FISHAMBLE STREET

17/07/2023

Fishamble Street is one of the oldest streets in Dublin, dating back to the 10th century. It was originally named Vicus Piscariorum, or Fish Street, after the fish shambles or stalls that once lined it. The street was also known as the official fish market for Dublin until the end of the 17th century when the city markets were moved to the north bank of the Liffey.

In the 18th century, Fishamble Street became a centre for music and culture. In 1741, the Bull's Head Musical Society built a Music Hall on the street, which was the site of the first performance of Handel's Messiah in 1742. The street is also home to Darkey Kelly's, a well-known Dublin music pub. It was named after Dorcas Kelly, who ran a popular brothel in the street in the 1750s and was executed for murder in 1761.

Here are some other interesting facts about Fishamble Street:

• The street was once lined with fishmongers' stalls, and was a major center for the fish trade in Dublin.
• The street was also home to a number of brothels, and was known as a somewhat disreputable area in the 18th century.
• Fishamble Street was the site of the first performance of Handel's Messiah in 1742.
• The street is now home to a number of bars, restaurants, and shops, and is a popular tourist destination.

NEW ROW SOUTH

16/07/2023

As an experiment and in order to improve the speed of this Photo Blog I have switched to using WebP images.

There is not much to see as you walk along this street but both ends of the street are worth exploring.

The Coombe is a historic street in the south inner city of Dublin. It was originally a hollow or valley where a tributary of the River Poddle, the Coombe Stream or Commons Water, ran. The name is sometimes used for the broader area around, in which the Poddle and its related watercourses featured strongly.

The Coombe is home to the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, which is one of the largest maternity hospitals in Ireland. The hospital was founded in 1826 and has since delivered over 1 million babies. My mother, now aged 103, was a midwife in the hospital.

The Coombe is also home to a number of other institutions, including the Coombe Hospital School of Nursing and Midwifery, the Coombe National Maternity Hospital Museum, and the Coombe Library.

The Coombe is a vibrant and diverse community, with a long and rich history. It is a place where people come together to celebrate life, and to welcome new generations into the world.

Here are some interesting facts about the Coombe:

• The name "Coombe" comes from the Irish word "cum", which means "hollow" or "valley".
• The Coombe Stream was once a major source of water for the city of Dublin.
• The Coombe was once a popular spot for duels and other forms of violence.
• The Coombe was home to a number of famous people, including the writer James Joyce and the politician Charles Stewart Parnell.
• The Coombe is still a popular place for people to live, work, and visit.

Mill Street is a street in the Liberties area of Dublin, Ireland. It is named after the mills that once operated on the River Poddle, which runs along the street.

The history of Mill Street dates back to the 17th century. The first recorded mention of the street is in 1635, when it was referred to as "the street leading to the mills". The mills on the Poddle were important for the city's economy, and they helped to make the Liberties a major centre of industry.

In the 18th century, Mill Street became a more fashionable address. Many wealthy merchants and professionals built their homes on the street, and it became known as a "genteel quarter". Some of the most notable buildings on Mill Street from this period include 10 Mill Street, which is a Dutch Billy-style house built in 1720, and the former Church of Ireland church of Saint Anna, which was built in 1790.

In the 19th century, Mill Street continued to be a prosperous area. However, the decline of the mills on the Poddle led to a decline in the fortunes of the street. By the early 20th century, Mill Street was a run-down area, and it was home to a number of slums.

In recent years, Mill Street has undergone a regeneration. Many of the old buildings have been restored, and new businesses have opened on the street. Mill Street is now a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

Here are some interesting facts about Mill Street:

• The street was once home to the Liberties Distillery, which was one of the largest distilleries in Ireland.
• The street was also home to the Coombe Fever Hospital, which was founded in 1747.
• Mill Street was the site of the Battle of the Coombe, which was fought in 1798 during the Irish Rebellion.
• The street is still home to a number of historic buildings, including 10 Mill Street and the former Church of Ireland church of Saint Anna.

TENTERHOOKS NOT TENDER HOOKS

15/07/2023

The Tenters area of Dublin is located in the Liberties, on the Southside of the city. It is bordered by the South Circular Road, Cork Street, Donore Avenue, and Newmarket Square. The area is named after the tenterfields that once existed there, where cloth was stretched and dried. 

