This view is of the junction of Sandymount Road and Seafort Avenue (on the extreme left by the Heelan’s Lounge) in Dublin. In the distance can be seen the railings and trees of Sandymount Green.

Nearest the camera is a Hillman Hunter with a late 1970 registration 7329 YI. This car was still quite new then and would have been assembled by Chrysler Ireland at the former Buckley Motors assembly plant in Santry. In front of this car by viewing through its window looks like the upper outline of a Ford Cortina Mk. III, with a vinyl roof suggesting one of the top-of-the-range GXL models.

Again, nearest the camera but on the other side of the road is a Mini Mk. I, to judge by the smaller taillight, and with one of those go-faster stripes once so fashionable. Behind it is a 1970 Cortina Mk. II, 2-door, probably a 1300 Deluxe with the Dublin registration 3358 IK. Beyond that is a light coloured Peugeot 504 with the early protruding door handles. Although launched in France in 1969, these were not on sale here until 1971.

Looking further beyond the bus stop space is a 1970 Ford Escort Mk.I, probably an entry level model to judge by its round, rather than rectangular headlamps and skinny tyres. The number plate is unclear but it looks like another mid-1970 IK registration. Behind the Escort lurks the bulk of a Mercedes W108, possibly a 250SE or a 280SE. In fact some of these were assembled by Motor Distributors. Behind the Mercedes is a Renault 4 van, once so popular, especially with the postal service.

Over at the railings of the Green is an Austin or Morris 1100 with the early type grille. Behind that is a late-Sixties Hillman Minx Estate with the Arrow (Hillman Hunter-type) body style, and beyond that in the shadows is a dark coloured Mk. II Cortina 4 door saloon.

This picture is likely to have been taken in early to mid-1971 going by the age of the cars and the state of foliage. There is also a sign for the Royal Bank, one of the banks absorbed into the AIB and indeed today there is an AIB branch on this site. Very little is known about why this picture was taken but it was one of a set of images of Dublin which were found mounted on backing boards and may have been used as part of a display stand at a trade exhibition. Although I know of no copyright in this image, I would be happy to acknowledge the copyright owner should the party concerned contact me through the editor.

By COLM O’NEILL

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MEMORY LANE_1971