Why no town square in Dublin?

joeguevara

New York don’t really have a square. Times Square is more of an intersection and is the shape of a bow tie. Dublin has Smithfield which until recently was an active market square selling horses. Until a crazy day when slash hooks saw the end of it being a market.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/horse-trader-gets-four-years-for-part-in-mass-brawl-at-smithfield-fair-1.559542

Thelonious Monk

Strumms wrote: »

It’s pretty horrific, mad driving, but i think we need to focus equally on shîtty dangerous driving as much as we do cycling.. both need to be called out.

Would be a bit ridiculous to put as much effort into both given only one is dangerous

joeguevara

What would be the purpose of a square in Dublin.growing up in tipp most towns did have a square but mainly used once a week for a market. Saw photos of them all with cattle and pigs but the mart made that redundant.

Using Trafalgar Square as London example doesn’t work. Firstly it’s not really near Oxford street so doesn’t fit the usual type of square. Also it is used for very little other than photo opportunity of monuments. As a young boy I have memories of going there to feed pigeons but they have disappeared.

Stephens green while not cobbled or concrete is a square that people use and congregate in. Unless you have to have a concrete one why don’t you use this.

Most squares I have seen in Europe are directly outside the main train station e.g. Amsterdam Munich. Our train station is outside the city. Finally the square around national college of Ireland has become very busy.

imme

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Will be difficult to get the G Siochana out of their warm barracks and leave their doughnuts on the table to keep us safe. Think about that.

I really thought that the Nordie Boss would shake things up, but the Superintendents have the power and always did. They are the managers of their Districts after all.

See here:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/number-of-cash-seizures-by-garda-now-at-unprecedented-levels-1.4403688

"The number of cash seizures being made by the Garda has surged to unprecedented levels as many cash-based businesses that criminals normally use to hide or launder drug money have been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

So far this year gardaí have seized €16.35 million in cash, mostly from drugs gangs, which is more than double the amount seized in recent years."

GarIT

joeguevara wrote: »

What would be the purpose of a square in Dublin.growing up in tipp most towns did have a square but mainly used once a week for a market. Saw photos of them all with cattle and pigs but the mart made that redundant.

Using Trafalgar Square as London example doesn’t work. Firstly it’s not really near Oxford street so doesn’t fit the usual type of square. Also it is used for very little other than photo opportunity of monuments. As a young boy I have memories of going there to feed pigeons but they have disappeared.

Stephens green while not cobbled or concrete is a square that people use and congregate in. Unless you have to have a concrete one why don’t you use this.

Most squares I have seen in Europe are directly outside the main train station e.g. Amsterdam Munich. Our train station is outside the city. Finally the square around national college of Ireland has become very busy.

Grand Place in Brussels regularly hosts cultural events. I think but can't be sure as I've only seen it a few times the the square in Brussels does the same. It's also a handy meet up point to start walking tours from in both cases.

You have areas in Dublin. Stephens green, docklands on both sides. I don't see why making o'connell street car free is justified for a market at Christmas that can be held elsewhere.

Wasnt the Christmas market at the chq building for a while actually?

Thelonious Monk

Well at least the Henry St stalls got the go ahead for this Christmas, lol

gypsy79

kravmaga wrote: »

Prague is a 5 star city compared to Dublin's 3 star imo.

Prague is a gangster ridden city that you need to be on the lookout for scammers every second of every minute

If you think Prague is a safer city than Dublin then you need your head tested

Thelonious Monk

gypsy79 wrote: »

Prague is a gangster ridden city that you need to be on the lookout for scammers every second of every minute

If you think Prague is a safer city than Dublin then you need your head tested

It looks gorgeous in pictures, but apparently it's like Venice nowadays and just a theme park for tourists, I can't really be bothered with places like that any more.

gypsy79

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

It looks gorgeous in pictures, but apparently it's like Venice nowadays and just a theme park for tourists, I can't really be bothered with places like that any more.

Yup and dont go off the beating track or try get a taxi without been scammed. Its a scammers paradise.

Like a medieval paradise with people just waiting for you to let fuard down

gmisk

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Well at least the Henry St stalls got the go ahead for this Christmas, lol

What a treat......everyone can't wait for them to appear to block an already busy street, selling their dodgy knock off goods and tobacco under the counter.

