The benefit of Hinde’s sight
motions run high in Greystones when it comes to our late, great Victorian harbour.
Simon Lazewski
With the new marina bringing an end to the town’s 250-year-old fishing hole in 2008, the industrial wasteland that quickly followed – and is only now, as we time and hard graft does its thing, beginning to bear fruit – brought on an almost-instant nostalgia for the original harbour.
Harbour 1980s Sean Tierney
Especially among those who didn’t quite get their act together when it came to protesting the new marina development pre-apocalypse.
There’s more than hope though that beauty will once again grace the heart of our town, as the marina begins to populate its concrete jungle with shrubbery, public spaces and even a few friendly faces.
Video: Michael Martin
The battle is almost over, and the tidy-up has begun.
Which is why we thought it would be good to pull together the many, many wonderful images of the old Greystones harbour. A little shrine where Greystonians can go and pray. And wail. And growl.
And have a good cry.
The hope being that, after a little tender, loving exorcism, a love for that new harbour – our harbour – will slowly, steadily, cautiously break through the clouds…
Below are our fifty or so favourites – you can check out literally hundreds of old harbour shots here.
Also, check out even more great old harbour shots by local snappers Chris Dobson here, Roderick Carlyle here and Eamon Flynn here, plus our September 2019 round-up here.
And there’s been a few more years of archive raiding since then.
Jaysus, miss that bus shelter
And if the moving image is what really gets you moving, there’s some incredible 1926 Pathé News footage of the Greystones Swimming Gala 1926 right here, and the 1928 gala here.
Or you could fly over the harbour back in March 2013 here, June 2015 here, or February 2016 here.
Oh, and there’s also the history of those gone-but-not-forgotten North Beach cottages, and how we actually lost our stinky old harbour. Full gallery of harbour pics here.
Get back to where you once belonged…
Hinde’s Means Beautiful
Harbour & North Beach Dollard 1960
Harbour Postcard 1960. Source: Derek Paine
Ben Doyle sits whilst Michael Fields and Tommy Redmond act casual.
Retired postman Ben Doyle, same spot, years later…
Harbour in the 1980s Pic Brian Keeley
Greystones Harbour in the swinging ’60s
Greystones Harbour. Pic: Eamon Flynn
Harbour Postcard. Source eBay
Greystones Harbour postcard J Arthur Dixon
Greystones Harbour 1950s. Colourised by GG.
Greystones, eh, Beach. Valentine Series 1903
Greystones Harbour Postcard Source: Indiana Neary
Early Harbour Painting by Constance Rochfort c1900. Source: Enniskerry Antiques
Bray from Greystones Harbour Postcard 61896 Colourised by GG
Lick o’paint will sort those feckers out…
Fishermen’s Blues. John Hinde postcard
Greystones Harbour Magic Lantern c. 1900
You can bring a horse to the harbour… Pic: Robert French
Vintage harbour 1911 boats postcard.
Greystones Harbour Postcard #2. Sean Tierney
Vintage Harbour Postcard 1950
Harbour postcard A10134. Source: ebay
Greystones Harbour by John O’Rourke. Available here.
Greystones Harbour & The Sugarloaf Mountains. Source: ebay
North Beach Bathing Huts detail from Robert French pic
Greystones Harbour Boats Three Men Robert French
Harbour including Dann’s Shop. Pic: Robert French
Beach House Taxi Rank: The Early Years.
After John Doyle and before The Beach House, John George McEntagart ruled the harbour
And the living is easy… Pic: John McGowan
Greystones Harbour Postcard 1968
Greystones harbour 1980s. Source: Unknown
Skiffs On The Harbour by Richard Tillbrook
Fishing boats Spring 1990. Pic: Clare Louise Donelan
Harbour Sunset 2008. Pic: Declan Lynch
Harbour Fishing Competition. Source: Gary Paine
Vintage Greystones Harbour & Bray Head postcard. Source: ebay
In the past, the grass is always greener…
Greystones Harbour. Tuesday. Just after lunch.
The oul’ harbour, with that ever-present red van. Source: Unknown
Let the fun begin…
Busy Day at the Harbour. Pic: John Hinde
Greystones Harbour Postcard 1960s
John Hinde 1966
A John HInde kinda Sunday
Greystones Harbour 21SEPT08 William Murphy
Harbour pier takes a dive. Source: Derek Paine
Bathing boxes, but no Glencoe or Yarra-Yarra yet. Source: Derek Paine
Harbour Postcard. Source: ebay 12OCT22
The Harbour sometime around 4pm. We reckon.
