and had promised compensation. 41. 13-16 North Strand Road. Dublin City Library & Archive2. Local Defence Forces during The Emergency. North Inner City Folklore Project 3. Irish neutrality during Word War II. Courtesy Irish Press plc 24. Air Raid Warden’s Helmet. Earley Family Collection, Dublin City Library & Archive5. Extract from Neutrality (War Damage to Property) Act, 1941. 5 3

List of fatalities 1 A memorial park to the victims of the attack is now located near the Five Lamps. Elizabeth Behan (21), Desmond Fitzpatrick (5), 72 Shelmalier Road. 156 North Strand Road. Mary Boyle (27), James Fitzpatrick (3 months), 157 North Strand Road. 156 North Strand Road. Mary Browne (67), Richard Fitzpatrick (60), 25 North Strand Road. 23 North Strand Road. Henry Browne (37), Ellen Fitzpatrick (55), son of Mary Browne, wife of Richard Fitzpatrick, 25 North Strand Road. 29 North Strand Road. Mary Browne (33), Margaret (Madge) Fitzpatrick (32), wife of Henry Browne, 23 North Strand Road. 25 North Strand Road. Noel Fitzpatrick (32), Maureen Browne (7), 23 North Strand Road. 25 North Strand Road. John Foran (52), Nan Browne (5), 155 North Strand Road. 25 North Strand Road. Mary Foran (49), Edward Browne (4), wife of John Foran, 25 North Strand Road. 155 North Strand Road. Angela Browne (3), Marianne Houlton (65),1. The funeral cortege. Front page The Irish Press 6 June 1941. 25 North Strand Road. 156 North Strand.2. 2-4 Dunne Street. Dublin City Library & Archive3. The Irish Press, p. 3, 2 June 1941. Patrick Callely (54), Patrick McLoughlin (28),4. Fragment of bomb which fell on North Strand Charleville Mall Public Library. 162 North Strand. 41 Summerhill Parade. Thomas Carroll (55), William McLoughlin (2), 157 North Strand Road. 41 Summerhill Parade. 2 Elizabeth Daly (60), Annie Malone (79), 162 North Strand. 43 Summerhill Parade. Josephine Fagan (33), John Murray (55), 157 North Strand Road. 154 North Strand Road. Alice Fitzpatrick (38), Charles Sweeney (61), 156 North Strand Road. 11 North Strand Road. Source: Dublin City Coroner’s Report, 1941, pp 90 – 98. 4 3

Newspapers and archivesThe North Strand Bombing caused shock and revulsion, 1as revealed in contemporary newspapers and documents.The Irish Red Cross provided emergency shelter atthe Mansion House and in parish halls throughout thecity. Charleville Mall Public Library was designated asheadquarters for the bombed area. Damaged houseswere repaired where possible, and those made homelessby the bombing were re-located to Dublin Corporation’snew housing estates at Cabra and Crumlin.2 1. 12, 13 and 13a North Strand. Dublin City Library & Archive 2. Headlines from The Irish Press, 1 June 1941. Courtesy, Irish Press plc 3. Firefighting at North Strand. The Irish Press, 1 June 1941. Courtesy, Irish Press plc 4. Headlines from The Irish Press June 1941. Courtesy, Irish Press plc 5. Gas mask. Earley Family Collection, Dublin City Library & Archive 4 3 5

