Ground Floor

Introduction - Monto

(Image from: https://maps.nls.uk/view/247667871)

What is Monto?

The Monto was a well-known red-light district in the late 19th Century, centred on Montgomery Street, Dublin (now Foley Street). The area covered the former street, as well as Gardiner Street, Buckingham Street, Amies Street, Talbot Street, Sean McDermott Street and Mecklenburgh Street in Dublin, Ireland. Its prominence ran from the 1860s until 1925.

Within this area, brothels and shebeens flourished. The houses would range from 1st (flash houses), 2nd and 3rd class. Though it was known by society, especially those around the area and upperclassmen, it was hidden from this sector of Dublin. It was seen as immoral and sinful for the women (both Madames and the prostitutes); men could enter and exit the area with no reprimand.

Shebeen?

(Irish: Síbín) A location where patrons could buy alcoholic drinks from people without licences. Also known as ‘speak-easy’, where customers were asked to ‘speak easy’ while ordering and drinking so that neighbours would not alert the police/gardaí.

During this period (1800-1925), Dublin and Ireland were not doing financially or socially well. Soldiers were returning from war, society was recovering for the Famine, the Monto area was in very poor condition, and many people were escaping the countryside to seek a future in Dublin or to go further to London. Many girls saw Monto and its brothels as an esacpe from this downturn in life. However, many were picked up from the train station, promised this freedom with a job, and were subsequently lied to. Now trapped in debt to the Madames with no support system.

After creating the Legion of Mary in 1921 to assist women in poor circumstances, Frank Duff stumbled onto a tenement house where young women were held to become prostitutes. Through this, they provided a retreat for these women to access an alternative lifestyle.

Duff did the same on the 22nd of March 1923, when he entered a lodging to attend to a dying prostitute. He and the Legion reached out to other women there, offering aid and an alternative lifestyle. The women were hesitant at first; however, when Duff and the Legion of Mary interviewed and paid off these women’s debt to the Madames in charge, there was a serious reduction in the number of prostitutes in Monto.

Finally, on the 12th March 1925, Duff with the Legion of Mary and the Gardaí rid Monto of the last Madames and brothels still standing.

The Monto Room *

Flooring in The Monto reflected the level of class that the house was. Flash houses had carpet flooring, grand furniture and private rooms, while second- or third-class brothels could not afford such luxury. Thus, these lower establishments would have wooden boards from the house exposed, or linoleum was laid in the hall.

Flooring and Wallpaper

Though not much is mentioned about wallpaper within the brothels, the class of the brothel would reflect the type of wallpaper used. As more designs used more blocks to print, the quality of pigments improved, and additional finishes, the price rose from 1 shilling 4 pence a roll (the lowest wallpaper quality) to 12 to 20 shillings. Meaning that the flash houses might have included the more expensive rolls compared to the other brothels.

The picture presented on the left is from Skinner’s Irish wallpaper book and displays a cheap, poor-quality paper from around 1836-40. The blue design is wrapping paper that mirrors Skinner’s example.

Furniture

Fireplaces were another representation of wealth and upper-class luxury for the brothels and women. The two types of fuel used in these spaces were turf and coal. In lower-class tenements used as brothels, turf was used in their fires. While in the flash houses, coal was provided for heating the living room.

Many prostitutes who were not a part of the establishments had no source of heat but the clothing they wore and would often use hallways of buildings for their services and shelter.

Alcohol was present in Monto, though it was illegal and pricier than in the local pubs. Many people went to the brothels to drink after the pubs were closed. When Monto was being closed by the Gardaí and Legion of Mary, many men who were rounded up by the police were let go as they were there just to drink. This was a common way for police to charge the Madames before Monto’s closure. They could not (or would not) prove prostitution, although they did charge for the selling of alcohol without a licence.

Caroline West suggests the mention of Monto in Blue Books. These illict books are now lost to time and sea damage. However, these books would advertise brothels in different locations to sailors.

Music was a present feature in Monto. Flash houses might have a piano in them as a form of entertainment.

Paffy Heeney was born on Meckelburgh Street Lower and created the music for The Soldier’s Song/Amhrán Na bhFiann (Ireland’s national anthem).

Many songs feature Monto or the Madames. ‘Monto’ by the Dubliners is the most prevalent. Local tunes/rhymes

In the exhibition, the piano is featured in the attic as a part of remembrance through song. However, the audience is encouraged to move the piece to where they see fit. Whether that be remembrance or for the music created in Monto.

Madam and Bully boys

The madames were the main women in charge. They would buy the houses and control the women. They were often dressmakers and moneylenders. They would profit off the girls and poor community around them. This was an occupation where women had power, but it came at a cost since the community would harbour feelings of contempt towards the madames.

The same feelings were directed towards the bully boys or fancy men. They were equivalent to bouncers who held more power. They would rough up the clientele and the girls. Threats were made to gain more money from the women by saying that they were lying to the Madames.

“I remember May Oblong, the madam. She used to drive the best-looking girls around the streets on horse and cart.” - Paddy McCormack.

“The women got their clothes from May Oblong [renowned Madame in Monto]. She sold clothes, not just to the poor unfortunate women but to other people as well … May gave out ‘the scour’ [credit] to people to buy their messages and clothes. She lent out money; she was a money lender.” - Chrissie Ryan

“I used to look out the window at Mr McDermott who used to come out of his house with his sleeves rolled up and fight the men that were supposed to be ‘minding’ the girls but used to punch the heads of the poor women for nothing.” - Chrissie Ryan

“If they picked up a man and, after doing the business, they tried to run off without paying, she’d have them beaten up in the kip houses. All their clothes would be torn off of them by the madam’s ‘fancy men’.” - Billy Dunleavy

“They went through hell. They had black eyes and broken arms and sometimes they were thrown out onto the streets with nowhere to go, only the doorways of the houses to sleep in. I used to hear them crying in the streets.” - Mary Murphy

“My God, they were treated very badly by the men that came into the street to them. I saw them with black eyes.” - Diana Preston.

‘Young women were enticed down to Monto by the promise of employment … Later, they were entrapped when they got into debt with the madams for the price of their clothes, food and lodgings.’ - Terry Fagan.

Quotes from Terry Fagan’s book Monto: Madams, Murder and Black Coddle