The very first book published by The O’Brien Press in 1974 celebrates fifty years in print. Full of historical facts, anecdotes and Dublin wit, this book evokes the spirit, the characters and colours, the sights, sounds and even the smells of old Dublin.

The fascinating history of an ancient place utterly transformed by progress and modernity, a place unrecognisable even to those who lived there in the 1950s. This accessible, entertaining and occasionally humorous book is written for the general reader, bringing the stories of Tallaght’s past to life for a new generation.

Take a trip along the Dodder and see the two suburbs, Rathgar and Churchtown, nestling on opposite banks. Their evolution gives a unique view on the development of Dublin and Ireland through the centuries: from fields and farms to the densely-populated, busy suburbs of the 21st century.