WOLFE TONE STREET AND PARK THE REFURBISHMENT IS WELL UNDER WAY
Phase one, the redesign and refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Street to create a more pedestrian friendly environment with new public lighting and street furniture and the use of a historic materials palette, creating both a high quality environment and character area.
Phase two involves the refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Park, everything within the park has been designed with intent: from the proposed new feature lawn, the retention of the existing mature trees, the proposed horticulture, to conservation and recognition of the parks history as a graveyard.
Specified in the contract
Design and installation of all temporary traffic management, including complex pedestrian management Installation of high quality stone paving including antique granite kerbing and setts Working in an area of historic importance, requiring extensive archaeological monitoring Resurfacing works to the newly realigned carriageway Installation of new signalised pedestrian crossing Refurbishment works to existing watermain Installation of new street furniture and works to the park including extensive landscaping Construction of stone faced retaining walls within the park setting.
Wolfe Tone Park, sometimes known as Wolfe Tone Square, is a public space in Dublin. Named for Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763–1798), the park is the site of a graveyard that was attached to St. Mary’s Church. The graveyard was deconsecrated in 1966 and laid out as a green park. In 1998, Dublin City Council held an international competition to redesign the park, which was won by Peter Cody of Boyd Cody Architects. The park in its current form was completed in 2001.
The park is the final resting 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, parish rector William Fletcher (1715–1771), and Lord Norbury (1745–1831; known colloquially as the hanging judge).
Since the park layout was changed, the park had been made available by Dublin City Council for events – such as the Dublin Fringe Festival. However, following a campaign from local residents to restore “Wolfe Tone Park as a non-commercial green space”, as of 2015, there has been debate in the Council as to the future use of the park.
The Wolfe Tone Park Community is committed to campaigning for the restoration of Wolfe Tone Park (Square) and surrounding streets for the benefit of local residents and visitors to the area: “Residents living around Wolfe Tone Park have witnessed the demise of the area through neglect and mismanagement by Dublin City Council and event organisers. In particular, the redevelopment of the space in 2001 that retained only some of the original lawn area. The remaining lawn was removed after a month-long event in 2006.”
Despite many protests and legal objections the St Francis Bridge in Kilkenny was opened in 2017 after massive cost overruns. The new bridge provides a direct route for cars and heavy vehicles right through the “Medieval Mile” of the city, splitting St Canice’s Cathedral from the rest of Kilkenny.
Kilkenny has four main bridges – Green’s Bridge, John’s Bridge, the Ossory Bridge and the St Francis Bridge. – and two pedestrian/cycle bridges – the Lady Desart Bridge and the Ossory Pedestrian Bridge. Each of the bridges spans the River Nore.
Green’s Bridge, also known as the ‘Great Bridge of Kilkenny’, crosses the River Nore in St. Canices Parish in the townland of Gardens, and is an important element of the architectural heritage of Kilkenny City. First built before 1200, the bridge has been rebuilt several times since the twelfth century due to flooding, including the great floods of 1487 and 1763. The present-day bridge was built in 1766 after the ‘Great Flood of 1763’. It was built by William Colles (c. 1710–70) to designs prepared by George Smith (1763–67), a pupil of George Semple (c. 1700–82).
John’s Bridge connects John Street to Rose Inn Street in Kilkenny City. It was first built after 1200, and has been called ‘John’s Bridge’ since the Middle Ages. It has also been rebuilt many times since the twelfth century due to flooding. During the flood of 1763, people gathered on John’s Bridge after Green’s Bridge collapsed. John’s Bridge also collapsed, and sixteen people died. The present-day John’s Bridge was completed in 1910 and spans 140 ft (43 m) across the River Nore. It was reputedly, at the time it was completed, the longest single-span reinforced bridge in Ireland or Britain. The design was by Mouchel & Partners using the Hennebique system of reinforcement. The arch consists of three ribs, tapering from 2 ft 6 in (0.76 m) to 2 ft (0.61 m) deep. The traverse deck beams are each 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.
The Ossory Bridge, linking the ring-road, was completed in 1984 and features an inlaid sculpture. St Francis Bridge was opened in May 2017, and forms part of the Kilkenny Central Access Scheme. The scheme and the proposed building of the new bridge was the subject of some debate and protest in Kilkenny in 2014.
