Dublin Port connects with past employees for new Port Memory and Story Project
31 July 2026
Dublin Port is preserving the rich history and heritage of one of Ireland’s most significant maritime gateways by inviting former employees and members of the wider port community to share their experiences as part of its ongoing Port Memory and Story Project.
Since 2019 Dublin Port and Mac Conmara Heritage have been capturing the personal experiences of the people who lived and worked in Dublin Port for the Port Memory and Story Project. Through professional oral history interviews, the project documents the voices behind the Port’s history, creating a lasting archive of memories for future generations.
For more than 300 hundred years, Dublin Port has played a central role in Ireland’s economic, social and cultural development. While the Port’s corporate archives document its operations, development and governance, personal testimonies add an important human dimension, preserving the knowledge, experience and working lives that provide context to the documentary records.
Conducted by Dr Tomás Mac Conmara, Director of Mac Conmara Heritage, the interviews follow a relaxed, conversational approach that allows participants to tell their own stories in their own words. Former dock workers, shipwrights, engineers, tug masters, harbour police, administrative staff, senior leaders and docklands community representatives have all contributed to the growing archive.
Now entering its seventh year, the project has become one of Ireland’s most significant long-term oral history initiatives. More than 40 in-depth ethnographic interviews have already been completed, documenting almost a century of working life connected to Dublin Port. Alongside photographs and archival material, these interviews create an invaluable historical resource for researchers, local communities, and future generations.
Beyond preserving history, the project is also about recognising the people whose dedication, skills and experiences helped build Dublin Port into what it is today. Every interview acknowledges an individual’s contribution to the Port’s story, ensuring that the people behind its success are remembered as an essential part of Dublin’s shared heritage.
Lar Joye, Port Heritage Director at Dublin Port commented, “The history of Dublin Port is ultimately the story of its people. Buildings, ships and infrastructure tell part of the story, but it is the memories of those who worked here that help us understand what life at the Port was really like. Every interview adds another important piece to our shared history, ensuring that the experience, skills and traditions of generations of port workers are not lost.
At Dublin Port, we are committed to preserving not only our historic buildings, collections and archives, but also the lived experiences of the people whose dedication has shaped the Port over the centuries. Through the Port Memory and Story Project, we are ensuring these voices are recognised, valued and preserved as an enduring part of Dublin’s maritime heritage. We encourage anyone with a connection to Dublin Port to come forward and share their story, because every memory helps us build a richer and more complete understanding of our shared past”.
Dr. Tomas Mac Conmara, Director at Mac Conmara Heritage Consulting, commented, “Oral history gives people the opportunity to tell their own story in their own voice. These interviews capture far more than dates and events, they preserve the culture, friendships, challenges and everyday experiences that rarely appear in written records.
Every conversation adds another layer to our understanding of Dublin Port and the people whose lives have been connected to it. It has been a privilege to work with so many former port workers and their families, and we hope many more people will come forward to ensure their stories are heard and preserved for future generations”.
Share your story
Dublin Port encourages former employees, retired staff, contractors and anyone with a connection to the Port to share their story with us. Whether you spent decades working on the docks or have family memories connected to Dublin Port, every story helps build a richer understanding of the Port’s history and the people who shaped it.
Anyone interested in participating in the Port Memory and Story Project is invited to contact Dublin Port to learn more about taking part in an oral history interview.
Contact the Dublin Port Archive Team by emailing: dublinportarchive@dublinport.ie
Tomás MacConmara (email: macconmaraheritage@gmail.com or 087 9160373)
Find out more about Dublin Port’s Memory and Story Project at: Dublin Port Archive