Final Dissertation

Literature Review
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the evolution of Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk from a
historical geographical point of view. By examining the growth and development of this particular
street and space, it is hoped that the findings will reflect societal changes in the respective periods
under examination. A street containing shops, factories, and other businesses might seem irrelevant
when looking closely at society and its development. However, those very businesses in conjunction
with wider information regarding the socio-economic climate as a whole, go a long way towards
providing a picture detailing the ever changing face of society.
The type of sources used include primary and secondary sources and range from street directories
and books to websites and electronic journals. Whilst carrying out my research it was evident that
the topic of interest in this particular dissertation was not discussed in any great detail, with most
literature serving as a mere historical reference telling the story of Dundalk from its beginning to
the modern era. The material mostly dealt with historic facts regarding wars and general
information about the landlords of Dundalk. Literature concerning itself with economic and social
issues were clearly not dealt with and there is no insight as to the daily lives of people throughout
the period of study. The literature did not provide an accurate description of Dundalk from a social
and geographical viewpoint, however, the literature was necessary for the piecing together of this
dissertation. By using information available on land use, local government, economic developments
and social problems in Dundalk and Ireland as a whole, it was possible to answer the question of
this dissertation; does the evolution of a street reflect societal change? In order for this dissertation
to work, it was necessary to limit the number of periods under inspection, which is why this
dissertation will cover the periods of c. 1750, 1837, 1886, 1937, 1988 and 2010. These dates were
chosen as they coincide with particular events of interest to this topic which will be discussed in the
results section in Chapter Three.
To begin with, a brief history and introduction to Dundalk and Clanbrassil Street were needed. This
brief history concerned itself with events prior to the eighteenth century and included facts
regarding ancient settlements in Dundalk right through to the Williamite- Jacobite War of the
seventeenth century. This information was necessary in order to provide a background from which
the dissertation could grow. The Book of Dundalk by P. Ua Dubhthaigh (1946) provided an insight
into this history. The text was essentially a brief introduction to Dundalk itself and contained
information regarding court cases, business listings and general news from Dundalk in 1946. The
text lacked a bibliography however and hence other texts were used to back up the facts presented.

This book was quite good at providing some basic information needed and was a great help in the
beginnings of this dissertation. This book was used with caution and its reliability was sometimes
questionable, however, the information retrieved from it was credible when checked against other
reliable sources such as The Irish Historic Towns Atlas No. 16 Dundalk by O'Sullivan (2006). This
book is published by the Royal Irish Academy and is, therefore, a reliable source. The text also
contains a large bibliography which not only confirms the information supplied but also provides
literature for further study. This text contained great detail about the history of both Dundalk and
Clanbrassil Street while containing no real faults. This book formed an essential part of this
dissertation and was used in other parts of the dissertation also. A great deal of information was
supplied on Clanbrassil Street in From Dún Dealca to Dundalk: The topography and archaeology
of a medieval frontier town A.D. c. 1187-1700 by Gosling (1991). This text contains only a small
section on Clanbrassil Street but provides details regarding the physical geography of the street as
well as descriptions and maps highlighting the developments taking place on the street in the
eighteenth century. The text was produced on behalf of Dundalk Urban District Council and is,
therefore, a reliable source. The text, however, does lack some minor descriptions regarding
influential individuals involved in the discussed periods.
Further information obtained in order to provide substance to the background and introduction to
Dundalk and Clanbrassil Street. The history of Dundalk and its environs from the earliest historic
period to the present time; with memoirs of its finest men by D'Alton (1864) provides an extremely
detailed account of Dundalk's history. The contained some information which was relevant for this
dissertation. The book was treated with caution however as it lacked a bibliography as well as
providing some inaccurate details. The information used was backed up by other sources deemed to
be more reliable. This also applies to Dealga's legacy Dundalk's heritage, a book compiled by the
Combined Tenants and Residents Association (1989). This book was compiled under a scheme
initiated by Dundalk Urban District Council and the research was conducted by young people in
social housing areas of Dundalk. The book was written with the help of a historian and is quite good
for providing an insight into the history of Dundalk. It contained a particularly helpful section on
landlords in Dundalk and allowed a basic knowledge to be obtained.
Following on from the history and background it was necessary to establish the identities of several
agents of change involved with Dundalk over the selected periods. These agents included two
landlord families, a town commission, and an urban district council. Information regarding the
landlords is plentiful whereas the elected commission and council do not attract the same attention.
The first landlord to be covered was James Hamilton, Lord Limerick and Earl of Clanbrassil. Lord

Limerick was an influential individual, hence why this dissertation begins during his period of
influence. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas has once again provided a great deal of information
regarding Lord Limerick. The text provided details regarding his life including marriage and
education and lacked detail concerning his role in developments in Dundalk. While these
developments were mentioned, the detail required did not present itself and other sources were
consulted. Urban Improvement and the Erection of Municipal Buildings in County Louth during the
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries by Geraghty (1995) included many details about building
developments undertaken by Lord Limerick especially the industrial infrastructure and important
economic buildings in the town. The port is also discussed but not in as much detail as other
developments. This text was extremely useful in the course of this dissertation and also provides
information on the works of Lord Roden, the successor to Lord Limerick's estate. The text also
neglects to emphasise the association of some developments with their respective agent of change.
These associations were emphasised in the Irish Historic Towns Atlas. Further information about
Lord Limerick's influence with Dundalk port was retrieved from Gosling (1991), mentioned
previously, and contains detailed accounts of the type of developments taking place as well as cost.
Overall, the literature available on Lord Limerick and his influence in Dundalk is quite good. There
are several texts available detailing his activities during the eighteenth century.
The second agents of change include the Jocelyn family, notably the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Earls of Roden.
Concentrating on the nineteenth century there is also a good deal of material available but not as
much as the previous landlord. The Jocelyns were associated with the railways coming to Dundalk
with the Dublin to Belfast line dissecting their estate. The railway developments are dealt with in
The railway town, the story of the Great Northern Railway works and Dundalk, by Mc Quillan
(1993). This text contains a brief history of the beginnings of the railways in Dundalk and is
sufficient for this dissertation. The book primarily deals with the railway works in the twentieth
century and contains details regarding the manufacture of trains and people working in the industry
throughout its operations. Much of the book was not necessary for the needs of this dissertation.
The railways and the Jocelyns are also mentioned briefly in the Irish Historic Towns Atlas which
also details some other activities of the Jocelyns. This text, however, contains a reference to the 6th
Earl of Roden during this period but after further research, I could not back this claim. The
activities of Lord Roden are dealt with in Dundalk harbour improvements in the nineteenth century
by O'Sullivan (2000). This article which is found in the Journal of the County Louth Archaeological
and Historical Society contains a great deal regarding the port of Dundalk and influence of the
Jocelyns. This article is detailed and contains records of the financial contributions made by the
Jocelyns. The only drawback to this article is its sole dealings with the port. The attention given to

this article would be beneficial if applied to other areas of influence under the Jocelyn family.
As Clanbrassil Street is being used as a case study for this dissertation, it was necessary to seek a
wider picture of landlord improvements throughout Ireland. This phenomenon was not limited to
Dundalk and this is noted throughout the dissertation. There is quite an abundance of literature
associated with the works of landlords in Ireland but due to the time restrictions of this dissertation,
only two were consulted. The phenomenon of landlord improvements exists in every county in
Ireland and a case study of Strokestown provided evidence of this fact as well as providing a guide
as to how best to deal with a case study. The landlord influence in the development of an Irish estate
town: Srokestown, County Roscommon by Hood (1995) provides a detailed picture of an Irish
landlord’s town. It accurately describes building works carried out by the resident landlords and
provides a contrast for the story of Dundalk. The article also contains information regarding the
economic and social conditions of the town and again provides a comparison for Dundalk during a
similar period. This text has many similarities with the landlord period in Dundalk and is an
important piece of literature. However, despite the qualities of this text, the town in question is
considerably smaller than Dundalk and therefore the experiences by both towns differ due to size
and location, with Dundalk being located on the eastern seaboard near Dublin and Belfast. To
further explain the actions of landlords and provide examples of their work throughout Ireland, a
more generalised book was consulted. This text, An historical geography of Ireland, by Graham and
Proudfoot (1993) provides us with a much broader view of the landlord influence in Ireland. The
text is concise and detailed while also providing maps detailing the characteristics of landlord
towns. These case studies used by Graham and Proudfoot (1993) provide a source of contrast for
Dundalk and proved useful for this dissertation and explaining the actions of landlords. These two
choices of literature were sufficient for this dissertation due to its size.
During the final years of the Jocelyn period, the Town Commission came into being. This elected
group of officials became the newest agents of change in Dundalk and would go to replace the
landlord influence altogether. The role of the Commission is detailed in A history of local
government in the County of Louth from the earliest times to the present time by O'Sullivan (2000).
The book was the most informed book when it came to the Commission but yet lacked many details
regarding their activities in the nineteenth century. The book was also unorganised in its dealing
with the various local government bodies in Louth with information on the Commission being
found in several different areas within the book. Despite these downfalls, the book was essential as
information was scarce for this subject.

