MB OMaoileoin
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Garathace, I agree with your point that institutions like DIT need a campus. However, I think there is a distinction to be made between DIT which is effectively an amalgamation of institutions and Dublin University which is one institution with one constituent college. It’s no doubt too late now, but I think Dublin University should have been encouraged to found more than one constituent college (as Oxford and Cambridge Universities did over the centuries) with each college being allowed to develop its own identity, architectural style, recreational space and teaching/residential accommodation. Ultimately, there was never the necessary funding to enable this to occur – either before or after Independence – although there probably was a chance before the Act of Union as the former Irish Parliament provided substantial funding in the 18th century for many of the buildings which now form part of Trinity College.
In terms of foreign universities, Oxford and Cambridge both stand out to me for their architecture (old and new) and their collegiate (as opposed to federal or unified) structure. Why does TCD have to keep expanding? Instead, why doesn’t Dublin University just build a new college (or colleges) on another site? I know there was talk in the 1960’s of TCD and UCD forming part of a new university but I think it was more along federal lines.
Trinity College is of course Dublin University’s only college. Why weren’t more colleges built as happened over the centuries at Oxford and Cambridge Universities? In any case were there ever any plans to expand Dublin University in this way?
If you use the 24 hour clock it’s 00.00 and 12.00 otherwise it’s 12 midnight and 12 noon (as was once pointed out to me by a pedantic court clerk when listing a hearing). Either way a late night service would be great; after all, don’t some metro systems operate 24 hours a day?
Thanks for that. Work was progressing on my last visit so assume it will be ready for traffic in early 2005. I have also read about an eastern bypass under the bay. Is it ever likely to happen (at least in the next decade)?
Personally, I think an underground metro would have been a better option from the start but there seems little point critising the Luas project at this late stage (in any case most of Line B is segregated anyway). However, what I don’t understand is why having decided to go ahead with it the plan did not include a connection between Line A and Line B (which should have then run on to the airport) at this stage in the project.
One other point: why has nobody thought to include a station/s at UCD on the “dream” metro/luas map – thousands of people must travel there every day from all over the city for most of the year.
Anyone got any recent photographs on the work done so far on each of the lines? I had a look recently at http://www.luas.ie but it seems as if it hasn’t been updated for months.
Why was the decision made to terminate Luas Line B at Sandyford rather than allow it to continue along the old Harcourt Street line to Bray?:confused:
I bought a book in the late 80’s entitled “In the Houses of Ireland” which included a house in this area which was still being used as a private house. It certainly fits the description of the one you have seen anyway. I’ll have a look for it and post the details of it although it may well be out of print by now.
New Luas link to the Point could cost an extra €50m
THE Luas light railway may be extended 1.6km from Dublin’s Connolly Station to the Point Theatre – at a cost of €50m . . . or €31,250 per metre.
It would end the long slog on foot for music fans from the city centre to the Point and improve public transport for 30,000 people due to live and work in the north docks area.
If the line is approved by Transport Minister Seamus Brennan, the cost will be shared by Dublin City Council, the capital’s Docklands Development Authority, private docklands developers and the State’s Railway Procurement Agency, which unveiled the new line yesterday.
Developers building high-rise apartments and office blocks in the rapidly-growing north docklands – between the IFSC and the Point – have been hit with a levy to pay for more than half the cost.
The Railway Procurement Agency said it will make a compelling business case to the minister for the line, following a period of public consultation. It could be completed by 2006.
However, possibly extending Luas to the Point raised serious questions yesterday about the decision three years ago to remove the approach ramp to Connolly Station at a cost of €30m to allow Luas enter the station at ground level.
Had the ramp been left in place there could have been a stop at Harbourmaster Place, at the rear of the station. This would have allowed passengers journey from Connolly to the Point without first having to enter the station and be ‘reversed out,’ as would now happen. Work on removing the ramp is continuing this week.
RPA chief executive Frank Allen said the ramp was being taken away on foot of a rail order, following a public inquiry relating to extension of the Tallaght-Middle Abbey Street line to Connolly Station.
Any question of keeping it was now “academic” and “would not make any sense at this stage”.
The agency would prepare a business case for extending the line, including how to fund it.
DDDA chief executive Peter Coyne said 20,000 people would work in the area by 2006 and a further 10,000 would live there.
Three possible routes for the line, called C1, have selected, with a final choice to be made within the next three months.
Route options are:
* Double track, extending from the Luas terminal stop at Connolly Station across the junction of Harbourmaster Place and Mayor Street along this street, across a bridge over the Royal Canal and continuing towards a Point Depot terminus.
* A second option is double track from Busarus, turning north along Harbourmaster Place and east of Connolly towards the IFSC entrance. A single track would continue through the laneway beside Connolly Station into Sheriff Street and continue eastwards before turning south to run along Commons Street, east along Mayor Street, crossing the Royal Canal and on to the Point.
* Third option is a single-line loop along Harbourmaster Place down the laneway east of Connolly, onto Sheriff Street, Commons Street and Mayor Street, with links between Busarus and Connolly Luas stops.
Treacy Hogan
Environment CorrespondentGreat pictures. better than the luas website!
2 questions:
1. Why is there a line C (ie why can’t the line from Tallaght run straight through to the docks)?
2. Has there ever been any thought given to running a spur off the Dublin/Belfast railway line into the airport?
Thanks for the replies. Haven’t been since February 2002 when Taney Bridge was still in its very early stages of construction. It looks great. Will it have an official name or is it simply going to be called “Taney Bridge”?
Have seen some of your (fjp) other photos which bring back lots of memories (especially the ones of Dundrum and the city centre) as I’ve left Dublin quite a few years now. Strangest are the photos from the early 80’s – I’d forgotten how many derelict sites there were around the city.
Michael
When the Office of President was created under The Constitution of Ireland there were apparently quite a number of people who wanted the President to reside in somewhere other than what had been the Viceregal Lodge up to 1922 and which subsequently became until 1937 the Governor-General’s Residence. As usual no agreement could reached as to an alternative suitable residence and so Douglas-Hyde moved into the house which was then renamed Ãras an Uachtaráin.
Before 1922 the Chief Secretary and the Under Secretary also resided in the Phoenix Park in what became the American Ambassador’s residence and the Papal Nuncio’s residence respectively. These houses could have been considered for use as residences for the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister but I suppose at the time there was neither the will nor the money to ensure this happened.
