The Coombe (/ˈkuːm/; Irish: An Com[1]) is a historic street in the south inner city of Dublin, Ireland. It was originally a hollow or valley where a tributary of the River Poddle, the Coombe Stream or Commons Water, ran.[2][3] The name is sometimes used for the broader area around, in which the Poddle and its related watercourses featured strongly.
In the late 17th century economic development started to house the clothiers who were moving into this then suburban area. Woolen manufacture was set up by settlers from England, while many French settlers Huguenots took up silk weaving, using skills they had acquired in their home country. The Dutch constructed their own traditional style of house, known here as Dutch Billies, with gables that faced the street.[4] Thousands of weavers became employed in the Coombe, Pimlico, Spitalfields and Weavers' Square.[5]
This was in response to legislative changes and free trade policies from the newly independent Grattan's Parliament (1782). Prior to these changes, English woollen manufacturers felt threatened by the Irish industry and heavy duties were imposed on Irish wool exports. The Navigation Act was passed to prevent the Irish from exporting to the whole colonial market. In 1699 the English government passed the Wool Act which prevented export to any country whatsoever, which effectively put an end to the industry in the Liberties by the mid-eighteenth century.[6] Later, under the repealed legislation, late in the following century, a revival took place by importing Spanish wool into Ireland. This was helped from 1775 by the Royal Dublin Society, but the events of 1798 and 1803, in which many weavers took part (and represented well in historical fiction The Silk Weaver by Gabrielle Warnock[7]), and the economic decline that set in after the Napoleonic Wars and the Act of Union, prevented any further growth in this industry in the Liberties.
A Weavers' Hall was built by the Weavers' Guild in the Lower Coombe in 1682 and by 1745, when the building of a new hall was required, it was a Huguenot, David Digges La Touche, who advanced the £200 needed. The silk and poplin industries grew successfully in the first half of the 18th century. However, these industries, which were supported as mentioned by the Royal Dublin Society, were almost ruined by an act passed by the English government, which prevented the society from supporting any house where Irish silk goods were sold. When war was declared against France and raw materials were difficult to obtain, the silk weavers suffered greatly.[5]
The Tenter House was erected just off the Coombe in 1815 in Cork Street, financed by Thomas Pleasants. Before this the poor weavers of the Coombe had either to suspend work in rainy weather or use the alehouse fire and thus were (as Wright expresses it) "exposed to great distress, and not infrequently reduced either to the hospital or the gaol."
Parishes
In the year 1708, an act of parliament was passed setting up a new Church of Ireland parish, St. Luke's, for the area. In conformity with the act, a Glebe House Was erected on the Coombe for the Vicar and the church of St. Luke was built just off the Coombe. Over the next few years new parish buildings including a school, an alms house and a widows' house, were built along the Coombe to provide for the increasing population.[8]
On 10 October 1770 Lord Brabazon laid the foundation stone of the new Meath Hospital in the Coombe. In 1774 it became the County Dublin Infirmary and in 1822 the patients were transferred to the new Meath Hospital at Long Lane. A few years later Mrs. Margaret Boyle founded the Coombe Lying-In Hospital in the vacated building. The Guinness family became benefactors and built a dispensary block. In 1967 the hospital was relocated to new premises in Cork Street. The old building was demolished to make way for a Dublin Corporation housing development, retaining the portico.[4]
The Aldermen of Skinners Alley
Off the Coombe once ran Skinners Alley, famous for its society of Aldermen. When King James II displaced the Protestant Corporation of Dublin to make room for Catholics, a few members of the original body sought refuge for themselves and the regalia of the city in this obscure nook. After the battle of the Boyne they emerged from their concealment, presented themselves to King William and were by him accepted as the lawful representatives of Dublin. As the anniversary of their reinstatement came around, the corporators celebrated their deliverance by a banquet. In course of time, a convivial society was formed, calling themselves 'The Aldermen of Skinners Alley'.[9]
When tyranny's detested power had leagued with superstition, and bigot James, in evil hour began his luckless mission, still here survives the sacred flame, here freedom's sons did rally and consecrate to deathless fame the Men of Skinners Alley.
^ abD.A. Chart, The Story of Dublin (London, 1932),p.263.
Sources
Gilbert, John (1854). A History of the City of Dublin. Oxford: Oxford University.
George Newenham Wright (2005). . Online book. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
Craig, Maurice (1969). Dublin: 1660–1860. Dublin: Allen Figgis.
Bennett, Douglas (1992). Encyclopedia of Dublin.
