Portobello is an area of Dublin in Ireland, in the south city centre, bounded to the south by the Grand Canal.

It came into existence as a small suburb south of the city in the 18th century, centred on Richmond Street. During the following century it was completely developed, transforming an area of private estates and farmland into solid Victorian red-bricked living quarters for the middle classes on the larger streets, and terraced housing bordering the canal for the working classes.

As a fast-expanding suburb during the 19th century Portobello attracted many upwardly-mobile families whose members went on to play important roles in politics, the arts and the sciences. Towards the end of the century came an influx of Jews, refugees from pogroms in Eastern Europe, which gave the name "Little Jerusalem" to the area.

About 12 years ago I read in the Irish Times that the 19TH century Kingsland Church at St Kevin’s Road in Portobello was to be sold on behalf of the trustees of the Methodist church. At the time the asking price was about €1.3 million for the building which ceased being used as a church in the 1940s. From the 1950s, the church was used as the Women’s Only Employment Exchange. It would appear that this building is currently used by the Department Of Social Welfare as an Employment Exchange and its official address is 29 Victoria St, Dublin 8, D08 E6C1. [NOTE: It is possible that the building has recently ceased to be an employment exchange].

Victoria Street off St. Kevin's Road was originally named Kingsland Park and apparently is attracted a unwelcome reputation as a "red light" area as some of the houses were occupied by "ladies of the night".