Kathryn Milligan

When you imagine Dublin the years immediately after World War Two, what comes to mind? Rationing, returning soldiers and emigrants, a tough economic climate… Or.. A flashy modern city?!

Looking at the Dublin by Day and By Night series of guidebooks, published between 1946 and 1949, a neon city is presented, full of good places to eat, theatres, pubs and amusements – promoting the city as an attractive place to visit whether you were coming from home or abroad. Below are a just a few images and advertisements from the 1946 edition of the publication – those for Doran’s and Davy Byrne’s as well as Mooney’s, are particularly striking, as is the front cover showing the O’Connell Monument below. The contract between the lights around the monument, reaching up into the sky, contrasts strongly with the bargemen on the river in the foreground. And, for those who were perhaps looking at the publication to check out their rivals, what better way to compete than to fit out your business with a chrome interior?!