Guide to Temple Bar Dublin
Essential Guide About Dublin’s Temple Bar
Dublin’s world famous cultural district Temple bar dates back to the city’s history as a Viking stronghold and was first settled in 795.The area resembles a rectangle and is bordered by the river Liffey to the north, Dame Street to the south and is book ended by Westmorland Street to the east and Fishamble Street to the west.
Why Is it Called Temple Bar?
The area was known originally known as St. Andrew’s parish and there is a debate about how it became known as Temple bar, one theory and the most popular is that it’s named after Sir William Temple who was provost of Trinity College from 1609 to 1627, Temple had his house and gardens here. The second theory is that it was called after the area of the same name in London as the district in London also contains streets called Fleet Street and Essex Street, the third and most colourful theory was that as the area was once the red light district in Dublin the Jewish Rabbi of the Dublin Temple issued a ban or bar on Jews visiting the area, the bar from the Temple became the area’s name.
Guide To Temple Bar
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The Growth of Temple Bar
In the early 18th Century the area contained Dublin’s Custom House and was a thriving commercial district however the opening of the new customs house in 1791 shifted the axis of trade to the north bank of the river and Temple Bar fell in to decline for the next 200 years.
Fast forward to the early 1980’s and Ireland’s national transportation company C.I.E started to buy up cheap run down property in Temple Bar and planned to build a massive bus station on the site. While awaiting permission from the city to build the bus station CIE rented some of these properties at cheap rates and the area became a mecca for artists, musicians, and fringe stores and businesses of all kinds.This new left bank area quickly became a big hit with Dubliners and plans were shelved for the bus station, the Irish Government set up an agency to oversee the future development and rebirth of Temple Bar.Some of the first people to spot the potential of Temple Bar where Bono and The Edge of rock band U2, they bought The Clarence Hotel and turned it in to one of the top places to be seen in Dublin.
Today this thriving area is one of the must see places on any visitor’s list of things to in Dublin. Visit during the day time an wander the cobbled streets and take in sights such as the Dublin Stock Exchange, The Central Bank, SmockAlley Theatre (one of the oldest in Europe) , or visit the site of the first performance of Handle’s Messiah. At night the area come alive as the streets are filled with Dubliners and visitors alike enjoying the unique atmosphere that is Temple Bar.
Planning A Trip To Temple Bar
If you are planning a trip to Dublin and want to reserve a private tour of Dublin or perhaps car service to and from Dublin Airport, Dublin’s leading chauffeur service would be delighted to help in any way we can with your visit be it business or pleasure.
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