By Brian Igoe
By Brian Igoe
Dublin is a city built on a river, which is why the Vikings settled there all those centuries ago. Today, most Dubliners will tell you that in general the poorer districts are on the north side of the river, and the better off ones on the south side - Northside and Southside as they are known. But it was not always like that.
It had been, before 1720. The first classical development was the Royal Hospital, in 1680, on the Southside, in Kilmainham, around three kilometres west of St. Stephen's Green. Modelled on Les Invalides in Paris, the Royal Hospital was built as a home for retired soldiers, and remained one for over 250 years. It was Dublin's first classical building, and is still one of the finest. It now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Building development in the 1700's started with the Old Library building of Trinity College, begun in 1712, still south of the river but further east, between it and St. Stephen's Green, followed by the Printing House and the Dining Hall. And then, around 1720, came Luke Gardiner. He had built the family's fortunes as..
That is the first paragraph of the chapter, which then goes on to look at Property Developer, Northside Dublin, Henrietta Street, Charles FitzRoy, the 2nd Duke of Grafton, Charles II of England, Inns of Court, 1712, O'Connell Street, Gardiner's Mall, Sackville Street, Luke Gardiner of the Relief Acts, Baron Mountjoy, Viscount Mountjoy, Gardiner Estate, Battle of New Ross, 17th century, Rory O'More, Edward Lovett Pearse, Palladian style of architecture, Thomas Jefferson, Georgian houses, Dublin City, Liffey, 'Georgian Dublin', Parliament Building, College Green, 1729, Bank of Ireland, St. Patrick's Hospital for 'idiots and lunatics', Kilmainham, Jonathan Swift, Rutland Square, Mountjoy Square, Parnell Square, Rotunda Hospital, Gate Theatre, Mountjoy Square, 18th century Dublin, James Fitzgerald, 19th Earl of Kildare, Duke of Leinster, Richard Cassels, Kildare House, Ireland, Dublin Castle, Duke of Leinster, Leinster House, the Irish Parliament, Georgian Dublin, Merion Square, St. Stephen's Green, Fitzwilliam Square, Fitzwilliam Street, Palladian 'Country' Mansions, Carton House, Russborough House, Summerhill, Powerscourt House, Tyrone House, Leinster House, Protestant Ascendancy, harp music, 1791, Belfast, Edward Joy, Festival, Assembly Rooms, Edward Bunting, Patrick Lynch, Dennis Hempson, Irish harp, Turlough O'Carolan, Guinness.
The Book is called 'The Story of Ireland'. It is available either as a paperback, an ebook, or a much smaller "pocket" sized paper back edition (4.2" x 6.8") for travellers.The printed books can be bought online here.
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