Lady Dysart Bridge and Ossory Pedestrian bridge are the city’s two pedestrian/cycle bridges. Lady Desart Bridge was opened in January 2014 and links John’s Quay and Bateman Quay and is located between John’s Bridge and Green’s Bridge. The Ossory Pedestrian bridge, located underneath the main Ossory bridge, links the Canal Walk on one side of the River Nore to the Lacken Walk on the other side.
The ongoing works include realignment of Wolfe Tone Street to improve pedestrian facilities and upgrade works on Wolfe Tone Park.
According to Dublin City Council the Wolfe Tone Park & Street Environmental Improvement Scheme offers a new destination point for all, as an ever-changing civic space where daily life and spectacle collide. The contextual design offers a thriving and inviting multi-use urban space for all ages and abilities, to be treasured by residents, workers and visitors. The design consists of two phases:
Phase one, the redesign and refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Street to create a more pedestrian friendly environment with new public lighting and street furniture and the use of a historic materials palette, creating both a high quality environment and character area.
Phase two involves the refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Park, everything within the park has been designed with intent: from the proposed new feature lawn, the retention of the existing mature trees, the proposed horticulture, to conservation and recognition of the parks history as a graveyard.
Wolfe Tone Park, sometimes known as Wolfe Tone Square, is a public space in Dublin, Ireland. Named for Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763–1798), the park is the site of a graveyard that was attached to St. Mary’s Church. The graveyard was deconsecrated in 1966 and laid out as a green park. In 1998, Dublin City Council held an international competition to redesign the park, which was won by Peter Cody of Boyd Cody Architects. The park in its current form was completed in 2001.
The park is the final resting 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, parish rector William Fletcher (1715–1771), and Lord Norbury (1745–1831; known colloquially as the hanging judge).
Since the park layout was changed, the park had been made available by Dublin City Council for events – such as the Dublin Fringe Festival. However, following a campaign from local residents to restore “Wolfe Tone Park as a non-commercial green space”, as of 2015, there has been debate in the Council as to the future use of the park.
The Wolfe Tone Park Community is committed to campaigning for the restoration of Wolfe Tone Park (Square) and surrounding streets for the benefit of local residents and visitors to the area: “Residents living around Wolfe Tone Park have witnessed the demise of the area through neglect and mismanagement by Dublin City Council and event organisers. In particular, the redevelopment of the space in 2001 that retained only some of the original lawn area. The remaining lawn was removed after a month-long event in 2006.”
WOLFE TONE STREET AND PARK IS CURRENTLY BEING RECONFIGURED
The next time you visit you may not recognise the area.
Wolfe Tone Park & Street Environmental Improvement Scheme offers a new destination point for all, as an ever-changing civic space where daily life and spectacle collide. The contextual design offers a thriving and inviting multi-use urban space for all ages and abilities, to be treasured by residents, workers and visitors. The design consists of two phases:
Phase one, the redesign and refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Street to create a more pedestrian friendly environment with new public lighting and street furniture and the use of a historic materials palette, creating both a high quality environment and character area.
Phase two involves the refurbishment of Wolfe Tone Park, everything within the park has been designed with intent: from the proposed new feature lawn, the retention of the existing mature trees, the proposed horticulture, to conservation and recognition of the parks history as a graveyard.
The new design for Wolfe Tone Park & Street Environmental Improvement Scheme will provide a green oasis and destination point in the heart of Dublin’s bustling city centre.
NEW GARDEN OR MINI-PARK ON WOLFE TONE STREET AT THE BACK OF SMYTH TOYS
This is part of Wolfetone Close which is a complex of public housing flats developed by Dublin Corporation [now Dublin City Council] about twenty years ago but unfortunately the area in my photographs remained unfinished until a few weeks ago.
The complex is on Wolfe Tone Street near the corner with Parnell Street, opposite the Virgin Cinema complex. It occupies a piece of land bounded by Jervis Street, Parnell Street, and Wolfe Tone Street that for many years consisted of large ugly carparks and a number of derelict buildings.
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