Dundalk Urban District Council followed on from the Commission and has led to the modern day
Dundalk Town Council. O'Sullivan (2000) as discussed above, proved to be the most informed
source yet again for the council. The book went to great effort in listing all elected officials and
election results from the twentieth century. It did, however, neglect to detail the undertakings of the
council throughout the years in areas of house building and infrastructure. The information was
better organised for the council than its predecessor.
The first period of study was centred around the eighteenth century focusing on circa 1750. The
research for this period was primarily centred around one main text namely, The Irish Historic
Towns Atlas No. 16 Dundalk, by Harold O' Sullivan (2006). This text provided an insight to the
general background of the eighteenth century and also provided information about the economic
and social setting of the period. While providing this information, the text did not deal with the
period in great detail and the period is merely mentioned in passing in a text which focuses itself on
the nineteenth century. Apart from being mentioned briefly in Urban Improvement and the Erection
of Municipal Buildings in County Louth during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries and From
Dún Dealca to Dundalk: The topography and archaeology of a medieval frontier town A.D. c.
1187-1700, this period is poorly dealt with. The selection of literature available other than the
historical facts presented along with Lord Limerick is lacking and is possibly open to further
research in this area.
The next period of study is 1837 and a street survey, the results of which can be found in Chapter
Three, was conducted. The street survey relied upon street directories for the period and for 1837
The Dundalk almanack and directory for the year 1837 by Cooper (1837) was consulted. This book
contained a series of advertisements for local businesses as well as street directories for each of
Dundalk's main streets. The directory was of great use and provided a clear picture of the businesses
found on Clanbrassil Street. However, the lists were sometimes not completed and this resulted in
blanks in the street survey.
In order to obtain a feel for the period in question, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Lewis
(1837) was consulted. This book gives the reader a feel for the time as he writes about his visits to
various Irish towns and cities. The article on Dundalk contains information about industrial activity
and details about the ports business in that year. He also describes the social scenes in Dundalk for
the year and his story contains both the good and the bad. Caution must be used as this is one
person’s opinion of a place and information acquired must be backed up with further reading.
Overall this text gives a good insight as to how people were living and working in Dundalk during

1837.
To follow on from 1837, another author produced his findings in a book entitled The Irish
Sketchbook by Thackeray (1842). Similar to Lewis (1837), this text contains some vivid
descriptions of Dundalk. He describes the physical appearance of the town and notes his tour of the
town with a local vicar. While the book accurately describes the social setting for the time, the
content is somewhat misguided as he paints a picture of happy children singing and the influence of
the vicar and God over a local drunk. This text is quite useful but at times, the author is only
concerned with the wealthier parts of Dundalk.
The third period of study for this dissertation is 1886. A land use survey was conducted for this year
also with a street directory being consulted. Louth county guide and directory by Basset (1886),
contains a series of street directories for towns in Louth. Similar to the previous directory, the text
contains advertisements and local information. Like the previous directory, there are many blanks
left on the street survey as some buildings are not recorded. Overall the text is quite accurate and
detailed, providing the vast majority of businesses listed on the street.
As the land use surveys move into the twenty century, the quality and detail in the street directories
has increased greatly. The 1937 survey was conducted using the local street directory and gossip
guide, Tempest's Annual. This annual is part of a series which was produced every year from 1898
to 1976. The text for 1937 contains street directories, local information regarding clubs and
societies and general news from Dundalk throughout the year. The street directories are quite
detailed and the use of every building is noted. It was unclear at times however as to which
buildings were not listed as the buildings despite being numbered 1- 100 are not all present. Some
buildings have merged with others while new, larger buildings have been constructed on the site of
two or three older buildings.
In order to relate the economic picture of Dundalk in 1937 to other parts of the country, it was
necessary to seek information about the general economic situation in Ireland. This information was
obtained from The inter-war economy in Ireland by Johnson (1985). This book accurately depicts
the economic situation in Ireland during the 1920s and 1930s and provides a contrast for Dundalk in
this dissertation. The text does not break down into regions when this might have been useful when
comparing one region with another. This text was accompanied by census statistics obtained from
www.cso.ie. This site provides statistics taken from the census in various census years and provides
information regarding employment, and living conditions. This site proved useful for the 1937,

1988 and 2010 surveys. The information at times was not presented very well, particularly for the
older census statistics.
The penultimate period of study in this dissertation is 1988. This modern year saw Ireland in the
depths of a recession and provided interesting findings as discussed in Chapter Three. Once again a
land use survey was conducted for this year using Thom's Directory. This directory provides the
types and numbers of businesses present in Clanbrassil Street but neglects to provide an exact
location for all businesses mentioned. The directory contains lists for Clanbrassil Street categorised
by type of business. Thom's Directory is a reliable source but could benefit from more accurate
information regarding the street directories.
The final period of study is 2010. This study did not require literature and field survey was
conducted, documenting the current land use of Clanbrassil Street.

Methodology
Aim:
The aim of this dissertation is to highlight the link that exists between the evolution of a street and
changes in society based around that street. By examining the streets land usage during several
periods throughout history, it should become apparent that the street and the population are
interlinked and changes in the street will hence reflect changes taking place in society also. This
dissertation will use Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk as a case study.
This dissertation also aims to establish any events, either economic or social, occurring throughout
the study period and to examine the degree to which these events have had an influence on the
street.
Objectives:
This dissertation has several objectives as follows:
1. Establish a brief history and background of Dundalk and Clanbrassil Street using secondary
sources.
2. Examine the influence of several individuals on Clanbrassil Street's development. This will
look at the physical, economic and social changes taking place on the street.
3. Examine the effects these agents of change have had on Dundalk, focusing on economic and
social improvements and changes.
4. Find a link between events occurring throughout the time periods studied and Dundalk's
development.
5. Determine the land usage of Clanbrassil Street during six key periods.
6. Having attained information on land use in Clanbrassil Street, the results will be analysed
and used to describe social change taking place in the respective periods under study.
7. The results will provide a clear picture as to how a street evolves along with and reflecting
societal change.
Method:
The first objective of this dissertation was to establish the history of Dundalk and hence provide

background information which might help to explain the developments taking place during the
periods of study in this dissertation. These periods will be outlined below. While the history of
Dundalk is long and detailed, for the purposes of this dissertation, a brief history was required,
focusing on Dundalk prior to the eighteenth century. This process involved using literature accessed
in Louth County Library and St Patrick's College Library. Several books, Ua Dubhthaigh (1946),
O'Sullivan (2006), D'Alton (1864) and Gosling (1991), were used to establish the short history
which was needed to introduce Dundalk into this dissertation and also provides a background from
which the dissertation could progress. The detailed history found, was summarised so as to provide
a short introduction to Dundalk which subsequently led to the introduction of Clanbrassil Street. It
was necessary to establish reasons for the location of present day Dundalk as these reasons, which
are discussed in Chapter One, also informed future economic and social developments within the
town. A brief history was also needed to explain the rise of the Hamilton Landed family to Dundalk
as they had a great influence on the town.
The second objective was to introduce Clanbrassil Street to the dissertation. As the focus of the
study, Clanbrassil Street's history and development were important aspects of the dissertation. Both
the history and physical aspects of the street were researched. The latter included looking at the
physical geography of the town centre as it is located on an esker, a glacial feature. This was
essential in determining the siting of Clanbrassil Street and indeed Dundalk at this area. The
influential characters who have shaped Clanbrassil Street were also found. Their active involvement
in the development of the street will be covered in more detail in Chapter Two. This work required
archival research at Louth County Library, St Patrick's College Library and using online journals
via the JSTOR database to access secondary sources. A third objective of the dissertation is to find
information about the individuals who have shaped Clanbrassil Street and Dundalk since the
eighteenth century. The eighteenth century was chosen as this is when the Hamilton family become
landlords of Dundalk. Under their guidance, a series of developments took place within Clanbrassil
Street and Dundalk and hence they formed an influential part of Dundalk's history. As discussed in
Chapter Two, the Hamilton family, led by Lord Limerick, began a series of physical changes in
Clanbrassil Street as well as other parts of Dundalk. The landlord influence is essential in the story
of how the street has evolved, reflecting societal change. Therefore, the Hamiltons were the first
agents of change to be assessed. Library-based research derived information from a range of books,
including the Irish Historic Towns Atlas for Dundalk. The work of the Hamilton’s, under Lord
Limerick, included street improvements, infrastructural improvements, and economic
improvements.

The second group of individuals studied in this dissertation was the Jocelyn family, led by Robert
the 1st Earl of Roden who was succeeded by his son and grandson. The role of the Earls of Roden
was researched and their influence examined in relation to the economic and social conditions of
Dundalk during their period of influence. They were influential in bringing the railways to Dundalk,
which in turn led to an industrial boom in the town which lasted into the twentieth century. The
Earls of Roden were involved in port renovations and expansions during the nineteenth century
which again aided Dundalk's economic growth and capabilities. This economic activity can be seen
in Clanbrassil Street via the types of business in operation in the street. In order to obtain
information regarding the Jocelyns and their activities, the Irish Towns Atlas and articles from the
Journal of the Louth Archaeological and Historical Society were consulted.
The next group of agents of change included the Towns Commission and later Dundalk Urban
District Council (DUDC). As elected officials, their influence was of great importance and the latter
continues to have an influence in Dundalk. Their role in housing, sewerage schemes and other
activities which were beneficial for the town as a whole were examined, as well as looking
specifically at changes made to Clanbrassil Street. These two elected bodies have had a direct
impact on the economic and social progression of Dundalk and this was reflected in Clanbrassil
Street as it grew and changed through time. The amount of work published on the elected
commission and council was quite limited in comparison to the role of the landlords in Dundalk.
Secondary sources including O' Sullivan (2000) and O'Sullivan (2006) were consulted. Again, the
Irish Towns Atlas also provided some information about both the Town Commission and the
DUDC. Having conducted research on the landlords, Town Commission and the DUDC, a short
piece was written on each of the agents of change.
The next objective was in relation to the effects that the activities of the various agents of change
have had on Dundalk. The economic and social effects of their actions were examined in order to
provide evidence of their importance in this story. Developments such as port improvements,
railway construction and modern projects such as housing and leisure facilities were researched.
These activities have produced certain social and economic characteristics which become evident in
Clanbrassil Street throughout this dissertation. It was necessary to examine these developments as
they allowed Dundalk to be compared with other parts of Ireland during the same periods. This
required library-based research and online at JSTOR. These findings were compiled and accompany
the work completed on the agents of change involved in this dissertation. Their influence is also
discussed in Chapter Three with the results. A series of maps and photographs were used to
highlight their accomplishments and are found in Chapters Two and Three.

