George's Dock, Dublin

George's Dock (Irish: Duga Sheoirse)^[1] is a Georgian dock in the Docklands area of Dublin forming part of the International Financial Services Centre.

George's Dock
Native name Duga Sheoirse
Map of the original dock area in 1840
Location	Dublin
Coordinates	53°20′59″N 6°14′51″W / 53.3496°N 6.2476°W / 53.3496; -6.2476
Built	1821
Architect	John Rennie the Elder John Rennie the Younger
Location of George's Dock in Central Dublin

History

Located near the Custom House,^[2] the dock was originally built in 1821 as a working maritime dock and was named for George IV of the United Kingdom.^[3] The Inner Dock (previously Revenue Dock), was constructed a few years later in 1824 following the death of John Rennie the Elder and was completed by his son, John Rennie the Younger.^[4]

Along with the old Custom House Dock, designed by James Gandon in 1796, the three docks and the various warehouses formed what was later known as the Custom House Docks.^[5] The Old Dock was infilled in 1927 with many of the store buildings and the swing bridge across the inlet removed to make way for an extension of Amiens Street and Beresford Place through to Custom House Quay, thus creating a new stretch of road now known as Memorial Road.^[6] It would later link to Talbot Memorial Bridge in 1978.^[7]

As with other public spaces within the Docklands, George's Dock was redeveloped during the 1980s and 1990s with elements of the Custom House Harbour apartment complex being constructed on a new island within the Inner Dock.^[3][8]

 

Insurance Plan of the City of Dublin from 1893 showing George's Dock and parts of the Inner Dock

 

Insurance Plan of the City of Dublin from 1893 showing the Old Dock and parts of George's Dock

Alternative uses

 

The Inner Dock in 2019

George's Dock has been used by Dublin City Council as an event space including for the annual Dublin Oktoberfest festival and the showing of sporting and live music events.^[9]

In 2021, controversial plans to convert the dock into a white water rafting facility were postponed after a Dublin City Council vote.^[10][11][12]

Transport hub

From a transport perspective, the George's Dock Luas stop is served by the Luas Red Line which runs from Tallaght to Connolly and from Busáras to Point Village (3Arena). Dublin Bus serves nearby North Wall Quay and East Wall Road with routes 33d, 33x, 53a, 74, 74a, 90, 142, 151 and the 747 Airlink service to Dublin Airport. The Red Line extension opened on 9 December 2009.^[13]

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to George's Dock, Dublin.

See also

• CHQ Building

References

1. "Duga Sheoirse / George's Dock". Irish Placenames Commission. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
2. "History - The Port - Dublin Docklands". Dublindocklands.ie. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
3. "History - The Custom House Docks - George's Dock". Turtle Bunbury. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
4. "Inner Dock, George's Dock, Dublin 1, DUBLIN". buildingsofireland.ie. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
5. "History of Port". Dublin Port. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
6. Casey, Christine (1 January 2005). Dublin: The City Within the Grand and Royal Canals and the Circular Road with the Phoenix Park. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300109237. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
7. "John Rennie - The Dublin Custom House Docks and Stores". The Rochester Bridge Trust. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
8. "Custom House Docks Regeneration". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
9. "George's Dock Platform - Dublin Docklands". DublinDocklands.ie. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
10. Coyle, Colin (29 November 2023). "If we build this Dublin white-water rafting facility for €25m, will they come?". TheTimes.co.uk.
11. O'Loughlin, Ciara (6 December 2021). "Controversial white water rafting facility on Dublin's George's Dock has been shelved". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
12. Maguire, Mairead (21 August 2023). "Development at 'white water rafting' site at stalemate as council 'in limbo'". TheJournal.ie.
13. O'Brien, Tim (9 December 2009). "New Luas extension through Docklands opens". The Irish Times. from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2020.