24 fascinating photos of Christmas in Ireland from every decade of the twentieth century
… and into this one.
HERE’S HOW WE celebrated Christmas in Ireland in days gone by – with photos from every decade since 1890.
The 1890s
Christmas Day, 1894. Young girl and two boys sitting on the floor with their presents - includling tennis racquets, a train set, a doll, books, a cricket bat and sailing boats.
Source: National Library of Ireland
The 1900s
Christmas tree decorated with lights, baubles and crackers. Taken around 1900 in Galway.
Source: National Library of Ireland
The festive meat display at Roberts Butcher Shop, Waterford, December 1901
A delivery of Christmas turkeys to Flynn & Young's on Conduit Lane, Waterford, 1907
The 1910s
A young girl dressed up as Father Christmas with outfit, mask, sack and staff. Christmas 1912
Source: National Library of Ireland
Photo of the poster for the Gaiety's Christmas panto in 1916, at the height of WW1. Featuring Humpty Dumpty, Mrs Pinch, King Musty Fusty and "The King's Cyclists".
The 1920s
A seasonal shop display in 1926. Including Tom Smith's Christmas crackers; Jacob's biscuits; dates and Turkish delight; and Santa Claus plum puddings.
Delivering Christmas trees in December 1929. She's doing a great job driving for only a young thing.
The 1930s
Pupils at a Wexford school, in costume for (presumably) a Nativity play in 1930. Special contributions from the girl who had to wear the witch costume, and the girl in the beard.
The 1940s
Girls at the Sisters of Charity school in Waterford, having their Christmas party in 1949.
The 1950s
A Christmas party at St Mary's Preventorium - an institution for children with tuberculosis - in 1952. How terrifying is the guy in the cat suit?
Source: © Irish Photo Archive
The boat train crossing the pier in Dun Laoghaire, on December 25 1959. Public transport running on Christmas Day?
The 1960s
Waiting for a bus under the Christmas lights on Grafton Street, 1961
Source: © Irish Photo Archive
The 1970s
Santa arrives at Crumlin Shopping Centre in 1976 - with a garda escort to protect him from the mob
Source: © Irish Photo Archive
Shopping on Moore Street, Dublin in 1975
Source: © Irish Photo Archive
The 1980s
Selling turkeys in Dublin, Christmas 1984
Source: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
A turkey vendor and his solitary bird, Christmas 1984
Source: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
The Wren Boys in full flight on St Stephen's Day in Dingle, Co Kerry. This photo is undated but was taken sometime between 1980 and 1999.
The 1990s
The window of the Porterhouse on Dublin's Parliament Street in 1998. Many Temple Bar pubs banned stag and hen parties that year.
Source: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
A young boy bringing home a turkey for Christmas, December 1998
Source: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Mary McAleese getting a smooch from Santa in 1999
Source: Graham Hughes/Photocall Ireland
The 2000s
Christmas shopping on Henry Street, Dublin in 2003
Source: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Bored children at the Brown Thomas Christmas sales, 2000
Source: Graham Hughes/Photocall Ireland
Waiting for the Christmas tree to be taken away on January 6, 2006
Source: Graham Hughes/Photocall Ireland!
Several photos courtesy of the Irish Photo Archive. The Irish Photo Archive sells fine art prints from its collection of 3.5million negatives spanning 60 years of Irish history, available here.
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