Having established the characters involved in Dundalk's history and their actions during their
respective periods in charge, six time periods were selected for study. These periods were chosen in
correspondence with events occurring at these times such as the construction of the railways in the
mid-1800s. A link between these activities and major social or economic changes was established.
Thus, using the criteria outlined above, the following years were selected for the case study of land
use in Clanbrassil Street: circa 1750, 1837, 1886, 1937, 1987 and 2010. The land use study was
carried out using archival research and, in the case of the present-day land use, fieldwork. The
results can be found in Chapter Three.
Having established the time periods to be used for the dissertation, it was necessary to carry out a
detailed study of the land use on Clanbrassil Street for these various years. By conducting a land use
survey, it was hoped that the results would produce a clear picture of social change in Dundalk by
examining different types of businesses and services being offered on Clanbrassil Street in the
various time periods. Archival research resulted in street directories being accessed to attain the
information required. The results were written up and the land-use was examined to see how it
reflected social change. The results were also mapped, as can be seen in Chapter Three. Research
was also carried out to compare Dundalk's social and economic conditions with that of other Irish
towns during the same periods. This was done using books concerned with economic and social
activities in Ireland. These included Hood (1995), Johnson (1985) and Graham (1993).
Obstacles:
Throughout the duration of this dissertation, I have encountered several obstacles to my research.
These obstacles resulted in parts of the dissertation lacking in detail when compared with other
parts. The first obstacle encountered was in association with the eighteenth-century land use. A lack
of availability of records and street directories for this period created a problem and hence, this
period could not be explored in as much detail as the other periods used. Instead, a general
economic picture was created for this period due to the lack of details. The Irish Historic Towns
Atlas was used to explore the known economic activities during this period as well as some of the
social conditions mentioned briefly in the same text.
Another problem encountered was the lack of material available concerning the Town Commission
and DUDC. These bodies did not attract the same written attention as the previous two landlords
and again it resulted in a more generalised section on these two elected bodies.

Introduction to Dundalk
Dundalk is Ireland’s sixth largest urban centre and is situated on the east coast in the county of
Louth. As seen in figure 1 below, Dundalk is strategically placed between Belfast and Dublin and is
located close to the border with Northern Ireland.
Figure 1: Map of Ireland with the location of Dundalk marked out.
The town has a deep and colourful history and its earliest origin is linked with the famous Irish
warrior, Cúchullainn who reputedly lived in the area. It is with the arrival of the Normans in Ireland
however, that Dundalk's history begins to take shape. Bertram de Verdon, a Norman nobleman who
was a royal administrator, was granted lands in present day Louth (Gosling, 1991).
Figure 2: Castletown Mount, the location of original manor founded by Bertram de Verdon.

His manor was established at Castletown where he also built a church dedicated to St John the
Baptist. The motte from the original settlement can be seen in figure 1. This area became known as
Dún Dealga, an adaptation of the Gaelic name for the area. Nicholas de Verdon, the son of Bertram
who had succeeded his father upon death, later applied for a charter for a town and due to economic
and geographical reasons, it was decided to locate the new town at the site of present-day Dundalk.
The new town, Nova Ville de Dundalc, was located at a bridging point on the Castletown River and
it also had access to the Irish Sea. Dundalk was now on the main route to Ulster and also on the
northern frontier of the Pale and regularly acted as a garrison for troops returning in defeat from
Ulster (Ua Dubhthaigh, 1946). The modern core street layout of Dundalk owes its existence to the
original street layout of the 13th-century town. Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk's main street, follows a
natural ridge from the fording point of the Castletown River and it is on this ridge that the town's
oldest building as seen in figure 2 below, St Nicholas' parish church stands (Gosling, 1991). The
town was essentially a one street town with a narrow wedge shape consisting of 46 acres. Dundalk
was heavily fortified and contained several tower houses or castles between the years of 1590 and c.
1785, all of which were demolished in the 1700s as part of the town improvements carried out by
Lord Limerick.
Figure 3: St Nicholas parish church, Dundalk. Church tower and other parts are of original
medieval origin.

Dundalk suffered from a number of invasions including that of Edward Bruce, brother of the
Scottish king Robert. The town was devastated by Bruce who later crowned himself king of Ireland
just outside the town. Having being spared by Oliver Cromwell in 1649, Dundalk later found itself
involved in the Jacobite- Williamite struggles (Ua Dubhthaigh, 1946). General Schomberg of the
Williamite army set up camp on the northern side of Dundalk having marched from Carrickfergus
in County Antrim in 1689. The Williamite forces occupied a deserted Dundalk but soon left it, only
to be succeeded by King James' forces. These events were all precursors to the famous Battle of the
Boyne.
Dundalk was later to be redeveloped under the guidance of the Lord Limerick, Earl of Clanbrassil
in the middle of the eighteenth century. The town was cleared of all its defences and tower houses
as Lord Limerick, in line with other landlords throughout Ireland, began to improve the conditions
of the town. This landlord improvement was carried on by Lord Roden into the nineteenth century.
Throughout Dundalk's history, the town has found itself to be involved with various major events of
Irish history. From being attacked during the Jacobite- Williamite war, to standing on the frontier of
the Pale, right through to modern times during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Dundalk has been
directly affected by these events. (Photo: Map and selected buildings in border)

Figure 4:
Introduction to Clanbrassil Street
This dissertation will focus on Clanbrassil street in Dundalk, County Louth. The reasoning behind
this choice lies in the historical importance of Clanbrassil street as one of Dundalk's oldest and most
economically important streets. Physically, Clanbrassil street has formed the backbone of the town,
the core from which other streets branched off. When Dundalk was founded in the twelfth century
by the Anglo-Normans, the town consisted primarily of one main street from which smaller lanes
and alleys branched off.
Figure 5 : Map of Dundalk compiled in 1680 by Robert Richardson (D'Alton (1864))

The street follows a natural ridge running south from the Castletown River. This ridge is known as
an esker and is a glacial formation (Gosling, 1991). Clanbrassil street along with Church street and
Bridge street formed one long street, the basis of the Anglo-Norman town. The Anglo-Norman
parish church of St Nicholas was located on present day Church Street at Clanbrassil streets
northern end (Gosling, 1991). The original church tower still forms part of the present church and is
also founded on the highest point on the Clanbrassil/ Church Street axis. The junction of Clanbrassil
Street with Church street and Yorke Street, once served as a marketplace providing evidence of
Clanbrassil Street’s long-standing importance to the town's economy from its foundation in
medieval times right through to the present day (Gosling, 1991). Between the fourteenth and
eighteenth centuries, Clanbrassil Street is recorded under several different names as follows; 1315
Royal Way, 1325 Royal Way South, 1373 High Street, 1611 Kings High Street, 1616 High Street.

The street remained as High Street until c. 1785 when it was renamed Middle Ward (O'Sullivan,
2006).
1315 Royal Way
1325 Royal Way South
1373 High Street
1611 Kings High Street
1616 High Street
1785 Middle Ward
1839 Clanbrassil Street
Table1: Various names used for Clanbrassil Street in different years.
The modern name of Clanbrassil Street appears in 1839 presumably in honour of James Hamilton
and his son, also James, the first and second Earls of Clanbrassil and influential characters in
Dundalk's eighteenth-century development. The second Earl of Clanbrassil, also known as Lord
Limerick, is of significant importance to Clanbrassil Street in terms the developments undertaken
on the street during his time as a landlord. Lord Limerick, was largely responsible for the modern
layout of the street which is approximately 360 metres long and just over 18 metres wide. The
spaciousness of the street can be attributed to Lord Limerick who undertook a process of demolition
of derelict buildings, fortified town houses and the town’s walls and gates.
Figure 6: Map by Henry Duke compiled in 1594 and contains the location of castellated dwellings

(O'Sullivan (2006), The Irish Historic Towns Atlas).
As part of the demolition, he also widened the street, in line with other landlord developments
around Ireland during this period and also the work of the Wide Street Commissioners in Dublin
from 1757 onwards. This period of modernisation was part of a greater process happening across
Ireland in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Landlord improvements were undertaken for
economic, political and social reasons. Landlords constructed private demesnes with their grand
houses while also constructing market houses, courthouses and other buildings of importance in
their towns and villages. These buildings allowed greater financial gains to be made by the landlord
as towns improved and attracted industry, therefore allowing wealth to be generated by others
within the landlord’s estate (Graham & Proudfoot, 1993). Landlords sometimes changed the very
layout of a town by straightening and widening the streets. While Dundalk underwent these
developments, it is important to realise that it is one case of many in Ireland. Strokestown in County
Roscommon is a prime example of landlord improvements in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. Strokestown was developed to include a long linear street which was 44.5 metres wide
and 632 metres long, significantly longer and wider than Clanbrassil Street. The linear street had
two prominent features at either end of the street, those being the demesne on the eastern end of the
street and the Protestant church at the western end (Hood, 1995). Likewise, Clanbrassil Street
adopts some similar features. The newly widened street contained the market square, market house
and court house at its southern end while the northern end contained a relatively modest demesne
house. Like Strokestown, Dundalk's main street underwent significant and much-needed change
under Lord Limerick and later Lord Roden. The improvements helped Clanbrassil Street to prosper
as the economic centre of the town.
Figure 7: Picture of Dundalk House, home of Lord Limerick and later Lord Roden. (www.nli.ie)

