The Dubliner’s Dublin – Kilmainham

Not to be confused with Kilmaine, a village in Mayo with a population of 150. Kilmainham (population c. 9,000) is in newly-fashionable Dublin 8, a mile or two from the city centre. It contains several buildings of significance including the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham Gaol, St Patrick’s Hospital and Dr Steeven’s Hospital.

History The name comes from Cill Mhaighneann, signifying the church of St Mainen, a seventh-century bishop and abbot. The Celts settled here two millennia ago, taking advantage of a convenient ford in the river Camac. The Vikings followed. Then there’s Kilmainham Gaol, where leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed. This hellish, unsegregated prison where adults and children were held in appalling conditions was abandoned in 1924 and now houses a museum.

Property Locals keen to preserve the authentic atmosphere have been watching recent developments with some unease. The Old Chocolate Factory, on the site of the defunct Rowntree Mackintosh factory, features apartments and live/work units, aimed at young entrepreneurs. The Square also includes the four-star Hilton Hotel, and there will soon be an additional 72,000 square feet of office space and 4,000 square feet of retail space.

Schools Griffith Barracks Multi-Denominational School on South Circular Road is housed in an historic guardhouse, the site of a remand prison built in 1813. Famous occupants included Daniel O’Connell and Eamon de Valera. James’s Street CBS is in nearby Basin Street and the Mater Dei Primary is on Basin Lane.

Hospitals Jonathan Swift left money for the founding of a psychiatric hospital, the first in Ireland. He wrote, “He gave the little wealth he had/To build a house for fools and mad/And showed by one satiric touch/No nation needed it so much.” Today St Patrick’s is a private, not-for-profit hospital that offers occupational therapy, social work, clinical psychology and psychiatry. Dr Steevens’s Hospital, once a distinguished 18th-century medical establishment, is now a HSE administrative centre. St James’s Hospital is nearby.

Restaurants
The brasserie restaurant in the recently opened Hilton Hotel is not cheap. It offers traditional Irish, as well as international, dishes – yes they do serve Irish stew. Alternatively, the cozy La Dolce Vita is a well-regarded Italian just across the road. Friendly waiters serve tasty and reasonably authentic grub at considerably lower prices. The Grass Roots café, in the atmospheric vaults at IMMA, offers reasonable value. And the Patriot Inn does decent pub grub.

Bars and Pubs The Royal Oak on Kilmainham Lane (behind IMMA) is a gem. The clock stopped here sometime during the 1950s. Locals bring their dogs, the Guinness is great and there is no TV or muzak to compete with the hum of conversation. There’s also Carrigan’s on Old Kilmainham Road and the bright, modern Murray’s at 1 Bow Bridge.

Transport This well-located district is just 15 minutes’ walk from town. If you’re feeling lazy, hop on a 51b, 51c, 68, 69, 78a or 79 bus or take the Luas red line. Intercity services from Heuston open up the south and west to rail travelers.

Green Space The tranquil Irish National War Memorial Park is dedicated to the memory of soldiers who died in the 1914-1918 war. The grounds of the Royal Hospital include a formal garden, meadow and medieval burial grounds, plus what is reputedly the final resting place of two of the sons of Brian Boru, Bully’s acre. Robert Emmet’s body was briefly interred here but subsequently moved to an unknown location. Phoenix Park is just across the river.

Sport Richmond Park is home to St Patrick’s Athletic FC, founded in 1929. Gordon Banks, goalkeeper in the English World-Cup winning team of 1966, joined Pats towards the end of his career (1977) and played just one game – keeping a clean sheet. Guinness Rugby Football Club participates in the Dublin Metropolitan League and is based in the Iveagh Sports Grounds on the Crumlin Road, as is St James’s Gate Hockey Club.

Neighbours Kilmainham has played host to an illustrious and often troubled collection of residents. The discovery of significant Viking remains indicates early colonisation. Brian Boru camped here before defeating the Danes in 1014; the Normans arrived later (Strongbow founded the grand priory at Kilmainham in 1174). The Gaol housed many revolutionaries including the executed leaders of the 1916 Rising. More recently, singer Brian Kennedy has made his home here – and it’s full of graphic designers. Scott Burnett from Angry, Richard Seabrooke from Candy and Aiden Grennelle from Image Now are all locals.

Entertainment A visit to Kilmainham Gaol is a must. This wonderfully atmospheric museum has been used as a set for several films including The Italian Job and, more recently, an impressive new Irish movie called The Escapist. The Irish Museum of Modern Art is housed in the magnificently restored Royal Hospital. At the moment, check out the first solo exhibition in Ireland by the vibrant German/Brazilian artist Janaina Tschäpe. Now a fantastic venue for summer concerts, IMMA hosted gigs by Leonard Cohen and Iggy Pop this summer.

Politicians Kilmainham lies in the Dublin South Central constituency and as such is represented by Sean Ardagh (FF), Catherine Byrne (FG), Michael Mulcahy (FF), Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF) and Mary Upton (Labour).

Best-Kept Secret Only the spire of St Jude’s Church, lying in the shadow of the Gaol, was saved from demolition in 1988. The main body of this lovely church, which dated back to 1864, was reconstructed brick-by-brick in Straffan, County Kildare. It houses the Steam Museum, which contains prototype model trains built in Inchicore and railway artifacts from the Victorian Inchicore Railway works (Great Southern and Western Railways).

The Bottom Line The tourist potential of the area is considerable, containing as it does Kilmainham Gaol, the Royal Hospital, the War Memorial Park and what remains of the Richmond Barracks and Railway Works. But despite its proximity to the city centre, Kilmainhan feels remarkably remote. Plus, there is little sense of cohesion and the quality of many new buildings is mediocre. Haphazard development and a lack of focus is apparent, but with the Luas link, proposed redevelopment of St. James’s Gate, hope remains.

Comments

[vincent gormley]

Having grown up in Incvhicore and passing by the RHK for decades withoutnk nowing of its beauty and history, its now brilliant to be able to enjoy its riches and esp its marvellous garden. Yes, the area needs an overall plan to render its location and history a fuller expression. What a fab location and so accesible to the rest of the country. The RHK, Kilmainham goal, the Memorial Park, the Phoenix Park, 'Jaes, even Richmond Park and St. Pat's. What more do ye want !

[david sheppard.]

worked on great hall r.h.k.as a painter in the 80s.for j.f.keating.diggs lane.dublin brillant building.