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BISMARCK COFFEE ON PRUSSIA STREET

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DO YOU GET THE JOKE

Coffee Shop and Community Space: Bismarck is a relatively new coffee shop located on Prussia Street in the Stoneybatter area of Dublin 7. It’s focused on high-quality coffee and pastries.

Unique Vibe: It has a minimalist, industrial-style aesthetic. They also have a dedicated reading space with books for borrowing, which adds a cozy touch.

Positive Reception: While it’s still fairly new, reviews and social media posts seem positive about Bismarck. People mention the good coffee, friendly staff, and chill atmosphere.

Possible Reference to Otto von Bismarck: The name “Bismarck,” combined with being on Prussia Street, likely references the famous Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck. It’s a quirky and historical touch.

KIRWAN STREET IN STONEYBATTER

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PHOTOGRAPHED USING A VERY OLD CANON CAMERA

Kirwan Street is located in the historic Stoneybatter neighbourhood on the Northside of Dublin. It’s known for its charming rows of artisan cottages.

Kirwan Street and many of the surrounding streets were developed by the Dublin Artisan’s Dwellings Company in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This organisation aimed to provide better housing for working-class families.

The street is named after an important family in the city of Galway, though the precise connection to Dublin is uncertain.

Kirwan Street features primarily small, terraced “artisan cottages”. These houses provide a quaint and historic charm that is increasingly sought-after.

The neighbourhood of Stoneybatter has undergone gentrification in recent years, making it a more popular area to live.

Kirwan Street offers a blend of traditional Dublin atmosphere with easy access to amenities and the city centre.

I am working my way through my old cameras and today it was the Canon 1Ds MkIII.

I had forgotten how to set up this camera and had forgotten that for best results I should avoid auto-focus as it was a constant source of problems in the past. Today the camera with a Sigma 24-105mm lens froze twice before I remembered to switch to manual. Also because I had selected ISO100 the photographs were underexposed so I pre-processed the files using DXO PureRaw4.

CAPEL STREET – THE RECONFIGURATION WORK HAS BEGUN AT THE LIFFEY END OF THE STREET

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PHOTOGRAPHED 2 APRIL 2024

Below I have include a description of the proposal that is now being implement and the end of the street that is nearest Grattan Bridge.

https://bslarch.com/work/capel-street-interim-landscape

BSLA are working with teams from Dublin City Council’s Environment and Transport Department and their Parks Department to improve Capel Street in response to the current daytime traffic free environment. We want to improve the public realm, so the street becomes an even better place to shop, trade and live.

The new elements must not alone to look good but act to slow down cyclists and encourage more people onto the centre of the street.

The measures being considered make many more points of access from the pavement to the street. All of these need to be available to wheelchair users and alongside elements retained that will assist a guide dog or tapping cane. We are planning to meet with various groups across a range of disability representation in order that efforts already made (based on previous consultations elsewhere) can be improved upon further.

Alongside the fine historic buildings, the community of shops, cafes, businesses and residents are really what provides the magic, but we feel that another offering can be made that will improve the place for all of these. What we are offering derives from a series of consultations, which will continue through the life of the project. Our task is to translate these proposals into reality on the ground and do so in a rather short period of time. Furthermore, we want the new elements to be capable of re-use such as being transported elsewhere so that in any future permanent scheme, these elements will not be wasted.

We are at the stage where we are consulting on the first set of co-ordinated proposals and testing them amongst various stakeholders while at the same preparing costs to see how much can be done in the first phase. The scheme will be modular in nature so that it can continue to be rolled out beyond this initial phase. The northern section of the street from Ryders Row to Mary Street will likely see the start of the roll out during this summer.

KNOCKMAROON GATE LODGE PHOENIX PARK

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AND NEARBY

VISIT THE FURRY GLEN
LOWER GLEN ROAD IN PHOENIX PARK
VISIT THE MAGAZINE FORT
CHAPELIZOD GATE TO PHOENIX PARK

Designed by renowned architect Decimus Burton in the 1830s, the Knockmaroon Gate Lodge presents a classic, symmetrical design. It boasts ornate iron gates, octagonal-shaped stone piers, and decorative lamps. Once a gatekeeper’s residence, it now plays a more decorative role at the edge of the park.

