Period dramas offer an insight into life in domestic service, but do they sometimes whitewash a starker reality? This talk reflects on the limited opportunities and harsh terms of employment of Dublin’s domestic servants in the early decades of the 20th Century whilst also reviewing some of the legendary Dublin entertainment venues they frequented. We will conclude by considering the alternative employment opportunities which arose in the aftermath of WW1. New jobs which allowed domestic staff and the working-class shape broader, less physically exerting and ultimately more rewarding lifestyles.

Age Suitability, 16 years +