Fishamble Street & Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral 

(in the distance) the spire of John’s Lane Church 

(on the right) St Audoen’s Catholic Church

Today’s Christ Church Cathedral is situated in the centre of what used to be the first proper urban settlement in Dublin or the medieval city.

The Vikings fortified camp (9^th century AD) was at today’s Dublin Castle and down to Wood Quay; there was also a Gaelic settlement and the two cultures merged into a Norse-Irish / Norse-Gaelic / Hiberno-Norse population.

The 1014 Battle of Clontarf, a sort of revolt against Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, saw regional kings such as Sigtrygg Silkbeard Olafsson (King of Dublin) and Máel Mórda mac Murchada (King of Leinster) joined forces with Vikings (of Danish and Norse descent from the Isle of Man and Oakney) in vain. The names show the mix of Scandinavian and Gaelic origins. All a bit confusing… Let’s just say the Irish fought amongst themselves a lot and still win most of their Olympic medals in boxing…

In the 12^th century, the Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland in stages, all under the patronage of King Henry II of England with the support of the Pope: the Christians in Ireland were not Christian enough, they were unruly and still celebrated pagan/Celtic traditions, men of the church were not always celibate… (no comment)

Anyway, it was Dermot/Diarmait Mac Murchada, dethroned King of Leinster, who went to England and solicited the support of the English king; Strongbow (Richard de Clare) was the leading Anglo-Norman knight who conquered the east of Ireland (Dublin, Leinster). Henry II was the great-grandson of the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror – the Normans being originally Viking tribes… So that makes Irish History a sort of vodka-cider-beer-poitín cocktail… quite explosive!

This awkward map compiled in 1902 shows where the fortification walls of Dublin used to be, on the south side of the River Liffey. It shows buildings from various periods, so I have added some landmarks in colour.

Very little remains of the medieval period: a couple of towers at Dublin Castle (http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/dublin-castle.html), the site of Christ Church, St Audoen’s (church and gate) beside what is marked as “Original Walls”, The Brazen Head on Bridge Street, itself leading to “The Bridge 1210” (first bridge over the Liffey http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/james-joyce-bridge-four-courts.html)

Fishamble Street: Copper Alley Bistro (on right), 

Harding Hotel (centre), Darkey Kelly’s Bar is next door (downhill)

Fishamble Street is probably considered part of The Temple Bar district, but as that area is now a commercial trap for tourists, rather then a real historic site of interest, I left most of Temple Bar alone – although I did take a few photos along Wellington Quay (http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/temple-bar-hapenny-bridge.html)

On the historical map, Fishamble Street and Copper Alley meet, but today the Harding Hotel stands in the way. Having stayed at the Harding Hotel on Fishamble Street, I came across some information about Copper Alley which used to run through what is now the hotel reception. Dating back from the 13^th century and following the route of an early Viking street, it became known as Copper Alley in the 17^th c. because money was minted here (1608).

The name Fishamble is a contraction of Fish Shambles, as it was the location of the fish market until the 17^th century. Previously, it has also been known as Fish Street (15^th c.)

The Harding Hotel has two adjoining restaurants: the Copper Alley Bistro and Darkey Kelly’s Bar & Restaurant. In the 18^th century, Darkey Kelly was an infamous brothel, ran by a woman who received the death penalty for murder, in 1746; she was burned to the stake on St Stephen’s Green. The place is also a music pub.

Next door is another musical connection: the Handel’s Hotel, named after George Frideric Handel >

 In 1741, the Bull’s head Musical Society (of the local Bull’s Head tavern) opened a music hall on this street. A passage from Copper Alley lead to it also, as seen on the historical map.

This music hall was the venue where the very first performance of Messiah by Handel took place, in 1742. It was a charity concert, attended by 700 people. Choirs from the two cathedrals in Dublin were used. It got a warm reception, unlike in London a year later.

1903

I read that the archway is all that remains of the entrance to the original site. Nothing else remains. However, once a year, in front of the gates - where is also the Contemporary Music Centre - an open-air performance of Messiah takes place, by Our Lady’s Choral Society.

Hidden behind the gates is a commemorative sculpture…

…with letters along the walkway reading, “George Frideric Handel conducted the first performance of Messiah [etc.]”

I don’t know the name of the monument, nor date of erection… But it is a nude - so neither Handel nor the Messiah! The figure is conducting while standing on organ pipes, other details are unclear.

