As I head to Dublin on the train this am, I am reminded that it was 80 years ago today on 30 October 1939 that Air Raid Sirens sounded over Dublin for the first time as the newly installed warning system was tested & shelters opened. Ireland had seen what had happened in Spain 
during the the Spanish Civil War - attacks on civilians from the air. The Irish government passed legislation for air raid precautions, the Air Raid Precautions Act 1939 which included a provision for the payment of a grant to employers who incurred expenses in the development of
an Air Raid shelter or other building. Singers of 69 Grafton Street, (where Vero Moda is now to be found) obtained advice and a grant for the construction of a shelter, which is still there to this day in the basement of the building.
A standard “beehive” shelter was designed
A standard “beehive” shelter was designed
by the Irish Defence Forces designed to resist the blast of a 500lb bomb. The shelter was igloo-shaped. It looked like a monastic beehive hut like those on Skellig Michael (as featured in the Star Wars movie) but were made of mass concrete. It had walls 32cm thick, a 2m-high
ceiling and could accommodate up to six people.
During the Emergency (as the war years were known in Ireland) beehive shelters were built behind public buildings, with priority given to Dublin & Dún Laoghaire corporations areas, and later towns along the south and east coast,
During the Emergency (as the war years were known in Ireland) beehive shelters were built behind public buildings, with priority given to Dublin & Dún Laoghaire corporations areas, and later towns along the south and east coast,
including Cork & Cobh.
G D Grannell building contractors of Fairview Dublin obviously recognised the sales opportunity and advertised their expertise in air raid shelter construction, proudly declaring they were the first to advertise air raid shelters.
The Republic of
G D Grannell building contractors of Fairview Dublin obviously recognised the sales opportunity and advertised their expertise in air raid shelter construction, proudly declaring they were the first to advertise air raid shelters.
The Republic of
Ireland was bombed a number of times during WWII between 1940 – 1941 by the German Luftwaffe (whether accidentally, by planes off-loading unused bombs, or otherwise).
