Poolbeg () is an artificial peninsula extending from

Ringsend Ringsend () is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey and east of the River Dodder, about two kilometres east of the city centre. It is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, into

Dublin Bay Dublin Bay ( ga, Cuan Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea on the east coast of Ireland. The bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north–south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dub ...

History

The Poolbeg peninsula was built between the mid 18th century and the present day, starting with the Ballast Office Wall, the first section of the

Great South Wall The Great South Wall ( ga, Balla an Bhulla Theas) (also sometimes called the South Bull Wall), at the Port of Dublin, extends from the tip of the Poolbeg peninsula more than four kilometres out into Dublin Bay. It was the world's longest sea wa ...

to be built on what was then a sand bar known as the South Bull. As the various sections of the Great South Wall were built, further sand bars formed where the

river Liffey The River Liffey ( Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the Riv ...

left its silt, and these were gradually filled with rubble and built upon. The name “Poole Begge” referred originally to a tidal pool located out into Dublin harbour and surrounded by sand bars. This was where the Poolbeg lighthouse was built in 1767. The lighthouse was connected to land by the Great South Wall completed in 1795.

Overview

The Poolbeg “peninsula” is home to a number of landmarks including the

, the

Poolbeg Lighthouse Poolbeg Lighthouse is an active aid to navigation at the mouth of the River Liffey, near Poolbeg in Dublin, Ireland. First established in 1767, it initially operated on candlepower but this was changed to oil in 1786. It was re-designed and re ...

, the Irishtown Nature Park, the southern part of

Dublin Port Dublin Port ( ga, Calafort Átha Cliath) is the seaport of Dublin, Ireland, of both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximatively two-thirds of Ireland's port traffic travels via the port, which is by far the busiest on the ...

, an energy-from-waste facility, and a

power station A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many ...

, formerly Dublin's main power station, which includes the two landmark chimneys, Dublin’s tallest structures.

Poolbeg Chimneys

The thermal station chimneys at Poolbeg Generating Station are among the tallest structures in Ireland and are visible from most of Dublin city. Number 1 chimney is 207.48m (680 ft 9in) high, while Number 2 chimney is 207.8m (681 ft 9in) high. The chimneys are featured prominently in the video for the song "

Pride (In The Name Of Love) "Pride (In the Name of Love)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on the band's 1984 album, ''The Unforgettable Fire'', and was released as its lead single in September 1984. The song was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lano ...

" by U2. Dublin City Councillor and historian Dermot Lacey began a process to list the chimneys for preservation to safeguard their future after the Station was to close in 2010. This was later refused by the Council Planning Department. View From Sandymount Strand (6050706895)

View From Sandymount Strand (6050706895)

They were subsequently listed as protected structures in July 2014.

21st century plans

New residential area and bridge

The Poolbeg West development consists of 34 hectares of land which has been designated for fast-track planning permission for the construction of nine-storey apartment blocks and up to 100,000sqm of commercial and retail space, including 3,000 homes and commercial space for 8,000 workers. In June 2016

Dublin City Council Dublin City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Dublin in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the council was ...

announced that it would fast-track construction of a €30 million bridge linking Dublin’s south Docklands with the planned new “urban quarter” on the Poolbeg peninsula.

References

{{Coord missing, County Dublin Places in Dublin (city) Peninsulas of the Republic of Ireland