Reply To: college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians

Graham I dont know whether its called Blarney house! But its dire nonetheless.

Saw a montage of the proposed replacement – its just as banal as its predecessor.

Have to also remark that, as I have said before, trees should not dominate exceptional works of architecture. All of the trees on College Green should be removed as they obscure some of Ireland’s best works. Can you think of any similar plaza in Europe so dominated by trees? Imagine the Grand Place in Brussels with these London Plane Trees – no doubt they thought that the fine square looks better without. Clerys and the GPO can at last be well appreciated without those obscuring London Planes.

These trees camofage Foster Place and inhibit uninterrupted views of both Trinity and The Old Parliament, not to mention the fine builings on the south of the street – the detailing on the old Ulster Bank and the Closed Bank of Ireland are particular works of High Victorian skill (and sculpture – note the statue at the top of the closed Bank of Ireland with the lettering ‘Erin go Brath!’)