Robert French - A hive of activity - Main Street, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary

It's a long way from Tipperary South Riding and Cashel to Tipperary North Riding and Roscrea but only if you are trying to walk it! We started the week with a visit to Cashel of the Kings and here we have the Main Street of Roscrea of the Abbeys! This beautiful royal plate from Mr. French shows a scene of great activity, a public fountain and a mysterious building in the middle of the highway. I wonder what can help us to date the shot even if we cannot identify any of the donkeys?..While we couldn't identify the beasts of burden, the burgeoning businesses seemingly help date this image to before c.1901. The fantastic fountain still stands apparently - though moved to nearby Rosemary Square ( http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=TN®no=22303081 ) . The marvelous and mysterious market house however did not survive the 1920s - perhaps unsurprising given its placement in the "middle of the road" and the coming of the motor car by then........Photographer: Robert French..Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection ( http://catalogue.nli.ie/Collection/vtls000313414 ) ..Date: Catalogue range c.1865-1914. Definitely after c.1886 (central building). Possibly before c.1901 (businesses/census)..NLI Ref: L_ROY_03192 ( vtls000323384 ) ..You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie ( http://catalogue.nli.ie )