DUBLIN LANDMARKS and the History behind them
The Four Courts played a brief role in the 1916 Rising but suffered major damage in 1922 when Michael Collins decided to use force to remove the anti-Treaty forces who had occupied the building
Four Courts, the seat of Ireland's Judiciary, is situated on the River Liffey. Commandant Edward Daly sent a portion of rebel forces, under Lt. Joseph MacGuinnes, to seize Four Courts on the morning the Rising began. The force of only twenty men marched to the Chancery Place entrance, ordered a policeman to hand over the keys and took control of the building. The rebel force was able to hold the building for almost six days before they were forced to surrender the building and escape
The Custom House was designed by the most famous architect of the 18th century, James Gandon. Gandon's other masterpieces include the Four Courts and the King's Inns, as well as some elements of the old parliament ( now the Bank of Ireland).
The Custom House was constructed between 1781 and 1791. It was a controversial project and met with opposition from the city merchants and dock workers, who were unhappy with the location.
In 1921 during the War of Independence it was destroyed by a fire, which raged for five days. The damage was so extensive that many feared that the building would have to be demolished. Others were of the opinion that it should not be restored as it represented British Imperialism. Fortunately, good sense prevailed and the necessary reconstruction was carried out in 1926 at a cost of £300,000.
A detailed examination of the stonework in 1979 revealed that the damage from the fire had caused deep fissures in the stone. Since 1984 repair work has continued in order to ensure that this architectual masterpiece will be preserved for coming generations.
The Mansion House was built in 1710 and purchased in 1715 by Dublin Corporation from Joshua Dawson. Since then it has served as the residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin. It is essentially a red bricked Georgian House which has since been rendered and given some additional Victorian features such as the iron work at the entrance.
The Dining Room was the venue of many important meetings which Collins attended. Scenes for thefilm were shot here.The Round Room at the rere of the Mansion house was built in 1821 for the visit of King George IV. It was here that the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1919 and the signing of the Treaty in 1921 took place.
The Royal Exchange was requistioned as a temporary military depot by the British authorities during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. This rebellion led to the Act of Union of 1800, which abolished the independent Irish Parliament and united it with the Parliament in London. The Irish leader, Daniel O'Connell, spoke against the Act at a public meeting held at the Royal Exchange in 1800. Subsequently, business in the capital deteriorated rapidly: by the 1840's the exchange was virtually idle. Dublin Corporation purchased the building in 1851 and on the 30th September 1852 the Royal Exchange was re-named City Hall at the first meeting held there of Dublin City Council.
The funerals of leading Irish patriots have taken place in City Hall, including Charles Stewart Parnell, Jermiah O'Donavan Rossa. In 1916 Easter Rising the building was seized by the insurgents.
In 1922 City hall became the headquarters of the Irish provisional Government, whose Chairman was Michael Collins. His office was situated on the ground floor of City Hall. After his death Collins was laid in state in City Hall in August 1922.
Permission was given to re-paint some of the interior walls for the filming of 'Michael Collins' and some scenes were shot in the Members' Room.
DUBLIN CASTLE >The Citizen Army, under John Connelly, attacked Dublin Castle shortly after noon on 24 April 1916 and launched an assault on the Guardroom. For some reason, Connelly did not press his takeover of the Castle, but instead sent parties of men to occupy nearby businesses and City Hall. Had he realized that fewer than twenty-five soldiers occupied the Castle, his decision might have been different.
Dublin Castle, the centre of British power in Ireland until 1922, combines many architectural styles. It dates back to the 13th century. Today only the Record Tower, built between 1202 and 1258, remains intact from the original Norman Castle. The original castle was built on the orders of King John in 1204. One of the most beautiful buildings in Dublin Castle is the Bedford Tower. It was designed by Thomas Ivory and erected between 1750 and 1760. Like many of Dublin's most important sites, Dublin Castle, was attacked by the Patriots in 1916. In 1922 Dublin Castle was handed over to Michael Colleens, Chairman of the Provisional Government.
The Shelbourne hotel. The Hotel, built in 1824, is located on the north side of St. Stephen's Green Park. Citizen Army Commander Mallin, when occupying the Green, did not send a detachment to take over the Hotel, with its commanding view of the Park. On the second day of the Rising, the British sent a force of one hundred men to occupy the Hotel and opened fire on the Citizen Army in the Park. After a fierce three-hour assault by British machine guns, Mallin was forced to order a retreat of his forces to the College of Surgeons. The constitution of the Irish Free State was also drafted at the Shelbourne in 1921
Trinity College located in the heart of Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1. By providing an educational establishment in Ireland, as an alternative to colleges on the continent, she hoped that students could avoid being 'infected with popery'. Trinity remained an almost exclusively Protestant until 1970, when the Catholic Church lifted its ban on Catholics entering. The Reading Room, where scenes from Michael Collins were filmed was built in 1937.
On a street behind Collins Barracks lies Arbour Hill Cemetery, the final resting-place of fourteen of the leaders of the Easter Rising. It is a simple memorial consisting of a granite wall with the Proclamation of the Republic (in Gaelic and English) etched in it and gold cross in the middle. The grassy area in front of the memorial is marked with the names of the fourteen buried there. In fitting symbolism, the Cemetery is bordered by a prison. Even in death these men are still guarded.
Tune : Dublin in the rare ould times . Played by Phil Mack