Figure 8 : Dundalk courthouse, built in 1819 (Oram H., (2006) Old Dundalk and Blackrock)
As well as undergoing a physical makeover, Clanbrassil Street has also witnessed societal change
through the services and businesses which have operated in its buildings since the eighteenth
century. By looking at street records we can appreciate the importance of Clanbrassil Street at the
heart of Dundalk's industrial, economic and commercial interests. By examining the street a picture
begins to develop of a street changing with society. Once a centre of heavy industry and skilled
work, the street has evolved to become a retail and service industry centre, providing retail goods
such as clothing, shoes, and mobile phones while also providing services such as insurance, banking
and leisure services such as bars and restaurants. Clanbrassil Street acts as a storyboard, telling us
how society has changed just by looking at the land use. It has a wealth of history associated with it
and therefore provides an excellent case study, enabling the study of a town and its people, as they
evolve through the centuries.
In the modern era, Clanbrassil Street is still a focal point of the retail business but is coming under
pressure due to changing retail geography, with the advent of purpose built shopping centres and
retail parks. These centres provide many shops under one roof and provide ample space for parking
motor cars, a demand which did not exist during the earlier periods in this study.
For this dissertation, I have chosen particular periods to examine and they are as follows; c.1750,
1837, 1886, 1937, 1987 and 2010. These particular dates were chosen as they include different
factors which influence Dundalk and can be compared with other parts of Ireland during the same
period. These factors have had an influence on Dundalk and its society and this can be reflected on

Clanbrassil Street as the main economic street of the town since its foundation. The different
business and services being provided on the street in the various time periods being studied should
allow an insight as to what the needs of people were and how the needs of people change as time
goes on.

The Agents of Change
It is important to note the work of several agents of change in Dundalk's history. These agents were
responsible for the development of the town throughout the centuries and had a great influence over
the economic and social
The Influence of the Hamilton Family in Dundalk
In 1695, the estate of Dundalk was acquired by James Hamilton, who purchased it from the
Dungannons. In 1701 James died, leaving the estate to his wife Anne and son James, see figure 1
below.
Figure 9: James Hamilton, Lord Limerick, an influential character in Dundalk's development.
The town is described as being in a ruinous state during this period as it was slow to recover from
the war between King James and William of Orange in 1690 (O'Sullivan, 2006). It was the younger
James who go on to have the greatest influence in the town’s development throughout the 18th
century. James was educated in Oxford and on returning to Ireland, he served as an MP for Dundalk
from 1715-19. Married to Henrietta Bentinck who had connections with an influential Dutch family,
James was a successful entrepreneur and principal shareholder in a shipping company operating

between Dundalk and the America's. James' mother Anne sold family land in Clare and Galway to
fund the development of Dundalk. Dundalk in the early 18th century had not changed much from the
1594 map of the town with the town walls and several castles standing in the town (Gosling, 1991).
Like many landlords at the time, James began a major redevelopment and improvement project in
1730. James' work was in line with other improving landlords throughout the country in places such
as Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. The work undertaken by James was quite remarkable as the town
had been in ruin. (PICTURE: DEMENSE ICE HOUSE)
Figure 10
He began by clearing the old derelict buildings from the town centre including the walls and tower
houses. These buildings would provide the building materials for the sea embankment stretching
from Soldiers Point to an area near Blackrock. This allowed for an area of nearly 800 acres to be
drained and used as building land. This reclaimed land was essential for the development of
Dundalk port and is now occupied by both the port and modern housing. The sites cleared on the
town centre were offered under building leases and a series of new and larger buildings was
constructed in the town. A new road network was also laid out during James' time as a landlord.
This new road network, as seen in figure radiated from Market Square with a road extending
eastward toward a large square, known as Parliament Square, where a cambric factory had been
built. This site would later become a military barracks and is now an Irish Defence Forces base.
Figure 11: Map of Dundalk in 1837 showing new quay and a new road extending to Parliament
Square.

The improvements to the harbour began in 1721 with the construction of a pier and were completed
in 1740 (O'Sullivan, 2000). A pier was constructed up- stream from the current town port and was
capable of holding vessels of up to 130 tonnes. This later became swallowed by further land
reclamation and currently lies under a road extending from St Mary's Road. It is noted in O'Sullivan
(2006) that these works were of a considerable cost to Lord Limerick but were of extreme
importance economically to Dundalk.
Another major undertaking for Lord Limerick was the development of a demesne expanding
westward from Church Street. This development included the construction of a new demesne house
and gardens including an American tree plantation, some of which is still found today as it is part of
a local park named Ice House Hill Park after the demesne ice house which is still located within the
park. The house was later demolished by the Carroll family, owners of PJ Carroll’s Tobacco
Company, in 1908. As well as his demesne, Lord Limerick was an active agent in attracting industry
to Dundalk with the construction of a cambric factory at Parliament Square and accommodation for
the workers. Lord Limerick also donated land for the erection of a sessions house and market house,
the latter also containing a savings bank (Geraghty, 1995). These buildings while serving the

population of Dundalk and improving the town's facilities, also served to bolster the financial gains
made by the landlord (Graham & Proudfoot, 1993). Landlords would stand to make financial gains
through taxes and tolls charged on industry, roads, and other activities, hence the reasons behind the
developments undertaken by Lord Limerick.
As part of Lord Limerick's improvements, he constructed the town’s first Catholic chapel, a
tactically important move in a predominately Catholic town. He was also responsible for the
construction of a grammar school. This was located on the site of a former medieval hospital. Lord
Limerick has had a profound effect on the development of Dundalk, particularly its town centre. He
had turned a dilapidated ruinous town into a modern spacious town with fine buildings. Lord
Limerick's died in 1798 and so his involvement with Dundalk also ended. Having no children of his
own, the estate passed on to his sister Anne Hamilton who was married to Robert Jocelyn, First Earl
of Roden.

The Influence of Jocelyn family in Dundalk
Following the death of James Hamilton, Lord Limerick and later Earl of Clanbrassil in 1798, the
estate passed on to his sister Lady Anne Hamilton wife of Robert Jocelyn, 1st Earl of Roden (1731–
1797). Anne's role did not last long as she died 1802 leaving the estate to her son, the 2nd Earl of
Roden also named Robert. The 2nd Earl died in 1820 and left his estate to his son Robert, the 3rd
Earl who would have influenced many major developments in Dundalk during the nineteenth
century. The second and third Earls were prominent figures in Dundalk's development during the
19th century. Lord Roden, the 3rd Earl, was extremely influential in Dundalk's industrial
development during this period, a relationship which would reap many benefits for Dundalk and its
people during difficult times. Lord Roden was actively engaged in entrepreneurial activities within
Dundalk and was listed as patron for many projects (O' Sullivan, 2006).
Figure 12: A portrait of Robert Jocelyn, 3rd Earl of Roden.
He was extremely influential in bringing the railways to Dundalk in a move which would establish a
railway industry and tradition in the town until the present day, all be it at a much smaller scale
compared to the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway was established
in 1845 and this led to the development of the Great Northern Railway. Lord Roden's agent for the
family estate is credited with presenting the advantages of Dundalk as a central location for the new
railway works associated with the Great Northern Railway (Mc Quillan, 1993). The railways
dissected the demesne of Lord Roden and therefore he was an essential patron for the project and
pocketed no less than £5,070 from the sale of land to the railway company (Mc Quillan, 1993).
Dundalk now played a central role in connecting counties in the north-west of the island with sea
trade routes to Britain, with Dundalk port having direct links with Liverpool and Glasgow.
Figure 13 : Map of Dundalk in 1864 with new railway routes highlighted.

Lord Roden also had vested interests in the port of Dundalk and went on to further enhance the
ports facilities. The 2nd Earl of Roden appointed a harbour master to oversee the management of the
port and the 3rd Earl established an agreement with the town corporation by which he would receive
£600 per annum in fees and tariffs placed on imported goods (O'Sullivan, 2000). In 1884, the Earl
of Roden was approached by the newly appointed Harbour Commission for a loan of £4,000 for the
development of the harbour. Lord Roden agreed and as a result became an influential character in
the ports history whilst also securing land on the foreshores of the river estuary (O' Sullivan, 2000).
The improvements undertaken at the port aided the export of many goods from Dundalk and its
surrounding areas and fostered industries in Dundalk such as engineering, shipbuilding, tobacco
manufacture and brewing. The port provided access to the British markets via Liverpool and
Glasgow and was an important improvement undertaken with the help of Lord Roden.
Figure 14 : A busy Dundalk Harbour at the end of the nineteenth century with part of the rail line.

