THE 2024 PHOTO BLOG

JONES’ ROAD IN DUBLIN – 15 MARCH 2024

Jones’ Road in Dublin is a street where sports, history, and a touch of urban legend all intersect. Here’s what makes it noteworthy:

Croke Park – The Heart of It All

GAA Headquarters: Jones’ Road is synonymous with Croke Park, the iconic stadium that serves as the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). This sporting organisation plays a pivotal role in Irish culture, promoting traditional sports like hurling and Gaelic football.

Sporting Spectacle: The stadium, with its capacity of over 80,000, is the epicentre of thrilling matches, electrifying crowds with its unique energy during major finals.
Historical Ground: Croke Park weaves itself deeply into Ireland’s history. Its site witnessed significant events like the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1920, showcasing how sport and national identity intertwine.

How Did Hill 60 Become Hill 16

When Croke Park was first used for Gaelic games, the Railway End of the park was little more than a mound of earth. Its name was originally “Hill 60”. That name came from a hill of the same name in Gallipoli on which the Connaught Rangers suffered heavy casualties in late August 1915. Contrary to common belief, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers did not participate in the Battle of Hill 60, although the latter regiment did lose heavily during the wider Gallipoli campaign (including at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, the previous April).

“Hill 60” was used as a name throughout the 1920s and 1930s, until senior GAA figures decided it would be inappropriate to have a section of Croke Park named after a battle involving an Irish unit of the British Army. So “Hill 60” became Hill 16, a name that would link it instead to 1916, and the story emerged that it had been built from the ruins of Dublin’s main thoroughfare O’Connell Street.
The Hill traditionally lags behind the rest of the stadium when it comes to comfort. It was only in 1936, when the Cusack Stand was redeveloped, that the turf and mud of Hill 16 was replaced with concrete terracing.

After the 1983 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final between Dublin and Galway, when overcrowding on Hill 16 caused a few supporters to suffer injuries, the GAA decided to rebuild the Hill.[1] That work was completed in 1988, allowing a capacity of 10,000 spectators.

In the mid-1990s, the GAA came up with a masterplan to rebuild the whole stadium. It was envisaged that Hill 16 would be replaced with an all-seater stand; however, this idea met with opposition from supporters of Dublin. Dublin fans have adopted Hill 16 as a spiritual home over the years. On matchdays the hill is often a sea of blue and navy and has been said to be intimidating to opposition players.

Plans were also hindered by the presence of the nearby railway line and the fact that the GAA does not own any of the land behind Croke Park. The plans were redrawn and a new – terraced – area built at a cost of €25 million to replace the old Nally Stand – named after Pat Nally – and Hill 16. The new Railway End, which includes Hill 16 and the Nally terrace, is capable of holding more than 13,000 spectators.

In 2006, the Hill was renamed Dineen Hill 16 in honour of Frank Dineen, who purchased the grounds for the GAA in 1908.

Residential Mix: While Croke Park dominates, Jones’ Road is also a residential street in Dublin’s inner city. It offers a blend of houses, apartments, and some local businesses.

City Access: Its location provides proximity to the city centre, with the added bonus of being slightly removed from the densest crowds and activity.

Bloody Sunday Bridge

This bridge, crosses the Royal Canal, and it connects Russell Street to Jones’s Road and to be honest I did not know that it was named “Bloody Sunday Bridge”. The last time I was in the area I was told that it was Clonliffe Bridge.

Bloody Sunday Bridge, formerly known as Clonliffe Bridge, is a Dublin bridge with a sobering name that commemorates a dark day in Irish history.

Bloody Sunday 1920: The bridge’s name is a direct reference to the tragic event of November 21st, 1920, known as Bloody Sunday. During the Irish War of Independence, British forces opened fire on a crowd at a Gaelic football match taking place in Croke Park. 14 people were killed, including Jerome O’Leary and Patrick Robinson, two young boys shot dead at the bridge.
Remembrance: The renaming of the bridge serves as a permanent reminder of the innocent lives lost on that fateful day, ensuring this sorrowful chapter of Irish history is not forgotten.

Croke Park’s Shadow: Bloody Sunday Bridge lies near Croke Park stadium, crossing the Royal Canal on the route that many GAA fans would take as they approach the stadium.
Constant Reminder: This location near Croke Park is particularly poignant. The bridge is a somber symbol for those attending sporting events, serving as a reminder of the bloodshed that occurred just steps away.