PHOTOGRAPHED BY WILLIAM MURPHY NOVEMBER 2024

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The Black Church at St. Mary’s Place has a fascinating story associated with it, and the “blackness” is related to rain.

The Legend of the Devil:

Local legend has it that if you walk around the Black Church three times anti-clockwise at the stroke of midnight, you will encounter the Devil himself!

This legend likely stems from a combination of factors:
The church’s dark and somewhat foreboding appearance, especially at night.
Its association with death and burial (being a former church).
A general human fascination with the supernatural and the macabre.
Whether or not you believe in the Devil, the legend adds an air of mystery and intrigue to the Black Church. It’s a fun piece of folklore that has been passed down through generations of Dubliners.

The “Blackness” and the Rain:

The church’s nickname comes from the calp limestone used in its construction. This type of limestone has a high iron content, which reacts with rainwater to create a dark, almost black appearance. So, the church is at its “blackest” when it’s wet! This unique characteristic adds to its visual impact and contributes to its somewhat eerie atmosphere.

There are also stories of a ghostly woman in white who is said to haunt the church. This is linked to a tale of a woman who took her own life there after being jilted by her lover.
The church’s unusual parabolic arches are a distinctive architectural feature, and they contribute to the building’s unique character.

The immediate area is undergoing massive change. There was a derelict site beside the Church on Paradise Place but it has been redeveloped as the Node Student Accommodation Complex.
The nearby St Mary’s Place and Dorset Street flats are in the process of being demolished. The redevelopment will greatly impact on the lower section of Upper Dominick Street.
The well known T O’Brennan’s Pub which claimed to be the oldest Georgian Pub in Dublin ceased trading many years ago and remains unoccupied.
Many of the bus routes serving the immediate area will cease in December to be replaced by two high frequency services

E1 Route:

Route: Northwood – DCU – City Centre – Bray – Ballywaltrim
Frequency:
Daytime (6 AM – 10 PM): Every 8-10 minutes
Nighttime (12 Midnight – 6 AM): Every hour
Replaces: Routes 4 and 155
Broadstone Bus Stops: Will serve the Broadstone stop.
Western Way Bus Stops: Will NOT serve Western Way.
Key Features:
Connects Northwood, DCU, and the city centre with Bray and Ballywaltrim.
Provides frequent daytime service and a 24-hour link along this corridor.
Offers an alternative to the Dart for travel between the city centre and Bray.

E2 Route:

Route: Ballymun (IKEA) – DCU – City Centre – Dún Laoghaire
Frequency:
Daytime (6 AM – 10 PM): Every 8-10 minutes
Nighttime (12 Midnight – 6 AM): Every hour
Replaces: Parts of routes 4 and 155
Broadstone Bus Stops: Will serve the Broadstone stop.
Western Way Bus Stops: Will NOT serve Western Way.
Key Features:
Connects Ballymun and DCU with the city centre and Dún Laoghaire.
Provides frequent daytime service and a 24-hour link along this corridor.
Offers a new direct link between Dún Laoghaire and DCU.

Route 19 (Dublin Airport):

Route: Dublin Airport – DCU – Parnell Square (City Centre)
Frequency:
Daytime (5 AM – 11 PM): Every 20 minutes
Key Features:
Provides a direct link between Dublin Airport and the city centre.
Offers a frequent service for airport travellers.

Other Important Changes:

Local (L) and Express (X) Routes: New L and X routes will be introduced to provide better connectivity for areas like Greystones, Newcastle, and Blackrock. These routes are designed to offer faster journeys to the city centre and nearby stations with fewer transfers.

Changes to Routes 4, 11, and 13: These routes will undergo significant changes as part of the network redesign.
Discontinued Routes: A number of routes will be discontinued, including the 46a, 46e, 63, 63a, 84, 84a, 84x, 143, 144, 145, 155, 184, and 185.

Here’s what I can deduce about Western Way bus services after December 8th:

Route 4: With Route 4 diverting at O’Connell Bridge, it will definitely NO LONGER serve Western Way. This confirms that the E1 and E2 are NOT replacements for Route 4 on the Western Way section.
Route 11: The new Route 11 routing via Phibsborough also means it will NO LONGER serve Western Way.
Route 13: Terminating at Mountjoy Square means Route 13 will also NO LONGER serve Western Way.

Conclusion: It seems very likely that NO current routes will continue to serve Western Way after the December 8th changes.

This is a significant change for people who rely on those stops. It highlights the importance of checking the Dublin Bus and TFI websites for detailed information about alternative travel options.

Recommendations for people who use the Western Way stops:

Use the TFI Journey Planner: Enter your starting point and destination as a Western Way stop to see what alternative routes and connections are available after December 8th.
Check the Dublin Bus website: Look for updated route maps and timetables to understand how the changes affect your journey.
Consider nearby stops: Identify alternative bus stops on nearby roads that will still be served by buses after the changes.

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