Thelonious Monk

gmisk wrote: »

What a treat......everyone can't wait for them to appear to block an already busy street, selling their dodgy knock off goods and tobacco under the counter.

I know, they make me avoid the street at Xmas tbh.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Will be difficult to get the G Siochana out of their warm barracks and leave their doughnuts on the table to keep us safe. Think about that.

I really thought that the Nordie Boss would shake things up, but the Superintendents have the power and always did. They are the managers of their Districts after all.

What an asshole comment to make.

I have permanent disfigurement as a result of "leaving the warm barracks" to keep you safe, over 200 Gardai suffered malicious injury last year (https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/gardai-injured-more-200-times-21183189) and one died. We also saw a Garda killer jailed. Were they all too busy eatting doughnuts?

What about the UNARMED Gardai that tackled an armed man in Ballymun and were nearly killed by the grenade he was carrying? (https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/gardai-miracle-escape-after-being-15959016)

I could litter this thread with examples of Gardai giving a lot more of themselves than any keyboard warrior. You have shown your true colours.

Dublin Spur

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

:rolleyes: this again.

Neither was London.

or Krakow

expectationlost

spurious wrote: »

Looks like that site is a campaign to put it back to a park as it was in the 90s which was really quite pleasant. Not sure how successful their campaign is/was.

WOLFE TONE PARK NOW CLOSED TO PUBLIC IS THE REGENERATION NOW UNDERWAY?
https://twitter.com/infomatique/status/1324841848460861441

expectationlost

JustAThought wrote: »

No. St Stephens Green was land privately owned by the Guinness family which was designed, created and given to the city as an open space to be enjoyed in the city centre. They also built a house for 24/7 on site park wardens in it for it to be policed for antsicial behaviour and public conveniences at a penny a pee.

the plebs weren't allowed in.

Strumms

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Would be a bit ridiculous to put as much effort into both given only one is dangerous

Both are dangerous.

One might be MORE dangerous but both dangerous and illegal.

L1011

sheesh wrote: »

St stephens green was a square at one stage but there were people formenting revolution so they had to change it a park.

So I have heard somewhere

It didn't have railings originally but the story there is nonsense.

Alicano

MrMusician18 wrote: »

"Let's go into the city to hang out in Merrion Square", said no one ever.

You must live too far away. Merrion Sq is beautiful. Far prettier than any paved or cobbled square in Europe with its typical statue of some historical figure and a fountain.
I can walk or cycle to Merrion Sq. It's really lovely in nice weather.
You could swap out Merrion Sq for pretty much any Dublin location and your point will be slightly true depending on where the individual is located. I've zero interest in far out North or south county Dublin places. Cause I'm not from there or living near there.
You've a point about junkies. I spend a lot of time running and cycling in the city. During 1st proper covid lockdown when workers were removed from the city and people stayed inside it was like a computer game of dodge the tracksuit zombie.

JustAThought

expectationlost wrote: »

the plebs weren't allowed in.

The poor were - but the criminals and beggars wern’t. Inspirational. Maybe DCC & AGS could take heed & keep them in the warm shelters serving hotel food & snooker halls and lounge rooms that abound in most of the ‘homeless’ shelters stacked up alongside each other on the quays.

People walking in St Stephens green with their families or alone should be able to dit it in oeace and safety and without some stoners or beer dazed drunks or cunning beggars eyeballing them and harassing them for money, or worse.

As for spotting a gaurd on patrol anywhere in the city centre let alone patrolling the parks - you have more chance of finding a transsexual squirrel.

pauliebdub

Alicano wrote: »

You must live too far away. Merrion Sq is beautiful. Far prettier than any paved or cobbled square in Europe with its typical statue of some historical figure and a fountain.

It's actually a bit boring, fine for a walk or a jog at lunchtime but nothing special in terms of its layout.

pauliebdub

expectationlost wrote: »

WOLFE TONE PARK NOW CLOSED TO PUBLIC IS THE REGENERATION NOW UNDERWAY?
https://twitter.com/infomatique/status/1324841848460861441

I hope so. That was one very unsuccessful attempt at regeneration when it looked so much nicer as a park in the old photos of Dublin.

expectationlost

JustAThought wrote: »

The poor were - but the criminals and beggars wern’t.

what did a criminal look like? black and white stripey jumper?

pauliebdub

pauliebdub wrote: »

It's actually a bit boring, fine for a walk or a jog at lunchtime but nothing special in terms of its layout.