A hundred metres or so, on Essex Quay is one of the world’s oldest theatres, Smock Alley Theatre – Theatre Royal opened in 1662. Though it hasn’t been active all that time, the restoration, completed in 2012, has used a lot of the original structure.

Between 1885 and 1989, the site had been the Church of SS Michael and John. It was deconsecrated in 1989 and refurbished as the Viking Centre. But this was a failure and closed down in 2002. The more recent Dubliana, near Christ Church Cathedral seems to be more successful (see further down).

Viking-related artwork at the back of the building: http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/temple-bar-hapenny-bridge.html

< Right in front of the theatre is this 1988, Viking-inspired sculpture called Baíte (Irish for “drowned”).

< 100 metres, eastward, is this 2002 sculpture called Wood Quay, another Viking longboat’s prow. It stands on Wood Quay, outside the Dublin City Council.

The Dublin Corporation acquired the land to build their offices, on a site that revealed many Viking archaeological finds. Artefacts are on display at the National Museum, and I am guessing that the artwork inserted in the footpath, all around the City Council building and Christ Church Cathedral represent those items.

The council meets at City Hall (http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/city-hall.html ) but the admin staff work in these 1980 civic offices, built in Brutalist style.
Indeed, “one of the best preserved Viking sites in the world” was bulldozed in the process, despite senator and future President Mary Robinson marching with thousands of protesters to stop it.

Dublin City Council, Christ Church Cathedral

O’Donovan Rossa Bridge (1816)

Christ Church has been standing on this site for nearly 990 years.

Founded around 1030 by Irish-Norse King of Dublin Sigtrygg Silkbeard Olafsson, after he had gone to Rome, it was initially constructed in wood.

King Henry II of England is known to have visited the cathedral and received the Holy Communion here, the first time he did so after the murder of Thomas Beckett in 1171.

Around 1180, the cathedral was entirely rebuilt in stone, by the Anglo-Normand knight Strongbow, whose tomb is in the nave.

Unusually, there are two cathedrals in Dublin and both of them have been Protestant and Anglican (Church of Ireland) since the Reformation. St Patrick’s Cathedral is the tallest and largest church in Ireland; but the seat of the Archbishop of Dublin is at Christ Church (also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity).

Gargoyle at the library of the cathedral

Christ Church has been modified and restored several times since, of course: in the 14^th, 16^th, 19^th centuries and the last time was in the 1980s. So it is a mix of architecture.
The cathedral still has its huge medieval crypt (12^th c.)
The buttresses are only decorative (19^th c.)

Great sheep over the west door of Christ Church Cathedral

Winetavern Street 

Dubliana / Synod Hall (on left) and connecting footbridge to Christ Church Cathedral

Walking under the iconic passage over Winetavern Street, which was added in the 19^th century to link the restored cathedral with the new Synod Hall, which was then built across the road, by transforming the former St Michael’s Church, keeping only its bell tower (of 1815?)

^ The Synod Hall now houses Dubliana (here on right) an interactive museum which brings the Viking era and Middle-Ages back to life with re-enactment and costumes. It is popular with the tourists.

Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral (left) 

Dubliana / Synod Hall (with bell tower of St Michael’s Church) (right)

 ^ Paving design must have a significance…

  

<
Right across Winetavern Street is Cook Street, where one walks past the back of the 19^th century St Audoen’s Catholic Church.
The impressive dark wall were built in what is known as black calp, a black or grey rubble limestone commonly quarried in Dublin.

Along Cook Street is a good section of Dublin’s original medieval City Walls 

>
St Audoen’s Gate dates from 1240 and, on the slope above it, one can see the tower of another St Audoen’s Church. The oldest parish church in Dublin. Built in the 12^th century. Church of Ireland (Anglican). The tower was first built in the 17^th century and had to be repaired many times. It houses the oldest bells in Ireland (15^th c.)

St Audoen’s Gate

A couple of minutes down the road and also on the historical map, within the old fortified city: the oldest pub in Ireland, The Brazen Head, established in 1198. There is no claim as to how old the current building is.

I spent a great evening there once, there’s always live music. I recommend it.
James Joyce mentions The Brazen Head in his novel Ulysses.

Next post: The James Joyce’s Bridge -  let’s see if “his” bridge is as striking as The Samuel Beckett Bridge…
http://picturesofdubhlinn.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/james-joyce-bridge-four-courts.html

Here is Samuel Beckett by Liam O’Neill

(photo taken on Fishamble Street) >