One of Dublin’s best-known city centre locations, the Liberties could be described as the soul of Dublin, with its markets, the Guinness factory and storehouse – one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world – but to just think about buildings would be a mistake. The ‘soul’ of Dublin is to be found in the people of Liberties, what Irish people would call ‘ordinary down-to-earth people’ who in times past knew their fair share of hardship and struggle.

Perhaps this is why there is such a sense of togetherness that marks the area. Maurice Curtis is a well-known historian of people and culture and this compilation will focus on his own personal archive of historic photos of the people and the area with commentary from Maurice. With the love Irish and Dublin people have for the Liberties, this book is likely to catch the imagination and nostalgia of Irish and tourists alike for a part of Dublin that is harks back to its distant past.

Dr Maurice Curtis is a graduate of the National University of Ireland/UCD and is based in Dublin. He is a Historian, Writer and Reviewer with a particular interest in Irish social history, including ideology, identity and change.