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THE SHANDON AREA OF DUBLIN

April 20, 2023 by infomatique

NEAR THE ROYAL CANAL AND THE CABRA TRAM STOP

Shandon is a small collection of roads on Dublin’s Northside within the district of Phibsboro. It consists of three terraces of Edwardian (Victorian style) houses along the banks of the Royal Canal, built around 1926.

The area was expanded in 1952 by the addition of a terrace of concrete houses, Shandon Gardens, and more recently Shandon Crescent and Shandon Green.

The area is home to Shandon Pitch and Putt Club, an 18-hole course affiliated to the Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland.

NANNY O’SHEAS PUB ON MOUNTJOY STREET

April 20, 2023 by infomatique

WAS THE BERKELEY

Nanny O Shea’s Limited was set up on Thursday the 21st of April 2022 but I am not sure as to when the pub began trading as Nanny O’Shea’s.

The last time that I photographed this pub it was The Berkeley and it was described as a family pub. Back then the building appeared to be not as well maintained as it could be.

The Berkeley was/is located on Mountjoy Street in a densely populated residential area close to the Mater Hospital, Mountjoy Prison and the GAA headquarters at Croke Park. The property, which is a large and extensive three storey over basement licensed premises with residential accommodation overhead, was sold early in 2015 on behalf of Tom Reddan who is retiring after a lifetime of dedicated service to the licensed trade. The property was acquired by a private investor from Northern Ireland

The National Inventory Of Architectural Heritage describes the building as follows: “Elaborate stone detailing to the fine shopfront enlivens the façade and adds textural interest to the streetscape, while moulded window surrounds are used to good effect to enhance and articulate the upper floors. It appears as early as 1840 in Thom’s Directory as the property of James Sinnott, provisions dealer, while its late nineteenth-century character, with single-pane sash windows and render decoration, is derived from a later remodelling. It was the premises of James Dodd Family Grocer and Wine Merchant in the late nineteenth century. Prominently sited, this elegantly proportioned facade contributes positively to both Mountjoy Street and Wellington Street Lower. The beginnings of Mountjoy Street can be noted on Corbet’s map of 1821 and the street is shown as being built on Wilson’s map of 1829.”

THE FOUR MASTERS MEMORIAL IS A CELTIC CROSS BY JAMES CAHILL

April 19, 2023 by infomatique

COMMEMORATES THE FRANCISCIAN FRIARS OF DONEGAL

This park was landscaped in 1963 when US President John F. Kennedy was set to drive past it on his way to Áras an Uachtaráin.

Located within a triangle formed by Eccles Street, Berkeley Road and St.Joseph’s Church.

I have never managed to gain access to the park, known as the Mater Plot, where this Celtic Cross is located as it has been closed to the public every time I visit the area.

Four Masters Memorial (1876)
By James Cahill (d.1890)
Commissioned by Sir William Wilde (1815-1876)

This high cross on a large plinth commemorates the Franciscan friars of Donegal town, who between 1632 and 1636 compiled from early sources a history of the ancient kingdom of Ireland which became known as the Annals of the Four Masters.

The Annals are chronicles of the medieval history of Ireland. Sir William Wilde (father of Oscar Wilde) was the chief instigator of the memorial to the four writers who created the Annals. Wilde was an eye and ear surgeon and an antiquarian, who took an active role in sculptural commissions in Dublin. He was passionately interested in the history of Ireland and was a very active member of the Royal Irish Academy, hence the theme of this sculpture.

James Cahill was born in Delvin, Westmeath. On the death of his father, a builder, his mother moved to Dublin, and he became a pupil in the Royal Dublin Society School, where he won prizes in 1851 and 1852. He sent a sculptural group (part of a marble monument executed for the Presentation Convent in Wexford) to be exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1852, and then went to Rome where he remained for a few months.

On his return to Dublin in 1853 he entered Hogan’s studio, where he worked as a pupil and assistant until 1858. He executed a number of works for churches and also portrait busts and statues. His most important production was the statue of Daniel O’Connell, erected in Ennis in 1865. His works appeared in the Royal Hibernian Academy at intervals between 1856 and 1886. He died in Dublin on 28th October, 1890, aged about 60, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

ICONIC MAYES PUB CEASED TRADING

April 18, 2023 by infomatique

NOW A CENTRA – AT LEAST THEY KEPT THE CLOCK

Late in May 2021 is was announced that the iconic Mayes Pub on Dorset would cease trading. Since then I was not paying attention so I was really surprised to discover that the building was now home the a Centra. I suppose that the good news is that they retained the clock.

Centra is a convenience shop chain that operates throughout Ireland. The chain operates as a symbol group owned by Musgrave Group, the food wholesaler, meaning the stores are all owned by individual franchisees.

The chain has three different formats available to franchisees — smaller Quick Stop outlets, mid-sized Foodmarkets, and larger Supermarkets. The majority of the stores follow the Quick Stop format, or are simply branded Centra, as Musgrave also offers the SuperValu format, which is geared towards larger supermarkets. There are currently approximately 480 Centra stores in the twenty six counties and approximately 80 in Northern Ireland. In 2016, Centra posted a 3% increase in sales to €1.59bn.Centra’s main competitors are Gala, Spar and Londis, as well as a number of smaller groups such as Costcutter.

The chain was originally launched in the Republic of Ireland as “VG” in 1960. In 1979, the VG chain was rebranded SuperValu with the smaller outlets subsequently rebranded as Centra. The company brought both of these stores to Northern Ireland, the latter through the acquisition and subsequent rebranding of Wellworths stores.

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NOW A CENTRA - AT LEAST THEY KEPT THE CLOCK 002

GEORGE COSGRAVE CAR SALES WAS BASED HERE

April 18, 2023 by infomatique

A REALLY UGLY SITE ON DORSET STREET

I live near Dorset Street and I believe it to be one of the ugliest streets in Dublin and the George Cosgrave Car Sales building was, and still is, one of the worst examples of how bad the street can be.

I should mention that George Cosgrave died in August 2021. George was well known for his car sales on Dorset Street where he traded for 37 years before moving to Clarehall. George was also an active member of The Irish Jaguar & Daimler Club.

Some early Georgian houses are dotted along the street, primarily identifiable by the stone Gibbsian doorcase entrances, and close to the crossroads with Blessington and North Frederick Streets. Much of the street redeveloped during the Victorian era, with a number of significant buildings built, such as the Gothic style stone-built Dominican priory, designed by J. L. Robinson in 1884–87 at the corner of Dominick Street, while across from it is the red brick Italianette former fire station, designed by C. J. McCarthy and completed in 1903. Much of the street consists of vernacular Victorian terraces, with shops opening straight onto footpaths at ground-floor level. During the latter part of the twentieth century, stretches of the street were again redeveloped by Dublin Corporation for social housing flat complexes near Dominick Street.