CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE OF DUBLIN
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WE ARE HUMAN
Humans of Dublin is a photo and storytelling project founded in 2014. It shares powerful portraits and deeply personal stories from people across Dublin, revealing the emotional depth behind everyday lives. With over 200,000 followers, a bestselling book, and featured in international and national media such as BBC, The Irish times, Irish Independent and RTÉ, it has become one of Ireland’s most recognised storytelling platforms.
Known for its honest and empathetic approach, Humans of Dublin has partnered with organisations, charities, and institutions to spotlight human experiences and spark meaningful connection. Whether it’s joy, struggle, or transformation, every story is a reminder of the shared humanity that connects us all.
“In the back garden, we used to grow tomato plants, but she died about 18 months ago, so I stopped growing them. She was a month younger than me, and I was already surprised that she passed away before me, so I was just waiting for my turn. A few months later, my neighbour arrived with a box of tomato plants, about 12 little sprouts, and he said they're not giving up on me. I was looking down at these little sprouts and thinking, how the hell am I going to plant them if I can’t even bend down anymore? Anyway, I thought I'd give it a try! I spent half the day in the glasshouse planting them. They're about 16 inches high now, and the tomatoes are beautiful on them. I started to grow these new ones as well — what do you call them? Cherry tomatoes. To be honest with you, I didn't think I'd see Dun Laoghaire harbour again, but my son and his wife forced me out here. They went for a walk, but they bought me tea and ice cream, and now that I'm here, I feel happy.”
Swimming Activator for Dublin City / A co-funded role between Swim Ireland and This post was highlighted by Dublin City Council
“When my parents began to divorce, my dad signed me up for swimming lessons, hoping to ease both my severe asthma and the emotional weight of their painful separation. Before I knew it, swimming became my escape. After years of hard work and dedication, I became a national swimming champion..."
Raine Almeida - Swimming Activator for Dublin City / A co-funded role between Swim Ireland and This post was highlighted by Dublin City Council
“My dad was a hardworking man, a third generation working for Guinness’s, often working 6-7 days a week to provide for the five of us. He adored his job. When we were kids, he used to take us with him to drive around the factory, dropping off items. We got to see every corner of the factory growing up. He used to bring us to the Guinness baths..."
This post was highlighted by the Guinness Storehouse
“One day, the Garda stopped my van at a checkpoint. I thought, ‘Oh boy. Here we go…’ The officer looked through the passenger window and saw all the plastic cowboys, Indians, and toy soldiers scattered around the dashboard. He raised his eyebrows and asked me to open the side door, so I did..."
This story is part of my new exhibition, my largest so far. Along with sixty other large prints and the best stories from the past decade in the dlr LexIcon Venue
“I am where I am today because of the safety net that I was able to enjoy from the community where I grew up. I have to mention my aunt first. My aunt is my hero! She is amazing in every way; she raised me after both of my parents died from drugs and alcohol when I was very young. I was lucky to get a second chance and be raised by someone I could look up to. She had two of her own kids and took me and my three sisters, all from different fathers, on with no partner. She raised the six of us all by herself. Not one of us went down the wrong path; no one is on drugs, no one drinks; that's because she always protected us and set us straight. She instilled values in us, and to be honest with you, she was quite strict. We were always scared of her, in a good way. We respected her so much and never wanted to let her down. I have been working in this shop since I was 14. I used to struggle with severe anxiety growing up, but getting the opportunity to work here helped me tremendously to cope. I was slowly exposed to people, most of whom I already knew; it gently took me out of my comfort zone by having to speak to people. It helped me manage small talk, and I truly feel I would not be the person I am today without working here. People come here every day to have chats; anything that happens in the area, we are the first to know about it. Noel’s Deli is not just a corner shop. It is the connection hub for the community where you also get to pick up your milk and your bread.”
This post was highlighted by Culture Date with Dublin 8
“I was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was a teenager, later it turned out that they were wrong but by then, I was on heavy psychiatric medication for years. I always thought, as soon as I’m off the drugs I would able to live a normal life. I stopped taking them in ’84, I never ended up in a psychiatric hospital and I actually had a great few years after..."
This post was highlighted by Culture Date with Dublin 8
"The other day, I was at the bus stop, and a lady was waiting a few meters away from me. She looked very sad, so I decided to speak to her. I didn't acknowledge that she was sad; I simply asked her how long she had been waiting for the bus. She replied it had been a while..."
"I was coming out of the shop with a bottle of vodka in my hand when I bumped into a man who works in the homeless services. He said, 'Jeff! Where the fu*k have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages!' 'I was sleeping in a tent in Phoenix Park,' I said, 'I can’t get a bed anywhere!' He asked what I was doing..."
