Back in 2007 it was suggested that this grotto at Pier Head on the Marina should be relocated to the new Blackrock park to allow improved vehicular access to the slipways. When I visited in September 2018 and August 2021 it was still at its original location … I wonder what happened.
Note: Pier Head may actually refer to a Pub or a restaurant rather than the actual location of the grotto.
A short distance from the village is Blackrock Castle. There has been a castle on the site since medieval times but the present castle was built in the mid-19th century in mock-baronial style. It now houses an observatory and planetarium.
The Marina, a tree-lined avenue (not strictly a marina) runs along the southern bank of the River Lee from Blackrock Village past Páirc Uí Chaoimh and is a used for a number of recreational activities such as rowing, walking and cycling. The Atlantic Pond, in the shadow of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, is also used by walkers and is populated by wildlife, mainly ducks and swans.
Dundanion Castle, overlooking the Marina but difficult to access, is a ruined 16th-century castle. It is from this spot that William Penn reputedly sailed on his first voyage to America in 1682 before founding the state of Pennsylvania.
FASSAUGH AVENUE TRAFFIC ISLAND – OR IS IT A ROUNDABOUT
Bliain na Maidine (Marian Year) 1954 Erected by parishioners and friends A Mhuire A Bhainrion Lourdes Guidh Orainn (Mary, Queen of Lourdes, pray for us)
The Marian Statue in Cabra is a concrete statue of the Virgin Mary, located in the middle of a roundabout on Fassaugh Avenue. It was erected in 1954, during the Marian Year, and is one of a number of Marian statues that were built in Dublin during this time.
The statue is about 10 feet tall and depicts Mary in a traditional pose, with her hands folded in prayer and her head slightly bowed. She is wearing a long white dress and a blue cloak, and she has a crown on her head. The statue is standing on a pedestal, which is surrounded by a low wall.
The statue is well-maintained and is regularly cleaned and decorated.
Until today I did not realise that this Marian Statue is described, in some guides, as being on a traffic island rather than a roundabout so I had to go and check if there is a difference.
“Yes, a traffic island and a roundabout are different. A traffic island is a raised or painted object in a road that channels traffic. It can also be a narrow strip of island between roads that intersect at an acute angle. Traffic islands can be used to reduce the speed of cars driving through, or to provide a central refuge to pedestrians crossing the road.”
“A roundabout, on the other hand, is a circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island. Roundabouts are designed to improve traffic flow and safety, and they are becoming increasingly popular in many countries.”