Lord Roden, the 3rd Earl, was also responsible for other building improvements in Dundalk
including repairing the market house at Market Square. The building was described as being in poor
condition and Geraghty, (1995) describes the renovations as including new windows, a new roof
and the railing of land surrounding the building for a total cost of £600 to Lord Roden.
Following on from Lord Limerick's improvements in Dundalk, Lord Roden had created a town
which would become a hub for industry and commerce during a difficult century in Irish history.
The undertaking of the railway and harbour constructions would coincide with the Great Famine of
1845-50 and by employing several hundred people, helped to alleviate the terrible conditions
sweeping the country and killing thousands. Lord Roden was Dundalk's last landlord but an
influential one none the less.
Dundalk Town Commission and Dundalk Urban District Council

As the nineteenth century progressed, the manner in which towns were governed was changing.
Following the union with Britain in 1801 and the drive for Catholic voting rights in Ireland, the
political scene was in need of change. In 1828, the Lighting of Towns Act was established and
introduced Town Commissioners in most Irish towns, Dundalk included. This body of governing
officials replaced the defunct Town Corporation which had been heavily influenced by the landlord
in Dundalk. The commissioners had the responsibility of providing scavenging services for houses
and streets and also paving of paths and roads. The commission also established a system of public
wells and maintained a town watch. They were, of course, responsible for public lighting and could
introduce minor by- laws. This commission was replaced in 1855 by a new set of commissioners
elected under the Towns Improvement Act (Ireland) of 1854 (O'Sullivan, 2006). The elected
representatives were given more extensive powers than their predecessors and were responsible for
Dundalk's sewerage system and the laying of pipes for a water supply in Dundalk in 1884-86. The
commissioners were active in land reclamation in the area of Dundalk now known as the Fair
Green. This was a substantial project and encompasses a large area while also expanding Dundalk
into the estuary of the Castletown River.
Another main project of the commissioners includes the establishment of a large cemetery on the
northern outskirts of Dundalk, resulting in the closure of the cemeteries in the town centre. Housing
projects are of course an important role in any local government and the commissioners completed
several housing developments while in existence. These included housing developments in St
Patrick's Terrace, St Brigid’s Terrace and houses at Parnell Park (O'Sullivan, 2000). While the town
commission's accomplishments seem modest compared to those of the previous landlords, they
were of importance to the quality of life of people within the town.
The town commission was replaced in 1898 under the Local Government Act by which Dundalk
Urban District Council (DUDC) was established. The latter was to remain as the governing body of
Dundalk until the twenty-first century.
Figure 15: Dundalk Town Council coat of arms.
The Local Government Act also removed the role of the landlord in the Irish government and the

landlord influence in Dundalk and other Irish towns had come to an end. Dundalk elected its first
council in 1899 and the council continued with the functions carried out by its predecessors. The
UDC also took charge of roads and road building and built up a collection of road construction
machinery and even owned quarries for the purpose (O'Sullivan, 2000). The council also hired its
own labour for construction during the early 20th century.
Figure 16: Map of Dundalk in 1864 with areas of land reclamation highlighted. Works were carried
out by the town commissioners.
An important legacy of DUDC is that of housing and the council were responsible for a major slum
clearance in Dundalk during the twentieth century. The council purchased the land east of the
railway line in 1920 from Lord Roden for the construction of houses. This did not come to fruition
however due to the war of independence and the civil war (O'Sullivan, 2000). Housing did not fare
well during the years 1922 -1932 and only 101 houses were built despite the 1924 Housing Act
providing grants for house construction. This was followed by a period of considerable activity in
housing between 1932 and 1939 with 766 houses being constructed.
(PICTURE: 1930S HOUSING)
Figure 17

This corresponds with an increase in population in the 1936 census with 14,686 people. An increase
of 691 people from the previous census in 1926 (www.cso.ie). Housing remained an important
feature of the council into the 1960s and 1970s with large-scale social housing schemes being
constructed at Cox's Demesne and Muirhevnamor as well as smaller housing estates. Once again
this building period ties in with substantial population increases in Dundalk with an increase of over
1600 people between 1966 and 1971 (www.cso.ie)
Figure 18 : Social housing constructed by DUDC in the 1960s and 1970s.
As well as housing the council has been responsible for town services including the fire brigade,
waste disposal and water provision and treatment. The council also provides spaces of leisure for
the public in the form of public parks and leisure centres. The council is also responsible for
planning and development in modern Dundalk and has been responsible for most decisions taken
during the boom years of the Celtic Tiger. With new roads, houses, wastewater treatment plants and
general improvements, the Dundalk Town Council, as it is now known, has been a significant actor
in the history and geography of Dundalk.

Figure 19: Dundalk Town Council swimming pool to the right and the councils wastewater
treatment facility to the left, examples of the councils influence in the twenty-first century.
Another important aspect of Dundalk Town Council is its control over commercial rates in the town
centre. The annual fees paid by businesses trading in the centre of town is directly controlled by the
council and the cost of these rates can have major effects on traders. In the recent recession to hit
us, the town centre witnessed a dramatic decline as businesses went bust in the harsh economic
climate. Also battling the popularity of shopping centres, the town centre bore many windows with
shutters permanently closed in front of them. In order to attract new business to the town centre,
including Clanbrassil Street, the council has lowered rate in certain streets in order to increase their
attractiveness while also appointing a town centre manager to administer the town’s main shopping
streets. This initiative was widely welcomed by the business community and shows the influence
that Dundalk Town Council holds in the twenty-first century.
Results

Clanbrassil Street c. 1750
The first period of examination for this dissertation will focus on circa 1750. The information about
land use on Clanbrassil Street in the earlier year is difficult to attain, with records improving as we
move into the nineteenth century. While it is known what kind of industries and businesses were
trading on the street, it is difficult to assess where they were located. Clanbrassil Street entered the
eighteenth century in a state of disrepair. Having suffered greatly during the Williamite- Jacobite
War at the end of the seventeenth century and following the sale of the Dundalk estate to the
Hamilton family, much work was needed in Dundalk resulting in the sale of Hamilton lands in
Clare and Galway (O'Sullivan, 2006). O'Sullivan (2006) also describes Dundalk as having a mere
425 households compared to 1,336 households in Drogheda. Despite this bleak start to the century,
Dundalk began to prosper from the middle of the century right through to the end under the
guidance of Lord Limerick. This period witnessed many new developments taking place in Dundalk
as a whole with works being carried out to improve the port facilities as well as the street layout of
the town being improved. Clanbrassil Street was not exempt from this development and the street
was widened as well as having any remaining fortifications and tower houses demolished.
Clanbrassil Street was the primary street of Dundalk along with Church Street and Bridge Street.
Hence, the street was the focal point of most business, commerce, and production in the town. In
this century, Clanbrassil Street is a centre for administration and contains several important
institutions such as the county gaol in 1728. A customs house is noted as also sharing the same
building as the county gaol, that of Rowithe's Castle, in 1659. It is unclear if this customs house
survived at this location into the 1700s.
Hats of all shapes and sizes have been important throughout history as part of daily wear. Both men
and women tended to cover their heads in the earlier centuries and evidence of this is provided by
the presence of a hat manufactory on Clanbrassil Street in 1719.
The street was also home to a slaughterhouse at the junction with Market Street. This type of
activity taking place in a town centre seems strange by today's standards but is evidence that
Clanbrassil Street during the eighteenth century was the centre for most activities including food
processing. O'Sullivan (2006) tells us that tanneries were located in the suburban areas of the town
due to their association with odour and dirt. The presence of the slaughterhouse within the town
reinforces the idea of tanneries being associated with filth.
The street was home to an early school within the town. The school which belonged to Mr. Tom
Brady was in existence in 1739. Other schools were established earlier in the century including

Lady Anne Hamilton's, mother of Lord Limerick, charter school in 1716. Lord Limerick himself
was to follow suit and establish the Grammar School in 1725. This school continues to educate
children albeit in a new location from its original setting. Other schools founded in the 1700s
include a mathematics school beside Clanbrassil Street on present day Church Street and also a
Popish school which was founded in 1731.
While it is difficult to attain information regarding the land use of Clanbrassil Street in the
eighteenth century, a general overview of the town was attainable. Under the influence of Lord
Limerick, Dundalk aimed to attract the cambric industry to Dundalk in the eighteenth century. This
cambric factory and housing for workers was constructed at the newly established Parliament
Square, see figure 20, now home to the Irish Defence Forces 27th Battalion. Preceding the cambric
factory, a damask factory was also constructed as this area of manufacture was seen as being
progressive for Dundalk. A linen hall was constructed on Clanbrassil Streets neighbouring street,
Church Street, to accommodate the new industries in Dundalk (Geraghty, 1995).
Figure 20 : Picture of the military barracks at the end of the nineteenth century. This location was
built to accommodate a cambric factory and was known as Parliament Square.
Brewing is another important industry for Dundalk in the eighteenth century and it is noted in
O'Sullivan (2006) that Dundalk contained four breweries by 1785. While these breweries were not
large, they are a reflection of the needs of a town. High alcohol consumption was documented later
by Rev. Elias Thackeray in 1837. Brewing would continue to be an important industrial process for
Dundalk throughout the following centuries and still contains a brewing heritage today. Distilling

made an appearance by 1799 with the foundation of a distillery on the site of a former brewery on
Roden Place. This business was later taken over by Malcolm Brown, a Scottish distiller and
employed over 200 men.
Figure 21: Advertising from Malcolm Brown Distillery in Dundalk.
Figure 22: Brown's Distillery, a major source of employment by the end of the eighteenth century.
Dundalk witnessed economic prosperity towards the end of the eighteenth century and exports rose
due to the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. This exporting trade would last in the early twentieth
century as Dundalk's port facilities grew. While it was difficult to assess Clanbrassil Streets land use
during the eighteenth century, a clear picture emerges as to what society was like. Many trades and
services that are found in the next survey would have been present in the eighteenth century also.
This is evident of a town which was relatively self-sufficient in many areas such as leather
production, brewing, distilling and food production. The level of self-sufficiency is stark when
compared to modern day Dundalk and Ireland, where most goods are imported either from abroad

or other locations within the state. The need and provision for so many services and trades in
Dundalk also acts to employ many people and hence can be seen as being cyclical. Following the
devastation of the Williamite- Jacobite Wars in Ireland, Dundalk has improved greatly over the
eighteenth century both physically and socially.
Figure 23: Map of Dundalk in 1785. The new quay can be seen to the right of the map.

