1673 – De Gomme Citadel Proposal, Dublin

Sent to Dublin in 1673 to examine the harbour and defences of the city, Sir Bernard de Gomme had just recently completed the large Tilbury artillary fort on the Thames estuary in England. In a report back to the King, he recommended that a large citadel be constructed at Ringsend with a causeway back to the city. It was an enormous proposal – a massive multiple pointed star 600 meters across with a perimeter wall of over two kilometers in length. The sheer expense of the project meant that it received a rather cool reception in London – it was estimated as £131,227, which was an enormous amount for the time. The site he selected was also selected by Andrew Yarranton for a series of docks and canals for the city. In the end, neither project progressed.