North Strand Bombing 1941

Photographs illustrating some of the damage caused by the German bombing of the North Strand, 1941 accompanied by reminiscences of the bombing from Dublin City Archives' North Strand Bombing Reminiscences Oral History Project northstrandbombing.ie Featured in the audio track in order of appearance are Ron Black, Alfreda O'Brien, Mike Connolly, Mairead King, Kevin Mullan, Olive Murphy, Noel Brady, Michael O'Higgins, Noel Fitzgerald (Interviewer: Marc Redmond). For more information contact [e-mail] or telephone [phone].
On the night of 31 May 1941, three high-explosive bombs were dropped by German aircraft on the North Strand area of Dublin City. The casualties were many: 28 dead and 90 injured, with 300 houses damaged or destroyed. Charleville Mall Public Library was designated as the headquarters for the bombed area and City Architect Horace O'Rourke was in charge of the clearance project.
The 57 photographs in the North Strand Bombing Photographic Collection are housed in the Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
www.dublincitylibraries.ie
The original photographs measure 28cm (w) x 20cm (h) .
The photographs of the destruction caused by the North Strand Bombing in May 1941 were commissioned by Dublin Corporation as evidence for the assessment of insurance claims. The work was entrusted to a local photographer, H. McCrae, of 152 Clontarf Road, who began work on 4 June and continued until the end of the month. Further photographs were taken in July and September, and the final photographs were taken on 31 October.
Copyright: Dublin City Council

[@AnnesleyPlaceDub70]

I'm originally from Annesley Place myself. My grandfather was one of those local ARP men, and also a former IRA man who fought in the war of Independence.

[@patrickgillespie5316]

My late father lived on Northbrook Ave and was part of the ARP, he helped a man who had all his clothes blown off by giving him his overcoat. As for the Bombing, it was a case of “bending” the two beams. The powers that be in the UK had worked out that the Germans worked on reverse triangulation to pinpoint a given target. By slightly bending one of the beams the Luftwaffe were off by 60/70 miles. After the war Germany made reparation and apologized.

[@irishelk3]

Apart from all the bombing damage, the buildings have a strange beauty and character. Are most of them still there or were they demolished?

[@chad24ist]

| had no idea Ireland was bombed.