Wolfe Tone Park, also known as Wolfe Tone Square, is a public space in Dublin. It is bounded by Mary Street to the north, Jervis Street to the east, and Wolfe Tone Street to the west.
The park is the site of a graveyard that was attached to St. Mary’s Church, and is named for Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763–1798), who was baptised in the church. The graveyard was deconsecrated in 1966 and laid out as a green park. From 1998 to 2001, Dublin City Council redeveloped the park as an “urban plaza”. The park was closed for further regeneration works in late 2020, and reopened in mid-2022.
The site, formerly the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, was the burial place of the United Irishman Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751–1834), Mary Mercer, founder of Mercer’s Hospital (died 1734), the philosopher Francis Hutcheson (1694–1746), Sir Boyle Roche, 1st Baronet (1736–1807), an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons, and Lord Norbury (1745–1831; known colloquially as the hanging judge).
From the 1960s to the 1990s, the site operated as a green space, maintained by Dublin City Council. In 1998, the council held a competition to redesign the park, which was won by Peter Cody of Boyd Cody Architects. The updated layout, in the form of an “urban plaza”, was completed in 2001. After the square’s layout was changed, it was made available by Dublin City Council for events, including the Dublin Fringe Festival.
Following a campaign from local residents to restore Wolfe Tone Park as a non-commercial green space, there was debate in the council as to the future use of the park as of 2015. Ultimately the park was closed between 2020 and 2022, and Dublin City Council redeveloped and restored it to a green space.
I am not sure if I would consider it to be a green space but it is much better than it was and to date anti-social activity has reduced.
A public consultation on the pedestrianisation of Capel Street earlier this year found that the vast majority of respondents said their experience of the street has improved since it was closed to vehicle traffic and I was one of those people.
My understanding is that Dublin City Council has engaged the services of BSLA [Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects] to landscape the street and a public meetings have been arranged for next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Following a tender process, Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects have been invited to design an interim street improvement scheme to be installed before the summer. These designers are based on Mary’s Abbey, just off Capel Street and have extensive knowledge of the street. The first stage in this process is to hold a workshop with councilors, local residents and local businesses to gain their views on what would work for the street. This is due to be held in the Capel Street area in mid-November and councilors, residents and businesses will be invited to participate. Following this initial workshop, a design will be advanced and further workshops will be held with the local community. This process will be driven by a collaborative approach.
A Shopfront Improvement Scheme is to be launched to encourage property owners and tenants to reinvigorate their business facades – painting, flower boxes, improved signage etc.
The junction of Ryders Row and Capel Street will undergo a greening enhancement in January 2023 to make this entrance into Capel Street more welcoming.
The City Council in partnership with the Dublin North Inner City Local Community Safety Partnership and DublinTown will be piloting a new pro social community warden scheme in the Capel Street and Wolfetone Park areas. The wardens will work with stakeholders including Gardai, City Council, Businesses and Residents on identifying areas for improvement, pop up events, advising shoppers/tourists on activities and places to see.
This year a small Christmas Tree has been installed on Capel Street towards the southern end of the street later this month.
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