NORTH OF THE RIVER AS EXPERIENCED BY THE URBAN CARTOGRAPHER

Original Images By William Murphy

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River Liffey

CHAPELIZOD WEIR APRIL 2024

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I WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED BY WHAT I COULD SEE FROM MAIDEN’S ROW

I was a bit disappointed by what I saw.

Apparently the rusted metal and sluice gates that I saw are an important part of the weir but not the whole picture. The next time that I visit I know what else to look for:

The Main Structure: The weir itself is a low, diagonal stone wall built across the River Liffey. It curves gently, and its primary purpose is to control water flow and create a more navigable section of the river.

The Full Sweep: To fully appreciate the weir I need to try to find a vantage point (further upstream might be good) where I can see its entire length stretching across the river.

Upstream from the weir, the water is calmer, almost still, while just downstream there are small rapids and a more turbulent flow.

The Chapelizod Weir has been a fixture on the Liffey for centuries! Here’s a bit of its story:

Early Days: It was likely constructed around 1800, making it over 200 years old. While the exact purpose of the original weir isn’t entirely clear, historians suggest several possibilities:

Navigation: Making the Liffey more navigable for trade vessels.
Industry: Powering mills or other industries in the vibrant village of Chapelizod.
Remnants of the Past: Those rusted sluice gates and metal bits hint at the weir’s industrial past and its original function of controlling water flow.

Why is the Weir Important?

Landscape: The weir contributes significantly to the beauty and character of Chapelizod. The curve of the weir and the way it alters the river’s flow create a visually appealing and unique feature.

Historic Landmark: As a structure from the early 1800s, it’s a testament to the village’s industrial past and how communities interacted with the river.

Ecosystem: Weirs can play a role in the river’s ecology. They can create habitats and help with fish passage (there’s a fish pass at the Chapelizod Weir).

LIFFEY VALLEY PARK AT CHAPELIZOD ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER

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ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE ENTRANCE TO PHOENIX PARK

To the best of my knowledge this public space in Chapelizod is indeed part of a larger envisioned linear park along the River Liffey.

A few years ago I first came across this park but I could not gain access as the gate was locked. Today I had intended to photograph the Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park but got off the 26 bus at the wrong stop so I decided to walk towards Chapelizod and enter the park via the Chapelizod Gate.

Liffey Valley Park, also known as Liffey Vale, is located between Anna Livia Bridge in Chapelizod and the War Memorial Gardens west of Islandbridge.

The park is bound on the north by Chapelizod Road and on the south by the River Liffey, which is the defining aspect of the space. Within 3km of the city centre, Liffey Vale forms a perfect location for formal and informal recreation and is of significant ecological and historical interest.

The park provides an extremely attractive riverside setting to anglers, walkers, cyclists and watersports activities. The unique collection of rowing clubs on the northern bank reflects the national importance of this stretch of the river.

The eastern side of the site comprises of an open plot owned by the Department of Defence which adjoins the derelict building of Liffey Vale and the remnants of its semi walled gardens and orchards.

The eastern boundary comprises of non-native trees and shrubs which border onto playing fields owned by the OPW. This strip of land was historically known as the Long Meadows, which formed part of the original Royal Deer Park until 1680. Much of the Long Meadows were used as allotments in the twentieth century.

Future Plans There are plans for a biodiversity centre to host school tours and visitors, to deliver a new café for the area, and be a hub in Dublin for biodiversity education.

The restoration of the derelict Georgian building and associated gardens of Liffey Vale House & Garden will incorporate interpretation of the River Liffey and the riverine environment, a cafe and bus drop off point, educational outdoor spaces incorporating the existing small wetland and woodland area close by, thereby establishing Liffey Vale as the focal hub for a planned wider valley park route.

A LOT GOING ON NEAR THE SEAN O’CASEY BRIDGE

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ON THE NORTH BANK OF THE LIFFEY ACROSS FROM CHQ

The CHQ Dublin building is a retail and events hub on the banks of the the River Liffey and George’s Dock in Dublin City centre. CHQ stands for Custom House Quay.

When I visited today I was surprised to see so many people to board the Spirit Of The Docklands riverboat and I was also surprised to discover that Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) building on Custom House Quay had been demolished.

Seán O’Casey Bridge is a pedestrian swingbridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, joining City Quay in the Grand Canal Docks area to North Wall Quay and the IFSC.

Designed by architect Cyril O’Neill and O’Connor Sutton Cronin Consulting Engineers (for which they won an Institution of Structural Engineers Award for Pedestrian Bridges in 2006), the bridge was built in 2005 as part of a large-scale urban renewal scheme under the Dublin Docklands Development Authority to link the north and south quays and rejuvenate both. The swing bridge spans approximately 100 metres and has two balanced cantilever arms that swing open to permit boats to pass up river. Around 2010 the remote control that operates the swing bridge was misplaced, and the bridge was unable to be opened until the control system was reprogrammed in 2014.

The bridge was opened by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in July 2005. It is named after the playwright and Irish Citizen Army member Seán O’Casey (1880–1964) who lived in the North Wall area of the city.

Dublin’s tour service on the River Liffey. The bright red, glass-roofed tour boat, ‘Spirit of Docklands’ operates between the city centre and the Docklands, exploring the historical sites and landmarks along the River Liffey.

A tour guide delivers entertaining snippets on Dublin life specific to the Liffey and Docklands throughout the journey, offering passengers an intriguing insight into Dublin folklore and history. The script has been developed by leading Dublin historian Pat Liddy. The tour departs from a landing station at Bachelor’s Walk, passing under O’Connell Bridge downstream past the Custom House in Docklands. It reaches the East Link Toll Bridge and the Grand Canal Basin before passing the IFSC and returning to Bachelor’s Walk.

‘Spirit of Docklands’ arrived in Dublin in June 2005. Built in Sweden by boat builders Westers Mekaniska, it can accommodate 50 passengers, is 23 metres long and capable of travelling at 9.5 knots. It is wheelchair accessible and suitable for young and old alike.

The service is the latest of a number of initiatives under the Docklands Authority’s River Regeneration Strategy to bring back life to the River Liffey to give Dubliners and visitors alike an alternative view of the city.

The Liffey River Cruises operates daily, with a journey time of approximately 45 minutes.

DEMOLISHED BY TIMLIN

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THE BUILDING ON CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY AT SEAN O’CASEY BRIDGE

My understanding is that a new water activities centre costing €18m will replace the former Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) building on Custom House Quay.

The proposed east building would provide water-based activities on the River Liffey, while the west building would be used as office space for Dublin City Council’s Docklands Office.

The new centre would support dockside activities, including water tours on the Spirit of Docklands.

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