This Post was highlighted by The Simon Community
“It was Halloween night. I got radioed to a call so I walked through the hospital and jumped in the elevator. On the next floor, this little boy with a huge bandage over his head got into the elevator with his Mam. He looked at me and asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ I was like, ‘Well, I’m here to check on you! How are you doing?’ He said ‘I’m fine… but I don’t like the fireworks and the bangers. They’re too loud.’ So I said ‘You know what? I’m going to get a big bucket of water and I’m going to collect all the fireworks and put them in it.’ He laughed, and as we walked out of the elevator he asked me my name. I said ‘My name is Eimear!’ And he replied ‘That’s great, now I know two Guards!’ About two weeks later, I was doing nights, and while walking around the hospital I heard a lady say ‘Are you Garda Eimear?’ I said ‘Yes! How can I help?’ She said ‘You probably don’t remember but you met my son a few weeks ago in the elevator and he couldn’t stop talking about you ever since.’ I said ‘Aww! Of course, I remember! How is he doing?’ She got very upset then. She told me they were looking for treatment for him abroad. I felt like I had to do something, to at least acknowledge him and show that I was thinking of him. I wanted to cheer him up. My initial idea was to give him a goodie bag, but when I told a sergeant he suggested that I make him an ‘Honorary Junior Garda’. So a few weeks later, this little fella was going around the hospital in a full custom-made Garda uniform with a hat and a badge. Unfortunately, he’s no longer with us. But he taught me a lot about the importance of being nice at all times. That little chat in the elevator had a huge impact; not only on him and his family but also on me. He gave me a reason to become one of the volunteers with Little Blue Heroes.”
This post was highlighted by 98Fm
“My mother got a brain haemorrhage and died suddenly when I was eleven. I started going a bit mad… I didn’t know how to handle losing her. I got involved with the wrong crowd and I started having issues in school too. I was convinced that I was dyslexic. I was always kept back in class to finish up the rest of my work because I could never read or spell properly…"
This Post was highlighted by Ana Liffey Drug Project
“I've been in Ireland for over 22 years now. When people ask me where I am from, I always say I am from Dublin. I am a Dub! They usually laugh it off or ask, 'Okay, but where are you originally from?' I mean, if I think about it, I could not be any closer to that title. I know Dublin like the palm of my hand..."
This post was highlighted by the National Transport Authority, TFI - Transport for Ireland to promote the discussion about diversity and inclusivity in Ireland and to bring awareness to their opposition of racism and discrimination of any kind on public transport.
"I grew up in Croatia, in an environment that didn’t provide opportunities. It wasn’t the best place to grow up in. I don’t really remember much from my childhood; my brain tends to erase things from my past. I had to get a little older to realise that I had some form of PTSD. Now I can see that my mother had her own difficulties..."
This post was highlighted by TIGLIN.ie
"This is Shane. He used to be a busy chef but he got a hip injury so he had to look for another career; this is how he ended up in DSPCA. I met him here and we became best friends. I would do anything for this guy! My life didn’t have an easy start. I was found chained to a brick under a trailer somewhere in the country. I was in pretty rough condition. I was left in the dirt, I had almost no fur to protect me and most of my teeth were missing. I was on the edge of giving up, to be honest. I always thought that humans were the scariest creatures in this world. I was very scared of them all. When they took me here I didn’t realize that they actually saved me. I tried to bite everyone who came close to me, but there was Shane. Nobody was ever that gentle or patient with me. Even though I tried to bite him many times he kept coming back, offering me food or just sitting next to me. We eventually started to bond and a few weeks later he took me to his home. I have to say it was a bit crazy there. He has another six dogs and two little humans at home so eventually I had to get friendly with all of them. I remember while I was living there, I used to carry a bag of food everywhere I went. Even if I wasn’t hungry. It was just so comforting to know that I could eat at any time I wanted. Shane gave me warm baths and treated my fur which slowly grew back. I could not believe that my fur was actually white. They were supposed to put me up for adoption as they do with all the other dogs, but we became so close that he kept me. Now I work here too. We do the same shifts so we spend the whole day together.”
This post was highlighted by DSPCA
“My life turned upside down when I lost my husband to suicide. My children were five and nine when we lost him. We had a very difficult few years to say the least… I was so busy looking after my children, making sure that they were going to come out of this in the best way possible, that I had completely stopped taking care of myself and my own mental health..."
This post was highlighted by Movember
My modelling career started when I was nineteen. At the time, I was living in Italy with my father while I was going to university. One day, I was in Milan when I got scouted by two modelling agencies. I was so excited about the opportunity that I ended up signing with one, took a break from university, and moved to Milan full-time..."
“I used to work on the Dublin Port, 24 hours on and 48 hours off shifts. She used to love that. She loved that we could spend a full day together and on those days we always went on a date somewhere. When she was going shopping, she always brought me with her. She had a driving license and, although she was a good driver, she always told me that she felt safer when I was beside her..."
THE LATEST STORIES
HUMANS OF DUBLIN BOOK
Humans of Dublin is a compelling collection of funny, poignant, and deeply touching stories from the streets of Ireland’s capital—based on the acclaimed social media project that has captured hearts both locally and internationally. The journey began when Peter Varga, a Budapest native working in a Dublin café, made the bold decision to pursue his passion for photography and storytelling. Inspired by the success of Humans of New York, Peter began walking the streets of Dublin with his camera and a simple question. What followed was a life-changing project that uncovered the hidden stories of everyday people—stories that reveal the humour, hardship, hope, and humanity woven through the fabric of city life.
Since its launch, Humans of Dublin has grown into a powerful social platform with over 120,000 followers, with individual stories often reaching hundreds of thousands worldwide. The book, a beautifully produced hardback, features a carefully curated best-of selection from Peter’s archive—portraits and interviews that reflect the rich diversity and emotional depth of the city and its people.
From tales of resilience and laughter to those of love, loss, and transformation, this collection reminds us of the shared experiences that connect us all. Humans of Dublin is not just a book—it’s a mirror to the soul of a city.
