Nelson’s Pillar
Nancy asked the other day if I would post something about Nelson’s Pillar.
www.joyceimages.com/chapter/7/
Nelson’s Pillar was the most prominent monument standing near the General Post Office (GPO) since 1808 in the centre of O’Connell Street, formerly known as Sackville Street, Dublin’s main thoroughfare. This was the original Nelson’s column predating the one in London by almost 30 years. It was a 36.8m (121 ft) tall column with a 3.9m (13 ft) tall statue in Portland Stone at the top.
Designed in 1808 by the English architect William Wilkins (1778-1839), the pillar was topped by Thomas Kirk’s (1781-1845) statue of Admiral Nelson. At the time it was the tallest Doric column in the world. It contained a viewing gallery at the top, and adults paid 6d (children under 12 were half-price) to climb the 168 spiral steps to a platform which gave a bird’s-eye view of the city. The diameter of the column was 13 ft at the bottom and 10 ft at the top.
All the outer and visible parts of the Pillar were of granite, from the quarry of Golden Hill, Kilbride, Co. Wicklow. The interior was of black limestone. Originally the entrance was underground but this was moved to above ground in 1896.
The pillar became a common meeting place for those new to the City and remained so right up to the time of destruction. I wonder how many romances began with a first date starting at ‘The Pillar’.
www.teachnet.ie/dhorgan/1950-60.html
By day there was a lady standing near the entrance selling fresh flowers from a baby’s pram. She was there for years. Alongside her was a mobile X-Ray van with a loudspeaker unit calling on passers-by to ‘Come and have a free chest X-ray’, between these messages they played music! One record played over and over ALL day long – Greensleeves! I know because I worked during my school holidays for several years, at an Opticians office and the loud hailer blared right in our a first floor window!
The Pillar was an unpopular symbol of British imperialism. It was blown up by the IRA at 02:00 on 8th March 1966 as their way of commemorating the Easter Rising. No one was hurt by the explosion. The closest bystander was 19-year-old taxi driver, whose taxi was destroyed.
www.ukonline.co.uk/communitysupport/nelpil2.jpg
I remember the day, it was my brother’s birthday and we were both late for work because the centre of Dublin was closed to motor traffic and we had to walk most of the way to work. The IRA action only demolished the top of the pillar, causing damage to two windows in the area. Two days after the original damage, engineers from the Irish Army blew up the remainder of the pillar after judging it to be unsafe to restore. This planned demolition caused more destruction on O’Connell Street than the original blast, breaking many windows.
No action was ever taken by the police against the bombers.
Now standing on the site of the Pillar is a 120-metre tall stainless steel needle designed by Ian Ritchie and built 2003-4. Officially called The Spire, like its predecessor, it has attracted much controversy, and alternative names.
steph said,
December 19, 2008 at 8:52 am
Fascinating stuff, Grannymar
You brought me right back to my childhood days.
I wonder how many of your readers can remember the ‘Pillar’?
I L-O-V-E the ‘Spire’ despite what people say. When viewed from Talbot or Henry Street, it looks fantastic framed by the tall buildings either side and glistening in the sun.
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 9:44 am
Thanks Steph.
I have only passed the Spire about twice - along O’Connell St and each times I was in the back of a car. I have yet to see it while on foot from Talbot or Henry Street…. some day!
Lorna said,
December 19, 2008 at 10:17 am
Do you remember the names given to the lady sculpture in the Liffey to commemorate the Millenium - ‘the whore (pronounced hoo-er) in the sewer’ was one and ‘the floozie in the jacuzzi’ another!
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 10:27 am
Hi Lorna,
Yes I remember those names. I think they were all mentioned in the comments on Tuesday for my post ”Soapy Suds’.
Lorna said,
December 19, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hi GM - sorry - a v busy week - never looked at those comments! Have a lovely xmas and here’s to another year of blogging. All the best, Lorna
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 11:58 am
No problem Lorna,
May youy find peace , love and joy this christmas time!
Nancy said,
December 19, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Grannymar,
You have done a fine job of explaining the column of Nelson. I remember my friend being so excited about the demolition.She was one of the people who collected small bits of granite from the site and sent them to friends as souvenirs;and I was fortunate enough to get one piece from her which I still have.
I love first person stories of Global events, GM and I especially enjoyed reading your account of that day.
I have seen the Spire and think it is beautiful gleaming in the Sun on O’Connell Street, as Steph said.
Thanks again for a wonderful account of this historic event.
Baino said,
December 19, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Well I never . . I always thought Nelson’s column in London was the only one.
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 7:54 pm
@Nancy - Glad you enjoyed the story about Nelson’s Pillar.
@Baino - Not so, and ours was older!
wisewebwoman said,
December 19, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I remember the day well, GM when it was blown up. I was sorry because of the view from the top which was so grand but what it represented (British Imperialism right in front of the GPO!) needed to be removed.
My father (who was a G-man)always insisted that the Irish police and army were well aware of what was intended and turned a blind eye.
Interesting they’ve never been caught, right. It took an enormous amount of expertise to do the job well.
XO
WWW
whoopsadaisy said,
December 19, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Hi GM,
Thanks for that account, I love hearing about my home town like this, I’ve never seen proper pictures of Nelson’s pillar & always wondered where exactly it stood. Now I know!
