Colored Photos of Ireland 120 Years Ago
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Using a special technique to color
these 120 year old photos, we get a rare glimpse into another place and
time. The place? Ireland. The time? Over a century ago, in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. Some of these places haven't changed as much
as you'd think, while others no longer exist at all. Take a moment to
relax and enjoy a window to another time...
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Royal Avenue, Belfast |
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Belfast's
main shopping district is an old one, and has suffered multiple IRA
attacks in the 70s and 80s. However, after 120 years, most of the
buildings in this photo are still standing. |
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Rustic Bridge in Glenariff |
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Today,
as well as over a century ago, Glenariff Forest Park, with its
beautiful trees and waterfalls, is a popular tourist attraction. The
area has been named by some as "Queen of the Glens", hailed as the
biggest and most picturesque glen in the country. |
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Portrush |
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This town used to be known
for its beaches. While these are still a beautiful attraction, the town
is now more known for its active nightlife and having the biggest
amusement park in Northern Ireland. |
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Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge |
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You
may be surprised to hear this, but the rope bridge in this photo,
connecting Carrick Island to the mainland, is still in use today, and
has become a major tourist attraction. That said, it HAS been redesigned
and improved upon over the years, so it's safer today. |
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Vale of Avoca |
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The Avoca River starts as
two distinctive rivers and then combines through the Vale of Avoca. This
vale is located in the town of Avoca, seen in this photo. |
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Giant's Causeway |
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This iconic landmark is
known to some from a famous cover by Led Zeppelin. This bizarre natural
formation is the result of an ancient volcano eruption. The super-hot
lava flowed and cooled so quickly that it left huge cracks. These
eventually broke and created the columns we see now. |
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Poulaphouca Fall |
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The Wicklow Mountains make
up the center of Wicklow County. This area boasts a beautiful natural
decoration of rivers and waterfalls (like this one here). Unfortunately
for nature lovers, this specific waterfall has ceased to exist ever
since the poulaphouca Reservoir was complete in 1940. |
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Bray Boardwalk |
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Before the 18th century,
Bray was a tiny fishing village, remote and sleepy. But as the city of
Dublin expanded and grew, more and more people looked for residence
outside the over-populated urban center, and the town's popularity
soared. By the mid 1800s, the town became the largest seaside resort in
Ireland. Today, it is home to the Ardmore film studios, where many
classics were created, such as Braveheart. |
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The Dargle Bridge |
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The river Dargle was
originally called 'Deargail', which is Gaelic for 'little red spot."
This is because (although you can't see it in this photo), most of the
rocks in this river are tinted red. |
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Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin |
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This stunning hotel first
opened its doors in 1824, and is still open for business today! It is
currently under 'Marriott International'. This hotel played a
significant role in Irish history, when in 1922 it served as the meeting
place of the creators of the Irish constitution. Room 112, where it was
drafted, is now known as The Constitution Room. |
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Enniskerry |
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This is a tiny town, home
to only about 2,000 people, but its beautiful scenery at the foot of the
Wicklow Mountains and its proximity to Bray, make it a splendid place
to visit all year round. |
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St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin |
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This iconic cathedral is
known as the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Patrick. It
was founded almost a 1000 years a go, in 1191, and now serves as the
National Cathedral of Ireland. With a spire reaching 140 feet, it is
also the tallest church in Ireland. |
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Phoenix Park, Dublin |
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This obelisk may remind you
of the Washington Monument, but it is actually the Wellington Monument,
standing in Phoenix Park in Dublin. It is the tallest obelisk in Europe
and is dedicated to the famous deeds of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of
Wellington. |
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Roches Royal Hotel, Glengarriff Harbor |
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This particular hotel is no
longer open today, but the small town of Glengarriff, in which it
resided, is still a popular tourist attraction that provides visitors
with gorgeous seaside viewed, accompanied by tall mountain peaks and
picturesque peat bogs scattered throughout. |
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Glengarriff Harbor |
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Named after the Glengarriff
Forest, this town's Gaelic name is 'Gleann Garbh', which means 'rough
glen." The forest is in fact a home to a rough glen and some of the very
oldest oak and birch groves still left in Ireland. |
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Blackrock Castle |
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Initially constructed as a
fort designed to keep pirates at bay, Blackrock Castle was mostly
destroyed in a fire that broke in 1827. It was mostly replaced by 1829
and used for a variety of purposes. Today, it actually serves as
Ireland's first fully interactive astronomy center, open to the public. |
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Dungarven Bridge and Harbor |
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Dungarven's Gaelic name is
Dún Garbháin, translating to 'Garbhan's Fort'. This of course refers to
Saint Garbhan, who founded a church there back during the 7th century.
These days, it is an administrative center for Waterford County. |
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The Quays, Waterford |
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Waterford may well be the
oldest city in all of Ireland. This ancient city can claim roots that go
back to 914, and now, 1000 years later, it is still a significant
location. It is most well known for its crystal, which was its main
export for over 225 years. That industry no longer exists there today,
but there is still the Waterford Crystal Visitor Center to enjoy. |
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Ross Castle, Killarney |
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This beautiful castle
hasn't changed much in the 120 years that have passed since this photo
was taken, despite the renovations recently done in order to open the
castle up to the public. During the 15th century, this castle was one of
the strongest military posts in Ireland, and was only conquered during
the 17th century because none of the defenders expected an attack by
water. |
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