YEW CIRCLE AT ST ANNE'S PARK

15/08/2022

To be honest I preferred this as it was before restoration.

In the walled garden there was originally  a circular yew hedge with alcoves and arches in which stood statues representing the five continents. The statues were reflected in the great circular marble basin which occupied the centre of the Yew Circle. My understanding is that some or all of the statue were sold at auction.

When I first photographed this folly  there was still a basin but it was full of stagnant water and weeds and there were no statues. The yew hedges were in an overgrown state and needed some attention.

An account from 1873 (W. Heale, 1873) describes the yew circle in detail: 'On the east side of this [Dutch style flower] garden is an amphitheatre some 150 feet in circumference; the outer portion is a well-kept Yew hedge with five entrances; equidistant from each entrance are four marble statues representing Europe, Asia, Africa and America; Australia is not yet represented. The centre is a costly marble basin with fountain and stocked with gold and silver fish.'

A symbol of immortality, a typical yew tree can be very long lived, with some churchyard trees thought to be over 1,000 years old. A specimen in Muckross Abbey is known to be 900 years Old.

Yew trees were sacred to the preChristians in Ireland and were then adopted into the Christian religion and used in the sacred ground of graveyards. The yew is also associated with palm trees like the palm which is received on Palm Sunday. Locals refer to the trees as "Palm trees".

Taxus baccata is a species of evergreen tree in the family Taxaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe (including Britain and Ireland), northwest Africa, northern Iran, and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may now be known as common yew, English yew, or European yew. It is primarily grown as an ornamental. Most parts of the plant are poisonous, with toxins that can be absorbed through inhalation and through the skin; consumption of even a small amount of the foliage can result in death.

RUSTIC GROTTO

15/08/2022

The Rustic Grotto was a feature to link the main house down the slope from the grand terrace walk to the seafront. It provided a viewing point at an intersection of paths. It is comprised of several types of local stone, including Howth stone, and porphyry stone. 

The manner in which the Rustic Grotto provides vistas from cave-like vantages towards water is reminiscent of those of 18th Century English gardens, such as Stourhead, inspired by Alexander Pope and based on allusions to classical Roman grottoes to Venus.

POMPEIIAN TEMPLE

15/08/2022

The “Boathouse” (Pompeiian Temple) is located adjacent the duck pond and was formerly used as a tea house. During a recent restoration project The central pediment was taken down and rebuilt which also facilitated structural strengthening of a steel beam and the subsequent removal of the central steel pier (not an original detail).

The building overlooked the boating lake, which was planted with choice aquatic and bog plants. The exact date of its construction is currently unknown. There were designed views to Howth Head and Bull Island, lush ornamental planting with mainly non-natives and specimen trees and an island in the ornamental pond.

It is believed, by some, that the building was assembled from components salvaged from other buildings. It is designed in the Classical style of Italiannate temples, square in plan with a pedimented front facing south-east toward the pond.

ST ANN'S HOLY WELL

15/08/2022

For some reason the Spelling is St Ann's rather than St Anne's.

When I visited in the past I have noticed people referring to this structure, which attracts children and dogs, as the fairy house.

St Anne's Park was named after the existing holy well there in 1837 by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness.

The well site has a protective hood of stones, and lies just beyond the old lake of the park, with its Roman temple, and below the Watchtower folly, near the main coastal entrance.

The well itself dried up in the 1950s, and although Dublin City Council made several attempts to relocate the source, it remains dry as of 2022. The site is still respected, and was visited in 2000 by a formal joint procession of worshippers from the Raheny parishes of the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Ireland. The site was cleaned of soil and vegetation by a specialist contractor in early 2018, the original well opening located, and a safety grille, also keeping leaves out, was fitted over the former outlet.

St. Ann's Well was reputed to provide virtues to pilgrims, and many came to drink or bathe in its waters. There is no altar associated with the Well at St. Anne‟s, nor are there records available as to any pilgrimage circles or other such features. The location of the Well is sheltered by trees, and historically it would have been easily accessible from the Clontarf Road. 

