Stories of Ireland with Helena Byrne

It’s Saturday night. You get dolled up in your favourite dress, jump onto the bus in Dún Laoghaire and make your way to the Arcadia dance hall in Bray. Perhaps you’ll meet a few nice dance partners. Perhaps you’ll meet your future husband! Either way, a great night of music and fun lies ahead.

Nowadays, you’re likely to meet a romantic love interest online, but for young singletons in 50s & 60s Dún Laoghaire, the dance halls were the place to be. The likes of the Top Hat, the Ierne and the Arcadia were exciting scenes with music from the infamous showbands of the era, an escape from the mundanity of worklife and offered the thrilling possibility that you may meet the love of your life on the dance floor.
ABOUT 'STIRRING MEMORIES':
What was life like in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the years? Storyteller Helena Byrne posed this question to members of local day care centres in the county over a number of months last year. Trips to the Baths on sunny days, shopping in the much loved local shops of the past such as Lee’s and Lipton’s; and getting dressed up for a Saturday night out in the Top Hat!
These audio recordings were collected and curated by Helena Byrne with the members of day care centres around Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in Summer/Winter 2021.
A huge thanks to the staff and members of all the participating Day Care Centres for sharing their stories especially: Beaufort Day Care Centre (Glasthule), The Clevis Unit (Leopardstown), Leopardstown Park Day Centre, Mount Merrion Friendship Club and Shankill Day Care Centre.
The project, a joint initiative of DLR Libraries and DLR’s Age Friendly Programme, was supported by the Creativity in Older Age Fund, part of the Creative Ireland Programme.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s coastline has been a buzzing social spot over the years, as well as a busy workplace. Wonderful memories were shared of watching the mail boat come into the harbour and its cargo methodically placed onto the train before setting off down the tracks. There was outdoor entertainment at the weekends and sunny days in the Baths.
When people wanted to go further afield, jumping onto the boat to Holyhead was easy with the Harbour on your doorstep, although the rough and ready, stomach-churning Princess Maud was avoided wherever possible. Over the years, locals of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown have certainly made the very most of having the seaside a stone’s throw from their homes.
ABOUT 'STIRRING MEMORIES':
What was life like in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the years? Storyteller Helena Byrne posed this question to members of local day care centres in the county over a number of months last year. Trips to the Baths on sunny days, shopping in the much loved local shops of the past such as Lee’s and Lipton’s; and getting dressed up for a Saturday night out in the Top Hat!
These audio recordings were collected and curated by Helena Byrne with the members of day care centres around Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in Summer/Winter 2021.
A huge thanks to the staff and members of all the participating Day Care Centres for sharing their stories especially: Beaufort Day Care Centre (Glasthule), The Clevis Unit (Leopardstown), Leopardstown Park Day Centre, Mount Merrion Friendship Club and Shankill Day Care Centre.
The project, a joint initiative of DLR Libraries and DLR’s Age Friendly Programme, was supported by the Creativity in Older Age Fund, part of the Creative Ireland Programme.

It’s difficult for many of us today to imagine all the children in the family being bathed in a galvanised bath by the fireside, or not having the simple luxury of a toilet in our homes, but this was a reality for many people who were raised in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown some decades ago. The schooling system, by many accounts, was harsh. Money was tight for some families and food was simple, not plentiful. It was undoubtedly a very different time to grow up in when compared to the comforts we often take for granted nowadays.

Despite this, interviewees shared so many fond memories of growing up here. Entire days spent playing with neighbours on the beach, waiting on the bridge for the steam trains to go by below and enjoying the simple pleasure of butter and jam sandwiches after a dip in the Dún Laoghaire Baths.
ABOUT 'STIRRING MEMORIES':
What was life like in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the years? Storyteller Helena Byrne posed this question to members of local day care centres in the county over a number of months last year. Trips to the Baths on sunny days, shopping in the much loved local shops of the past such as Lee’s and Lipton’s; and getting dressed up for a Saturday night out in the Top Hat!
These audio recordings were collected and curated by Helena Byrne with the members of day care centres around Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in Summer/Winter 2021.
A huge thanks to the staff and members of all the participating Day Care Centres for sharing their stories especially: Beaufort Day Care Centre (Glasthule), The Clevis Unit (Leopardstown), Leopardstown Park Day Centre, Mount Merrion Friendship Club and Shankill Day Care Centre.
The project, a joint initiative of DLR Libraries and DLR’s Age Friendly Programme, was supported by the Creativity in Older Age Fund, part of the Creative Ireland Programme.

The many ghostly apparitions of Huntington Castle in County Carlow.
‘Saol Eile’, meaning ‘Afterlife’ is a gripping collection of Irish tales of the supernatural. From Haunted Castles and Poltergeists to Guardian Angels and Fairies, Helena delves deep into the captivating world of Irish Ghost Stories and the Irish people’s unique relationship with the Afterlife. Join Helena on this fascinating journey across the island of Ireland and discover why the Irish still wear the supernatural on their sleeves. Some stories are on the spooky side. Parental guidance is advised.
All tracks arranged and produced by Helena Byrne.
Photography by Laelia Milleri.
Dress by Claire Garvey.
Recorded & mixed by Michael Manning.
Mastering by David Montuy.

Do young people die, or have they simply been carried away by the Irish Fairies?
‘Saol Eile’, meaning ‘Afterlife’ is a gripping collection of Irish tales of the supernatural. From Haunted Castles and Poltergeists to Guardian Angels and Fairies, Helena delves deep into the captivating world of Irish Ghost Stories and the Irish people’s unique relationship with the Afterlife. Join Helena on this fascinating journey across the island of Ireland and discover why the Irish still wear the supernatural on their sleeves. Some stories are on the spooky side. Parental guidance is advised.
All tracks arranged and produced by Helena Byrne.
Photography by Laelia Milleri.
Dress by Claire Garvey.
Recorded & mixed by Michael Manning.
Mastering by David Montuy.