Revealing the Changes to our Town
Lecture by Brendan Grimes
(Skerries Historical Society Meeting – January 2013)
Skerries Historical Society started 2013 off with a capacity crowd in the Bus Bar when Brendan Grimes gave his talk and slide show on the changing face of Skerries from 1962 to 2012.
Brendan showed us photographs of Skerries he had taken in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and recently on the same spot. The early photographs were taken simply to record the streetscape and the environs of the town and were composed to show the chosen scenes in as favourable a way as possible.
The object of the enquiry was to return to exactly the same spot from where the early photographs were taken and to take a new photograph, thereby showing the changes that have taken place in the last 50 years. Brendan showed us how few cars we had in the town in 1960 and how dependent we have become on them now.
He also mentioned how security conscious we have become. Back then the key was left in the door or you could retrieve it by putting your hand through the letterbox where the key was hanging on a chain or a string.
All in the past now like so many buildings that have gone the same way. Red Island Holiday Camp, The Pavilion Ballroom and the Convent School to name a few. Change brings its own rewards as Brendan pointed out we still have the sea and countryside on our doorsteps.
Report by George Hand
Page updated – 23 / 2 / 2014
