c1903: A lovely, busy scene here, with some very interesting boats in the bay.
1920s: A rather direlict looking Spanish Arch.
The Long Walk, behind the arch was a very deprived area, and many photos of the time have ragged, barefoot children in them.
1928: Some time after the previous image - some of the top of the arch was removed, and the base repaired .
The house next door had its roof re-done, and someone stuck a telegraph pole in front of it.
c1930: A similar vintage to the previous card, taken slightly to the left.
1906: A novelty stereo view of the Fishmarket (you need a special viewer to see the 3D effect)
If you look closely, you can see an RIC officer in the centre left of the picture.
c1900: A quiet day at the fish market.
c1905: A busier scene with plenty of Claddagh women in long shawls.
The Fisheries Tower is on the right, and the glass-house on the extreme right is at the end of Upper Dominic St.
You can see some thatched cottages in the Claddagh, and the lean-to forge at the end of Raven Terrace in the centre.
(See the Turf Market in the
Claddagh section for detail on this.)
1903: A similar scene from a higher perspective.
The gated yard on the right later became large warehouses for McDonagh's, and the spire of the Jesuit Church is visible in the background.
The simple iron-work bridge was replaced by the current Wolfe Tone bridge in the mid 30s.
1903: Another view of looking across the river towards the Claddagh Church and Piscatorial School.
c1905: A clearer view of the rectangular area set aside for Claddagh women to sell their fish.
c1950: A nice image of swans in the Claddagh, to the right of the Basin, but the buildings in the background look very dilapidated.
It wasn't until the 1980s that it started being redeveloped.
c1965: Note the tree growing at a typical West of Ireland wind-induced angle.
1950s: Spanish Arch scene with a boy on a horse coming from Long Walk.
c1920: A rather glum scene, with carts and men just hanging about on a wet day.