Back in 1968 I was a stevedore and a union rep and had to operate in this area and in order to do so I had to have a bodyguard. In reality the union rather than my employer, the B&I Shipping Company, controlled my day to day activities.
When I visit the area today I often meet people who remember the good old days but soon realise that they have constructed a false history. However, if I engaged with them and explain my background they usually admit that they have no desire to return to the past as their children now have a superior lifestyle. While many many may have been in dire poverty some earned huge money, if they had skills or connections.
The area is much better now than it was black then but by the same token I have no problem with certain people believing that things were better in the 60s and 70s because they did not receive what they were promised when Dublin’s IFSC, which was set up by the Irish Government with EU approval, was established in 1987. At the time my father said that while an army cannot move the people native to an area there is no doubt that the builders and their bulldozers can.
North Wall is an area east of the inner north side of Dublin, along the River Liffey. It contains the entire north side of Dublin Docklands and includes the International Financial Services Centre, Spencer Dock, and further east the main part of Dublin Port.
The area is dominated by a combination of older housing, dockland activities and new development through the Docklands Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme, including extensive construction of new retail, residential and office spaces.
Transport in the area includes the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (Docklands railway station on Sheriff Street), the LUAS (red line stations George’s Dock, Mayor Square, Spencer Dock, and The Point, and 8 dublinbikes stations (at Custom House Quay, City Quay, Excise Walk, Lime Street, Guild Street, Convention Centre, New Central Bank, and The Point).
Richford Motors were based at 73 North Wall Quay and I have some photographs dating from May 2012.
Keeping the facade of old buildings appears to have become a popular form of preserving the past but I finding it more than disappointing. However, in this instance, I cannot really complain as it is a case of history being repeated. The previous building was built for the Dublin & Glasgow Steam Packet Company and it was essentially a façade retention with a modern building behind.
A local told me that the Heysham was a new hotel and they were wrong but to be fair there is a new hotel nearby.
Here is a description that I found online: “The Heysham represents a stunning fusion of contemporary and Victorian Architecture set in the heart of Dublin’s vibrant North Docklands. The contemporary glazed structure extends seven floors above the existing two storey, red brick warehouse to provide a truly unique office setting. The cutting edge design provides an exceptional waterfront office HQ over nine light-filled floors.”
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