Mystery Car of Cork

from Brian O'Mahoney: " I've subscribed to your blog for a few years. I've started to fixate on this car from my own past. The photo could have been taken in Paris with the steeple and the cyclists in the background but it wasn't. It was taken in Cork, Ireland and the hand on the rhs belongs to my dad who also has his foot on the front bumper. He was born in 1920 so my best guess is that this was from the 1940s. He and his brother worked as drivers for my grandfather's car hire company...there's a whole other story there..but that's how a young man of limited means had such a nice car!
             "Cork has so many interesting associations with cars. This was the site of Ford's first factory outside the US, the home of Ford's grandfather and I know there was an early Dodge dealer in the city too.
              "Anyway, I'd welcome any ideas about this car. It could be from anywhere but my best guess is that it's English. I don't think it's French or Italian. The split windscreen and the horizontal line on the grill may be the big distinguishing characteristics.
              "I'd be interested to see what you can add that might help narrow my search."               AL: can anyone ID this car?