Dublin's O'Connell Street. The destruction of outdated statues and monuments is nothing new!
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- Опубліковано 1 бер 2023
- Today we’re going to take a walk down Dublin’s iconic O’Connell Street.
We’re starting up at the junction of Parnell Street, and we see the Parnell Monument in front of us - Charles Stewart Parnell being an important Irish Nationalist Politician and champion of Irish Home Rule.
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We’re going to walk just short of the O’Connell bridge at the river Liffey. We’ll talk a bit about how this street has developed architecturally as we go.
The street is 600m long and 46m wide nowadays it’s only busses and delivery vans that tend to use the street, but I remember, and it’s not so very long ago, that this was a major traffic artery through Dublin and in fact you would arrive in this street if you were coming down from Belfast. I remember my car breaking down in this street and we caused enormous traffic chaos.
The street, in its current layout, was originally called Sackville Street and was developed in 1757 from the previous Drogheda Street, a street only a 3rd of the width of this street. So this new boulevard of Sackville Street was a product of a planning body called the wide streets commission.
We pass the Gresham Hotel, which opened in 1817 in two adjoining town houses, but as you can see it was later remodelled into the beautiful building we see today.
The street began to unofficially take on the name O’Connell Street, after Daniel O’Connell otherwise known as “The Liberator” who furthered the cause of Catholic Emancipation in the 19th Century. There were however considerable objections to the new name by many of the rich occupants of the street in the latter part of the 19th Century so that it wasn’t until 1924, after partial Irish independence was achieved that the name was officially changed.
This is one of the places where you can get your Hop on Hop off tourist buses. I’m sure that’ll be of interest to some visitors to the city. It’s quite a good way actually, to get around the city’s attractions fast if you’ve limited time.
The street suffered quite badly, particularly in the 1960’s and 70’s from poor planning decisions leading to many some of the last Victorian and 1920’s buildings being destroyed to make way for new builds. Some of the offices and fast-food outlets that now exist here do so as a result of the loss of several important heritage buildings. So, we get a mix of some very high quality buildings and some very ordinary places with the kinds of shops and fast food outlets that you might expect in a major city street.
In June 2003 a new phase of work on the street commenced leading to the improved street we see today. This plan included wider pedestrian areas, reduction of traffic and planting of trees.
The spire, Dublin’s tallest sculpture, occupies the site where Nelson’s pillar originally stood. It was destroyed in an Irish republican bomb in 1966. So, while the removal of outdated memorials is a subject very much in the news today, you can see that this revisionist thinking was happening in Dublin quite some time ago.
On the right of the street you can see the portico of the GPO, perhaps the most iconic building in the street. I’ll not say too much about it since I’ve already dedicated a film to it which you can check out if you’re interested.
• GPO Dublin, conflict i...
It was on the steps of this building that Padraig Pearse and his comrades read the proclamation of the Irish Republic in 1916, seizing the building. This Building and many others on the street was destroyed by British artillery during the rising which followed.
We also pass the old Cleary’s Department Store, previously Delany’s “Monster Store” of 1853. This was one of the world’s first purpose-built department stores.
When the GPO was rebuilt only this 1818 façade remained of the original building. More destruction of the street happened at the outbreak of the Irish Civil War in 1922 meaning that most of the street’s buildings date from the early 20th Century. Cleary’s and the Greshem hotel both also had to be rebuilt after hostilities. Cleary's closed alas in 2015.
We pass a statue commemorating the worker’s rights activist James Larkin. He gave a speech here in 1913 during what became known as the Dublin Lock out at which Police charged and arrested him. During the riots that ensued, two people were killed and 200 arrested with many others injured.
As we head south down the street we can see the Luas tram crossing along Abbey Street. The Luas is a relatively new addition to the city’s transport infrastructure. I’ll be making a separate video about that soon, so look out for that.
Really interesting street with a long history. It’s a pity some of these buildings aren’t being used, particularly Clearys
Cleary’s is a sad loss, but sure these big dept. Stores are closing down everywhere.
Cleary's has been redeveloped into a beautiful, modern building.
I worked very briefly in Dublin in 2005 and stayed on Gardiner Street, I was on O’Connell Street a few times and only took two pictures! One of them includes the Jim Larkin statue, the other the Daniel O'Connell one with the Heineken building in the background. I remember being quite underwhelmed by the street but I was probably stressed form work. Back then it was open to cars as you said.
You recall I said I ate in a good pub in Dublin once? I spotted it 😃, it was the Grand Central on O’Connell Street, spotted it as the Luas tram when past
I bet you were popular blocking traffic broken down and some international gestures came your way 🤣🤣.
That car breakdown was a nightmare Rob! Still remember it. It was in an old Lada Rive!
@@nakedireland I remember them well 😂
@@WelshRob1964 Good sturdy cars actually, but not that day!
@@nakedireland Happens to the best of them, the joys of motoring aye 😁
Not like now. People rarely open their bonnets these days. Years ago they were never closed!
On the last bit of footage if you lookup at the statue you’ll see nullet holes left from the 1916 revolution 👍thought I’d mention it
I noticed that Paul. The GPO is also riddled with them.
I love O’Connell street…it’s pretty! I saw clearys the other day, the hoarding has come down now. I’m not sure what they’re doing with it?
Hopefully something good will go in there? Thanks for watching.
🎉 maybe a hotel 😅
The more hotels the better I think - Dublin is so expensive to stay in!!
@@nakedireland that’s so true! They’re mighty expensive! But going to different cities in Ireland isn’t too bad. I think Belfast is the same too
Belfast is still relatively cheap for accommodation, though I’m not sure how long that will last. My recent stays in Galway and Dublin where shockingly expensive. I’m really starting to feel that I’m priced out of the market!
No mention of the 1966 explosion that finally removed Nelson’s column?
Just couldn’t fit that in unfortunately. Though I think I’ve mentioned it in another video somewhere. Thanks for watching Paul.
Did ya know there's a street in Dublin city centre called after william of Orange!😂
It wouldn’t be William street by any chance? Just a guess.
@@nakedireland nassau street, ...house of Orange and Nassau
Thanks for the info Brian, interesting!
Where is s the steps? I’m coming here n 2 weeks time
What steps Paddy?
That Bloody music aaaarrrggghhhh But great documentary
The aule jazz isn’t for everyone Michael. What would you suggest for a bit of ambiance behind the narration?
The music is too loud for background music
Sorry Stephen, I hope it didn’t ruin your enjoyment of the film too much.
super mosques in dublin ..things are only going to deteriorate.