Map The worst damage was inflicted on the North Strand, 1 North Circular Road and Clarence Street North, but also at Summerhill, Quinn’s Cottages and Charleville Mall. Compensation was provided for owners of damaged or destroyed property under the terms of the Neutrality (War Damage to Property) Act 1941. Dublin Corporation acquired two areas where the bomb damage was most severe, one off Summerhill Parade and one off the North Strand, for the purpose of clearing the districts and developing a new housing scheme. A plaque to commemorate the victims of the North Strand Bombing was unveiled at Charleville Mall Public Library on 31 May 2001, the 60th anniversary of the atrocity. Ave 2 St James Clon liffe Av e Fo d ste R rT Sprin nd err gG ac arde a n St 1. 5-13 North Clarence Street. Dublin City Library & Archive e E Str Kin Sa ck gs Av Le W rth vil e inst all 2. Map showing boundaries of bombed area. Vermillion Design le No er Rd No Av ttin Ave d e gh hR am ug e St Av bo St 3. Clearance of bombed areas is underway. North Inner City Folklore Project lly pe Bri Ba Ho Ba dg yv e iew tA ve W ve 4. Oral testimony about the bombing by local resident Chrissie O’Brien. North Inner City Folklore Project Av ate A e rlo ith No o Fa rth Av e Str an dR N d d St yR er ne nc Sto Nort e e rad Sp h Circ ill Pa ular Ric erh Rd hm mm Rd Su 3 on dC nd tN W Str ott sS an ra e illi dv Sto age harl am St ille ne at C St sN tN Ch Av y thGre S N Be e Rd er arl s or m ev sb um o N il Du S le ro M ug ke all hA lNSu Ro dP ve mm n w tla Ru er Pl Po t Rd d l Se rtla rhil hR av e iew E St urc Wes mm nd Av W e Su Ch unn eE all Ro D Str Rd w an gfo rd Rd Uppe r Buck Lo l ill P ingha we ess Pl Fa Rd erh Empr irfi rR mm eld ry O 4 Su utl sso sso m St Av Rd an ry e O Rd dS rth d St rR Ba Bella Fo t rgy alie Se Rd elm v ille Ca led Sh Te on St rra Rd rney ce Killa Ra ve St nsd M ale ary ’s R Rd d The funn Lowe ott St y thing Ha derm w d tho rr Bu hR Mac rn about th t r Sean Te after th sS urc Lowe rra ckingh Ch ce e night ien e attack Ca Ca led led am St Am on on was that Ct St Lauren Rd Rd ay St st Railw Ea ce O’Toole’ Se s Ch vil absolutely packed ou urch was le St Pl M ary ’s R people lo t to the dN oking for d the pries oor with Ch urc hR d their con t to hea fessions. t St lS ley rie Fo I w r rO church w ith my si as sitting in th pe Lower Sher Up iff St who was ster and e in front th confession of us wen is man bo t into t priest sh x. Well, we could he outing a here beca t him: “Y hear the use the ou’re only bombs on Germans the Stra dropped would not nd. Other the be here t wise, you night. Y onight or ou would any other inside th not show is church your face for the or any ch Germans’’ urch only

The Photographs 1 2Photographs of destruction caused by the North Strand 1. 23-29 North Strand Road. Dublin City Library & Archive 2. Rear 152 and 153 North Strand Road. Dublin City Library & ArchiveBombing were commissioned by Dublin Corporation 3. 17-22 North Strand Road. Dublin City Library & Archive 4. 30-35 North Strand Road (with Air Raid Warden’s hut on left). Dublin City Library & Archiveas evidence for the assessment of insurance claims. 5. The Irish Times, p. 6, 2 June 1941.The work was entrusted to a local photographer, HenryMcCrae, of 152 Clontarf Road, who began work on 4June 1941 and continued until the end of October. 3 4 5

The Photographs 1 2Photographer McCrea was supplied with a permit from 1. 582 North Circular Road. Dublin City Library & Archive 2. 584 North Circular Road and 24 Rutland Place. Dublin City Library & ArchiveDublin City Manager, Dr. P.J. Hernon, allowing him 3. 43-45 Summerhill Parade. Dublin City Library & Archive 4. 17 Summerhill Parade. Dublin City Library & Archive“to pass through the cordons at the North Strand andSummerhill Areas for the purpose of photographingbuildings demolished, or about to be demolished, forrecord and assessment purposes.” 3 4

The Photographs 1 2These photographs record destroyed buildings but also Digital versions of the photographs are on Dublin Citythe indestructible spirit of North Strand, as people continue Council’s website, www.dublincity.ietheir daily work and young children play in the rubble ofdevastated streets. The complete series can be viewed atDublin City Library & Archive, along with original files and 1. 21 North Clarence Street. Dublin City Library & Archive 2. 61-64 North Clarence Street and Synott Street. Dublin City Library & Archivenewspapers relating to the North Strand Bombing. 3. 59-60 North Clarence Street. Dublin City Library & Archive 4. 8-16 North Clarence Street. Dublin City Library & Archive 3 4

AcknowledgmentsThe assistance of Dublin City Council Central 1Area Office in part-funding this exhibition isgratefully acknowledged.Exhibition origination:Dublin City Public LibrariesDublin City Librarian: Deirdre Ellis-KingConcept & co-ordination:Alastair Smeaton, Divisional LibrarianExhibition research:Dr. Mary Clark: Dublin City ArchivistAndrew O’Brien: Dublin City Library & ArchiveTerry Fagan: North Inner City Folklore ProjectNewspaper photographs courtesy of:Irish Press, plcThe Irish Times 1. 5 and 5a Newcomen Cottages. Dublin City Library & ArchiveExhibition design: 2. Quinn’s Cottages. Dublin City Library & Archive 3. Quinn’s Cottages. Dublin City Library & ArchiveConor O’Riordan and Hubert Szyperskiof Vermillion Design 2 3

http://www.dublincity.ie	560
http://northstrandbombing.wordpress.com	84
http://accessibility_checker.siteimprove.com	23

North Strand Bombing Exhibition

by dubcilib on Oct 24, 2011

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

3 Embeds 667

Statistics

North Strand Bombing Exhibition — Document Transcript