Ireland in Modern Times

1950s

Ireland went through some difficult times after the end of World War II. From the 1950s, many Irish people emigrated to other countries because there was very little work in Ireland. However, the economy improved in Ireland in the late 1960s.

Hay Making in the 1950s

Photograph of some men in the 1950s making a hay stack using pitch forks.

Styles

Two young women dressed in contrasting styles in the 1950’s. The girl in the left is dressed more for fun. The other girl is dressed more formally, more for work.

Gaelic Football Match, O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny c.1950

Photo of a Gaelic football game at O’Donnell Park GAA grounds in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, in around 1950. The match is in full play. In the foreground, a group of women are attired in their 'Sunday best' clothes of skirt suits, or 'costumes' as they were then called. Some women are also wearing hats. The men standing inside the wall of the football pitch are wearing suits and shirts. The three children, all boys, are dressed in short pants and knee-length socks.
Central Library, Letterkenny

1960s

In 1961, Ireland's National Television Station, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), went on air for the very first time on New Year’s Eve. Before the television service began, people listened to the radio or read the paper to find out about current news. RTÉ had only one channel at the time.

In June 1963, the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, visited the Republic of Ireland. His ancestors came from County Wexford. Huge crowds turned out to welcome him around the country. A few months later, in November 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas.

In 1967, free secondary school education was introduced in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Aeriel view of traffic on O'Connell Bridge. (Dublin City Library)

Aeriel view of traffic on O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, Ireland. This photgraph was taken in the mid to late 1960s. A blue and cream liveried public bus is visible going up O'Connell St. and there are no Atlanteans yet.

By kind permission of Dublin City Council.

Tubrid National School in 1968

This photograph shows the classroom of a national school in Ardfert, Co. Kerry. Notice the poor condition of the room, compared to the classrooms of today.

Reproduced from 'Ardfert in Times Past', by Tommy Frank O'Connor.

Joining the EU

On the 1st of January 1973, the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union (EU). Membership of the EU helped Ireland to grow and develop. In the 1970s and 1980s, farmers were able to establish their own markets and set prices for their products. Roads and communication technology were also improved through funding received from the EU.

1973 Irish Press, 1st January

On the 1st of January 1973, Ireland became a member of the European Economic Community (referendum to join - 10th of May 1972).

Irish Press

Celtic Tiger Years

During the 1990s, many American technology companies set up in the Republic of Ireland. Many new jobs were created as a result of these new companies. For the first time in Irish history, thousands of people came to Ireland from other countries to look for employment.
Between the 1990s and the early years of the new century, Ireland became a much wealthier country. As a result of this boom in the economy, this period became known as the Celtic Tiger years. Thousands of new buildings were built all around the country.

The condition of the economy began to change however, particularly during 2007, and by 2008 Ireland was no longer booming. Many countries around the world also had difficulties and found that their workers were losing their jobs as factories and companies began to close down. This time became known as a time of Global Recession.