Underneath Dublin?

[Rory W]

Paul Clerkin - Really lostcarpark? Where was the bunker?

I remember hearing that there was one down at Ormonde Square in the markets area that was filled in. There was also one at Mounjoy square I think.

[MG]

In Tuesday's Independent:

As you approach College Green from Pearse Street, just to the left of the original and only station on the Dublin Underground and one-time public jacks, that island that Joyce named the Meeting of the Waters in honour of the statue of Tom Moore

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=45&si=942233&issue_id=8944

Now is there any truth in this? Or was it a Flann O'Brian gag about the underground station?

[Rory W]

A gag I believe - the trick was to send tourists down there "don't forget honey - we're getting on in fir and going to O'Connell st" was the line alegedly heard from an american...

[iuxta]

a neighbour of ours who was born and lived in stoneybatter prior to her marriage, told us about a series of cellers/tunnels underneath the garage that is being rebuilt on the North Circular near Hanlons Corner.

Apparently there are a whole series of underground yards on the site and they were used as lairages for cattle bought at the corporation markets across the way, before they were shipped out or brought off down the country.

The garage has used them to store cars in, so i imagine they have been in use up to recent times are must be of a reasonable size, but can you imagine what it would be like to descend into underground chambers and tunnels filled full of cattle?

[brianf]

taken from soc.culture.irish
Mysterious underground tunnels under Clontarf

Excavation work on the Dublin Port Tunnel has uncovered mysterious underground tunnels in the Clontarf area. Surveyors on the project have stated that the network of tunnels which stretch for several miles are too deep to have been an old sewerage system and are obviously man-made. The tunnels were uncovered late last week and are currently being mapped and investigated by archaeologists from Irish Antiquities Division of the National Museum of Ireland and surveyors from Duchas.

The construction company in charge of the project remains tightlipped but speculation is rife in the Irish historical community. According to Fergus McLinden, an archaeologist at Queen's University Belfast "We're guessing wildly here as we haven't seen the shafts and tunnels yet but they may have been old mines of some sort. They're quite deep underground and hewn out of solid rock"

"As to what else they could be, we have no idea. There were no major British military installations in the area so they're unlikely to be escape routes. There is also some speculation that they may have been connected to the St Anne's Park in Clontarf, but they seem too expansive for that."

Local historian and politician Barry Ahern had an alternative theory to offer. "Clontarf Castle was originally an important Knights Templar preceptory, before they fell foul of the Inquisition. This was after they were famously rounded up on Friday the 13th, 1307, thus giving birth to the superstition concerning the date of Friday the 13th. What makes all of this particularly intersting is the local legends in Clontarf concerning hoards of buried treasure and valuables that the Templars may have secreted in the area at that time. No-one really has any idea what could have been buried by the Templars. Nearly everything has been suggested from hoards of coins to important documents and religious Templar artefacts. Some have even suggested that Clontarf could have been the last resting place of the Ark of the Covenant..."

Meanwhile further tunnelling is being carried out at a slower pace in case further tunnels are uncovered that may collapse or cause damage to the drilling equipment.

This is not the first hold-up on the Port Tunnel project. In recent weeks, contractors have had to investigate cracking in a house in Marino. CIE have also complained about the tunnel causing movement in the railway line on the main Dublin-Belfast line.

[ewanduffy]

The construction company in charge of the project remains tightlipped but speculation is rife in the Irish historical community. According to Fergus McLinden, an archaeologist at Queen's University Belfast "We're guessing wildly here as we haven't seen the shafts and tunnels yet but they may have been old mines of some sort. They're quite deep underground and hewn out of solid rock"

Wearing another hat, that of Treasurer of the Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland, I asked a fellow board member of the MHTI (who is an employee of the Geological Survey of Ireland)to check this out and his reponse was that it is a hoax per Dublin Port Tunnel management. He is also not aware of any historic mines in the Clontarf area.

This is the second time that I've checked out a posting from soc.culture.irish and found it to be untrue.

[Rory W]

I remember hearing about historic lead mines in Clontarf - I cant be sure which book I read it in - could have been "Ingeneous Ireland" - I'll check it when I get home!

[ro_G]

i really think some underground flash mobbing would be fun.

All we would need is several people to turn up in the city centre close to a tunnel site, with miners helmets and archiseek t-shirts, and then see hom many members of teh general public people we could tempt into a hole in the ground

But then again, it's a ridiculous idea. What would be great however, if there was an organised Underneath Dublin tour.

[James]

Despite most of the interest cited on this thread there are very few underground 'spaces' in Dublin.

A couple of railway tunnels, several culverted rivers and the odd bomb shelter usually shallow and dating from the last war.

There might be undiscovered mediaeval mines outside of the city and possibly a souterraine within the walls - none have been discovered to the best of my knowledge - the society of antiquaries might have some info in this regard.

Lastly, if you must go 'below ground' do so through a potholing club. The railway tunnels are all 'live', the culverted rivers (such as the one beneath Smithfield) are all fast moving, confined within very small areas and are not navigable. Generally, below ground spaces, even shallow ones such as bomb shelters, are extemely dangerous. On no account try to enter into any of these spaces.

Get a life lads - theres a lot going on above ground and plenty else to risk your neck at without causing a rescue crisis!!!.

[Paul Clerkin]

Originally posted by ewanduffy
[B]

Wearing another hat, that of Treasurer of the Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland, I asked a fellow board member of the MHTI (who is an employee of the Geological Survey of Ireland)to check this out and his reponse was that it is a hoax per Dublin Port Tunnel management. He is also not aware of any historic mines in the Clontarf area.

