The date ‘Aug ’81’ is scribbled on the back of the frame.

But apart from that, no further information is available on an unusual photograph discovered at Nano Nagle Place on Douglas Street.

Now the staff at the heritage centre has put a call out to the public to help them identify the three people in the black and white image, which shows a nun with two smiling little girls, taken in a garden.

“Can anyone help us identify the people, place and year of this photograph? On the back of the frame it says Aug ’81. From the clothing can anyone tell if this is 1981 or 1881? Can you help?” they tweeted.

Can anyone help us identify the people, place and year of this photograph? On the back of the frame it says Aug ’81. From the clothing can anyone tell if this is 1981 or 1881? Can you help?@gacolette @Fiona_Forde_Irl @corkarchives @orlaffitz @corkfolklore @mycorkcity1 @yaycork pic.twitter.com/LssYqcw2Sc

— Nano Nagle Place (@NanoNaglePlace) May 22, 2021

History buffs have already been weighing in with suggestions:

“Must be 1881, the detailed ‘smocking’ on the older girl’s cotton dress, along with the hand-pleated cotton ‘frill’ on the younger girl’s dress. By 1981 most fabric embellishment done by machine, ‘polycotton’ replacing cotton etc.” tweeted Margaret Kent.

Others felt the style of the clothing was ‘skimpy’ for 1881, suggesting the inscription on the frame may be a red herring.

Niall Murray had an outlier suggestion: “Instead of a date, might the writing on rear be a photographic studio reference? Guy 81. Most likely the photo was taken during period when Guy & Co. were one of v. few Cork firms offering photography services in decades either side of turn of 20th century.”

Do you have information that could help identify the trio in the image? Email info@nanonagleplace.ie or contact them on Twitter.