Wood Quay
Encyclopedia
Wood Quay is a riverside area of Dublin that was a site of Viking
settlement. Dublin Corporation
acquired Wood Quay gradually between 1950 and 1975, finally announcing that it would be the location of their new offices. Finds made during the initial excavation of the site led to a massive, but ultimately unsuccessful, public campaign to halt the development. Finds from the hastily excavated Wood Quay are now on display in the National Museum of Ireland
. Most of the quay is now entirely occupied by Dublin City Council
's Civic Offices. Two bridges cross the river at Wood Quay, one at the eastern and the other at the western end. The bridge at the eastern end is Grattan Bridge
named after Henry Grattan
, the famous Irish parliamentarian of the 18th century. This bridge which resembles Westminster Bridge
in London was until the 18th century the most easterly and therefore the closest to the sea of the Liffey Bridges. The bridge at the westerly end of Wood Quay is O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
named after the 19th century fenian.
In a later excavation between 1990 and 1993 further along the quay at Lower Exchange Street, an archaeological dig team unearthed a roundtower-like ruin from the 13th century called Isolde's Tower. This tower was first discovered in the 17th century but most of it was destroyed and covered in. Because of the dig, the construction of underground parking facilities for a planned development on the site could not be constructed at their intended location. The tower is now viewable through railings on Lower Exchange Street and the car park ramp is further to the left.
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
settlement. Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation , known by generations of Dubliners simply as The Corpo, is the former name given to the city government and its administrative organisation in Dublin between 1661 and 1 January 2002...
acquired Wood Quay gradually between 1950 and 1975, finally announcing that it would be the location of their new offices. Finds made during the initial excavation of the site led to a massive, but ultimately unsuccessful, public campaign to halt the development. Finds from the hastily excavated Wood Quay are now on display in the National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
. Most of the quay is now entirely occupied by Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
's Civic Offices. Two bridges cross the river at Wood Quay, one at the eastern and the other at the western end. The bridge at the eastern end is Grattan Bridge
Grattan Bridge
Grattan Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, and joining Capel Street to Parliament Street and the south quays.-History:...
named after Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan was an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons and a campaigner for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century. He opposed the Act of Union 1800 that merged the Kingdoms of Ireland and Great Britain.-Early life:Grattan was born at...
, the famous Irish parliamentarian of the 18th century. This bridge which resembles Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
in London was until the 18th century the most easterly and therefore the closest to the sea of the Liffey Bridges. The bridge at the westerly end of Wood Quay is O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
O'Donovan Rossa Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland and joining Winetavern Street to Chancery Place and the north quays....
named after the 19th century fenian.
In a later excavation between 1990 and 1993 further along the quay at Lower Exchange Street, an archaeological dig team unearthed a roundtower-like ruin from the 13th century called Isolde's Tower. This tower was first discovered in the 17th century but most of it was destroyed and covered in. Because of the dig, the construction of underground parking facilities for a planned development on the site could not be constructed at their intended location. The tower is now viewable through railings on Lower Exchange Street and the car park ramp is further to the left.
External links
- Wood Quay protest march 1979 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCEbkSAG1i0)