Land use on Clanbrassil Street in 1837
Clanbrassil Street has always formed the backbone and commercial centre of Dundalk from its
founding in the 12th century. The land use of this street can show striking changes in society and
how people have evolved through time. By looking at the commercial interests of 1837, it is easy to
see how the people of Dundalk were living in that period. With a population of just over 10,500
people, Dundalk was quite a large urban centre in Ireland at the time, therefore, it would have been
an important place of business for residents of the town and those who lived in the hinterland.
Figure 24: Dundalk in 1837.
Clanbrassil Street in 1837 consisted of buildings numbered 1-100. The town is described by Lewis
(1837) as being well kept and contained paved streets and gas lighting. The town also witnessed
extreme poverty at the beginning of the 19th century as well as major disease outbreaks such as the
cholera outbreak of 1832 (O' Sullivan, 2006). The types of businesses found on the street are
numerous and are very unusual when compared with businesses on the street today. A map
containing the results of the survey for this period can be found at the end of this section.
One notable difference from 1837 is the presence of heavy industry and engineering on the street.
Clanbrassil Street contains five ironmongers, two tinsmiths and a business which produced farming
implements, coaches, and jaunting cars. Ironmongers manufactured and sold iron products to the
domestic market. The ironmonger located at 100 Clanbrassil Street also produced jaunting cars and

farming implements. This suggests that Dundalk was frequented by the local farming community
who purchased goods and also exported goods from the town to ports at Liverpool and elsewhere in
Britain. (Lewis, 1837) The latter also appears to be the largest of the ironmongers which might
explain their coach and jaunting car business.
A lot of businesses on the street reflect the social philosophy at the time and also reflects the
economic and financial situation of the era. People of this era were obviously quite thrifty as money
was not easily earned. Several businesses are trading as haberdashers, a place in which one could
buy sewing equipment as well as items such as buttons, zips, ribbons and other small items required
for the maintenance of personal clothing. The street contains five haberdashers and represents the
thrift that was needed during the period. In a modern throwaway society, such items would only be
found in larger stores. There are also a high number of tailors and dressmakers on the street with
some even specialising in certain materials such as wool. There are seven business's acting as either
tailors, dressmakers or woollen drapers at this time. The presence of so many business's producing
clothing on their premises is evident of the skilled labour available in the street. Another popular
business to be found on Clanbrassil Street at this time is the boot making business. The street
contains three boot makers and is again evident that the mass production that we know of today is
not present at this time and goods of necessity are largely locally produced.
Another prominent feature of the street is the grocer. A grocer was a general type of store selling
goods for domestic use. Clanbrassil Street in 1837 contains ten grocers with some also carrying out
other services such as ironmonger and the sale of fishing tackle. The presence of grocers in high
numbers represents an era before the supermarket and also a sufficient market for such services.
Dundalk during this period contained a population of about 10,500 and therefore a sufficient
customer base existed and provided sufficient business for grocers. The location of other services
such an ironmonger within the same premises as the grocers might represent an entrepreneurial and
business minded section of society, extending their scope so as to increase their profits in an
economically challenging time.
Spirit merchants are also numerous on the street during 1837 with a total of thirteen located on
Clanbrassil street alone. These spirit merchants probably also acted as a public house and their
presence is evident of high alcohol consumption, something which is synonymous with Irish society
throughout the centuries. High alcohol consumption could be linked in with economic and social
problems of the time also. Another job quite often associated with alcohol production is that of the
cooper. A cooper was some who made wooden barrels which were often used to hold beer or

whiskey and the Guinness brewery in Dublin even had its own coopers.
Shops selling luxury items are rare on the street, for instance, there is one shop selling perfume,
something which can be bought in most chemists today. While the presence of this perfumer does
indicate a market for perfume, that market is clearly a small section of society. Another shop which
catered to a small market is the card shop. In today’s world cards can be bought to recognise many
events from birthdays to passing driving tests. Cards are cheap and easy to buy whereas in 1837
they most probably would have been expensive and a luxury for those who could afford them.
Along with card shops, there is one shop specialising in confectionery. Again, confectionery was a
luxury and was not readily available and cheap as it is today. Some unusual shops in comparison
with 21st-century shops are the saddle and harness shops and the gunpowder dealers. This period is
long before the advent of the motor car and therefore, horses are the main form of transport for both
people and goods. The horse is essential to the social and economic needs of society during this
period and the presence of these shops on Clanbrassil Street emphasises this fact. The use of horse
creates an industry based on their use and upkeep and are important economically.
Clanbrassil Street in 1837 contains a business which would be non-existent in modern day Dundalk,
a gunpowder merchant. Their presence indicates that the ownership of guns is allowed and a market
for guns and their associated products is in demand as there are two gun powder merchants on the
street. Perhaps the presence of a cavalry barracks in Dundalk during this period would explain a use
for gunpowder merchants. Also, the police were armed during this period and continued to be
armed right up until the foundation of the Gardaí. Private gun ownership was probably quite
prevalent throughout the town presumably amongst the upper classes.
Other unusual businesses of the day include a rope manufacturer, a chandler who made candles and
a leather cutter. The need for both rope and candles would have been high at this time with the rope
being used for a variety of different uses including many activities taking place in the harbour. The
candles, of course, would have provided the lighting for houses throughout the town at a time
without electricity.
The street also contains businesses which might expect to find on the outskirts of modern towns in
industrial sites or yards. These businesses would include the coal merchant, timber merchant, slater
and are all 'dirty' businesses producing a large amount of waste. A bleacher is also to be found on
Clanbrassil Street. This is a place where materials would be bleached and again would be
considered a rather 'dirty' industry for the town centre. This shows that the town centre was not just

a retail space but also a place of production and business. Overall by looking at the land use of
Clanbrassil street in 1837 we can see significant differences from the modern period. The street
emphasises the skilled labour present in Dundalk at the time. People have specific professions and
roles within the business centre. People are specialised in certain areas which are deemed to be
necessary during this time such as coopers, ironmongers, boot makers and even the watchmaker at
number 29. The shops present also reflect the society in which they are found and we can learn
about the daily lives of people within the area by looking at these shops and businesses. The
businesses reflect an era in which being thrifty was essential and money was scarce while also
indicating that Dundalk contains a substantial wealthy class of people also.
Figure 25: Land use of Clanbrassil Street in 1837.

Land Use of Clanbrassil Street in 1886

By 1886, the population of Dundalk had steadily risen after the great famine of 1845- 1850 to about
12,000 people. The 1851 census found that the population had dropped by 787 people which was
relatively low in comparison to other parts of Ireland during this period. This relatively low drop
accompanied by the steady increase following the famine might give some light as to the economic
conditions in Dundalk from the mid to late 19th century. Following the 1851 census, Dundalk's
population had risen by nearly 2,500 people in 1891. The increase in population can also be
attributed to the growth of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) in Dundalk (Mc Quillan, 1993). The
GNR opened its works to the south-west of Dundalk in 1881. Mc Quillan (1993) describes Dundalk
as being an industrial oasis in a desert of agricultural despair. When we look at Clanbrassil Street in
1886 we see that some businesses from the 1837 land use survey are no longer in business. Is this
due to the economic climate or changing attitudes in society as a whole? See figure 33 for the
results of the 1886 survey.
Figure 26 : Map of Dundalk in 1864, prior to the period of study.
Clanbrassil Street in 1886 still contains many businesses which involve skilled labour. Drapers and
dress makers are still quite prominent on the street as are boot makers. The need for clothes
provides a need for skilled drapers and dressmakers and has a remained a source of employment on

Clanbrassil street. Number 33 is home to Patteson & co., whose business has evolved from the last
survey.
Figure 27: Patteson's store on Clanbrassil Street. Note the style of the building and the curtains
inside the windows. A shop for the wealthy perhaps.
In 1837 the company engaged in tailoring and haberdashery while in 1886, they had evolved their
business to tailoring and warehousing. The company produced home furnishings on their premises
and constructed a linen factory to the rear of the building. They produced mainly children’s and
women’s clothing for both the domestic and British markets. It is notable that Patteson along with
several other businesses including Carroll’s Tobacco owned their own ships in Dundalk harbour
(Dundalk Almanac, 1886). This is evident of the importance of the harbour improvements carried
out by the Earl of Clanbrassil and Earl of Roden.
While the street does still contain many skilled businesses, it is notable that the number of
ironmongers and engineering works has decreased. Only one ironmonger is operating on
Clanbrassil Street in 1886, down from the number found in 1837. The Dundalk Iron Works as it was
known, was founded by Alexander Shekelton and later purchased by Edward Manisty in 1878.
Under Manisty, the foundry expanded greatly and employed a considerable number of people (O'
Sullivan, 2006). The drop in iron mongers and engineering works in the town centre may also be
linked to the extensive railway works located on the south-west boundary of Dundalk.
Some businesses on the street suggest that Dundalk has a growing wealthy class amongst its
citizens. The number of businesses supplying luxury goods has increased from the 1836 survey. The
street contains three confectionery shops, a significant increase from the one confectioner found in