This is the second time that I've checked out a posting from soc.culture.irish and found it to be untrue. [/B]

Yep, a fake story
http://www.p45blogs.net/pquarantecinq/archives/000312.html

[niallo]

i know its not dublin, but there are some great sites out there about london underground and its ghost stations etc.

[Morlan]

I do remember an incident when I was at St. Andrews College in Booterstown many years ago.

During a rugby game on one of the main pitches a young lad but his foot through the ground. A tunnel was found which had its roof supported by old wooden beams. It turned out to be a very old tunnel running from the coast at the DART station all the way up to the school. It was thought to be a smugglers tunnel for shifting illegally imported booze from the beach there. I can’t seem to find anymore info about it.

Also, isn't there a tunnel running from Killiney beach to Dalkey Island or is this an old myth?

[bluefoam]

When we were kids we used to go into the Dalkey Island tunnel the entrance was mostly bricked up but had been broken down, unfortunatley the tunnel was collapsed after a few meters.

[phil]

Bluefoam, where is that entrance?

[Morlan]

Originally posted by phil
Bluefoam, where is that entrance?

You walk up beyond White Rock and it's tucked away in the rocky area there. Quite obvious if you have a look.

[ewanduffy]

You walk up beyond White Rock and it's tucked away in the rocky area there. Quite obvious if you have a look.

White Rock Lead Mine. There were more mines just under Sorrento Terrace, so it is not improbable that the two groups of mines were connected.

[kefu]

Coincidental the way this thread has popped up again. This is a tender ad that went out today - wonder what it's for:-
Title: Dublin Liffey Services Tunnel. Awarding Authority: Dublin City Council. Notice Type: Tenders
Abstract: This contract involves the construction of a 2.5 metre internal diameter tunnel under the Liffey Estuary adjacent to the Eastlink Bridge in Dublin City for a distance of approximately 240M. Construction of 20 metre deep approximately, 5.5 metre internal diameter shaft. Strengthening existing 20 metre deep approximately, 9 metre internal diameter shaft. Various ancillary works including small above ground structures and permanent reinstatement of all surfaces. Protection of existing services crossing site, including a high pressure gas main. Diversion of specific services where required. The contract also includes for the construction of two large concrete services ducts from the tunnel shafts to the adjacent public roadways.

[bluefoam]

You have just reminded me. My younger brother went to school in Ranelagh & mentioned a tunnel that went from the school to somewhere in the city centre.

Possibly a staff link between the school (which would have been a house in its day) and a city centre residence. I'd love to go through it.

[bluefoam]

Bluefoam, where is that entrance?

Sorry for the delay in my response......

The Dalkey tunnel entrance is (if my memory serves me right) at the waterfront, down the side of the school (Lorretto I think). I doubt there is much to see there anymore - it was collapsed quite near the entrance.

[Rusty Cogs]

Hello all,

I did some work in a cyber cafe on O'Connell Street (under the amusements). Underneath it is an old ice cream factory that stretches way back down towards The Abbey. At the "front" of the factory, there is an entrance (almost totally blocked up) to a tunnel that runs right accross O'Connell Street to apparently underneath what is now "Supermacs" on the other side of the street. Its apparently one of several that crisss-cross the street. Couldnt persuade the guy to let me have a look though. Will try to find out some more detail.

Regards,

Simon

I know the building your talking about & funny you should say coz the owners own another building on Burgh Quay where there is a tunnel which runs under the Liffey and (possibly) all the way up to the ice-cream factory (now the cyber - cafe).

[phil]

Sorry for the delay in my response......

The Dalkey tunnel entrance is (if my memory serves me right) at the waterfront, down the side of the school (Lorretto I think). I doubt there is much to see there anymore - it was collapsed quite near the entrance.

No problem Bluefoam. I must check it out.

Thanks

Phil

[GrahamH]

I read that O'Cll St post recently - wonder if it was dug up during the works, or would they have gone that deep?
Wonder what it was used for - though slightly more pressingly, why the heck was there an ice-cream factory underground on O'Connell St ?!!

[ofoughlu]

The Casino in Marino has underground tunnels too.

These links give some background, and one describes a ½ mile tunnel. The tunnel was useful for cold storage, according to one piece.

http://www.iol.ie/~stdavids/Other_Interesting_Features.html#other

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/HistoricSites/DublinArea/CasinoMarinoDublin/

I grew up in the area, and there was an urban legend describing a complicated network of several miles of tunnels. One was supposed to extend as far as St David’s in Artane, about a mile away. As I say, probably an urban legend…

[ewanduffy]

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/property/2005/0428/3555835682RPQUIRKY.html

If the link is blocked, due to no Ireland.com subscription, try nicemove.ie. There is a link on the lefthand side of the page.

[Maxwiggan]

I used to work in Centra on westmoreland st on the corner of the building known as Ballast House. From the basement of the shop we had access to one tunnel which went first of all towards the river for about 5m and then turned right at a 90degree angle towards Westmoreland st where it was sealed by a heavy metal door but the tunnel appeared to continue under the street possibly to link with the drains which have bee mentioned previously on this thread. the passage is about a metre wide and lined with fresh looking cast concrete At least about 10 years old judging from its relative cleanliness) which i thought was strange because the building is at least 100 years old judging from the plaque beside the dan oconnel pub.