St. Stephen’s Green Park

Located in the city's heart, St. Stephen's-Green is one of the most visited public parks.

It enjoys enormous popularity thanks to its Victorian layout, including 750 trees, plenty of shrubs, seasonal flowers, and fascinating statues. Some visitors start exploring Dublin from St. Stephen's Green, especially if the sun shines.

The cherry blossom trees are the most beloved part of St Stephen's Green. Visiting in spring means they are in full bloom, creating a gorgeous view. If you are fortunate enough to have the space primarily for yourself, you can get some admiring shots. Passing under the blossoms, you will come by the pond and into the main area. This area is usually full of families and couples enjoying picnics while the sun is out. Floral arrangements encircling the area make it a stunning spot popping with colour. The park has many entrances, but many arrive by the arch near the shopping centre.

You can download an audio tour from St. Stephen's Green to learn more about the statues and their contribution to history. It's free on their website; you can enjoy it while walking.

Rich history
The area's history is as exciting as its beautiful landscape. The park has come a long way: from a marshy common and an execution spot to a location for fashionable walking and a strategic point during the Rising.

The park's name is connected to a church called St. Stephen's, which dates back to the 13th century. Until the middle of the 17th century, it was a marshy common at the city's edge where farmers grazed their cattle and sheep. At that time, the spot served as a venue for public executions and witch burnings.

Maps of the city dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries show that Stephen's Green and other urban parks of Dublin transformed as their social uses changed. Initially a communal grazing land, it became a network of paths for walking and admiring nature. In the mid-17th century, the City Assembly decided the land could be a source of income for the city. That is when the park's boundaries were marked. The rest of the ground was rented out. The rent payments were spent to construct fences and pavements. Early tenants built simple two-storey houses and had to plant trees to preserve personal privacy.

In the 18th century, the park became popular due to the opening of nearby Grafton Street and Dawson Street. A century later, the park looked less attractive due to the poor condition of its trees and the destruction of its perimeter walls. In 1814, at the request of the Dublin Corporation, the British Parliament passed a law to lease municipal property to its surrounding neighbours in exchange for an annual payment. Local householders appointed Commissioners to control and renovate the park. Regretfully, the place became accessible only to those with keys. At this time, the park was open to the prosperous citizens who owned plots around the park.

Half a century later, the Committee for Promoting the Freer Opening of St. Stephen's-Green, formed by lords, engineers, entrepreneurs and journalists, proclaimed itself a legitimate authority. They appealed for the public opening of the park. In 1877, Sir Arthur Guinness expressed the desire to buy the land from the Commissioners and make it a public space again. He repaid the debts and designed a Victorian-style park promoting peace and tranquillity. It was officially reopened in 1880.

The perimeter fence and thick vegetation enabled it to be used as an improvised refuge for the Easter Rising rebels against British colonial Authorities in 1916. The rebel fighters dug out trenches around the park's perimeter. One can quickly note traces of bullets at the archway entrance to the park.

Now, the Office of Public Works (OPW) operates St. Stephen' s-Green on behalf of the Irish state.

Park's magnets
The Fusiliers' Arch is at the Grafton Street corner at the northwest entrance to the park. It is designed to commemorate the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who died during the Second Boer War.

Not surprisingly, the park features a statue of Arthur Guinness on the west side, facing the Royal College of Surgeons. James Joyce's bust faces his former university. The park contains statues and busts of Irish Republicans, and rebellion leaders such as Constance Markievicz, Robert Emmet, and Theobald Wolfe Tone. Inside the Leeson Street gate is the Three Fates, which Germany gifted to the Irish people in gratitude for their help with refugees after the Second World War. Other features include a memorial to the Great Famine of 1845–1850.

The park's landscape has preserved the Victorian design since 1880. The park's central area is surrounded by numerous Victorian flower beds with tulips, wallflowers, petunias, and geraniums surround the park's central area. The park has a variety of trees: lime trees, evergreen oak, birch, holly, weeping ash, hawthorn, and laurel. They shelter the park from the city's pollution and noise.

The artificial lake with a waterfall and island is home to many waterfowl, birds, and fish. At least five types of birds, including the mute swan and the tufted duck living in St Stephen's Green Park, are of conservation concern in Ireland.

There is also a Garden for the Blind, which contains aromatic shrubs and herbs labelled in Braille. The playground features separate areas for smaller and older children. Other prominent features in the park include the Bog Garden, the Playground, and the Bandstand. The park offers walking paths designated for jogging. Also, you can tour these routes on your own bicycle or rent one from the rental places within the park.

Weekly guided tours of 'The Green Mile' tours start from the neighbouring Little Museum of Dublin. Private tours are also available upon request to ensure a personalized experience.

St. Stephen's-Green is a perfect place to spend a day full of fun and activity. Whether you're a nature lover, a history fan, or simply looking for a nice picnic place, this attraction offers something for everyone.

• Free entry
• The average length of a visit is one to two hours
• Photography and video are permitted