Irish Culture

Irish Culture Studies: Assignment 1

Tiago Barbosa de Freitas
D13123898
a) O’Connell Street
O’Connell Street is located right in the city center of Dublin and it is considered by many people as the most important Irish street because of its historical richness. Because of that, it became one of the most visited sites of the city. O’Connell Street has its origin in a 17th century street named Drogheda Street and was more narrow and short. Nowadays, it is located on the North of River Liffey and has a 1920’s architecture style. The street has witnessed violence, protests, as well as celebrations, parades and commemorations. Today, the street is a busy crossing and the site of a large St Patrick's Day parade.

O’Connell Street
The previous picture shows two important structures placed on this street. At the entrance of the street we can see a memorial to Daniel O'Connell himself, who was a 19th century Nationalist leader and inspiration for the street name. On the back, there is The Spire which was built in 2003.
b) Custom House
The Custom House is located in Dublin, only 5 minutes walking from O'Connell Street. This building is a classic example of Geogiana era and was built between 1781 and 1791. The frontage consists of two pavilions and in the center there is a Doric porch. There are also the keys of the vaults, sculptures of faces that illustrate the major rivers of Ireland and the Atlantic Ocean. It was designed by James Gandon and intended to house the British Customs, but after the adoption of the Act of Union of 1800 the customs authorities were transferred to London and the building became virtually obsolete. In 1921, supporters of Sinn Fein torched the building, which until then was regarded as a symbol of British imperialism. The spoiled much of the construction and much has been lost. Although the restoration has begun in 1926, it finished only 65 years later, in 1991, when the building was being used by the Irish