Dublin, 1930-1950

Book excerpt: In the 1930s and 1940s, Dublin took on the characteristics of today's city. Decisions taken about the location of large-scale social housing programmes, a lack of reform of urban governance and mixed messages in relation to urban planning combined to produce the social patterns of the city that are recognizable today. The city began to deal with the motor car as a friend to be accommodated with some interesting and long-term results. These and other issues are explored in this latest volume in the 'Making of Dublin' series. The volume aims to convey a sense of what it was like to live in and to use the city during these two decades. Particular attention is devoted to looking at the impact of the Emergency and on how the city functioned, particularly as a shopping centre and tourism centre.