We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Newtown, aka Little Ireland
“Today’s picture is of a memorial garden off Herbert Street. It is situated in the area that used to be called Newtown -which was home to hundreds of Irish families from the 1840’s to 1970 when Cardiff Corporation saw fit to send in their infamous bulldozers. The names of the families who made up the community are carved into the paving stones of the memorial as a lasting reminder. It seems particularly ironic that the Irish community who helped build so much of the City and it’s docks should have seen the area so many called home was obliterated by the town planners. The same thing happened in Swansea – where the ‘Little Ireland’ was called Greenhill – that has vanished from the map too. At least Newtown and it’s families have a memorial to remember the past that’s now disappeared.”
FYI: If you’re interested in the stories of those who lived in Newtown, you should read ‘Newtown, Little Ireland’ – a story on this site written by Mary Sullivan.
Thanks Jeremy! Catch you next time…
We Are Cardiff 
Don’t know if it’s because I am of Irish descent but I find this quite sad! however what a great piece by Mary Sullivan about Newtown , she really paints a fantastic picture of what life was like and the great community spirit that was prevalent at the time
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Yes I agree Mary’s memories are very touching and let’s hope more people like Mary record there memories of this piece of Cardiff history
And the struggle of its immigrants to make there way in the world.
I’m sure my grandmother Auntie Annie would approve, well done Mary
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