Why no town square in Dublin?

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

JustAThought wrote: »

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

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

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.

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.

Amirani wrote: »

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

Not the hauptbahnhof but is on the Marienplatz s bahn and Ubahn. hBH is not really that central to anything

Eleven Benevolent Elephants, you've been provided with a comprehensive list of squares and civic areas in Dublin but you still want carbon copies of other cities civic spaces.

Our European cities evolved over centuries through different ages, they developed organically and were influenced by different cultures, weather, and needs of the times. They're individual cities and offer different amenities.

Hopefully College green will be developed as a civic space similar to the one you're looking for. I'd like that too, but try the other ones. Grand Canal Dock is has very very mature vibe on a summers night, lots of people out dining. and drinking without trouble. Very enjoyable.

Krakow is a perfect example