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Ballymun housing estate on Dublins Northside in 1995. A community that was plagued with drugs and drug dealers and of course poverty and apathy. There was more than a few suicides by leaping from the balconies and stairwells of the flats. A governments dream for low cost housing in the 1960´s when they cleared the inner cities. Ireland was not ready for this type of housing as it was not a bungalow on an acre of land front and back and it was therefore systematically neglected. In many ways “The Flats” were ahead of their times and those living there suffered because of it. That said Ballymun had & has a great sense of community and pride sadly lacking in many “better-off” housing estates. Now scheduled for demoliton, three of these towers, all named after leaders of Irelands 1916 armed rising against British rule, still stand. Here there be neighbours.
Philip Rogan. Irish photographer living in Mallorca Spain. Available for all types of projects dependent on interest, budget and time. E-mail Philip at philip.rogan@gmail.com
Thanks a million!
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this is a really starck image but its lovely all the same. such a strong modernist ethos. well done.
good shot
Excellent picture, perfect composition. Reminiscent of the New Topographics school of photography in the US…
Great shot. Thanks for the background info on the towers too, it was really interesting.
i remember the ‘World in Action’ documentary on this place, and on U2, just after the 1987 tour, and the song ‘Running to Stand Still’ resonates with that line..“sweet the sin, bitter the taste in my mouth, i see seven towers, but i only see one way out”…man, it’s a powerful thing. Thanks for posting…
Great shot. Like the prehistoric like tomb stones in the front and then the prehistoric socialable housing behind it.
I think there should be more low cost housing build in Ireland. People don’t have the money to buy. In Holland they’re kind of comming back from the whole flat thing. As you can see on your photo. The flats has so much space around them that you reach the same amound of housing with low build apartments.
Brilliant !
very classy and nice :)
i used to live in tallaght (and ennis) and i did sometimes be in ballymun and its quite an intimadating place
i thought that these flats had been demolished?
I am not sure if there are any still there but this was taken back in 1995 when they were. Indeed it was. I used to work in Musgraves Cash & Carry on the edge of the flats.
– Philip Rogan
Great Image, great narative too.