Malachy The Old Dope Peddler works The Harbour c1950
Adding colour to Pleasantville’s cheeks…
North Beach Harbour. Pic: Robert French
Greystones Harbour 1980s. Pic Robert Hector Kemp
Another Eamon Flynn beauty…
Greystones Harbour 1970s. Pic: J. Kennedy/John Hinde
Greystones Harbour 5OCT07 Padraic Lavin flickr
Sailing in the harbour 14APR07 Pic Ramona Farrelly
Golden Harbour 28JAN08 Donal Fitzmaurice Neligan [flickr]
Late In the evening… Source: Unknown
Harbour Fun. Pic Fáilte Ireland Archives
We put some colour in their cheeks…
Greystones Aqua Fun Park continues…
Building the North Wall Source Derek Paine
Harbour Sunset 2008 Pic Declan Lynch
And then there were three… Source: Unknown
The Sun Goes Down. Pic: Declan Lynch
Harbour Sunset 2007. Pic: Declan Lynch
Same old thing in brand new drag…
Greystones Harbour Christmas Postcard Source Patrick Neary
Greystones Harbour Miguel Galeon
Greystones Harbour Pic Shay Murphy
Greystones Harbour Postcard by Ostwind Studios
Vintage Sugarloaf From The Harbour postcard
Harbour Steps. Pic Failte Ireland Archives
Harbour Doc Postcard. Source: Unknown
Greystones Harbour dock. Pic: Luke McGuinness
The dock, 1947 – when the fish were jumpin’…
Greystones Harbour Stretching & Yawning
Sitting on the dock…
The smell, they say, still lingers…
Hurricane Charlie Greystones Harbour 1980s. Pic Robert Hector Kemp
There’s coal on that there pier… Source: Derek Paine
Greystones Harbour with ship & horse cart. Source: Patrick Neary
Velihheli and Reciprocity after the Oct 1910 storm. Source: Gary Paine
Greystones Harbour Ship. Vintage postcard.
Greystones Harbour 1911. Vintage postcard.
Blue for you… 1960s, we reckon
Lick o’paint will sort those feckers out…
If it ain’t skiffs, it ain’t worth a feck…
Greystones Harbour Low Tide 2003 Pic Patrick Neary
Old Harbour 1980s Brian Keeley
Harbour Buoy. Source Brian Ewan O’Brien
Greystones Harbour. Source Panoramio
Harbour Fishing Pic Muriel Beckett Weaver
Ah, Jaysus…
All Washed Up…
Muddy waters, baby…
Greystones Harbour Boats Source Jackie England
In The Dock 1974. Pic: Roderick Carlyle
Garden of Eden. Pic Luke McGuinness
Clear-out. Pic Luke McGuinness
Messing About In Boats. Nice. Pic Peter Slattery
One busy pier – July 1956. Source Derek Paine
The cockiness of those kids means this was probably a school day…
Ivan O’Toole and Gary Campbell make another clandestine drop-off…
Harbour Kish. Pic Fáilte Ireland Archives
Greystones Harbour. Valentine Postcard
Harbour Pier works 1980s. Pic Harry Acheson
The Pier. Pic Luke McGuinness
Take that, ya feck! Pic Luke McGuinness
Heavy Weather Feb 2006. Pic: Eamon Flynn
Stormy Harbour Jan 2007 Pic Michael Martin
Take that, ya feck! Pic: Pippins Parkinson
Now, that was a good day…
Give a man a six-pack & a Tayto sandwich, and he’ll fish all day…
Popped out for dinner… Pic: Anne Stanley
Waves? What Waves…? Pic: Anne Stanley
Old Harbour Lonesome Fisherman Pic Anne Stanley
Harbour fishing, and the living is easy. Pic: Dave Daly
The Fishing Wall. Pic: Anne Stanley
Greystones Harbour Jumping from the Fishing Wall Pic June Byrne
Pontoon Party #1. Pic: Harry Acheson
Pontoon party! Pic: Harry Acheson
Harbour Boats Pic Robert French
Harbour & Sugar Loaf 1920s Postcard
Harbour 1983 Pic Catherine ‘Chuckles’ Neary
Pier Pressure #2. Pic: Harry Acheson
Pier Pressure #1. Pic Harry Acheson
Slip away… Pic: Roderick Carlyle 1972
Boats On The Jetty. Pic: Peter Slattery
Give ‘Em Enough Rope. Another Slattery beauty. We reckon. Colourised by GG.
