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How we work | 20 January 2026
How we work: Oral Histories
We tell stories, make connections and uncover history. We believe oral histories are a powerful way to connect people with each other and with the city they live in.
Our oral history work of research and collections creates opportunities for people to share their memories in their own way and to learn about the experiences of others. Through conversation, reflection, and recording, people are invited to speak about their lives, their neighbourhoods, their place of work and their relationship with Dublin.
By inviting people to tell their stories, we recognise lived experience as an essential part of the city’s heritage. When these stories are shared and preserved, they strengthen connections between people and place and ensure that a range of voices and experiences are part of Dublin’s collective memory.
Our approach to oral histories
Our oral history programmes are designed with care, ethics, and accessibility at their core. We prioritise trust-building, informed consent, and participant wellbeing at every stage of the process. From initial conversations to recording, archiving, and sharing, we work collaboratively with participants to ensure their stories are represented accurately and respectfully.
In order to ensure we handle all gathered information in a fully ethical way, we have developed robust processes which follow best practice standards. All participants are invited to give their active and voluntary consent to sharing their oral history. They are given clear information about the ways in which the information might be used, why we might want to contact them, and how we will store their information.
We support people to take part in oral history in different ways. This might involve memory-sharing sessions, one-to-one interviews, group conversations, or bespoke approaches that help people reflect on and articulate their experiences. Our team provides guidance and support throughout, recognising that sharing personal histories can be both meaningful and sensitive.
Where and how we work
We meet prospective oral history participants in different ways; on our tours; through our various programmes; through word of mouth; by recommendation and through direct invitation.
We start the oral history process the way we start every conversation, with a cup of tea and a chat. Whether in a library, a community centre, or one of our buildings or the participants' home, we meet with people in a relaxed atmosphere of their choosing. Working within familiar and trusted spaces helps participants feel comfortable and encourages genuine, open conversations.
The participants always lead the conversation, telling their story their way. The conversation usually includes a recorded audio or video interview to capture the stories and memories that people share with us. Through this process we aim to continue to collect, preserve and share the heritage of our city.
Working in partnership with Dublin City Council, examples of our oral history projects include the Your Tenement Memories programme related to 14 Henrietta Street, and oral history collections related to Kilmainham Mill and Smithfield Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market.
Although each of these projects relates to a different site and context, our approach to how we work is consistent across this work, building on our experiences and learnings and always adapting to ensure we provide the best possible experience for all those who take part.
From stories to shared knowledge
Collected oral histories contribute to a growing body of knowledge about life in Dublin. They complement traditional historical records by capturing voices and perspectives that may otherwise go unheard.
Additional projects often emerge from listening and responding to what people tell us and from what we learn from others through the oral history process. This responsive approach allows our oral history work to remain relevant and rooted in communities. Where appropriate, stories are preserved through collections, archives, exhibitions, talks, publications, or programming, always guided by participants’ wishes and permissions. We also share our processes and learnings at national and international festivals and conferences.
Our oral history work benefits both individuals and the wider city. Participants often describe the value of being listened to and having their experiences acknowledged, while the wider public gain deeper insight into the different layers of Dublin’s history.
Through oral histories, we honour the knowledge people hold, strengthen community connections, and help ensure that Dublin’s history and heritage is shaped and shared by the people who live it.