The Bankies

Thomas O’Reilly writes:

Don’t know if you guys saw that [photographic giant] Steve Schapiro released some old photos including some recognisable faces. Hidden among them is this pic of Dublin’s favourite children, the “Bankies” at the Central Bank, Dublin, in 2003.


Anyone know where they are NOW?

Steve Schapiro: Then And Now (Time)

The Stunning Collection Of Never Published Pictures From Legendary American Photographer Steve Schapiro (Mail Online)

(Steve Schapiro)


54 thoughts on “The Bankies”

  6. Where are they now? Sitting in an office wondering if the budget will affect their mortgage interest relief.

    • Perhaps, most likely still too young to have a mortgage I think! Out of all the people I used to hang out with there, some are photographers, nurses, web developers and a strangely high proportion of people who went on to study science and are now doing PhDs.

      This photo makes me wonder if there are any other collections of photos from that time, I remember quite a few documentarians taking photos or filming etc over the years.

  8. Bankies were a homo sapiens subspecies that were usually spotted in medium sized assemblages in the late nineties and early 2000′s in the vicinity of the golden ghoulie outside the Central Bank. They were comprised of goths, punks and hippies or usually some hybridised abomination of all three.

    • Same thing goes on in Belfast at city hall, however those are just weekend punks and goths. Temp hair colour, fake nose and eye rings and tattoos sleeves. But shush as they think we think they are real.

  9. They were actually a renaissance of the 80s Goths who did the very same thing in the very same place.

    • There was a weekly all-ages gig in Temple Bar Music Centre (now Button Factory) around that time called Blast that would have contributed to the ‘renaissance’ of people hanging around. I used to head in every Saturday afternoon and hang around Curve Street and the Central Bank afterwards. Good times.

      • me too! mixtwich, the revs, hyperplant, pin, immodium, ah good times..plenty of hours wasted here smoking wormwood from asha ;0…whatever happened to treasure island records and robert louis stephenson?

      • yep, remember those bands very well. I was in for most of the summer of 2000 and left for better pastures soon after….

  10. Funny how some commenters think these people are threatening.

    I found the main stream types who liked Duran Duran and Wham to be the most aggressive dumb asses around.

  14. Stanto definitely doesn’t drive a LUAS.
    He is a full time punk rocker. And a total gentleman too.

  17. Ha Ha thats me in the back with ”avril lavaigne” :D great picture,it would be cool to see all the music center heads again.

  18. Hi this is stanto here, its great to hear all the positive things said about me, me driving a dart or luas, come on, i wouldnt touch dublin transport with a 15 foot barge pole, the most unreliable thing about Dublin. I was never a “HIPPIE” as Steve put it, i was always a punk and still am to this day, playing music in a few bands and also blogging. I would never work for a bank either or any dodgy corporations, fuck that shit, i am studying Multimedia and Games Design in College at the mo and all is well. Its actually unbelievable that I am in a collection of photos with some LEGENDS, such as MUHAMMAD ALI, DE NIRO, BOWIE, MARTIN LUTHER KING, DO I NEED TO GO ON! Take it handy now.