The name ‘Knockmaroon’ has its roots in the Irish language and reveals a glimpse into the area’s landscape long ago:

“Cnoc”: This means ‘hill’ in Irish, very likely referring to the raised ground the Knockmaroon Gate is located on.
“Marún”: The meaning of this word is less certain. Some sources translate it as ‘sea pink’, a type of flowering plant. It’s possible this plant once grew abundantly on the hillside. Others believe it may be linked to an old Irish word for ‘sweet herbs’, which could also have thrived in the area.

Despite the translations, the true origins of the name ‘Knockmaroon’ remain slightly shrouded in the mists of time. There is no single definitive record, lending an extra layer of charm to this historic landmark.

The Knockmaroon Gate Lodge is located at the Knockmaroon Gate entrance to Phoenix Park. You can stroll past and admire its architecture. If you’re interested in learning more, the biodiversity centre nearby sometimes includes information on the park’s history, including its gate lodges.

Mount Sackville School is located nearby. The school was founded in 1890 by the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, an order established by Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey. However, the school is named “Mount Sackville” because it was the name of a house that was sold to the nuns. The spirit and values of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey are deeply ingrained in the ethos and educational philosophy of the school. Her dedication to education, her desire to help people of all races, and her devotion to helping those who were suffering are principles that continue to guide the school’s mission and practices. So, while the name “Sackville” relates to the geographical location of the school in Dublin, the influence of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey is fundamental to the school’s identity and operations.

CHAPELIZOD GATE AND ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL IN PHOENIX PARK

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EASTER WEEK 2024

My original intention was to photograph the Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park, but things didn’t go according to plan. Finding myself at the Chapelizod Gate instead, I decided to explore the area near what is now St. Mary’s Hospital.

1833 – Chapelizod Gate Lodge: A Gem of Park Architecture: Located at the Chapelizod entrance to the vast Phoenix Park in Dublin, stands the charming Chapelizod Gate Lodge. Designed in 1833 by renowned architect Decimus Burton, it’s widely considered one of the most attractive structures within the park.

St. Mary’s Hospital, located in Phoenix Park, Dublin, offers stroke rehabilitation to patients of all ages. It also provides inpatient rehabilitation and residential care to older persons. As a multidisciplinary community hospital, it offers outpatient services through its Day Hospital.

A Rich History: From Military School to Healthcare

The buildings that now house St. Mary’s Hospital were originally constructed for the Royal Hibernian Military School. Founded in 1769 as the Hibernian Asylum by the Hibernian Society (a philanthropic organisation), the school aimed to support the children of soldiers. In 1922, amidst political change, the school relocated to Shorncliffe, England, and the buildings were handed over to the newly formed Irish Government.

The Irish Army initially used the buildings as a hospital. In 1948, it was transferred to the Dublin Health Authority and became a Chest Hospital. Since 1964, the facility has provided care for older patients, offering accommodation for dependent individuals.

Modernisation and Expansion

St. Mary’s Hospital recently underwent a major renovation in late 2020, upgrading its facilities to modern healthcare standards. Its inpatient capacity has increased from 48 to 101 sub-acute rehabilitation beds, further supporting regional acute hospitals. Phase 2 of the infrastructure upgrade will expand and modernise the hospital’s x-ray department.

The Phoenix Park Community Nursing Unit (PPCNU), located on the same site, provides residential care to older adults with 150 beds.

The Impact of COVID-19

Sadly, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic affected St. Mary’s Hospital and its patients. In April 2020, the HSE confirmed that 21 patients had died at the hospital since the beginning of the month, all of whom tested positive for COVID-19.

Legacy of the Royal Hibernian Military School

In 1922, the Royal Hibernian Military School moved to Shorncliffe, Kent, England, due to the changing political landscape in Ireland. It was eventually merged with the Duke of York’s Royal Military School (DYRMS) in 1924. The colours of the RHMS and other memorials can still be found in the DYRMS chapel in Dover, England, where the school continues to operate.

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