January 06, 2023
coombe, dublin, coombe, redirects, here, other, uses, coombe, disambiguation, coombe, irish, historic, street, south, inner, city, dublin, ireland, originally, hollow, valley, where, tributary, river, poddle, coombe, stream, commons, water, name, sometimes, us. The Coombe redirects here For other uses see Coombe disambiguation The Coombe ˈ k uː m Irish An Com 1 is a historic street in the south inner city of Dublin Ireland It was originally a hollow or valley where a tributary of the River Poddle the Coombe Stream or Commons Water ran 2 3 The name is sometimes used for the broader area around in which the Poddle and its related watercourses featured strongly The CoombeClockwise from top Coombe campus of the British and Irish Modern Music Institute the Coombe Hospital Memorial Spitalfields pubNative nameAn Com Irish NamesakeNamed after the Coombe Stream from Irish com coom valley Length450 m 1 480 ft Width15 metres 49 ft LocationDublin IrelandPostal codeD08CoordinatesCoordinates 53 20 20 N 6 16 41 W 53 339 N 6 278 W 53 339 6 278west endPimlico Ardee Streeteast endFrancis Street Dean StreetOtherKnown forCoombe Women amp Infants University Hospital Contents 1 History 2 Parishes 3 Coombe Hospital 4 The Aldermen of Skinners Alley 5 See also 6 References and sourcesHistory Edit The Coombe facing east In the late 17th century economic development started to house the clothiers who were moving into this then suburban area Woolen manufacture was set up by settlers from England while many French settlers Huguenots took up silk weaving using skills they had acquired in their home country The Dutch constructed their own traditional style of house known here as Dutch Billies with gables that faced the street 4 Thousands of weavers became employed in the Coombe Pimlico Spitalfields and Weavers Square 5 This was in response to legislative changes and free trade policies from the newly independent Grattan s Parliament 1782 Prior to these changes English woollen manufacturers felt threatened by the Irish industry and heavy duties were imposed on Irish wool exports The Navigation Act was passed to prevent the Irish from exporting to the whole colonial market In 1699 the English government passed the Wool Act which prevented export to any country whatsoever which effectively put an end to the industry in the Liberties by the mid eighteenth century 6 Later under the repealed legislation late in the following century a revival took place by importing Spanish wool into Ireland This was helped from 1775 by the Royal Dublin Society but the events of 1798 and 1803 in which many weavers took part and represented well in historical fiction The Silk Weaver by Gabrielle Warnock 7 and the economic decline that set in after the Napoleonic Wars and the Act of Union prevented any further growth in this industry in the Liberties A Weavers Hall was built by the Weavers Guild in the Lower Coombe in 1682 and by 1745 when the building of a new hall was required it was a Huguenot David Digges La Touche who advanced the 200 needed The silk and poplin industries grew successfully in the first half of the 18th century However these industries which were supported as mentioned by the Royal Dublin Society were almost ruined by an act passed by the English government which prevented the society from supporting any house where Irish silk goods were sold When war was declared against France and raw materials were difficult to obtain the silk weavers suffered greatly 5 The Tenter House was erected just off the Coombe in 1815 in Cork Street financed by Thomas Pleasants Before this the poor weavers of the Coombe had either to suspend work in rainy weather or use the alehouse fire and thus were as Wright expresses it exposed to great distress and not infrequently reduced either to the hospital or the gaol Parishes EditIn the year 1708 an act of parliament was passed setting up a new Church of Ireland parish St Luke s for the area In conformity with the act a Glebe House Was erected on the Coombe for the Vicar and the church of St Luke was built just off the Coombe Over the next few years new parish buildings including a school an alms house and a widows house were built along the Coombe to provide for the increasing population 8 Coombe Hospital EditMain article Coombe Women amp Infants University Hospital On 10 October 1770 Lord Brabazon laid the foundation stone of the new Meath Hospital in the Coombe In 1774 it became the County Dublin Infirmary and in 1822 the patients were transferred to the new Meath Hospital at Long Lane A few years later Mrs Margaret Boyle founded the Coombe Lying In Hospital in the vacated building The Guinness family became benefactors and built a dispensary block In 1967 the hospital was relocated to new premises in Cork Street The old building was demolished to make way for a Dublin Corporation housing development retaining the portico 4 The Aldermen of Skinners Alley EditOff the Coombe once ran Skinners Alley famous for its society of Aldermen When King James II displaced the Protestant Corporation of Dublin to make room for Catholics a few members of the original body sought refuge for themselves and the regalia of the city in this obscure nook After the battle of the Boyne they emerged from their concealment presented themselves to King William and were by him accepted as the lawful representatives of Dublin As the anniversary of their reinstatement came around the corporators celebrated their deliverance by a banquet In course of time a convivial society was formed calling themselves The Aldermen of Skinners Alley 9 Their song went as follows 9 When tyranny s detested power had leagued with superstition and bigot James in evil hour began his luckless mission still here survives the sacred flame here freedom s sons did rally and consecrate to deathless fame the Men of Skinners Alley See also EditBiddy Mulligan the Pride of the Coombe Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Coombe References and sources EditNotes An Com The Coombe http www logainm ie en 1165873 Retrieved 22 October 2016 M Cready C T 1987 Dublin street names dated and explained Blackrock Co Dublin Carraig p 25 ISBN 1 85068 005 1 OCLC 263974843 Clerkin Paul 2001 Dublin street names Dublin Gill amp Macmillan p 43 ISBN 0 7171 3204 8 OCLC 48467800 a b Bennett p 44 a b M Gregor A New Picture of Dublin 1821 Lecky History of England in the Eighteenth Century Chapter VII Warnock Gabrielle 1998 The Silk Weaver Galway Trident Ltd ISBN 1900724197 Wright a b D A Chart The Story of Dublin London 1932 p 263 SourcesGilbert John 1854 A History of the City of Dublin Oxford Oxford University George Newenham Wright 2005 An Historical Guide to the City of Dublin Online book Archived from the original on 31 October 2007 Retrieved 2 November 2008 Craig Maurice 1969 Dublin 1660 1860 Dublin Allen Figgis Bennett Douglas 1992 Encyclopedia of Dublin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Coombe Dublin amp oldid 1127941919, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