1836. The presence of confectioners suggests that a sizeable portion of the population had money to
spend on items that were not necessary for day to day life. The presence of several shops selling
china and earthenware goods is also an indicator of consumerism. Expensive as they were,
Clanbrassil Street boasts three shops selling these goods to a presumably wealthy portion of society.
The street also contains one hairdresser, another unnecessary expenditure for most people during
this period. The 'fancy warehouse is again evident of a wealthy class living in Dundalk. The name
used to describe these store, fancy, suggests that they sold luxury items.
Figure 28 : A view from the south of a busy Clanbrassil Street.
This year also sees the number of chemists on the street increase. With great advances being made
in medicine and science during the 19th century, the need for businesses selling medicine to the
public increased also. There are six chemists located on Clanbrassil Street in 1886 and represent the
beginning of an industry that is worth billions in the modern world.
While the street does still contain many skilled businesses, it is notable that the number of
ironmongers and engineering works has decreased. Only one ironmonger is operating on
Clanbrassil Street in 1886, down from the number found in 1837. The Dundalk Iron Works as it was
known, was founded by Alexander Shekelton and later purchased by Edward Manisty in 1878.
Under Manisty the foundry expanded greatly and employed a considerable number of people right
through to the 1920s (O' Sullivan, 2006). The drop in iron mongers and engineering works in the

town centre may also be linked to the extensive railway works located on the south-west boundary
of Dundalk as well as ship maintenance and construction at the newly improved harbour. The
moving of heavy industry such as engineering to the outskirts of town has turned Clanbrassil Street
into a retail area with shops and services.
A business reminiscent of the famine era is the General Commission Agent located at number 10
Clanbrassil street. This business was involved in the emigration business, a profitable venture
considering Ireland’s position during the famine. This company acted as an agent for White Star
Lines, owners of the famous but ill-fated Titanic, who shipped thousands of emigrants across the
Atlantic Ocean to the USA and Canada as well as New Zealand and Australia (Louth County
Directory, 1886). Despite Dundalk showing a gain in population and economic growth, emigration
was and would remain a constant factor of Irish life. Other services located on the street include the
post office, erected in 1885 and two banks, the Ulster bank, and Belfast bank. The latter institution
being of growing importance in the world of business and commerce.
While still quite prominent, the number of grocers has also fallen since the last survey of 1837. The
Backhouse Company are in ownership of numbers 24 and 25 Clanbrassil Street and are operating as
a grocers and chemist. Spread over two buildings, this larger grocer could have meant the demise
for other smaller grocers during this period. An advertisement from Backhouse Company can be
seen below.
Figure 29: Advertisement from large grocer on Clanbrassil Street.

There are also several businesses dealing in meat products such as bacon curers, butchers, and
victuallers. Together with bakers, the selling of food might be branching out to individual shops
dealing in particular foodstuffs such as meat etc. The sale of meat also suggests that the working
classes are able to afford some meat for their diet, something which previously would not have been
affordable due to the nature of their low incomes.
Another new business type found on Clanbrassil Street is the tea importing company at number 100.
The London Tea company is catering for a growing demand in tea consumption in Ireland at the end
of the 19th century. Tea was first imported during the 1830s and was a luxury item often used in
social settings by the upper classes. The growing demand led to its sale in many grocers and large
companies operating in the production, transport and sale of tea. Tea became a popular drink
amongst the Irish population and remains so in modern Ireland.
Photography is a common feature in the modern world with most people owning a camera or a
phone with a camera installed. By the end of the 19th century, photography was progressing from
the basic, unclear images to more accurate and clear pictures. People’s fascination with this
relatively new invention can be seen on Clanbrassil Street, as the term photographer has now
entered the list of professions to locate on the street. This expensive and time-consuming process
was again evident of Dundalk’s growing wealthy classes.
Figure 30 : Northern end of Clanbrassil Street with goods lining the street.

Clanbrassil Street of 1886 reflects the growing wealth in Dundalk due to the number of businesses
selling expensive goods and services to the town’s wealthy inhabitants. This wealth would have
been created by the various industrial activities located in the town such as the engineering works,
shipbuilding, tobacco manufacturing, brewing and linen factories. The presence of industry in
Dundalk had helped it to recover from the great famine of 1845 to 1850. The town’s industrial
advantage also reduced the effects of the famine, a famine which devastated rural Ireland. The
improvements made by Dundalk’s landlords had set it up for progression into the 20th century.
Figure 31: Clanbrassil Street in the 1880s before the advent of the motor car.
Figure 32: Land use of Clanbrassil Street in 1886.

Land use of Clanbrassil Street in 1937

In 1937, the population of Dundalk numbered at circa 14,686 following the 1936 census. Ireland in
the 1930s was a significantly different place from the previous century and Dundalk too had
changed significantly. With the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, Ireland had been
partitioned and Dundalk now stood on an international border. Located close to Northern Ireland,
Dundalk’s physical location would have great effects on the economy and social life of Dundalk
right through to the present day. The 1930s also coincided with the Great Depression, a major
worldwide economic collapse. The Fianna Fáil government of 1932 engaged with Britain in an
economic war while imposing protectionist policies on Irish industry as did other countries
throughout the world (Johnson, 1985). Fianna Fáil's protectionist policies were beneficial to Irish
industry as numbers employed in the industrial sector rose (Johnson, 1985). The census of 1936
shows that Dundalk has large numbers of people employed three main categories of industry as
follows; 1.Manufacture of food, beverages and tobacco, 2. Manufacture of clothing, boots and
shoes, 3. Construction of vehicles including locomotives. The numbers employed these industries
are as follows; 482, 1,122 and 601 respectively (Census, 1936). The presence of industry in
Dundalk has aided the population growth as well as keeping the economy of the town afloat during
the economically difficult thirties.
Clanbrassil street in 1937 is packed full of businesses with very few empty premises. The street
contains a wide range of business's and services and it is notable that heavy industry, quite prevalent
on the street in the two previous centuries, is absent from the street. This town centre street has been
transformed into a modern town centre street for the purpose of shopping and services such as
banks and post offices.
The growing importance and influence of financial institutions can be seen by the location of
several banks on Clanbrassil Street. The Ulster Bank is still present on the street and is joined by the
Royal Bank of Ireland, The Leinster and Munster Bank and the Hibernian Bank. Banks form an
important role in modern towns and cities and Dundalk is no different. Clanbrassil Street also
contains an insurance broker and a loan office. With a growing number of cars and private houses in
the 1930s, insurance was a necessity.
Another notable change in the twentieth-century street is the departure of boot makers with shoes
now being manufactured in large factories and being sold in shops within the town. The shoe shop
is also divided by gender as there are ladies shoe shops in the street. Drapers and tailors still occupy
numerous shops on the street assuming that clothing habits have not changed much since the 19th

century. As in the previous century, hats were worn by men and women on a daily basis. When
looking at photographs from the era it is rare to see a person without head gear of some description.
This ritual of wearing hats created the need for milliners on Clanbrassil Street with four located on
the street in 1937.
The number of buildings for leisure purposes is on the increase on Clanbrassil Street. Business's
such as hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars are all found on Clanbrassil Street in 1937. There are two
hotels at numbers three and fifteen suggesting that the town regularly receives visitors, perhaps
business visitors related to the industrial setting of the town. There are several bars or public houses
on the street. In the past surveys, the public house did not appear on the street, possibly due to
alcohol being sold in grocers. Four public houses on this one street in a relatively large Irish town
suggests that the culture of drinking alcohol was an important aspect of Irish life. A restaurant and
tea room are also evident of leisure time within the town. Leisure time amongst the average citizen
is quite a new phenomenon in the twentieth century and was previously reserved for the wealthy
classes of society.
The grocer which was present in high numbers in the 19th-century surveys has dropped quite
significantly in number. The street only boasts five grocers while it has seen an increase in the
numbers of business's trading as fruit and vegetable shops, including Mc Cann's which would
eventually become an influential part of the multinational Fyffes corporation (www.fyffes.ie). One
shop is described as selling just potatoes and coal while another is selling only potatoes, the all-
important food source for Ireland. The sale and preparation of meat are also diversifying as the
street contains butchers, pork butchers, poulterers, and victuallers. Does the presence of these
businesses suggest that more meat is being consumed in people’s diets?
The sale of luxury goods on the street is on the increase with the presence of two jewellers with one
also trading as a watchmaker. Jewellers did not appear on the previous surveys. The growing
availability of luxury goods suggests a growing wealthy class in Dundalk possibly linked with
Dundalk's industrial development with locally based companies such as Carroll's Tobacco and Mc
Ardle and Moore Brewery thriving during this period. A delph shop and two confectioners are also
trading as are several hairdressers, one trading as a ladies hairdresser. Personal appearance is
something which is considered important in the modern western world and the rise of these
businesses would suggest that the 1930s are seeing a growing interest in this area amongst Irish
people.
The transformation from a centre of industry and business to the centre of retail and services is

evident through the location of several services on the street. There are two premises on Clanbrassil
Street occupied by solicitors. One premises is occupied by the Dundalk Business Men's Club and
another is occupied by a local sports club, Rangers Football Club.
The ongoing developments in personal health and hygiene in the twentieth century creates a market
for pharmacy’s and dentists on Clanbrassil Street. These areas of personal and dental health are
being made more readily available to people as major advancements are being made throughout the
world. It also marks the importance of affordable medical and dental care while tying in with
previous dealing of personal appearance.
Another business which represents the technological and communications breakthroughs is the
radio shop and Clanbrassil Street contains two radio dealers. With the first radio station in Ireland
broadcasting in 1926, radio was a new quick method for communicating news and other
information throughout the country (www.rte.ie). The service was quicker than the printed media
and could be transmitted across the state immediately. The presence of these shops truly represents
a change in society which is moving towards the technologically advanced era we now find
ourselves in.
The basket maker represents a time before the plastic shopping bag and baskets were often used to
carry goods such as foodstuffs from their place of purchase to the home. The basket was an
important item for either somebody selling or buying goods. The cycle shops on the street also
reflect a popular mode of transport which has remained popular even in the twenty-first century.
Cars while growing in ownership were still quite a few in Ireland in the 1930s as they were
expensive to buy and run. Cox’s seed store is another example of the continuing thriftiness of
people. This store sells seeds, allowing people to grow their own vegetables and fruit at home or in
allotments. While this reflects how self-sufficient people tended to be in the 1930s, it also indicates
a new type of house being built, one with a garden. The 1800s saw the building of small dwellings
which eventually became slum areas in alleyways leading off the town centre. The Urban District
Council began building larger houses with gardens in the 1930s in order to clear the slums.
While the street has been radically transformed in a business sense, there are still some business's
bordering on industrial activity. These include two ironmongers, a printers, and a dye works. Most
industry from the town centre has moved to locations on the edge of town and include shoe
factories and engineering works associated mainly with the railways.
By examining the survey of 1937, it is easy to see the significant progress being made in Clanbrassil

Street and Dundalk as a whole. There is a stark change in society and life in the 1937 survey in
comparison with the previous surveys of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The age of
technology is beginning to flourish and this is evident on Clanbrassil Street with the presence of a
radio dealer. The street also reflects the changing habits of people and how they purchase clothing,
shoes and foodstuffs. A growing emphasis on mass industrial production has changed the use of
Clanbrassil Street and the services it provides in 1937.

