A Finglas Story 1 - The Clear Stream

The first episode in a three-part series that looks at the recent history of Finglas - a suburb on the north side of the Irish capital Dublin. This episode, The Clear Stream, looks at life in the small, rural, picturesque village of white-washed cottages in the first half of the 1900s before Dublin Corporation's housing schemes of the 50s and 70s saw estate after estate of houses rolled out over the farmlands. The inhabitants of these new houses had mainly been rehoused from Dublin's inner-city tenements and the rural setting in which they found themselves was nothing less than a culture shock. The director, Declan Cassidy, was born and raised in Finglas. HIs father, Jim - a character well known in the area for his community work and art - was among the first wave of the new inhabitants that saw the population of Finglas grow from a few hundred to 53,000 over this housing period. Funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (now Coimisiún na Meán), with help from Finglas Credit Union, this is the first of three half-hour episodes.

[@olgamckiernan1]

My Father Patrick Mc Kiernan transformed The Drake Inn into Ireland's first purpose built cabaret venue with seating for 650. The Drake hosted many top international acts the first being Guy Mitchell in 1972 as well as top Irish acts including Brendan Grace, Sonny Knowles, Red Hurley and Dickie Rock. At other times he ran talent competitions offering big prize money and on Mondays traditionally a slow night he ran women's night offering a show with chicken & chips and transport for £1.25 per head. The Mc Kiernan family and staff who worked with us proudly ran The Drake Inn until April 2002.

[@DeclanCassidy]

Your dad, along with yourself and Una, were a massive support to the Finglas community, Olga. I remember when I set up the newspaper, you and a few other community minded businesses supported it with advertising which was crucial to keeping it going and The Drake, under your keeping, was always open to community efforts. Such a pity to see it now. I would have loved to interview you for the series. Declan

[@trailsandtales22]

That’s a great piece of Finglas history about a much loved pub! Thanks for sharing

[@Shelldrake489]

It was great to see the mural on the wall of the family home on the old north road ,that really brought back memories,I walked by that house so many times,I was born and bred on Casement Drive,and spent the first thirty years of my life living in Finglas,living in Meath the last twenty three years but still drive through on my way to work,great memories,thanks.

[@tvie]

I think a lot of us ended up in Meath. That house has passed through a few hands since then :)

[@Irishpatriot]

Fantastic documentary, That was a please to watch, my father, grandfather, great grandfather came from finglas, unfortunately they have all passed, I would love to hear their stories today .

[@tvie]

It’s always so sad to think of the questions you never asked or the stories you didn’t hear, isn’t it.

[@bettykelly970]

Our grandfather Matthew Shortall helped build that Alter back in 1932.

[@tvie]

Wow! What a piece of history! It’s still standing proud so your grandfather was obviously a gifted craftsman.

[@anthonyh888]

Great vid i remember your dad tall man remember him painting that lane and i think st patricks well

[@tvie]

Thanks a million Anthony. He was big into his community murals and giving anybody who wanted to join in a brush :)

[@anthonyh888]

I just seen something on google saying jims son declan made this doc is that true

[@anthonyh888]

It has his picture on it and weird thing i seen him in malaga airport in september on same plane i was looking sayin i know him from somewere well i think it was him

[@tvie]

@@anthonyh888 Yes - it was a family affair. Declan directing and his sister Jacinta producing. I’ll see if he was in Malaga. I know his birthday is September so wouldn’t surprise me :)

[@Ladygaga4047]

Astonishing

[@tvie]

Thanks so much :)

[@Ladygaga4047]

@@tvie I am from there . I will watch the student prince because of this

[@trailsandtales22]

That’s on my list of films to watch also! I can imagine the excitement in Finglas when that first film was shown!

[@arkle6109]

Can’t believe you never mentioned that Kildonan was Ireland’s first civilian/commercial airport on the 8th June 1931? There’s lots of things you’ve left out but in fairness, it’s a great documentary. Well done.

[@trailsandtales22]

There are still two more episodes to go with lots more interviews and references to the history of Finglas. The next episode goes live next Sunday at 3pm Irish time 👍🏻

[@tvie]

Wait for episode 3 for that :) Thanks Arkle.

[@Rasher1974]

We lived in Mellows road in 1954 I think only two roads Mellows road and Mellows Avenue, I was about 7 I remember playing on an abandoned double decker bus at the bottom of mellows road , my father (Mick Duncan) was involved in football in fact we had street leagues whe we moved back to mellows road having left to live in raheny and moving back again in about 1959/60. Loved it then before moving to Englan.

[@tvie]

The parents were so generous with their time in those days - doing all they could to provide something for the kids when there was nothing much being provided by the powers that were at that time.

[@user-kb4nk8rh4e]

I would love to walk through finglas in the 20s to see what it looked like

[@tvie]

I’d say it would have been a short walk :)

[@user-kb4nk8rh4e]

@@tvie It would have been beautiful with the abundance of farmland and to see the bridges around Tolka river and dunsink lane also the old houses in the fields at the back of Woodbank Drive and Westwood

[@tvie]

@@user-kb4nk8rh4e you’re so right. That’s the Finglas my parents moved into and people from the city centre used to visit as a beauty spot :)

[@patdoyle3686]

Like song📀 i remember it well at Saint Patricks well in finglas were the social welfare office is now. all the land from there to the new Police station was green fields, every saint Patricks Day was a procession which was in the Field and a open service of prayers and devotion to Saint Patrick 🕯🕯🕯near the Well Lots and lots of people from all over came to pray that day

[@tvie]

St Patrick's Well was such an important part of Finglas then. It's still there, of course, but I wonder how many people visit it now.