Stoneybatter, historically known as Bohernaglogh , is a neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland, on the Northside of the city between the River Liffey, the North Circular Road, Smithfield Market, and Grangegorman. It is in the Dublin 7 postal district. The name dates from at least 1603.
It is often referred to as Dublin’s “hipster quarter” and was in TimeOut magazine’s list of ’40 coolest neighbourhoods in the world’ in 2019. I must admit that I don’t really know what hipster quarter means within an Irish context.
New collage artwork by Sorcha O’Higgins on 30 Manor Street and mural beside Rea auctioneers by Claire Prouvost, One of a developing network of signage and murals throughout Stoneybatter. Others can be found at Viking Place, Halliday Road, and the Scout building on Ben Edair Road.
In 2018 I noted the following description: “This building was in reasonable condition when it went on the market many years ago but over the years it shows signs of neglect and for various reasons it became attractive for pigeons”. When I photographed it in 2018 No. 30 on Manor Street with rear access from Shea’s Lane the accommodation was described as residential over retail requiring extensive works to restore it to a habitable condition.
In October 2020 it was reported, by local media, that an elderly man who faced a civil action for causing a nuisance in his locality by feeding wild pigeons at his home in Dublin has made settlement terms with the council. The feral birds had flocked to a rooftop on Manor Street and had taken up residency. Their droppings on the footpaths and beside homes in Stoneybatter led to locals making complaints.
Sorcha O’Higgins is a collage artist with a background in architecture and urban art. Often abstract and figurative, her work compositions bold colours, patterns, and contrasting elements to construct playful but forthright imagery. Created as part of the Greening of Stoneybatter Initiative, and with help from Stoneybatter Pride of Place, The Urban Living Room celebrates the practice of ‘neighbouring’ – social interaction done on the doorstep and out-and-about that has built and sustained community relations in Stoneybatter for generations.
The northern end of Stoneybatter derives its name of Manor Street, bestowed in 1780, from the Manor of Grangegorman in which it was located. During the reign of Charles II (1660-1680), the Manor was held by Sir Thomas Stanley, a knight of Henry Cromwell and a staunch supporter of the Restoration. The short thoroughfare in Stoneybatter called Stanley Street is named after him.
Stoneybatter, historically known as Bohernaglogh, is a neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland, on the Northside of the city between the River Liffey, the North Circular Road, Smithfield Market, and Grangegorman. It is in the Dublin 7 postal district.
It is often referred to as Dublin’s “hipster quarter” and was in TimeOut magazine’s list of ’40 coolest neighbourhoods in the world’ in 2019.
James Collins’ 1913 book Life in Old Dublin notes that “Centuries ago (Stoneybatter) was called Bothar-na-gCloch”. In Joyce’s Irish names of places we find the following interesting information as to the original name of the place: “Long before the city had extended so far, and while Stoneybatter was nothing more than a country road, it was — as it still continues to be — the great thoroughfare to Dublin from the districts lying west and north-west of the city; and it was known by the name of Bothar-na-gCloch (Bohernaglogh), i.e. the road of the stones, which was changed to the English equivalent, Stoneybatter or stony road”.
Stoneybatter is the main location for events in the Tana French novel “The Trespasser” and the area is mentioned in the Irish folk song “The Spanish Lady”.
THIS IS COWTOWN BY JOSEPH O’CONNOR … PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART ON MANOR STREET PHOTOGRAPHED JANUARY 2021
The last time I photographed this was with an iPhone XR and I was not happy with the results as there was a lot of annoying lens flare. This time I used an iPhone 12 Pro Max and the result was much better.
I first heard the expression “cowtown” four or five years ago but I did not, at the time, appreciate its relationship with the area and it was only when I came across the Cowtown Cafe on Manor Street that the penny dropped.
Back in the 1950s the Dublin Cattle Market, located on Prussia Street in Stoneybatter (nicknamed ‘Cowtown’), was the largest weekly livestock sale in Europe. Some people have found memories of the cattle sales and associate activities.
My recollection is totally different, because of British cheap food policy prime cattle were shipped live to the UK where the profits were made by wealthy dealers and the treatment of livestock was terrible. Also as a result of the markets the area was plagued with rats … I know because I had friends who lived in the area.
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