River Liffey

STANDS AS A TESTAMENT OF THE AREA’S MERCANTILE PAST

July 18, 2024 by infomatique

THE RESTORED 18 ORMOND QUAY

18 Ormond Quay Upper stands as a testament to Dublin’s rich mercantile past. Situated on the north bank of the River Liffey, this historic building, constructed in 1843, boasts an older 1750s structure to its rear. This architectural blend embodies the layers of history that have shaped the city’s landscape.

A Window into Dublin’s Commercial Past

The building’s significance lies in its representation of the Liffey-side merchant houses that once dominated the city’s waterfront. These buildings served as both residences and commercial spaces for the merchants who played a pivotal role in Dublin’s economic development. 18 Ormond Quay Upper offers a glimpse into this bygone era, showcasing the architectural styles and construction techniques of the time.

The Dublin Civic Trust: Guardians of Heritage

The restoration of 18 Ormond Quay Upper was undertaken by the Dublin Civic Trust, an independent organisation dedicated to preserving and enhancing the city’s architectural heritage. The Trust recognised the building’s historical importance and its potential to contribute to the revitalisation of the area.

The restoration project was a meticulous endeavour, involving the use of traditional conservation techniques and materials. The aim was to preserve the building’s original character while ensuring its structural integrity and functionality for future generations. The result is a beautifully restored building that serves as a reminder of Dublin’s rich past and a beacon of hope for its future.

A Symbol of Resilience and Renewal

18 Ormond Quay Upper stands as a symbol of resilience and renewal. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of Dublin’s architectural heritage and the dedication of organisations like the Dublin Civic Trust. The building’s restoration has not only saved a piece of history but also breathed new life into the surrounding area, contributing to the ongoing revitalisation of Dublin’s historic city centre.

CHAPELIZOD WEIR APRIL 2024

April 19, 2024 by infomatique

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).

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

April 3, 2024 by infomatique

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.

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

March 28, 2024 by infomatique

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.

DUBLINBIKES DOCKING STATION BESIDE THE CONVENTION CENTRE – GUILD STREET

November 11, 2023 by infomatique

VIDEO BY WILLIAM MURPHY

DublinBikes docking station 49 is located on Guild Street on the bank of the Royal Canal opposite to the Convention Centre. If you are interested in bridges this is the place to visit as there are four to be seen in the immediate area

[1] The Samuel Beckett Bridge is a cable-stayed swingbridge in Dublin that joins Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on the south side of the River Liffey to Guild Street and North Wall Quay in the Docklands area.

[2] It is hard to ignore the rugged beauty of the two Scherzer Bridges on the north quays, one at Custom House Quay, the other at New Wapping Street. These were constructed to a design patented by William Scherzer of Chicago and installed in 1912. The bridges operated as lock gates between the River Liffey and dock and canals beyond.

[3] The Luas runs over the Spencer Dock Bridge at the Royal Canal which opened on Bloomsday, June 16th 2009. The Spencer Dock Bridge is the principal structure along the LUAS Red Line Docklands C1 extension to the Point Depot.The Bridge was the recipient of an award for Best Structural Design at the LEAF Awards 2009. The Award recognised Amanda Levete, architects, for implementation of an innovative structural design solution. The conceptual design is based on the geometry of the Manta Ray fish with asymmetric pectoral fins (wings) extending out from the body of the bridge deck and reaching down towards the water level in the Royal Canal.
The 40 metre span bridge features fluid lines and an undulating concrete surface taking traffic and pedestrians across the Royal Canal.

[4] Sheriff Street Lifting Bridge.

The wonderful thing about Dublin is that everything has a history or a background story but the problem is that everyone will tell you a different story.

When I first photographed this bridge, many years ago, a self appointed local historian told me that the lifting bridge was built by Earl Spencer the paternal grandfather of Diana Spencer. The problem with such stories is that the facts may be “alternative” but they are often true so they cannot be easily dismissed. I did, however, have some problems with the story for the following reasons.

Spencer Dock was originally known as the Royal Canal Docks
Diana’s Grand Father or his father had no connection with Ireland.
The bridge appears to have an electric motor dating from the 1940s or 1950s

Anyway I decided to check a history of the docklands published by Turtle Bunbury [by the way the book features one of my photographs] and I came across the following: “The new dock was a work of ‘entirely private enterprise’ and cost £58,000. On the beautiful afternoon of 15th April 1873, (Sir) Ralph Cusack, Chairman of the MGWR, opened the new dock and formally named it Spencer after the Lord Lieutenant, Earl Spencer, great-great grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.”

So there was some basis to the local historian’s claim however the bridge associated with the development was at the time described as “an ingenious hydraulic bridge” and it was the work of the railway’s engineer Mr Price. The bridge in at the end of Guild Street does not really match the description above.

The available information is confusing. The bridge appears to be referred to as the Sheriff Street Lifting Bridge but also as the Sheriff Street Spencer Drawbridge but it was built in 1941 as a replacement for an older swivel bridge dating from 1873.

A few years ago I came across this; “However, on 17 October 1941 the Irish Times reported on the opening of the new Sheriff Street drawbridge, which had cost £18,000; it was a structure unique of its kind in these islands.