Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Across the Liffey, on Dublin's north side, are two theaters,
the
Gate
and the
Abbey,
that have set the standard for Irish
theater in this century. The Gate was founded by and flour-
ished for decades under Michael MacLiammoir and Hilton
Edwards, a respected gay couple. The Abbey, for its part,
gained a reputation for stage-Irish productions served up
for overseas tourists. Their stature makes them not immune
from but prey to Irish irreverence—they were collectively
known as “Sodom and Begorrah.”
The city's newest monument is the
Millennium Spire,
a
120m-high (394-ft.) conical spire made of stainless steel,
designed by London architect Ian Ritchie. The new spire is
hoped to reflect Dublin of the 21st century and replaces Nel-
son's Pillar, which was erected by the British during colonial
times. Dubliners have had great fun coming up with a suit-
able nickname for its latest monument. So far, the front run-
ner is simply “The Spike.”
Anna Livia,
Joyce's mythical personification of the River
Liffey, used to be found cast in bronze on O'Connell Street
across from the General Post Office. Reclining in a pool of
streaming water, Anna had been nicknamed by locals “the
floozie in the Jacuzzi.” But she was moved to make room
for the Millennium Spire and hasn't found a new home yet.
abandoned after the surrender and execution of many of the Irish
rebel leaders. It reopened as a post office in 1929 after the formation
of the Irish Free State. In memory of the building's dramatic role in
Irish history, an impressive bronze statue of Cuchulainn, the leg-
endary Irish hero, is on display. Look closely at the pillars outside—
you can still see bullet holes from the siege.
O'Connell St., Dublin 1.
&
01/705-8833.
www.anpost.ie. Free admission.
Mon-Sat 8am-8pm; Sun 10:30am-6:30pm. DART: Connolly. Bus: 25, 26, 34, 37,
38A, 39A, 39B, 66A, or 67A.
Leinster House
Dating from 1745 and originally known as Kil-
dare House, this building is said to have been the model for Irish-
born architect James Hoban's design for the White House in
Washington, D.C. It was sold in 1815 to the Royal Dublin Society,
which developed it as a cultural center. The National Museum,
