Joyce: The Neighbourhood of Dublin

Joyce, Weston St. John. The Neighbourhood of Dublin: Its Topography, Antiquities and Historical Associations. Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son, 1921

Weston St. John Joyce 'The Neighbourhood of Dublin: its topography, antiquities and historical associations' 1921

Joyce, Weston St. John. The Neighbourhood of Dublin: Its Topography, Antiquities and Historical Associations. Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son, 1921

Joyce, Weston St. John. The Neighbourhood of Dublin: Its Topography, Antiquities and Historical Associations. Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son, 1921

Weston St. John Joyce 'The Neighbourhood of Dublin: its topography, antiquities and historical associations' 1921

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The Neighbourhood of Dublin: Its Topography, Antiquities And Historical Associations by Weston St. John Joyce (1858-1939) was first published in 1912. He was a civil servant and wrote topographical articles for The Evening Standard and the Irish Times for more than 30 years.

His articles were first published in a collection called Rambles Near Dublin . However the size and breath of his collections of notes, photographs and knowledge encouraged him to produce The Neighbourhood of Dublin, a much larger work that was revised and expanded for another edition published in 1921.

The 19th and 20th centuries saw rising living standards, improved roads and new modes of transport such as bicycles, trams, trains and most importantly, motorcars. The wealthy and middle classes could now leave the confines of Dublin city and explore the surrounding countryside. Joyce sought to produce a tourist guide to the topography, history, flora and fauna and places of interest in the Dublin area and also advice on the appropriate equipment and clothing to wear.

Joyce wrote in a conversational style interspersed with humor, anecdotes, mythology and legends. His work is illustrated with 120 photographs taken between 1909 and 1912. It also includes his diagrams, drawings and route maps which included over forty-five possible trips.

Although he produced popular works, Joyce was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquarians of Ireland and was a serious academic historian responsible for a number of important historical publications. The readability of The Neighbourhood of Dublin meant that it was a widely read travelogue and remains important to local historians.

The Dublin area especially its mountains and rural countryside remain very popular with hillwalkers and ramblers. The outward sprawl of the urban area in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, construction of roads and other development have changed the landscape considerably. Therefore Joyce's work remains important from a local history perspective.