Clare Street, Dublin
 Clare Street looking east to Merrion Square | |
| Native name | Sráid an Chláraigh (Irish) |
|---|---|
| Namesake | John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Postal code | D02 |
| west end | Leinster Street South |
| east end | Merrion Street, Merrion Square |
Clare Street (Irish: Sráid an Chláraigh)[1] is a street in central Dublin, Ireland.
Location
[edit]Clare Street runs from Leinster Street South in the west to the junction of Merrion Square and Merrion Street in the east.
History
[edit]Clare Street first appears on maps as a thoroughfare in 1756.[2] The street was developed by John Ensor around 1762 for the sixth Viscount Fitzwilliam.[3] It was named after John Holles Earl of Clare,[2] or his brother Denzille Holles.[4] His descendants had a number of streets in this area named for them, including Denzille Street (now Fenian Street), Denzille Lane, Holles Street, Wentworth Place, Fitzwilliam Square and Merrion Square.[2]
Samuel Beckett lived on the top floor of number 6 Clare Street, above the offices of his father's firm. While living there he wrote his first novel, More Pricks than Kicks.[4]
One of Dublin's oldest book stops, Greene's, operated from 16 Clare Street from 1843 to 2007. Initially opened as a lending library by John Greene, the Pembrey family ran the business from 1912 until its closure.[5]
Architecture
[edit]Much of the original Georgian fabric of the street remains, though with some rebuilding and adaptation. Most of the houses are now in use as offices.[3]
In 1987, listed buildings on the street including the largest surviving townhouse, were controversially demolished in spite their protected status following a period of gutting and sabotage.[6][7][8][9] The houses were finally replaced in 2002 with a new on-street entrance to the National Gallery of Ireland Millennium Wing.[10][11]
Notable residents and occupants
[edit]- Samuel Beckett[4]
- George Sigerson[3]
- The Department of Transport operate from number 25 on the street[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sráid an Chláraigh/Clare Street". Logainm.ie. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ a b c M'Cready, C. T. (1987). Dublin street names dated and explained. Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Carraig. p. 22. ISBN 1850680000.
- ^ a b c "3 Clare Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Clerkin, Paul (2001). Dublin street names. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. p. 36. ISBN 0717132048.
- ^ Walsh, Caroline (12 May 2007). "Greene's to close the covers". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ Oireachtas, Houses of the (28 May 1987). "Written Answers. - Dublin Building Demolition. – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Thursday, 28 May 1987 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Clare Street". www.danodublinimages.com. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ Mcdonald, Frank. "National Gallery to get £12.5m extension". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ Walker, Michael S. "[Clare Street, Dublin]". catalogue.nli.ie. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Greene's - a bookshop with a story to tell". The Irish Times. 24 April 2002. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "2002 – National Gallery of Ireland Millennium Wing, Clare Street, Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Department of Transport | Freedom of Information". Retrieved 9 January 2022.