When I was first presented with Dorothy Hanley’s collection of character soft toys I looked through each one individually in front of my family. Due to the vastness of this collection everybody, from my parents to younger cousins, found a few toys depicting characters they grew up with. Some of the toys were from favourite… Continue reading Media Tie-In Soft Toys and Childhood – In The Dorothy Hanley Collection
Category: Collections
Ken Davis’ Lego
Ken at Christmas in Loughlinstown, 1970s New display at BOI, 101 George’s Street Upper, Dúnlaoghaire, from Tuesday 27th of May 2025 “For as long as I can remember I have loved model making. The son of an airline MRO (Maintenance Repair & Overhaul) coachbuilder, I was drawn to aeroplanes. Add to this the fact that I was… Continue reading Ken Davis’ Lego
Bratz Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection
Cool Bratz, 2001 We are interested in hearing about your experiences of playing with or collecting Bratz. You can contact the MCI team at: info@museumofchildhood.ie Research on Bratz Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection by Jane Leonard, Museum of Childhood Ireland Intern (QUB MA) Introduction Bratz Rock Angelz, 2006 Boy Bratz, 2002 Dolls Kill X… Continue reading Bratz Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection
Olivia Daly’s Harry Potter Doll House 2015
From an upcycled Barbie house “My daughter Olivia who was 12 years old, and I designed the Harry Potter* house together. She was a big Harry Potter fan for years. She listened to the audio books most nights (she has dyslexia but had a passion for a good story). The movies had also been watched… Continue reading Olivia Daly’s Harry Potter Doll House 2015
Richard’s McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys
Toy Collecting — Richard’s McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys display at BOI, 101 George’s Street Upper, Dún Laoghaire “Growing up in Dublin, McDonald’s wasn’t a regular occurrence for me but more an occasional treat. The only other times I found myself there as a child was for a birthday party. It was very common ( particularly… Continue reading Richard’s McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys
Beanie Babies: Treasures of Childhood in the Dorothy Hanley* Collection
Erin Named after the beautiful Emerald Isle This Beanie Baby will make you smile, A bit of luck, a pot of gold, Light up the faces, both young and old! Introduction The Museum of Childhood Ireland, Músaem Óige na hÉireann, proudly presents a selection of Beanie Babies, part of our Dorothy Hanley Collection. These small,… Continue reading Beanie Babies: Treasures of Childhood in the Dorothy Hanley* Collection
Barbie Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection
Barbie Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection at the Museum of Childhood Ireland Barbie Dolls in Hanley Collection at the Museum of Childhood Ireland, by JaneLeonard (MCI intern, QUB): Selection Identified and Listed (lists also placed inrelevant boxes) Introduction Number 1 Barbie; also known asPonytail Barbie; 1959. Bubblecut Barbie circa 1961. Twist n’ Turn Barbie;… Continue reading Barbie Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection
Mick Kehoe’s Playmobil Figures, 1970s, 80s
Playmobil – a Timeless Icon of Children’s Toys Researched by Lauren Kavanagh Playmobil was created in 1974 by German inventor Hans Beck in response to the global oil crisis. His company, Brandstätter, asked him to design a toy that would use as little plastic as possible. Throughout its first year, Playmobil’s popularity grew gradually. However,… Continue reading Mick Kehoe’s Playmobil Figures, 1970s, 80s
Ann’s ‘Bread for the Birds’ basket
Manchester, England, 1960s M Ann McNulty went for walks daily to the local park in Fallowfield, Manchester with her beloved grandfather from Tipperary, Michael Barry. Her family were Irish and lived on Egerton Rd, in Fallowfield. Her near neighbours were another Irish family, the Aherns. Their little girl Caroline was one of her and her… Continue reading Ann’s ‘Bread for the Birds’ basket
Tara Byrne’s Doll House 1970s
“The story behind it is …. The wooden doll’s house was made by local man Dinny Madden, Donabate, for my daughter Tara almost 50 years ago. The house is a replica of the original local parish priest’s house, which is a protected structure, but sadly is now empty. The house measures 3 ft length by… Continue reading Tara Byrne’s Doll House 1970s