About

My Day Photographing in Dublin's Docklands

Today I spent about four hours photographing the Docklands area of Dublin. In order to get a bus back to the city centre, I decided to enter Fairview Park via the pedestrian bridge, near the railway bridge, on the East Wall Road and then walk through the park to the bus stop nearest the skatepark.

Fairview Park, Dublin

Location: Situated in the Fairview neighbourhood of Dublin, nestled between Fairview, Clontarf, and Marino on Dublin's Northside.

History: Established initially as a tidal mudflat, the park began development in the late 1920s. It was officially opened in 1934. In 2012, it underwent significant refurbishment.

Management: Dublin City Council is responsible for the park's upkeep and management.

Getting There:

• Bus: Multiple Dublin Bus routes serve stops near the park.
• DART: Clontarf Road DART Station is a short walk from the park.
• Cycling: Dedicated cycle paths connect to the park, and there are bike stands available.
• Driving: Limited on-street parking is available in the surrounding area.

Features:

• Landscaping: A mix of open green spaces, tree-lined walks, and vibrant flower displays, particularly during the warmer months.
• Playground: A large and well-equipped children's playground.
• Sports Facilities: Football pitches, a skatepark, and an all-weather athletics track and fields (across the railway line).
• Amenities: The park includes a pavilion with bandstand, a Zen garden, and benches for relaxing.

Fairview Parkrun: A popular weekly 5k parkrun event takes place here on Saturday mornings.

Extensions

While not significantly extended in area, Fairview Park has seen the addition of new facilities over the years, including:

• The Skatepark
• The Athletics Facilities (across the railway)
• Renovation of the Zen Garden

Did you know? Bram Stoker (author of Dracula) was born nearby, and a park in Marino Crescent commemorates him.

The Mystery of the Zen Garden

Note: As I have never seen the Zen Garden I decided to investigate further:

Unfortunately, I can't definitively confirm the Zen garden's current location or status in Fairview Park. Here's why:

• Older Mentions: Records and older descriptions of Fairview Park often mention a Zen garden. However, recent park maps and descriptions don't include it.
• Possible Reasons:
  • Removal: It might have been removed during renovations.
  • Relocation: It could have been relocated to a less prominent part of the park.
  • Informal Area: Maybe the "Zen garden" was more of an informal, unmaintained patch rather than an official, designated space.