O'Connell Street Dublin
The history of this famous street begins with the building of the Carlisle Bridge, across the River Liffey in 1790. This bridge became the main north-south route in the city. In 1880, it was rebuilt to cope with its heavy traffic. To its north, the bridge led onto Sackville Street. In 1924 the street was renamed O'Connell Street, after one of the most influential Irish political figures in history.
Daniel O'Connell was a famous Irish political leader. He was born near Cahersiveen in County Kerry. He rose to the fore of Irish politics in the 19th century. In 1823, he jointly founded the Catholic Association, which grew into a hugely popular nationalist political party. In 1828, he became the first Irish Catholic to be elected to the British House of Commons, which led directly to emancipation for Irish Catholics. This earned him the title of 'the Liberator' and the county has many streets, monuments and heritage sites dedicated to him, none more famous than O'Connell Street, in Dublin. At the south end of O'Connell Street there stands a monument in his honour. It was sculpted by John Henry Foley and unveiled in 1882
The Street has a long and turbulent history and was the site of some of the biggest events in Ireland's past, including the 1916 Rising and the Irish Civil War, in 1922. The General Post Office (GPO) dominates the centre of the street and dates back to 1818. It was the site of the reading of the Irish Declaration of Independence by Padraig Pierce, in 1916. Members of the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army had used the building as a stronghold during the Rising.
O'Connell Street is one of the widest streets in Europe. In recent years, there has been a conscious push to rejuvenate this famous area, much of it has been made into a modern Pedestrian Plaza, and it has been the site of huge renovation and building. The Luas Red Line now services the street and the surrounding area offers some of the finest shopping in the city, including: famous Irish department stores such as Cleary's and Arnotts; popular shopping areas in Henry Street and Talbot Street; and shopping centres in Jervis Street and the Ilac Centre. Also found on O'Connell Street is Easons, the oldest and largest book and stationary shop in the city.