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 9:36 pm
@WWW - I never saw it as a political symbol. It was just there, the place where the busses stopped and a landmark for tourists.
@Woopsie - I never climbed the pillar. It was a place to meet on a first date for folk from the country. Mind you being a Dublin lass I always insisted that a young man should collect me from my home.
Ian said,
December 19, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Not sure how Nelson was anymore a symbol of British imperialism than a whole string of other landmarks.
The Spire looks very well - it’s in Katharine’s parish. I like the view walking up Henry Street best.
Grannymar said,
December 19, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Ian,
I agree with you. Take Uncle Arthur- who all the Irishmen adore!
Arthur leased a brewery in Leixlip in 1755, brewing ale. Five years later he left his younger brother in charge of that enterprise and moved on to another in St. James’ Gate, Dublin, at the end of 1759.
If Nelson’s Pillar was a symbol of British imperialism, then why not count Guinness as one?
philip meagher said,
December 20, 2008 at 5:12 pm
hello gm, great job on the pillar history. i remember my parents taking myself and my brother up to the top. it was amazing.
i also remember that one of my uncles from longford,who did not know dublin well at all, had to start each trip around dublin by beginning at nelsons pillar!!
Grannymar said,
December 20, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Philip,
Glad you enjoyed it!
Your uncle was not alone in using the Pillar as a base camp.
Nathalie said,
December 22, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Really enjoyed this post, thanks Grannymar. I was walking past the Spire with my little sister on Saturday and she was looking up at the it and wondering out loud if anything was there before it. I just sent her a link to this post and I know she’ll enjoy reading it too!
X
Grannymar said,
December 22, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Nathalie,
Thank you for sending the link to your sister. I sometimes forget that there are people who do not know ‘my Dublin’ from 40/50 years ago.
Ex Dub said,
October 12, 2009 at 11:29 pm
We had just moved back to the city from the country. My father always joked with my mother tht Nelsons Pillar was blown up. when it really happened she went down to O’connell Street four times in one day to see was it really true! She was soooo delighted!
Grannymar said,
October 13, 2009 at 7:48 am
Welcome EX Dub,
I am glad my post brought back memories for you!
Christopher Brosnahan said,
November 11, 2009 at 6:55 pm
I’m now 60 (9 Nov)….when I was a kid - 7 or 8 - our pastor, Msgr Thomas Morrissey, would reach into his pocket after Sunday Mass or Sunday afternoon Benediction and hand me all of his change (mistaking me for my late brother, Tim, who was born in Roscrae and adopted by my Mom & Dad in 1955) telling me to back and visit Dublin and climb Nelson’s Pillar…He died in around 1960 or ‘61 thankfully never knowing that his beloved Pillar was destroyed by the IRA. I’ve unfortunately never made it to the land of my ancestors, Ireland, but have great memories of Msgr. Morrissey’s advice to me as a young lad….perhaps one day I’ll visit and lift a pint to his (and my brother’s) memory…as well as that of Admiral Nelson & his ‘Pillar’.
Chris Brosnahan,
Port St Lucie, FL, USA
Grannymar said,
November 11, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Chris, welcome all the way from Florida. I am pleased this post brought back good memories. I do hope that you visit Ireland one day and raise a glass to your late brother Tim, and to your good friend Msgr. Morrissey.
Stephen Ferguson said,
March 2, 2011 at 6:31 pm
I think it was a disgrace blowing up the pillar It should have been considered an historical monument beyond politics but alas…….
Robert MItchell said,
June 24, 2011 at 3:13 pm
As a young man I worked in Ireland and adored Dublin’s fair city including the famous (or depending on different opinions infamous) Nelsons Pillar. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to climb to the top of the Pillar a few years before its sad demise to admire O’Connell Street below. After a 35 years absence I am visiting Dublin and surrounding areas again this autumn and hope that the warmth and atmosphere of the city will still exist. Sadly though, as an elderly man, I realise that many of the wonderful friends of yesteryear will not be there to greet me and I am sad that a beautiful monument was destroyed for politcal reasons which served no useful purpose at all.
Grannymar said,
June 24, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Robert - Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy your visit in the autumn. I the mean time try the following link for a nostalgic trip down memory lane: http://www.photography.paul-walsh.net/landscape/Cushman/
If you hover over each photo you will see how the place has changed.
Christopher Brosnahan said,
June 24, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Pardon me if I’m repeating myself….Back in the late 50s our pastor at Madonna Church in Fort Lee, NJ, USA, Msgr Thomas Morrissey (who was having bouts of dementia at the time), would stop my family and I on our way out of daily Mass and reach into his pocket for all the change he was carryin’ and hand it to ME, telling me to save it for my trip back to Ireland and to MAKE SURE I visited Nelson’ Pillar while I was there…he constantly mistook me for me brother Timothy (Dec. 1999) who was borm in Ireland and adopted into ouir family in 1955…Mom & Dad would assure him that I’d visit the landmark and leave as quickly as possible, lest they get caught for a half-hour and forced to listen his childhood memories. He was a good man…he passed away in 1961 about 5 years before the IRA destroyed the monument.
Grannymar said,
June 24, 2011 at 5:05 pm
Christopher - I remember your comment about this. You will see it above, written a couple of days after your 60th Birthday!