Living Dublin

O'Connell Street, Dublin

Where is it?

Just north of the river, stretching from O'Connell Bridge to Parnell Square. Abbey Street, Talbot Street, Henry Street and Parnell Street break off it on either side.

What's it about?

O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare, or at least it has been since the eighteenth century. The spot formerly occupied by Nelson's Pillar, and now by The Spire, traditionally has been seen to mark the city centre, or An Lár in the Irish.

Some atrocious planning in the last 50 years has allowed the street's former elegance to degenerate into a strip of fast food outlets and congested traffic. However, a recent planning initiative is setting out to redress this, creating a pedestrian plaza along the wide centre of the street and restricting traffic and the kind of businesses that can operate there. Unfortunately, this means that for the foreseeable future much of O'Connell Street is one large building site.

The streets off O'Connell Street on either side, Henry St, Abbey St, Earl St, Talbot St and Parnell St, are the shopping area of choice for many Dubliners. Here you'll find a range of quality shops offering a range of real bargains as opposed to brand labels. Clery's on O'Connell Street and Arnotts and Roches Stores on Henry Street are three of Dublin's biggest department stores, and Easons is the oldest and largest bookseller and stationer in town. Many of the major UK and international outlets occupy the ILAC Centre and the Jervis Street Centre at the end of Henry Street. Spend some time browsing the open-air stalls of the traders on Moore Street, the self-appointed custodians of Dublin wit. (Warning: Dublin wit usually requires someone to be on the receiving end - it may be you.)

At night, O'Connell Street is a clattery and noisy place, the last recourse of the cinema and nightclub crew before their drift to the city's taxi ranks and late night buses.

What's there to do/see?

Well first there's The Spire. Finding it may be like looking for a needle in a haystack, except that this particular needle is 120m high. The Dublin jury is still out on the Spire and its merits, so go along and form your own opinion. (You can read some of the opinions about it in this thread at Archeire.)

The GPO is the centrepiece of O'Connell Street, As well as its imposing neo-classical facade, it played a central part as the headquarters of the republican army in the 1916 rising, one of the most significant events in Ireland's history. Bullet holes can still be seen in the building's columns as well as in many of the statues along the street. The building still functions today as Dublin's General Post Office.

Other attractions nearby include the Hugh Lane Gallery of Modern Art opposite the Garden of Remembrance, Dublin's two main theatres, The Abbey (the National Theatre) and The Gate, several good cinemas and the James Joyce Centre. Connolly mainline rail station (north/south) and Busáras, the central bus station, are about ten minutes' walk away from O'Connell Street.

Where to stay

The four star Gresham Hotel on Upper O'Connell Street has been one of Dublin's leading hotels for almost 200 years. Across the road, the Royal Dublin Hotel offers good value for money. Other 3 star hotels in the area include Wynns, Cassidys and the Arlington Hotel.

For cheaper accommodation, try Lynams Hotel or the budget-priced Hotel Abbey.

© Living Dublin 2003-2005