William Murphy

SAINT PATRICK’S PARK

November 4, 2023 by infomatique

PATRICK STREET AND BULL ALLEY STREET IN DUBLIN

Saint Patrick’s Park, located to the north of the cathedral, was opened by King Edward VII in July 1902. It is bounded by Patrick Street to the west, Bull Alley to the north and Bride Street to the east. It was laid out as part of the redevelopment of the area by the Guinness family in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and provides an attractive setting for both Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Iveagh Play Centre. The landscaping was the work of Mr. Crasp of Chester and the construction work was undertaken by engineer Mr. Arthur Dudgeon. The geometric landscaping is enhanced by the two stone fountains on the park’s principal axis and a modern sculpture of a steel bell by Vivienne Roche. A brick terrace was constructed to cope with the fall in ground level between Bride Street Patrick Street, the upper level of which was used as a bandstand while the lower level provided a sheltered seating area.

THIS IS CURRENTLY DESCRIBED AS THE GOTHIC BRIDGE

November 2, 2023 by infomatique

MANY GUIDES REFER TO IT AS THE BRIDGE AND HERMITAGE

I had difficulty photographing this as there was an intense rain storm and parts of the park became flooded very quickly.

The Gothic Bridge in St Anne’s Park is also known as the Bridge & Hermitage. This is because it is located next to a small cave-like structure, which is thought to have been used as a hermitage in the past.

The early development of the Park coincided with the Guinness family’s sudden rise in profits following Sir Arthur’s exporting of his famous stout to England in 1825. The Park symbolised the power and wealth of this family in British and Irish society. The two bachelor sons of Sir Arthur, Arthur Jr. and Benjamin Lee, resided at the original house on this site, Thornhill, purchased in 1835, until 1837, when they demolished it and built St. Anne‟s for Benjamin Lee and his new wife, cousin Elizabeth .

The design and layout of the park was largely influenced by Benjamin Lee, an antiquary who was interested in the ancient monuments of both Ireland and classical Rome. His influence can be seen in the following Italiannate features:

 Pompeiian temple/teahouse and vistas to Dublin Bay
 Herculanean house and garden
 Yew Walk with nymphaeum and Italian statuary (now lost)
 Yew circle
 Sham ruin (Annie Lee bridge)
 Roman Tomb of the Julii monument

Oldstone Conservation were appointed as Main Contractor & PSCS to undertake conservation works to twelve of these follies. The works involved the repair and rebuild of the structures and reinstatement of the adjoining paths and embankments.

The “Bridge & Hermitage” spans the Nanekin River and houses a hermits cave. Works included rebuilding the parapet walls, repointing the stonework and applying a coat of harled lime render to the external stone face. Loose stone was laid on the river bed upstream and downstream to form breakwater during low water flows

ROMAN TOWER ONE OF MANY FOLLIES AT ST ANNE’S PARK

November 1, 2023 by infomatique

TOMB OF JULII

The Roman Tower is situated on a hill overlooking the lake and the Pompeiian temple.

Today, the Tomb of the Julii is largely obscured by vegetation which made it difficult for me to photograph. However, it was originally a more prominent feature of St. Anne‟s. It was based on the design of the original Tomb of the Julii in St. Remy, France and was constructed by Benjamin Lee Guinness. It was originally located on top of the main house, but was taken down and moved to this location by Lord and Lady Ardilaun when they commissioned the J. F. Fuller extension in 1873-76.

ASHTOWN DEMESNE AT THE VISITOR CENTRE

October 9, 2023 by infomatique

PHOENIX PARK SUNDAY 8 OCTOBER 2023

As already mentioned, I was somewhat disappointed by the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre which includes Ashtown castle so I decided to explore the grounds and photographs the trees as many had interesting shapes.

Ashtown Castle is a tower house in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland.

It was found hidden within the walls of a much larger and more recent Georgian building, the Under Secretary’s Lodge also known as Ashtown Lodge, that was being used by the Papal Nuncio until 1978. At that time, the Lodge was deemed structurally irreparable due to dry rot. However, as the building was being demolished, Ashtown Castle was discovered. It has now been restored and forms part of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

It is thought to originally date from the 1430s, as it is built to dimensions that conform with a government policy of the time that offered £10 to those who built a castle for their own safety. The castle was later incorporated into the construction of Ashtown Lodge which was to serve as the official residence of the Under Secretary from 1782.

I TRAVELLED BY BUS THE THE PHOENIX PARK VISITOR CENTRE

October 8, 2023 by infomatique

NEW 99 BUS SERVICE LAUNCHED 8 OCTOBER 2023

BUS STOP AT PARKGATE STREET

When I arrived at 16:00 the walled kitchen garden was in the process of closing which was a pity as I found little of interest other than the landscaping which is equally good throughout Phoenix park in general.

Ashtown Castle is a tower house that probably dates from the seventeenth century, but may be as early as the fifteenth.

For years it was completely hidden within the walls of a Georgian mansion once occupied by the under-secretary for Ireland. When that house was demolished in the late 1980s, the castle was rediscovered. It has since been fully restored and now welcomes visitors.

Surrounding the castle is Ashtown Demesne, which boasts a plethora of attractions. Chief among them is the walled kitchen garden, which has being beautifully restored to its original Victorian layout. There are also woodland walks, picnic areas and a universal-access playground.

The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, adjoining the castle, contains an entertaining exhibition on the park’s history from 3500 BC right through to the present day. There is a charming restaurant in the visitor-centre grounds.

Initially, the new shuttle bus service will run between Parkgate Street and the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, via Chesterfield Avenue. Stops include Parkgate Street entrance and popular visitor attractions like Dublin Zoo and the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. Visitors to Áras an Uachtaráin will be also facilitated with stops close to the Phoenix Monument.

The Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study, developed by the Office of Public Works, the NTA, Dublin County Council and Fingal County Council, identified the need for a bus service to the park as part of its ambition to reduce private car usage, enhance sustainable transportation modes for visitors and commuters, and minimize the impact of vehicles on the park and its surroundings.