Take a self-guided walk along O'Connell Street, Dublin's widest street, for a taste of Dublin's history and culture.
Originally named Drogheda Street, this 45-yard-wide promenade was built in the 1740's and became a commercial success upon the opening of Carlisle Bridge, designed by James Gandon, in 1793 for pedestrians and 1795 for all traffic. Unfortunately, many of the Victorian and 1920s buildings on O'Connell Street were demolished in the 1970s and replaced with fast-food joints, gaming arcades, and convenience stores. O'Connell Street was restored to its former status from 2002 to 2006, creating the modern O'Connell Street that we see today. A central plaza area was built in front of the General Post Office and new street furnishings including custom-designed lampposts, litter bins and retail kiosks were installed.
Start your walk at the southern end of O'Connell Street, where the O'Connell Bridge spans the River Liffey. At the base of the street you'll find the Daniel O'Connell statue. O'Connell Street is named after this Irish liberator who demanded Irish Catholic rights in the British Parliament. Further along the street you'll find statues and monuments of William Smith O'Brien (leader of the Young Ireland movement), Sir John Gray (Irish journalist and politician), and James Larkin (founder of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union).
Other landmarks along O'Connell Street include:
Abbey Theatre (Where Yeats staged Irish themed plays.)
General Post Office (Patrick Pearse read the Proclamation of Irish Independence here in 1916.)
The Spire (aka: the Stiletto in the Ghetto, the Stiffy on the Liffey, the Pole in the Hole, the Poker near the Croker, or the Spike in the Dike)
Moore Street Market
Gresham Hotel
Garden of Remembrance
Dublin Writer's Museum
TIP: Most of the stores close at 7pm so you'll want to take this stroll during the day. read more