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Some of these clips are silent and without captions, and are lacking some information. If you recognise anyone, please email dan@thejournal.ie.
‘White Christmas – Maybe’ – 15 December 1949
Getting our hopes up for snow on 25 December is just one of those things we’ve always done, as this clip shows.
In 1949, they had an early fall in the season – enough to give us these nice shots of St Stephen’s Green blanketed in snow.
There are some beautiful images of a herd of deer in an all-white Phoenix Park:
But look out for two women in head scarves and coats avoiding the hi-jinx of some “medical students” having a snowball fight on the streets of Dublin.
In the end, 1949 was destined not to be a White Christmas, at least in Dublin, but the denizens of the capital only had to wait another 12 months for a snowy Christmas Day, in 1950.
Taking the plunge – 1941/42
These are two fantastic videos of the venerable Irish tradition of the Christmas Day swim, dating back more than 70 years.
The first, from 1941, shows us a couple of shots of Christmas Eve shoppers milling around on Henry Street and O’Connell Street, and outside the Central Meat Company, where women inspect the produce, while one girl has her head turned by what looks like toys.
Then, we move to what appears to be the Clontarf Baths, on Christmas morning. The temperature is taken, and the races begin. First the men, and then the women.
There are trophies awarded, handshakes exchanged, and everyone looks suitably frozen, but completely full of joy.
Look out for: The stragglers, hit by the shock of the cold water, heading off in the wrong direction, but racing to the finish line anyway.
The second clip is from Christmas Day 1942, and is set exclusively at the Clontarf Baths. Although the footage is slightly blurrier, it gives a good sense of just how cold it must have been that year.
Even the dozens of spectators wearing coats and hats and scarves can be seen shivering.
Look out for: This timeless, classic, collective cheer at the end. Brilliant.
Here it is, in full:
Slipping and sliding on the ice – 29 December 1938
This one is packed with magical moments.
First, there’s a wonderful, crystal-clear shot of the fields and hills surrounding Dublin, and blanketed in white.
Then, we see pedestrians avoiding cars and buses on a snowy O’Connell Street, while a guard directs traffic and groups of men shovel away the ice on O’Connell Bridge.
For a moment, a man riding a bicycle slips, almost into the path of a passing car, but manages to regain control.
And finally, we’re brought to St Stephen’s Green, where birds can be seen resting on top of the pond, which is frozen completely solid.
Near the bandstand, a crowd of delighted children slide across the ice, with varying degrees of success, while the adults look on.
Except one tall man, in a coat and hat, who can’t help himself, and joins in the fun.
Here’s the video, in full:
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Can I have my money back now
It’s like’…..burning your furniture – to keep warm!
Why are PwC saying this instead of IBRC and NAMA?
As property prices start to rise nama , ibrc start to dump property
Can someone explain why?
Dumping loans philip, not property. They’re Dumping the loans as they’re non-performing and want to get them off the balance sheet.
If they had the patience, they’d put arrangements in place to allow the properties to return to positive equity and then seek a sale, this recouping more of the tax payers money.
Unfortunately, they’ll sell the loans for a discount and allow the new purchasers to do this and net a tidy profit.
The article outlines that IBRC (IBROKE would probably be a better name) will offload € 15 billion in loans.
Yet the linked article tells us that IBROKE have already offloaded 90% of its loanbook, € 19.8 billion out of € 21.7 billion leaving just € 1.9 billion on hand.
This can only mean, if the previous article is correct, that it is NAMA that is offloading the majority of the loans.
Why the subterfuge?
Why make people think that this is some kind of joint enterprise when it is NAMA that is leading the charge?
Have the shiny suit brigade from the canal something to hide?
Given their obsession with secrecy it would not surprise me if they have, perhaps selling the loans to some preferred customer with an inside track at a serious discount.
The way things go it will all be wrapped up before we know anything, plus ça change.
Who in their right mind would buy this junk?
It might only be worth 30% of face value but if you buy it for 20% it’s a good deal. For the buyer anyway.
@ Irish Revolution
The Banks?
Hedge funds bought it. They will now sell off all the ghost estates etc at a lower price so people that have houses for sale at the min will eventually have to sell for half or take them off the market.
Fab house here in drogheda asking price €325. Hilarious. You could now nearly get a house for that on raglan road or ailsbury road!! So that house is realistically worth less than €150 really.
People and notions ha
What about Bank of Scotland selling on my mortgage & others in their Irish portfolio to a company called Tanager Ltd.
I’m in a tizzy all day because I don’t know what it means for us.
have your say