Greystones Jetty Pier. Pic: Robert French
Ye Olde Greystones Harbour boat slip, with Arthur Evans Coal Merchants
By the jetty c1900. Source: Derek Paine
Greystones Pier Pic Robert French
Signal Valentine R789 North Beach Fisherman Postcard
Signal Valentine R789 Harbour Fisherman Valentine postcard
Uploading coal on the quay. The Lawrence Collection
Same spot, 1990 – part of the Lawrence Project. Pic: Liam Clare
Carts being loaded. Source: Derek Paine
Half harbour, half factory. Source: Unknown
Harbour Pier before the steps fell into the sea 2nd Feb 1912 Source Derek Paine
The original harbour pier. Source Derek Paine
Harbour Fun Pic Rory Fallon
Wicklow Lifeboat pays Greystones a visit for Flag Day 1936
The lifeboat gets launched… Source: Unknown
Greystones Harbour Boat Slip Postcard 1940s
That 1940s postcard – in easy living colour
And with a fresh lick of watercolours…
The Promenade, Greystones Pic The Eason Collection
Now in Technicolor!
Darker, and dirtier, but with better detail…
The Talk. At the boat slip.
Harbour Seaweed 2003 Pic Patrick Neary
Bathing Boxes on the boatslip 1948
Greystones Harbour Boating Slip 1926. Colourised by GG.
George Archer and his hiring boats 1910
Two sunken ships Oct 13th 1910 Harbour
Greystones Harbour Mid-1950s Pic Roderick Carlyle
Into the great wide open… Source: Unknown
Harbour Silhouette. Pic: Shay Murphy
The North Beach 1909. Source: Derek Paine
Far Away, So Close… Pic: Declan Lynch
Greystones Harbour 2009. Pic by Sagat
Harbour’s Old Livery Stables & John Doyle’s coalyard
From a distance… Source: Unknown
Greystones Harbour 1905 Postcard E. Greer
Greystones Harbour 1910 Source Derek Paine
Note single storey house where Spendlove’s is now. Source Derek Paine
The Great Emigration of 1984. Pic: Stephen McDonald
The launch of Shamrock II. Source: Derek Paine
The boats come in… Source: Derek Paine
Greystones Harbour Pic Miguel Galeon
Probably the 1976 Mirror Nationals. Source: Nikki Smith
Probably the 1976 Mirror Nationals. Source: Nikki Smith
Fog Over The Harbour. Pic: Phil Pankov
Stormy Harbour. Source Unknown
Harbour Wakes Up 2008. Pic: Declan Lynch
The past is orange. Source: Unknown
Harbour July 2005. Pic: Eamon Flynn
Over Darcy’s Field… Pic: Anne Stanley
A Greystones Bath Pic Gary Acheson
Fishermen’s Huts DEC75. Source: Pete Mullan
Greystones Harbour Pic Niall Farrell
When will we ten meet again…?
Fishermen’s friends…
Fisherman’s Huts 1980s Niall Farrell
All the world’s a stage…
Fishermen’s Huts Christmas Day 2007. Pic: John McGowan
Harry-Lawless-John-Byrne-Brian-Sweeney-Paddy-Sweeney-Kevin-Malone-Noel-Belton-Seamus-Sweeney-Larry-Ryan
Harry & co… Colourised
Fishermen’s Huts by Peter Growney
A Guide collage of those Fishermen’s Huts 2018
Cloud 9. And his neighbour.
