Ambush in Leopard Street

In their car, Harry Garland (Michael Brennan) and Johnny (James Kenney) go over the details that Nimmo (Bruce Seton) has gathered about jeweller’s secretary Jean Roberts.

Satisfied that Johnny has all the information he needs, Harry drives the Opel Rekord P2 Caravan Wagon to where they expect to find Jean. Duke Street, Dublin with the corner of Grafton Street in the left background.

Pat Cleary found another Dublin City street which, like so many others in more recent years, has been enhanced by the addition of an outdoor dining area.

Parking up, the crooks spot their target across the road. Outside numbers 6 and 7 Duke Street.

Facing numbers 6 and 7 which Pat Cleary explains, are now occupied by M&S along with number 5.

Jean Roberts (Jean Harvey) walks towards the café where she always has a coffee before work. Duke Street in Dublin 2.

Paschal Newell provides this comparison view.

As the criminals watch their target enter the building, Johnny gets out of the car and follows her inside. Facing east on Duke Street with Dawson Street and Dawson Lane in the left distance.

Pat Cleary explains that this is across the street from M&S adding "The buildings on Dawson Lane have all been replaced with the usual glass structures and Luas Green Line trams runs both ways on Dawson Street."

Having made small talk with Jean in the café, Johnny returns to the Opel before Harry drives on to Beaumont’s jewellers. On Duke Street, opposite Duke Lane in Dublin.

The same section of street captured by Paschal Newell.

Jean approaches Beaumont’s jewellers. Dame Street in Dublin 2 confirmed by Pat Cleary . . .

. . . . who found the doorway just before the right turn into Trinity Street.

After the secretary goes inside to start work, the camera pans left to find the Opel Rekord just along the street. Outside Dick Purcell’s Bar at the corner of Trinity Street and Dame Lane.

Pat Cleary provides the comparison.

Dropping Johnny home, Harry then takes Nimmo to his house in a less salubrious part of town where his wife Cath is peeling potatoes. St. Kevin’s Square in Bray, County Wicklow.

The pair get out of the car and settle down inside to wait for Kegs and Danny who have been brought in to help with a £500,000 robbery. St. Kevin’s Square in Bray.

There were not many cars back in 1962 but, today, Pat Cleary found that the very narrow streets in this small residential area were cluttered with cars and vans so an exact angle wasn't possible.

While on picnic with Jean, Johnny suggests a matinee concert on the following Saturday afternoon.

From their Austin Farina, the crooks watch as a Courier arrives at Beaumont’s premises. Trinity Street with the corner of Dame Lane to the left.

Kegs pulls away. Trinity Street in Dublin 2 with St. Andrew Street in the distance and the corner of Dame Lane to the right.

"When you don't want a van in an empty street you can be sure one will always come along and the driver goes for a coffee." Pat (PC) captured the same street advising that this and the following two images are taken from virtually the same camera position, close to J.C Wicklow & Co. which is now occupied by Keogh's Cafe.

Looking towards the junction of Dame Street and College Green from Trinity Street.

In the left background, a portion of the original Central Bank building is visible and there's currently some work in progress following their move to a new premises. (PC)

Pulling off the main road, the Austin is brought to a stand and Harry takes a map out of his pocket. Trinity Street facing the junction of Dame Street and College Green.

Pat Cleary tells us that "The original landmark Central Bank building in the left background was, reportedly, unique in the 70s in that it was built built from the top down! The floors were hoisted from the ground and hung from the roof!"

After running over the plan, the gang move on to Leopard Street where the ambush will take place. Cumberland Road looking towards the junction with Lad Lane.

A large newly constructed glass building is just being completed along the left hand side as far as the junction with Lad Lane. (PC)

In the parked car Harry explains more of the robbery details. Cumberland Road with Lad Lane, now Lad Lane Upper, to the right.

Nimmo and Harry walk together after Kegs drops them off. On the pavement outside numbers 30 and 31 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Numbers 30 and 31 Dawson Street now house modern dining facilities. (PC)

When a Chevrolet Impala belonging to gangster Big George approaches, Nimmo pulls Harry towards a shop window. Facing north on Dawson Street with the forecourt of the Mansion House to the right.

Pat Cleary explains that one of the Luas tram lines now runs along Dawson Street and that the forecourt of the Mansion House is currently an outdoor dining area.

