DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN VISIT THE SAINT HERE IN DUBLIN
Throughout the centuries since Valentine received martyrdom there have been various basilicas, churches and monasteries built over the site of his grave. Therefore, over the years, many restorations and reconstructions took place at the site. In the early 1800’s, such work was taking place and the remains of Valentine were discovered along with a small vessel tinged with his blood and some other artefacts.
In 1835 an Irish Carmelite by the name of John Spratt was visiting Rome. Apparently his fame as a preacher had gone before him, no doubt brought by some Jesuits who had been in Dublin. The elite of Rome flocked to hear him and he received many tokens of esteem from the doyens of the Church. One such token came from Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846) and were the remains of Saint Valentine.
On November 10, 1836, the Reliquary containing the remains arrived in Dublin and were brought in solemn procession to Whitefriar Street Church where they were received by Archbishop Murray of Dublin. With the death of Fr Spratt interest in the relics died away and they went into storage. During a major renovation in the church in the 1950s/60s they were returned to prominence with an altar and shrine being constructed to house them and enable them to be venerated. The statue was carved by Irene Broe and depicts the saint in the red vestments of a martyr and holding a crocus in his hand. Hand-painted replicas of this statue are available in our Church Shop.
Today, the Shrine is visited throughout the year by couples who come to pray to Valentine and to ask him to watch over them in their lives together. The feast-day of the saint, February 14, is a very popular one.
Throughout the centuries since Valentine received martyrdom there have been various basilicas, churches and monasteries built over the site of his grave
The Steps Pub Is Located Across The Road From The Wellington Monument – At The Corner Of Emmet Street And Patrick Street.
A few days ago I discovered that my Grandfather was the owner of this pub a long time ago. I had been aware that another member of the family once owned Marcie Regans Pub which is one of the oldest in Ireland.
The Steps Pub was in reasonable condition when I photographed in December 2014 but it appeared to be somewhat neglected when I photographed it today [Christmas 2023]. I was surprised when my brother, who lives in Trim, told me that the Steps Pub is no longer in business as it ceased trading in 2023. The reasons for the pub’s closure are not clear. However, it is likely that the pub was struggling, post-Covid, to compete with newer pubs in the area that offered more modern facilities and entertainment but a large number of pubs have closed in the last few years for a variety reasons. According to one recent report: “Ireland’s pubs are shutting down fast with Cork and Limerick losing almost one-in-three of all licensed premises since 2005. Of the 108 pubs that closed last year, half – 54 – were in Cork. Changing lifestyles, rural depopulation plus tougher drink driving laws and enforcement has hit rural pubs hard”. According to the Irish Times an average of 152 pubs have shut each year since 2019 and over 450 pubs have gone out of business since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Pub is not a protected structure but the letter box is a protected structure NIAH Reg. No: 14328009 … Wall-mounted cast-iron post box, c. 1905, with ER VII insignia. This cast-iron post box is an important feature in the social and urban fabric of the town and is located at a prominent crossroad. The execution of the raised lettering and crown is particularly pleasing in this simple post box. Cast-iron post boxes which are still in use are becoming less common and are often replaced by modern boxes.
INITIALLY I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS BUILDING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE OLD POST BOX ON THE SIDE WALL [THE STEPS PUB IN TRIM COUNTY MEATH]-226389-1
INITIALLY I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS BUILDING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE OLD POST BOX ON THE SIDE WALL [THE STEPS PUB IN TRIM COUNTY MEATH]-226390-1
INITIALLY I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS BUILDING ONLY BECAUSE OF THE OLD POST BOX ON THE SIDE WALL [THE STEPS PUB IN TRIM COUNTY MEATH]-226391-1