And if it was a cobbled square, that would be different.....how, exactly?

John_Rambo

This has come up before. "It starts with there's not public square in Dublin" then people point out a few and the people that weren't aware of them pretend they were aware of them all the time but don't like them.

St. Stephen’s Green.
Opened in 1880, St. Stephen’s Green is perhaps Dublin’s most well-known Georgian square.

Mounty Square.
Planned and developed in the late 18th century by Luke Gardiner, the 1st Viscount Mountjoy, Mountjoy Square was once Dublin’s most prestigious Georgian square.

Parnell Square.
Perched at the end of O’ Connell Street, Dublin’s main thoroughfare, Parnell Square is the oldest Georgian square in the city.

Merrion Square.
One of the best surviving Georgian Squares in Dublin, Merrion Square’s architecture has remained unchanged for 200 years. Most notably the west side of the square has the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery and Leinster House.

Fitzwilliam Square.
Only a stone's throw south of Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square is the smallest and the last of the last of the five Dublin Georgian squares to be completed.

Temple Bar Square.
The heart and soul of Dublin’s historical and cultural activities, Temple Bar Square is a spot popular with tourists. The area is a historical hodgepodge as it was once a medieval suburb that was redeveloped in the 1600’s for British families and then again in the late 20th century to become the vibrant spot in the city filled with pubs and restaurants.

Meeting House Square
Just around the corner from Temple Bar Square hidden down a small walkway is the much more contemporary Meeting House Square. It is Dublin’s newest square, only opening in 2011.

Mayor Square.
Located in the IFSC, Ireland’s financial epicentre, Mayor Square is another square that shows off a more cutting-edge side to the city. Surrounded by Dublin’s modern architectural additions including the Samuel Beckett Bridge, IFSC House and the Convention Centre

Grand Canal Dock.
Nicknamed Silicon Docks, Grand Canal Dock is fast becoming one of the trendiest squares in Dublin. Home to tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Airbnb.

Smithfield Square.
Cafés, Restaurants, Bars and Entertainment in the heart of Dublin 7.

Amirani

joeguevara wrote: »

Most squares I have seen in Europe are directly outside the main train station e.g. Amsterdam Munich. Our train station is outside the city. Finally the square around national college of Ireland has become very busy.

Main square in Munich isn't outside the main train station.

gmisk

Alicano wrote: »

You must live too far away. Merrion Sq is beautiful. Far prettier than any paved or cobbled square in Europe with its typical statue of some historical figure and a fountain.
I can walk or cycle to Merrion Sq. It's really lovely in nice weather.
You could swap out Merrion Sq for pretty much any Dublin location and your point will be slightly true depending on where the individual is located. I've zero interest in far out North or south county Dublin places. Cause I'm not from there or living near there.
You've a point about junkies. I spend a lot of time running and cycling in the city. During 1st proper covid lockdown when workers were removed from the city and people stayed inside it was like a computer game of dodge the tracksuit zombie.

Nice food market once a week as well.

I also think Iveagh gardens are very nice, but it seems to be less of a hidden gem since the started firing a tonne of gigs into it.

The J Stands for Jay

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

It doesn't help that they're surrounded by pointy railings. In European cities they have squares with trees and green areas but they aren't fenced in and locked at night. They have the weather for it though so you'd still have families with kids running around there well into the night.

They do in Madrid

McGaggs

McGaggs wrote: »

They do in Madrid

They also have hookers openly sucking lads off near Parque Warner but rose tinted, tourist lens only in this thread

The J Stands for Jay

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

They also have hookers openly sucking lads off near Parque Warner but rose tinted, tourist lens only in this thread

Well, I didn't want to start going on about the lads on las ramblas in Barcelona who'll walk up to you and loudly whisper "heroin, hashish?", or the prostitutes towards the Columbus monument who shout out their prices in the early hours.