On the following Saturday, Johnny and Jean leave the classical concert before going for a drink on the way to her flat. Pat Cleary identifies this as the side exit from the former Ambassador Cinema at the top of O'Connell Street and when 'The Blue Max' was screened here in 1966 a WW1 aircraft was perched on the roof.

The cinema became a music venue and latterly an exhibition centre. (PC)

On the day of the jewel transfer gleaned from Jean, Johnny sits in a stolen Mercedes-Benz Ponton near the junction of Boyard’s Lane and Leopard Street. The southern section of Lad Lane at the corner of Cumberland Road in Dublin 2.

There was just enough elbow room beside a construction site hut and hoarding for Pat to get this shot.

The shot pans across Leopard Street where Danny (Lawrence Crain) and Harry stand waiting. Cumberland Road with the northern section of Lad Lane to the extreme right.

Kegs (Norman Rodwell) gets out of an Austin Loadstar lorry after fixing the accelerator ready to ram the van carrying the cut gems from the lapidary. The corner of Lad Lane and Cumberland Road.

A mixture of old and new. (PC)

Harry and Danny continue to wait. Facing northwest on Cumberland Road from the junction of Lad Lane with Fitzwilliam Place and the southern end of Kingram Place in the left distance.

Pat Cleary comments "That's not my car!"

When the van turns into the road, Harry signals to Kegs to start the lorry. Looking northwest along Cumberland Road from the corner of Lad Lane with buildings on Fitzwilliam Place in the right background.

"And neither is that one over there!" (PC)

Following a successful heist, Johnny drives the gang away in the Mercedes, parking up behind the covered Farina in which Nimmo is asleep. Facing northwest on Stephen's Lane with buildings on Merrion Square crossing the background.

Pat Cleary discovered a nicely reconstructed lane in a pleasant South City residential area.

The robbers turn to see Big George (Charles Mitchell) and his Men appear from his Chevrolet. Looking towards Stephen’s Place on Stephen's Lane in Dublin 2.

While the two gangs fight, Harry drives away in the Chevrolet with his kidnapped daughter Ann on the back seat. Stephen's Lane with the corner of Verschoyle Court to the centre.

After Big George is run over by Harry, Johnny flees from the scene. Verschoyle Court with Stephen’s Lane on the extreme left and Verschoyle Place to the right.

The camera follows Johnny as he runs. Verschoyle Court with Verschoyle Place to the left.

More of Verschoyle Court in Dublin 2 . . . we seem to have the whole street covered.

The entire Verschoyle area was annihilated and rebuilt into a residential area as evidenced by Pat Cleary's comparison.

The sequence ends as Johnny disappears through an archway. Verschoyle Court with Lower Mount Street visible through the archway. Pat Cleary tells us that this archway is 50m from a second parallel archway, also leading to Mount Street, which can be seen in 'Rooney'.

Pat took this shot of the location that has been completely modernised, as has much of Mount Street which can be seen through the new archway.

Running towards Harry’s house, Johnny enters to find his distressed sister Cath. St. Kevin’s Square, Bray.

Parked vehicles plus men at work prevented an exact angle from Pat Cleary . . . and satellite dishes were not even a pipe dream in 1962.

Searching for Harry and Ann, Johnny makes his way to a derelict British Legion club. Galtrim House in Bray, County Wicklow, which was destroyed by fire in 1984.

Galtrim Court, a residential building, now occupies the former site of Galtrim House as Pat Cleary's view shows.

Finding Harry and Ann inside the building, Johnny looks through a window to see a Officer get out of a Police car. Pat Cleary found the passageway entrance to Galtrim Court in Bray.

From ground level by Pat who adds that nothing has changed other than a bungalow now stands on the former waste ground to the left.

Leaving Harry inside, Johnny leads Ann (Susan Hayes) from the building where Cath (Pauline Delaney) opens her arms as she runs towards her.

Following their arrest, Harry and Johnny are led away, watched by Cath, Ann and Jean. This is Bray Town Hall at the junction of Vevay Road, Main Street and Killarney Road in Bray, County Wicklow, located by Steve Randall.

Pat Cleary explains that Bray Town Hall was erected in 1882 during the period when old English style architecture was popular. The Council Chamber is on the 1st Floor but the main building was converted to a McDonalds outlet in 1997.