Dublin Street Life and Lore – An Oral History of Dublin’s Streets and their Inhabitants

The Recollections of Dublin’s Tram Drivers, Lamplighters and Street Dealers

The first half of this century was the heyday of Dublin’s vibrant and bustling traditional street life. Now in Dublin’s Street Life and Lore, through the vivid oral histories of the participants themselves, Professor Kevin Kearns chronicles this rich street life and lore for future generations.

The fascinating and often poignant verbal testimonies of Dublin’s last surviving tram drivers, lamplighters, market traders, street dealers, spielers, buskers, local characters and others of their vanishing breed, comprise a wholly original and captivating personal historical record of Dublin’s long renowned street life, told in Professor Kearns’s uniquely engaging and informative style.

Dublin Street Life and Lore: Table of Contents

3. Dublin Street Life and Oral Urbanlore
5. Historical Perspectives on Dublin Street Types
7. Street Figures of Yesteryear
   Lamplighters
   Dockers
   Postmen
   Chimney Sweep
   Signwriter
   Pawnbroker
   Fortune Teller
9. Dealers, Spielers, Vendors and Collectors
   Market and Street Dealers
   Spieler
   Newspaper Vendors
   Scrap Collectors
11. Transport and Vehicles Men
    Jarveys
    Tram Drivers
    Pioneer Cabbie
    Bicycle and Car Parkers
    Busman
13. Animal Dealers, Drovers and Fanciers
    Drovers
    Horse Dealers
    Pig Raiser
    Bird Market Men
    Pigeon Fanciers
15. Entertainers and Performers
    Buskers
    Pavement Artists
    Mimes and Clowns
    Bardic Street Poets