Revisiting the 60s: Clontarf Resident’s Year-Long Struggle for a Home

In the late 1960s, Anna Phelan found herself in an unexpected situation. After being evicted from her rented flat, Anna spent a year living in a makeshift shelter on the seafront, where her resourcefulness and determination became a quiet but notable part of the community.

Anna had lived in a flat in Clontarf for three years with her two dogs, Faithful and Rover. Unfortunately, her love for her pets led to a disagreement with her neighbours and landlord, who were less enthusiastic about sharing the space with animals. This disagreement eventually resulted in a court order, and Anna was asked to leave her home.

Anna first set up a small shelter in the garden of the house she had once lived in. However, she was soon moved to the Clontarf promenade, where she built a makeshift hut from bits of driftwood, old boxes, and tarpaulin.

For a year, her small shelter on the seafront became familiar to locals, who often passed by on their daily walks. After a year of living on the seafront, Anna was offered a new home—a cottage in Baldoyle. Although the cottage needed some repairs, it provided Anna with a much-needed sense of stability and a place where she and her dogs could live comfortably.

Standing outside her new home, Anna spoke about her experiences. Watch the video below.

This story was originally documented in a 1967 report by Cathal O’Shannon for ‘Newsbeat’ and is featured in the RTÉ Archives.