Old Map of Dublin in 1837 by SDUK - Kingstown, Dalkey, Howth

Published in 1837 by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, this hand-coloured map, engraved by B.R. Davies for the publishers Baldwin and Cradock, sets out 'The Environs of Dublin' in careful, measured detail. It covers the city centre and stretches out across Greater Dublin and much of County Dublin, taking in the wide curve of Dublin Bay and the surrounding parishes of Leinster, at a time when the SDUK was producing some of the most accurate and accessible maps available to the Victorian public.

The map traces the River Liffey as it flows through the heart of the city and out into Dublin Bay, flanked by the green expanse of Phoenix Park to the west. Along the coast, the harbour town of Kingstown, renamed in 1821 in honour of a royal visit, appears alongside the fishing villages of Dalkey and Howth, while Clontarf, the site of the eleventh-century battle that broke Viking power in Ireland, sits to the north of the city. Blackrock and Rathfarnham are shown among the surrounding townlands, giving a detailed picture of how Dublin's suburbs were beginning to spread beyond the old city walls in the early nineteenth century.

This map of Dublin makes a wonderful gift for anyone with Irish family history or a personal connection to the city, and its detailed, old-world charm suits both period and modern homes equally well. It has proven a popular choice as a housewarming gift for someone moving to Dublin, a wedding anniversary present for a couple who met or married in the city, and a Christmas gift for relatives living abroad who want a piece of home on their wall. Supplied unframed on high-quality paper, it stands as a distinctive and personal piece of Irish wall art.