CLOCK TOWER

15/08/2022

It is a 4-storey brick tower with a giant bell (nearly 1.2 metres across), inscribed with Benjamin Lee‟s name and family motto, ‘Spes Mea in Deo’ (My Hope is in God). The tower has three floors and access to the first floor was via an external staircase (has been removed) with internal ladders to the other floors. 

There is no enclosed ground floor as the tower forms the entrance to the former walled gardens. The clock has one dial facing eastwards towards the house, black and gold-leaf Roman numerals and skeleton hands. It was made by James Booth of Dublin and was privately commissioned by the Guinness family (Murray, 2006). It is listed in the DCC Record of Protected Structures (Ref. No. 7738).

TARA BROOCH AT ST ANNE'S PARK

15/08/2022

I was unable to find any reference, online, to this carving of a brooch on a rock in Saint Anne's Park which contains many follies. However, I suspect that it is a representation of the Brooch Of Tara.

The Tara Brooch is an Irish Celtic brooch dated back to the late-7th or early-8th century of the pseudo-penannular type (i.e. with a fully closed head or hoop), made from bronze, silver and gold, with a head formed from a circular ornate ring that is highly decorated on both sides. Its upper half is hollow while the lower half is solid with fused terminals. The brooch was constructed from numerous individually made pieces, and its front and reverse sides are equally decorated with around 50 inserted cast panels containing highly ornate filigree. The borders and terminals contain multiple panels holding multi-coloured studs, interlace patterns, filigree and Celtic spirals. The brooch is widely considered the most complex and ornate of its kind, and would have been commissioned to be worn as a fastener for the cloak of a high ranking cleric or as ceremonial insignia of high office for a High King of Ireland in Irish Early Medieval society.

The brooch was buried sometime during the 11th or 12th century, most likely to protect it from Viking and, later, Norman invaders. It lay undiscovered until around 1850. Despite its title, it was found not at the Hill of Tara, but on or near the beach around Bettystown on the coast of County Meath. The name by which it became known was chosen by its first commercial owner, the jeweller George Waterhouse, as a marketing ploy for selling copies during the height of the 19th century Celtic Revival. For this reason, many art historians describe it with inverted commas as the "Tara" brooch.

Its decoration and ornamentation is so detailed and minute that in parts it can only be fully seen using magnification, leading to one 19th century critic writing that it was "more like the work of fairies than of human beings". Art historians see only the contemporary Hunterston Brooch (c. 700 AD) as an equal in craftsmanship and design. The archaeologist Niamh Whitfield called it "the most ornate and intricate piece of medieval jewellery ever found in Ireland", while the NMI describes it as representing "the pinnacle of early medieval Irish metalworkers’ achievement". It was acquired by the Royal Irish Academy from Waterhouse in 1868, and transferred to the archaeological branch of the National Museum of Ireland (NMI), Dublin in 1890, where it remains. It was cleaned in the late-20th century by the British Museum.

The brooch was almost fully intact when discovered, but has sustained substantial losses since. Ten of the front inserts and three studs are now missing, while two more have lost their filigree. Comparison with 19th century photographs show that when found only one panel was missing.

Two wood engraving made in 1852 show it, according to Whitfield, "in near perfect condition" with the now missing filigree, studs, and additional interlace designs in place.

ROSE GARDEN AT SAINT ANNE'S PARK

15/08/2022

I never promised you a rose garden did I?

The Rose Garden was opened in 1975. Lots of species of roses are grown here, including a selection of hybrid tea and floribunda roses.

On Monday [15 August 2022] I was delighted to discover that the weather would be cooler so I decided visit St Anne's Park but on arriving I was disappointed to discover the condition of the famous rose garden. Maybe I left it too late in the year to visit especially as Dublin City Council advises that to see the Rose Garden at its best one should visit during the annual Rose Festival on the 3rd weekend of July.

