100 Years On.
Tip-toe to the Bayno
Where the kids go, to get their buns and Coco
Come tip-toe to the Bayno with me
Does the above song ring a bell?
If it does then you know what I am talking about. When it first opened way back in the early part of the last century (1913) as a place for local children to go and get a cup of Coco and a bun, this place was known fondly as The Bayno, and its situated right in the heart of the Liberties.
Its original name was The Iveagh Trust Play Centre, which is now part of the Bull Alley Secondary School (or Liberties College which it is currently known as). It all began when a member of The Guinness family – Mr.Eward Cecil Guinness – opened the centre so the local community could use it not only as a play centre, but for other activities too including education classes, sewing, soda bread making and cookery classes.
This play centre proved to be very helpful to people when times where hard, such as during the two World Wars in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. It not only offered local people something to do but also a place where they could get food, as food was very hard to come by not only in the war years but every day life too. It was even visited by the English Royal family way back in 1911 when King George V and Queen Mary visited. Two years after their visit, the Iveagh Play Centre opened its doors to the local people.
The Bayno was to remain open for 50 odd years before it was closed in the mid 1960’s, and despite it being closed, it’s memories still live on today. On Sunday the 26th of May I tip toed my way down to the Bayno with a camera to help celebrate the Gathering and help The Bayno Celebrate its 100 years in the making. The sun was out as were many other local people, some of whom had come home to Dublin especially for this day.
Here are some photos from those celebrations…
IMAGES: Centenary Celebrations @ The Bayno, Dublin – image credit: Alan Finn/FRG.ie
