Memorial of Niall Dardis

It was with great sadness that Dublin Port Company learned of the death of Niall Dardis on August 27, 2020.

Niall worked as a senior draughtsman in the engineering department of Dublin Port for many decades before his retirement in July 1992, having begun his career as a temporary draughtsman in June 1963. On his retirement, there was a huge turnout for the official Dublin Port Company presentation, so many in fact that they could not all fit into the room to pay their respects to him.

Niall’s involvement with Dublin Port didn’t end when he retired, however. When archivist, Gerry Daly, was retiring, he couldn’t think of anyone better suited to
the stewardship of the Dublin Port archive than Niall and approached the former draughtsman with his suggestion. Niall couldn’t resist, and threw himself into the task of honorary archivist with enthusiasm and great skill, managing the extensive archive and helping to ensure its preservation for future generations.

“Archives rely on generations of staff and in the case of our collections, in particular, on Niall Dardis, in protecting and preserving their collections for future generations,” explains Lar Joye, Heritage Director, Dublin Port Company. “Due to Niall, we now have a nationally important collection of 78,000 photographs, 30,000 engineer drawings and 10,000 files telling the 300-year history of Dublin Port.”

Colette Roche was Niall’s friend and colleague within Dublin Port Company for much of his time there. “He was very well known around Dublin Port and very well-liked,” she remembers. “Niall was directly involved with so many people in various departments within the Port, who called on his expertise and his great knowledge of the Port. He was meticulous about his work, developing his own unique code for filing, so he could respond to any queries and put his hand on the required document or drawing at speed. Niall was a great storyteller, a great historian and he will be sorely missed for his great knowledge and passion for Dublin Port. He was a mine of information on Dublin Port, its history, and the history of the city.”

Indeed, he regularly gave lectures and talks on the history of Dublin Port, its relationship to our capital city, and the historical characters who helped to shape it, from Captain William Bligh to Bindon Blood Stoney.

Outside of his work and his passion for Dublin Port, Niall was a very caring man, dedicated to his family and friends and his community. He volunteered at Ballyfermot Credit Union for many years and was heavily involved with the Active Retired community in Palmerstown, along with his late wife, June.

Our deepest condolences to Niall’s children, Paul, Colin, Grace, Christine and Christopher, his grandchildren and extended family and friends.