Province Leinster | Phone +353 1 222 2222 | |
Address Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland Hours Open today · Open 24 hoursFridayOpen 24 hoursSaturdayOpen 24 hoursSundayOpen 24 hoursMondayOpen 24 hoursTuesdayOpen 24 hoursWednesdayOpen 24 hoursThursdayOpen 24 hours Similar Father Collins Park, City Hall - Dublin, Mansion House - Dublin, Fitzwilliam Square, Bushy Park - Dublin | ||
Dartmouth square evolution
Dartmouth Square (Cearnóg Dartmouth) is a victorian square near Ranelagh, in D6, Dublin. It is near the Leeson Street bridge over the Grand Canal.
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The square became the subject of controversy in 2005, when it emerged that years previously Athlone businessman Noel O'Gara bought the freehold on the square for £10,000 from PJ Darley, a descendant of the squares' builders. O'Gara locked the gates on the park in the square in 2006. He tried to operate it as a car park but local residents blocked the gates.
In 2007 Noel O'Gara began selling tiles from the park with residents objecting on the grounds that he did not have planning permission to operate a showroom there. In late 2008 tents were erected in the park and residents urged councillors to take action against Noel O'Gara. Mr. O'Gara claimed that a man living in one tent was his gardener. In December 2008 the tents caught fire and a man was hospitalised.
After 3 years of dispute with residents and Dublin City Council and constant illegal activities an agreement was negotiated with Noel O'Gara by a local resident to reopen the square to be used as an amenity again. The local community gathered regularly to clean up the square which was in a state of ruin after years with no maintenance. After a couple of months and a big effort the square was returned it to its former glory. Local community members also gave money to get in heavy machinery to cut back all the overgrowth, paint benches and get rid of the graffiti. On June 11th 2009 it was reopened with great celebrations and on June 13th the first outdoor yoga class took place followed by a summer of events such as silent cinema with live music, poetry evenings, kids parties, charity fundraisers and many more cultural events. The yoga classes are still running through the spring, summer and autumn months. People from all over come to these classes and pay €5 for the class which pays for a gardener to cut grass, clip hedges etc and for plants and bulbs to be bought to help maintain and animate the park in partnership with DCC. In September 2009 singer Damien Rice took part in a tree planting with Trinity College students, planting 32 apple and pear trees.
In December 2012 the square was sold at auction on instruction of the liquidator of Marble Tile and Granite. A group of local residents paid for the square at this auction and donated it back to DCC and finally after years of dispute over its ownership it became public property again. Noel O'Gara protested at the sale, though the property was eventually sold to Dublin City Council for €142,000, with a contribution of €32,000 from local residents. The square is now wholly owned by Dublin City Council.