Greystones Harbour Pic Niall Farrell
Sean Tierney Harbour 23rd Jan 2008
Greystones Harbour Pic Niall Farrell
The Harbour 1973. Source: Catherine Nevin
Harbour Reflections by Dermot Hackett
Greystones 6th May 2007 8pm John McGowan
Harbour 2011 Pic John McGowan
Greystones Unofficial Youth Club Gets Demolished
Greystones’ Playboy Mansion, in its prime…
Greystones Regatta Aug 22nd 1889. Source Derek Paine
The Colleen Bán [built by John Spurling] with Bill Spurling, John Spurling, Jack Darcy, James Whiston & George Archer, 1920s
George William Evans Deluxe Taxi at the Harbour
Greystones Harbour The Very Early Years. Source Derek Paine
Hobby Horses at the Harbour
Jim Murphy, N. Murphy, Michael Whiston, Tommy Redmond, Jim Ryan, Tom Quinn, Stephen Redmond, Jim Whiston. Source Derek Paine
Mrs Emily Paine and Mrs Flo Thompson with Joan Paine (pram), Stan Paine, Bob Thompson, Derek Paine & Doreen Thompson, 1939 Colourised
Willie Dann & Tommy Lawless at the Flagstaff. Source Derek Paine
Peter Hoey, James Byrne, Tommy Doyle and Artie Fox cutting corn at Dann’s 1938. Source Derek Paine
Thirsty horses at Dann’s. Source Derek Paine
John Whiston, Christy Keegan, Jim D’Arcy & Baker Massey, Dann’s coalyard. Source Derek Paine
Alfie Taylor, Derek Ferns, Cecil Gilbert, Alec Tucker & Cycil Spurling
Thomas Murphy collecting gravel at the North Beach. Source Derek Paine
Army battalion staying at the Clyda Hotel gather, 1940. Source Derek Paine
North Beacher Michael Byrne works the thresher at Dann’s. Source Derek Paine
![Albert Archer outside his garage [now Joe Sweeney's], 1937. Source Derek Paine](https://www.greystonesguide.ie/wp-content/uploads/Albert-Archer-outside-his-garage-now-Joe-Sweeneys-1937.-Source-Derek-Paine-444x800.jpg)
Albert Archer outside his garage [now Joe Sweeney’s], 1937. Source Derek Paine
Ploughing behind Dann’s – John Dann in the overcoat. Source Derek Paine
Harbour boat 23rd Jan 2008. Pic: Sean Tierney
Harbour Pier by Luke McGuinness
North Beach Walk by Luke McGuinness
Festival time at the harbour! Pic Luke McGuinness
Harbour In The Snow. Pic Luke McGuinness
Harbour In The Snow 2. Pic Luke McGuinness
Harbour In The Snow 3 Luke McGuinness
Harbour In The Snow 4. Pic Luke McGuinness
Old Harbour Tide Out Pic Anne Stanley
Harbour Panorama Pic: Joe Houghton Photography
Shamrock 1, with cox Niall Hayden August Monday 1992
Paddy Sweeney (cox), Snowy Byrne (stroke), Brain Wilson (beam), Ciaran Demery (midship), Pat Mooney (bow) 1974. Pic: Roderick Carlyle
Ronnie Drew & Friends circa 1970. Source: Patrick Neary
Leftover blocks from the North Wall construction
The North Beach Cottages early 1900s
The Circus Comes To Town
The Harbour 1980. Source: Derek Paine
A busy harbour 1980s Source Derek Paine
Fishing Off The Pier by Anna O’Rourke
Tommy Grealy buys more magic beans from John O’Connor. Spring 1990. Pic: Clare Louise Donelan
Tommy Grealy & Leslie Spurling. Colourised by Gary O’Brien
Ed Boland & Tom Grealy with the rescued anchor…
Billy Kinsella’s Sea Piper. Pic: Chris Dobson
Rainbow Anchor by Laoise Macken
Down by the harbour…
Pic: Pippins Parkinson
Anchor’s Wahay by Kevin Doran
John McKenzie, John Redmond & Leslie Redmond early 1950s Source Jago Hayden (JM’s cousin)
Jago & John Hayden, Derek Paine, Pat ‘The Horse’ Kelly, Aleck Tucker. Pic: Liam Hayden
Harbour Kid by Peter Slattery. Colourised by GG.