HERCULANEAN HOUSE OR ROMAN TEMPLE

15/08/2022

On Monday [15 August 2022] I was delighted to discover that the weather would be cooler so I decided visit St Anne's Park but on arriving I was disappointed to discover the condition of the famous rose garden. I then decided to explore the wooded areas and the associated follies.

After about an hours it began to rain with an intensity that I have never seen before and I had to shelter in one of the follies [Herculanean House] for close to two hours. As my camera, which was weather resistant rather than weather proof, suffered some water damage I had to cancel my upcoming trip to Waterford.

The Roman Temple (Herculanean House) is situated near what was originally the northwestern corner of the walled garden near the house. It was a perfect replica in classical Roman style, with a courtyard and interior paved with tiles copied from a design found during the excavations of the original Herculaneum. During recent restoration wk these original courtyard mosaic tiles were unexpectedly unearthed and found to be remarkably intact and in very good condition. Works to the dome structure involved reinstating the stone parapet, reinstating the marble tiles and installing new stainless steel railings to the six bays. Works to the courtyard involved repointing and consolidating the surrounding brickwork and installing a new column at the entrance to match the existing.

THE WOODS ON A REALLY WET DAY

15/08/2022

The park has a range of vegetation habitats and many historic trees. The plant collections are of national importance. There are also protected native plants and species of botanical interest. These are surveyed and managed by Dublin City Council Parks and Landscape Services Division.

I have found it very difficult to cope with the heat for the last few  and as I have a number of servers in my apartment I have had a number of hard drive failures because of overheating. Because of global supply issues I have not been able to source high quality external Thunderbolt drives so I ended up two very slow 5TB USB-3 drives from Amazon and I am really annoyed with the lack of performance.

On Monday [15 August 2022] I was delighted to discover that the weather would be cooler so I decided visit St Anne's Park but on arriving I was disappointed to discover the condition of the famous rose garden. I then decided to explore the wooded areas and the associated follies.

After about an hours it began to rain with an intensity that I have never seen below and I had to shelter in one of the follies [Herculanean House] for close to two hours. As my camera, which was weather resistant rather than weather proof, suffered some water damage I had to cancel my trip to Waterford.

BIRD VIEW BY INGRID NOLAN

15/08/2022

This artwork by Ingrid Nolan was originally inspired by Bull Island and some of its inhabitants. It is located on James Larkin Road close to St Anne's Park in Clontarf.

THE ANNIE LEE BRIDGE

15/08/2022

St Anne’s Park is a 270 acre public park that previously formed part of a 500 acre estate developed by the Guinness family. The estate originally consisted of a large mansion with landscaped and woodland gardens. The mansion was lost to a fire in 1943 but the follies and garden buildings, dating from 1838, have survived. 

Twelve follies were built by the Guinness family.

A folly is a decorative garden building. Follies were built to resemble bridges, temples, towers and more and reflected the tastes of wealthy 19th century aristocrats returning from their Grand Tours of Europe. Visiting the ruins of the continent, Italy in particular, they desired to replicate the romantic settings upon their return home. 

The first folly to be built was the Annie Lee Bridge, near the chestnut walk, which commemorated the birth of Benjamin Lee Guinness’s daughter in 1837. The rest followed during the 1850’s and 1860’s. Most of the follies follow the course of the Naniken River which runs through the park, the rest can be found along an oak-lined avenue.

CROYDON GARDENS AND CROYDON PARK

13/08/2022

On Google maps the spelling is Turlogh Parade rather than Turlough Parade and I could not find a street sign in order to confirm the spelling. I checked Apple Maps and the spelling is Turlough.

On arriving I asked a local the name of the park and she responded by telling me that it was the upper circle Marino. I later learned Marino has two large circular greens. Broadly speaking, each one is called The Circle but for the purpose of distinguishing between them there are various other names such as the Upper Circle [Croydon Gardens] and the Bottom Circle [Marino park].

I was unaware of this exact location until today [13 August 2022] even though I had heard of Croydon Park House.

