O’Connell Street is not just Dublin’s capital, but through its statues and buildings can be told the story of Ireland’s path to freedom and independence.
The wide street is book-ended by the statues of Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell, heroes of the Home Rule movement and in between is the iconic General Post Office (GPO) famous from the 1916 Easter Rising. The street has many other statues and locations from Irish history, literature and cinema.
All of this is explored on this 2 hour walking tour, vividly brought alive by our guide Eamon Delaney, a historian and specialist on public art.
We hear of the long struggle for independence and freedom : from the old House of Commons on nearby College Green through to Home Rule and the Fenians and on to the 1916 Rising. The tour concludes, appropriately, at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square.
En route, we see the statue of Labour leader Jim Larkin and hear about the 1913 workers Lockout. We also see William Smith O’ Brien and explore the Fenian movement. We go to where Cathal Brugha was shot during the Irish Civil War and where the Fianna Fail party was founded after that Civil War.
We also cross the paths of old cinemas, music halls and scenes from famous novels and stories, as well as exploring the history of O’Connell Street itself – formerly Sackville Street and before that Gardiner’s Mall.
Above : The ruins of O’Connell Street after the 1916 Rising. We explore how the Insurrection was suppressed but ultimately led to political Independence.
Above : The final scene of The Dead, the famous short story by James Joyce, set in a bedroom in the Gresham Hotel on O’Connell Street. The scene is depicted above in the 1987 film version, starring Angelica Huston and Donal McCann.
Eamon will read from this moving story and talk about Joyce’s other works, which also feature O’Connell Street.
We move on to see the statue of a man who was a hero to James Joyce – and to almost all Irish people : Charles Stewart Parnell, founder of the Land League, which supported the rights of tenants, and leader of the Home Rule movement, which sought Irish self rule.
Nearby is the site of the Ladies Land League, founded by his sister, Anna(pictured above). Parnell disapproved of his sister’s involvement in politics, however, and the Ladies League was shut down. She never spoke to him again.
Apparently, she had a better understanding of Irish society and politics than he did.
After discussing the Parnells, we cross over to the Rotunda and proceed up Parnell Square towards the Garden of Remembrance…….
The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden marking Ireland’s long search for independence. It was to near this site that captured rebels from the GPO were taken in 1916.
With its cruciform shape, reflecting pool and dramatic Children of Lir sculpture by Oisin Kelly, the garden is a popular attraction and is used for many commemoration ceremonies.
In 2011, it was famously visited by the late Queen Elizabeth, who laid a wreath in a moving act of respect and reconciliation between the two countries.
Appropriately, this is where our tour ends and where our guide will bring together the tour’s different aspects of history, culture and character.
The first date for this new tour will be on Sunday, 21 June, starting at 11.00 am, and meeting up on the pedestrian median (traffic island) beside the Daniel O’Connell memorial.
Join us for a fascinating two hours ramble around this wonderful Dublin thoroughfare!
Book now via PayPal or contact eamondelaney2@gmail.com or call 087 9465974.
Cost is 20 euros, in cash on the day, or via PayPal :https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/EamonDDelaney
The Lion and the Shamrock 