Ciarán Casey
@ciaranmcasey.bsky.social
Economic historian at UL. Author of 'The Irish Department of Finance, 1959-1999' and 'Policy Failures and the Irish Economic Crisis'.
It shouldn't need reiteration but most of the kids who ended up in industrial schools were just guilty of being poor.
November 12, 2025 at 5:27 PM
It shouldn't need reiteration but most of the kids who ended up in industrial schools were just guilty of being poor.
Anti-vaxers in 1940s Ireland
October 31, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Anti-vaxers in 1940s Ireland
Look on my Works, ye Mighty...
October 29, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Look on my Works, ye Mighty...
I'm going through the government reports for the past century and the introduction of the school medical service is one of the most interesting things. The public health problems were jaw-dropping, even after years of operation. Here's the results from the inspections in Dublin, 1936-7
October 7, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I'm going through the government reports for the past century and the introduction of the school medical service is one of the most interesting things. The public health problems were jaw-dropping, even after years of operation. Here's the results from the inspections in Dublin, 1936-7
Back when official reports were entitled using the I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)' format. Catchy stuff
August 27, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Back when official reports were entitled using the I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)' format. Catchy stuff
Currently copying and pasting this gem into a lecture on inflation
August 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Currently copying and pasting this gem into a lecture on inflation
From the first Hospitals Commission report in 1936:
August 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
From the first Hospitals Commission report in 1936:
From an inspector of boarded out (foster) children in 1932. Saying the quiet part loud
August 5, 2025 at 9:54 PM
From an inspector of boarded out (foster) children in 1932. Saying the quiet part loud
If aliens come there's a good chance it won't be to meet us
July 7, 2025 at 10:39 PM
If aliens come there's a good chance it won't be to meet us
People aren't sufficiently concerned about grade inflation in the 1920s and 1930s. Those kids were wasters
July 4, 2025 at 3:08 PM
People aren't sufficiently concerned about grade inflation in the 1920s and 1930s. Those kids were wasters
Interesting! In 1930 there were about 20 million train journeys taken in Ireland, compared to 50 million last year.
July 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Interesting! In 1930 there were about 20 million train journeys taken in Ireland, compared to 50 million last year.
The marriage rate in 2024 was 3.8 per thousand population. Interestingly, it's not dramatically lower than a century ago
July 2, 2025 at 4:49 PM
The marriage rate in 2024 was 3.8 per thousand population. Interestingly, it's not dramatically lower than a century ago
Births weren't officially registered in Ireland until 1864 and then the census returns were burnt in the Four Courts, making it really hard for people in the 1920s/30s to prove their ages to get a pension. The acceptable alternative documentation included dated birthday cards
June 30, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Births weren't officially registered in Ireland until 1864 and then the census returns were burnt in the Four Courts, making it really hard for people in the 1920s/30s to prove their ages to get a pension. The acceptable alternative documentation included dated birthday cards
The absolute best time of year
June 20, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The absolute best time of year
The memoirs are starting to pile up, with more on the way. If anyone has any recommendations for Ireland, 1922 to 1945, please send them on
May 29, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The memoirs are starting to pile up, with more on the way. If anyone has any recommendations for Ireland, 1922 to 1945, please send them on
Irish hospitals were still buying enough leeches in 1925 to make them a major expenses item
May 23, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Irish hospitals were still buying enough leeches in 1925 to make them a major expenses item
Some helpful suggestions to Primary Schools at the birth of the state.
May 19, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Some helpful suggestions to Primary Schools at the birth of the state.
The plan for the electrification of the Free State by Siemens-Schuckert in 1925
May 16, 2025 at 2:47 PM
The plan for the electrification of the Free State by Siemens-Schuckert in 1925
An American journalist commenting on Irish accents in 1925
May 16, 2025 at 1:18 PM
An American journalist commenting on Irish accents in 1925
And absolutely guaranteed some moan will tell me in July that we've had no summer
May 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
And absolutely guaranteed some moan will tell me in July that we've had no summer
I hadn't looked at Irish GNI* per capita in ages until a student graphed it in an assignment. The narrative that Ireland is performing really well is such a myth. We're only up 9% in the seventeen years since 2006. It explains a lot of the gap between expectations and reality for me
December 20, 2024 at 4:53 PM
I hadn't looked at Irish GNI* per capita in ages until a student graphed it in an assignment. The narrative that Ireland is performing really well is such a myth. We're only up 9% in the seventeen years since 2006. It explains a lot of the gap between expectations and reality for me
Net public wealth estimates are really interesting and we barely look at them as metrics.
December 18, 2024 at 4:53 PM
Net public wealth estimates are really interesting and we barely look at them as metrics.
Some salient advice from the HSE in Vincent's hospital
December 10, 2024 at 9:36 PM
Some salient advice from the HSE in Vincent's hospital
They really don't deviate from the script at all
“We see the U.S. still standing out versus other developed markets thanks to stronger growth and its ability to better capitalize on mega forces. We up our overweight to U.S. equities and see the AI theme broadening out,” BlackRock said.
“We see the U.S. still standing out versus other developed markets thanks to stronger growth and its ability to better capitalize on mega forces. We up our overweight to U.S. equities and see the AI theme broadening out,” BlackRock said.
December 6, 2024 at 5:27 PM
They really don't deviate from the script at all
“We see the U.S. still standing out versus other developed markets thanks to stronger growth and its ability to better capitalize on mega forces. We up our overweight to U.S. equities and see the AI theme broadening out,” BlackRock said.
“We see the U.S. still standing out versus other developed markets thanks to stronger growth and its ability to better capitalize on mega forces. We up our overweight to U.S. equities and see the AI theme broadening out,” BlackRock said.