When I was young I thought that the expression was "on tender hooks" but it is "on tenterhooks". The word "tenters" comes from the Middle English word "teyntur," which is ultimately derived from the Latin word "tentorium," meaning "tent." A tenter is a frame or endless track with hooks or clips along two sides that is used for drying and stretching cloth. The word "tenters" can also refer to the people who operate tenters, or to the area where tenters are located.

The original Tenters pub dates from 1850 and was reconditioned about ninety years ago but it has never been listed as a building of importance.

Currently the publicity material includes the following description: " The pub is located in a historic building on Mill Street, which dates back to the 18th century. The interior has been tastefully restored, while still retaining its original charm. There are two floors of seating, as well as a beer garden out back."

When I first photographed the Tenters Pub in 2012 it was unoccupied but did not appear to be in such a poor condition that it could not be refurbished at reasonable cost so I was a bit surprised when I visited in March 2017 to discover  that little of the original structure is left standing. I had believed that the building was to be retained and that the pub would be preserved. Personally, I liked the building I am not sure if there ever was any real reason to preserve or retain the Tenters Pub but to pretend to preserve it is just annoying. 

Aloft Student Accommodation is a new student housing development located in the heart of Dublin's Liberties. The development is made up of two buildings, the Aloft Hotel and the New Mill, which are connected by a skybridge. The Aloft Hotel is a 4-star hotel with 150 bedrooms, while the New Mill is a 6-storey student accommodation block with 250 bedrooms.

The student accommodation at Aloft is fully furnished and includes a bed, desk, wardrobe, chair, mattress, and linen. Each bedroom also has its own en-suite bathroom. The shared kitchen facilities are equipped with everything you need to cook and eat, including a fridge, oven, stove, microwave, and dishwasher. There is also a laundry room on each floor.

Aloft Student Accommodation offers a range of on-site facilities and services, including:

A 24-hour reception

A gym

A rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Dublin

A cinema room

A games room

A study area

A laundry room

A bike storage area

A shuttle bus to and from Dublin City Centre

Aloft Student Accommodation is located in a great location, just a short walk from Trinity College Dublin, Temple Bar, and the city centre. The development is also close to a number of shops, restaurants, and bar.

The cost of accommodation at Aloft Student Accommodation starts from €1,650 per month. This includes all bills, except for internet, which is charged at an additional €25 per month.

PROCLAMATION BY ROWAN GILLESPIE

15/07/2023

I have seen this described as startlingly morbid memorial sculpture located across the street from one of Ireland’s most infamous prisons.

“Proclamation” by Rowan Gillespie is a permanent outdoor sculpture honouring the leaders of the Easter Rising, and the authors of the Irish proclamation of Independence.  It stands solemnly across the street from the notorious Kilmainham Gaol where the proclamation scribes were executed in 1916.

It features abstract and faceless bronze statues standing in a circle around a pillar, the words of their proclamation engraved into the metal. These eerily blindfolded statues each have an execution order or a verdict carved into their base, and their torsos are riddled with holes to represent where they were hit by the firing squad. Each torso has a different bullet pattern, which is one of the only varying characteristics of the figures.

These statues have no names, faces or limbs. They are meant to represent the rebel leaders who were the seven signatories on the Proclamation. There are fourteen figures in total and the other seven were donated to the piece by the artist himself in honour of the total number of executions involving the rising and in memory of his grandfather James Creed Meredith.

Rowan Gillespie is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown. He was born in Dublin in 1953 and spent his formative years in Cyprus. He studied art at York School of Art, Kingston College of Art, and Kunst og Handverke Skole in Oslo. After living and exhibiting in Norway for several years, he returned to Ireland in 1977.

Gillespie is known for his figurative sculptures, which often depict historical or literary figures. His work is characterised by its expressiveness and emotional power. Some of his most famous sculptures include the Famine Memorial (1997), Titanica (2004), and Ripples of Ulysses (2008).

Gillespie is a highly skilled craftsman and works alone in his purpose-built bronze casting foundry. He is unique among bronze casting sculptors in that he does all of the moulding, casting, and finishing himself. This gives his work a distinctively personal touch.

Gillespie's sculptures can be found in public and private collections all over the world. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Henry Moore Award for Sculpture (1988) and the Edward James Foundation Award (1993).