O'CONNELL STREET JULY 2025
O'CONNELL STREET IN DUBLIN [26 JULY 2025]
O'Connell Street is Dublin's principal thoroughfare, a grand and bustling boulevard with a rich and often tumultuous history. Named in honour of the 19th-century nationalist leader Daniel O'Connell, whose statue stands at its southern end, the street has been at the centre of many of Ireland's most significant historical events.
Originally a much narrower street in the 17th century, O'Connell Street was widened in the late 18th century and renamed Sackville Street. The street as it is known today was largely rebuilt in the 1920s after it was heavily damaged during the 1916 Easter Rising and the subsequent Irish Civil War. Bullet holes from these conflicts are still visible on some of the monuments, serving as a powerful reminder of its past.
Today, O'Connell Street is a hub of activity, lined with shops, hotels, and restaurants. It is also home to a number of iconic landmarks. The most famous is undoubtedly the Spire of Dublin, a towering, needle-like sculpture of stainless steel that stands on the site of the former Nelson's Pillar, which was destroyed in a bombing in 1966. The street is also home to the General Post Office (GPO), an impressive neoclassical building that served as the headquarters for the leaders of the 1916 Rising. Other notable monuments include statues of historical figures such as James Larkin, Charles Stewart Parnell, and Sir John Gray.
As a major transport artery, O'Connell Street is a key point for public transport in Dublin, with numerous bus routes and a Luas tram line running through it. The street is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering a blend of history, culture, and commerce in the heart of the city.
O'Connell Street is Dublin's principal thoroughfare, a grand and bustling boulevard with a rich and often tumultuous history. Named in honour of the 19th-century nationalist leader Daniel O'Connell, whose statue stands at its southern end, the street has been at the centre of many of Ireland's most significant historical events.
Originally a much narrower street in the 17th century, O'Connell Street was widened in the late 18th century and renamed Sackville Street. The street as it is known today was largely rebuilt in the 1920s after it was heavily damaged during the 1916 Easter Rising and the subsequent Irish Civil War. Bullet holes from these conflicts are still visible on some of the monuments, serving as a powerful reminder of its past.
Today, O'Connell Street is a hub of activity, lined with shops, hotels, and restaurants. It is also home to a number of iconic landmarks. The most famous is undoubtedly the Spire of Dublin, a towering, needle-like sculpture of stainless steel that stands on the site of the former Nelson's Pillar, which was destroyed in a bombing in 1966. The street is also home to the General Post Office (GPO), an impressive neoclassical building that served as the headquarters for the leaders of the 1916 Rising. Other notable monuments include statues of historical figures such as James Larkin, Charles Stewart Parnell, and Sir John Gray.
As a major transport artery, O'Connell Street is a key point for public transport in Dublin, with numerous bus routes and a Luas tram line running through it. The street is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering a blend of history, culture, and commerce in the heart of the city.