The area where Croydon House once stood is now part of a suburb on the Northside of the city known as Marino. 

Marino is approximately 15 minutes' drive from the National Library of Ireland. The Irish Citizen Army was founded in November 1913. New recruits were drilled at Croydon Park. Croydon House was demolished in the mid-1920s to make way for the Marino housing scheme. Several modern street names in the residential neighbourhood retain the Croydon name.

The townland of Marino was carved out of the townland of Donnycarney which was granted to the Corporation of Dublin following the dissolution of The Priory of All Hallows in the reign of King Henry VIII. In 1787, it was described by English writer Richard Lewis as "a small village a mile beyond Drumcondra and two-and-a-half miles from Dublin Castle."

The well-known Casino was built in 1759 as a summer house in the grounds of Marino House, demolished in the 1920s. A tunnel linking it to the main house for servants' use is where Michael Collins and his men carried out tests with their first Thompson sub-machine gun. The Asgard guns are believed to have been hidden here. The area was full of members of the Irish Citizens' Army. Jim Larkin lived in Croydon Park House and Countess Markiewicz and James Connolly were frequent visitors.

MARINO CASINO - A SPORTING CHANCE

13/08/2022

A Sporting Chance by Aidan Butler.

Aidan decided to utilise the various gaming traditions evident within a 400-metre radius of the Traffic Box, namely GAA motifs (St. Vincents and Parnell Park), gambling (Card Games, Dice, Backgammon motifs) at the Marino Casino, and Golf at Clontarf Golf Club. He used a scrolling design with colour repetition and patterns easily adapted to either new box shape. He also included a city skyline and the Casino itself. Note: As mentioned below the Marino Casino was not associated with gambling.

Aidan describes himself as follows: 'I am a self- taught professional artist from Dublin 9, working and living in the Dublin area for many years. I've completed State Commissions, and I have many works in Corporate and private collections. I am also a designer of posters, book covers, and logos.'

The Casino at Marino is a small summer or pleasure house, located in Marino, Dublin, Ireland. Sometimes erroneously described as a folly, it was designed by Scottish architect William Chambers for James Caulfeild, the 1st Earl of Charlemont, starting in the late 1750s and finishing around 1775. It is a good example of Neo-Classical architecture, situated in the gardens of Marino House. Although proud of the design, Chambers was never able to visit the completed building, as he was constantly employed in England.

The name 'Casino' is the diminutive form of the 18th-century Italian word 'Casa' meaning 'House', thus 'Little House',[and is not used in the modern sense of "gambling establishment". After his 9-year Grand Tour of Italy and Greece, Caulfield was taken with all things Italian, and decided to add a 'little house' to his estate, which he had already named after the town of Marino in Lazio.

PAINT-A-BOX ART BY TRACEY DALTON

13/08/2022

This artwork depicts the tree-lined roads of the Drumcondra and Marino area which seem to go on forever. They change with the seasons, providing beautiful walks for the local community

Tracey is a design lecturer and researcher in the School of Creative Arts, TU Dublin, with a background in Interior Design practice and 25 years in the design field.

GRIFFITH AVENUE

13/08/2022

My grandmother claimed that it was known as the 100 foot road as it was 100 feet wide but, at the time, I had a feeling that she told me this as I never stopped asking questions. Anyway, I checked today and discovered that  width of the road carriageway is approximately 12.0m. 3.0m wide pedestrian footpaths (approximately) are provided either side of Griffith Avenue behind a 2.0m grass verge (approximately).  

Note: when reviewing the photograph I managed to read an information board featuring the history of the road and it states that the road is 100 feet wide.

As mentioned above Griffith Avenue was once known as the 100 foot road. It runs from Marino, through Drumcondra, onwards to Glasnevin. It is the longest residential double tree lined avenue in the northern hemisphere, at over 1km long. It was named after Arthur Griffith 3rd president of Ireland, and is present more or less in it's current mode since 1926. The majority of the housing was built between 1919-1960 and boasts some handsome red brick homes much sought after almost one hundred years later.