Willie Redmond photographed by Peter Slattery
Derek Paine at play. Pic Jack Clarke
Fishing columnist J. Ashton Freeman circa 1950 – photographed by Peter Slattery
The sign of quality…
Net fix & chill: Willie Redmond and Jago Hayden
Bejiggers, that’s a wave Pic Anne Hogan-White
Harbour panoramic Pic: John McGowan
Greystones Harbour 1980s. Pic: Pete Mullen
Old Harbour Boats Pic Anne Stanley
Old Greystones Harbour sunset. Pic: Anne Stanley
Old Greystones Harbour Pic Anne Stanley (2)
Old Greystones Harbour Bathing Pic Anne Stanley
Old Greystones Harbour Aerial Shot 2 Pic Anne Stanley
The Avery Ladies Enjoy A Little Harbour Sunshine Pic Nick Avery
Old Greystones Harbour & South Beach Aerial Pic Anne Stanley
Old Harbour aerial shot Pic Anne Stanley
Greystones Harbour with La Touche Hotel. Pic: Anne Stanley
Old harbour painting by David O’Reilly
View from above 2012
Harbour Rainbow Pic: Pablo Photography
Greystones Harbour by Norman Teelan 2005
Harbour Painting. Painter: Unreadable
Greystones Harbour by Norman Teeling 2001 feat the Hayden fecks
Greystones Harbour Oil on Board by Norman Teeling
Greystones Harbour by Helen Magee
Greystones Harbour by Norman Teeling
Greystones Harbour 1959. Source: Derek Paine
Harbour 1980s.Pic: John O’Rourke
Harbour Fishing Contest 1992 Pic Noeleen O’Neill
Cafe Marina by the harbour railway bridge Source Derek Paine
The Harbour raft 1959 Source Derek Paine
Greystones Diving Board AUG65 John O’Hare
Swans in the Harbour Pic Jody Connaughton
Harbour Snow Pic Jonathan Ellis
Statue Angel Harbour Pic Anne Stanley
A Kind Of Blue Harbour Anne Stanley
Balloons Released Back Into The Wild 5th Aug 2001 Pic Patrick Neary
Trafalgar Road from the Harbour Pic Patrick Neary
Summer Fun at Greystones Harbour
Harbour Soft Sand Pic Patrick Neary
The Harbour looking blue Pic Anne Stanley
Greystones Harbour circa 1990 feat Tommy Grealy’s beloved boat Pic Brian Keeley
Dramatic Harbour Shot Pic Anne Stanley
Harbour Boats 1980s Pic Brian Keeley
Greystones Harbour Pic: Dermot Kavanagh
The transformation begins…
The harbour goes electric…
And almost complete…
Looking good. Looking damn good…
Here comes the night…
Leaving Colussus by John Joyce
Marina Magic by Arran Feighery
Harbour Sunset Sunday 18SPT16 Brian Keeley
Harbour Nights by John Hickey
Here she blows… Albert O’Donnell
1 comment
It’s all very well to say the project is ‘bearing fruit’ — but it’s poisonous.
The elephant in the room is EROSION. The disappearance of the North Beach. Now, there’s a pile of gravel or shingle down there, supposed to fix the loss of the cliffs and the fact that the beach disappears at high tide, something which I never saw before until Sisk arrived in Greystones>
But guess what?
It won’t work, because it’s too late. In summer 2008, only months after harbour construction began, Sean Quirke of WCC conspired with Sisk to halt the Bord Pleanala-mandated coastal protection programme.
Sisk was obliged by planning conditions to place 30,000 cubic metres of shingle along the beach, about 50 to 100 metres north of the Gap Bridge, to offset the effect of the construction of the breakwaters, which all experts agreed would increase erosion. And thereafter to place AT LEAST 6,000m3 per year, for ever.
Sisk never placed the initial 30,000m3, because Quirke moved the goalposts. At a Harbour Liaison Committee meeting in June 2008, he announced that the 30,000m3 would be placed “during construction”. Of the entire project!
That’s why there has been such rapid erosion, and why this measure won’t work. And that’s why the North Beach is, effectively, gone.
Then, let’s look at the work that has been done. And the multiple breaches of planning permission.
Car park paving: supposed to be granite setts, i.e. cut granite stone blocks. What is it? Some sort of composite — basically, granite dust plus glue. NOT setts.
Plaza paving: Is it really granite? I’ve been told it’s not.
Plaza trees: Not as specified in the planning conditions.
Galvanised railings along Cliff Road: Specified — marine stainless steel (much more expensive).
The ‘boatyard’ (on south pier): Forbidden to be used for boat storage — and what is it used for? Boat storage.
Portacabins and shipping containers: No planning permission for these. Not specified in the planning approval.
Etc, etc.
And as for those houses? Yuk! Ancient-looking designs from the builders’ Gothic playbook, circa 1970. Ugly, ugly, ugly — and completely out of sympathy with the Victorian environment.