Figure 33 : Land use of Clanbrassil Street in 1937.
Land use 1988
By 1988, Dundalk's population had risen to 26,669 according to the 1986 census (cso.ie). The end
of this decade saw Irish unemployment rates rise to 16.3 percent while the border region showed an
unhealthy 19.1 percent unemployment rate (cso.ie). Yet despite these high unemployment rates,
Dundalk population has nearly doubled since the last survey of 1937. The population graph shows a
sharp increase in Dundalk's population during the 1970s and this corresponds to the social housing
schemes of the period. Dundalk Urban District Council undertook the construction of two large
social housing estates in Dundalk, those being Muirhevnamor and Cox's Demesne, a sample of
which can be seen in figure 1 below. These housing schemes can account for the large increase as
people moved towards urban centres during the 60s and 70s in Ireland.
Figure 34: Section of housing in Cox's Demesne, Dundalk. Built in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
Clanbrassil Street in 1988 has many notable changes compared with the 1937 survey. The street
represents a different outlook on the uses of the town centre as a shopping area and also acts as an
indicator as to how people's shopping habits have changed as well as the goods they now buy.
Despite the harsh economic climate and high unemployment of the era, Clanbrassil Street is well
stocked with retail outlets.
The draper or tailor who has been a constant feature on the street throughout the 18th and 19th

centuries has now become all but obsolete with a mere six remaining compared to the fourteen from
the 1937 survey. While the drapers and tailors do still trade on the street, their reduced numbers
have been replaced by clothes shops which are often separated by gender. Children’s clothes shops
also exist on the street and this represents a complete transformation as to how the people of
Dundalk purchased clothing. Clanbrassil Street contains fourteen ladies clothes shops, two
children’s clothes shops, and six men’s clothes shops. All footwear is also sold from a shop in the
1980s with no premises manufacturing their boots or shoes. Again, the sale of shoes is often
separated on a gender basis.
Figure 35: View of Clanbrassil Street in 1987 taken from the south of the street.
The hairdresser which had only appeared on Clanbrassil Street in 1886 has increased in numbers
since that time with a total of twelve hairdressers or barbers trading on the street. This interest in
self-grooming is also indicated by the beauty salon, a new type of business to be found on the street.
Despite economic conditions, hairdressers seem to be doing quite well especially as hairstyles are
an important piece of a particular fashion style.
Throughout Ireland’s history, land and housing were always an issue for the ordinary people of
Ireland. From the emergence of the Irish Free State, Irish people began to own their own homes and
this increased throughout the 20th century. House ownership by the 1980s was quite high and this
can be reflected in the number of home furnishing shops on the street. While these types of shops
would once have frequented by the wealthier classes, they were now open to a wider range of
consumers. This also the case for shops selling earthenware, china and glassware which have

remained a constant feature on the street. There are several hardware stores on Clanbrassil Street
indicating a strong demand for DIY goods.
The 1980s saw major technological advances in electronic equipment such as televisions, stereos,
video players and other home appliances. This was also a tremendous social advancement as the
advent of electronic equipment to the home and factory have led to easier lives for people. There are
five stores selling electronic goods, a significant change from the two stores selling radios in the
1937 survey. This is possibly one of the most significant changes witnessed in society in the
twentieth century as consumer demand for electronic goods soars throughout the latter part of the
twentieth century and into the twenty-first century.
The grocer has disappeared from Clanbrassil Street completely and is once again a sign of the
times. The supermarket is the dominant food supplier for people in towns and cities and Dundalk is
no different. While the grocer is gone there are still butchers, poulterers, fish shop and victuallers
present on the street as well as fruit and vegetable shops. The supermarket has changed how people
buy food and has become an extremely profitable business type dominated by just a few
supermarket chains. The takeaway food or fast food business is also starting to grow with the
presence of a delicatessen and a fast food take away. This represents a change in people's eating
habits which have accelerated right through to the present day. With work patterns changing and
some people gaining a disposable income, eating out is quick and hassle free, something the modern
world craves. The number of restaurants present on the street has also increased from the previous
survey of 1937. There are now five restaurants on Clanbrassil Street, again indicating an increased
disposable income in Dundalk and an increased amount of time for socialising.
In 1988, Clanbrassil Street was home to a camping store. While outdoor pursuits were always a past
time of the upper classes, this shop represents a growing demand for equipment for use in camping,
hiking, and other outdoor leisure activities. Other leisure activities are evident due to the music
store, selling instruments. There are also several public houses and restaurants which are also
evident of an increased amount of time for social and leisure purposes, something which had been
lacking in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The department store which made an appearance in the 19th century, particularly in the USA, has
been a prominent feature on Clanbrassil Street. Deary's department store has appeared on the 1937
and 1988 surveys and Boyd's department store makes an appearance in 1988. Department stores
were prominent in the great cities of the world such as New York and London and gave shoppers

the chance to buy what they needed under the one roof. While Dundalk's stores may not have had
the glamour and fame of its New York influences, their presence is none the less an important one
as they represent a change in shopping and consumerism. This change would also be seen with the
emergence of shopping centres in Ireland. The shopping centre had a negative effect on a town’s
commercial centre as they attracted customers away from the congested town to their open car
parks and shops all under one roof. Dundalk Shopping Centre, built in the 1970s, had this very
effect on Clanbrassil Street and other town centre streets within the town.
Figure 36: Picture of Dundalk Shopping Centre shortly after opening in 1987.
During the eighties, car ownership had increased significantly from the thirties as cars become
cheaper and people had higher incomes to facilitate owning a car. The growth in car ownership had
created an industry centred around the maintenance of cars. Mechanics opened garages in towns
and cities and Clanbrassil Street contains a garage for this purpose. The street also contains two
motorcycle dealers. Yet despite the growth in motorised vehicles, the bicycle is still a prominent
form of transport as there are two bicycle dealers on the street. The bicycle has always remained a
cheap and efficiency mode of transport in towns and cities and this is evident on Clanbrassil Street.
Educational growth can also be witnessed on the street by the number of newsagents. There are six
newsagents on Clanbrassil Street. The sale and distribution of newspapers would have been limited
in the 19th century due to high illiteracy rates in Ireland. The high number of newsagents, selling
newspapers, magazines, and books, perhaps is linked with improved education since the end of the
19th century.

The street survey of 1988 has shown Clanbrassil Street as a busy centre of retail despite the
economic climate and high unemployment associated with that decade. The type of businesses
trading on the street reflects many great social and economic changes which have taken place in
Dundalk and Ireland as a whole. The technological age is steadily progressing and the quality of life
is greatly improving from the dire scenes of poverty and slums which plagued Ireland in the
previous centuries.
Figure 37 : Map of Clanbrassil Street highlighting land use in 1988.

Land use 2010
The final period of survey for this project is the modern period of 2010. Since the 1980s Ireland has
witnessed the greatest economic and social changes in its history. The Celtic Tiger period of the
1990s and 2000s was the greatest economic growth ever witnessed in this state and brought huge
amounts of wealth and change with it. This era saw consumerism grow at a phenomenal rate as
people could attain credit to purchase goods and property. Dundalk underwent great change and
improvement during the Celtic Tiger era and can be seen through the advances in infrastructure and
facilities within the town and its environs. With a population of 29,037 in the 2006 census,
Dundalk's population has reached its highest ever levels due to favourable economic conditions.
Towards the latter part of this decade, the worldwide recession hit Ireland particularly bad and this
can be reflected in Clanbrassil Street in 2010 at the height of the economic trouble.
Figure 38 : Satellite image of Dundalk in 2011. (Google Earth, 2011)

The number of vacant premises is at the highest level out of all surveys carried out for this project.
This is due to a number of reasons, the recession being the most influential reason for the drop in
retail units on the street. Many businesses are going out of business and Clanbrassil Street is
suffering quite badly. Dundalk's location to the border also provides easy access to Northern
Ireland, where lower prices and a good Euro- Sterling currency rate make it more attractive to
shoppers. The creation of an international border has had positive effects in the past but now it
serves to drain shoppers from border towns such as Dundalk.
Figure 39: One example of a vacant shop on Clanbrassil Street, 2010. The former occupier has
relocated to Marshes Shopping Centre.
The rise of the shopping centre has also had a negative effect on Clanbrassil Street. Dundalk
contains three small shopping centres and one large shopping centre which contain many famous
British high street chains such as HMV, River Island, and New Look. These shops and their location
within shopping centres is causing the flow of shoppers to bypass the town centre and it can be easy
to see why.
Figure 40 : Location of three main shopping centres in Dundalk in relation to Clanbrassil Street.

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