WHAT A HOOT BY ALAN MC ARTHUR

13/08/2022

Today I decided that it would be a good idea to visit St Annes Park but when I got to the bus stop there was a huge queue and the next bus was not due for twenty minutes. I then notice that the Swords bus was about to depart so I boarded it but the heat was to much for me so I got of at the nearest stop to Griffith Avenue and walked until I reached the 123 bus terminus and when I arrived I discovered What a Hoot! by artist & graphic designer Alan Mc Arthur. 

I plan to explore the area in greater detail tomorrow.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH

13/08/2022

Located on Griffith Avenue, St Vincent de Paul Parish Church in Marino is part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church was completed in 1928 on the old Charlemont estate.

Marion is an area of Dublin that I have yet to explore in detail.

Marino is an inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It was built, in a planned form, on former grounds of Marino House, in an area between Drumcondra, Donnycarney, Clontarf, and what became Fairview. The initial development featured around 1,300 concrete-built houses.

The design of the new Marino development was heavily influenced by the Garden City Movement, which originated in the United Kingdom with Sir Ebeneezer Howard. Howard's idea came from 19th century writings which inspired him to build the opposite of the general urban conditions that existed at the time, hence building the "Garden City", to be "a perfect combination of rural and urban living". His book, To-morrow, a Peaceful Path to Real Reform (1898), was reprinted in 1902 titled Garden Cities of Tomorrow.

OSCAR WILDE ON A ROCK

05/08/2022

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer. Known for his barbed wit, he was one of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. As the result of a famous trial, he suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years of hard labour after being convicted of the offence of "gross indecency". The scholar H. Montgomery Hyde suggests this term implies homosexual acts not amounting to buggery in British legislation of the time.

This is, without doubt, a favourite of mine and I spend a lot of time trying to get the "best photograph ever" but it does not bother me that I need to try again.

Danny Osborne is an artist born in Dorset, England in 1949.He is a resident of Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada and Cork, Ireland. Osborne studied at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art. He is best known for his public sculptures, particularly his Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture "The Quare in the Square in Merrion Square Park" (originally commissioned by Guinness Ireland Group for £45,000  and located across from Ireland's National Gallery.

I like to listen to the tourist guides explaining this public art installation to visitors from all parts of the world and how often their descriptions are incorrect or incomplete. But, of course, the exact details are not all that important.

In 2016 I mentioned that the restoration of the Oscar Wilde installation had been completed with the return of the two minor bronzes to their plinths. The stone plinths or pillars are covered in quotations from Wilde. One has a bronze figure of a pregnant naked woman kneeling on the top, while the other has a bronze male torso. One explanation is that they indicate Wilde's ambiguous sexuality and aesthetic sensibilities.

At the time I also reported that the orientation of the female nude has been corrected. It should be noted that the female nude is Oscar’s wife [Constance Lloyd] who was pregnant when Oscar had his first homosexual encounter. Originally she was facing Oscar but someone tried to steal the bronze and when the park staff restored it they installed it facing the wrong direction and then the tour guides came up with stories to explain why she had turned her back on her husband. 

She is facing a different direction now but I am not 100% convinced that one could claim that she is now facing Oscar. Maybe she should be on the other plinth.

The sculptor Danny Osborne used complementary colour stones and also sought out stones with varying textures to give a more lifelike representation of Oscar Wilde than you would find in a conventional statue.

Wilde’s jacket is green stone which is complemented by red stone cuffs. The sculpture includes two stone pillars which are covered in quotations by Oscar Wilde. Placed on top of the pillars are two sculptures, one of the sculptures is a bronze figure of a pregnant naked woman kneeling this represents Oscar's wife Constance, while the other pillar has a bronze male torso.

The two pillars which flank Oscar Wilde on both sides are used to set out his thoughts, opinions, witticisms on art and life for all to see and judge. These quotes were selected by a mixture of poets, public figures, artists, and scientists, who use Wilde’s own words to pay tribute to him.