The changing face of capital’s thoroughfare

1792

O’CONNELL Street, then called Sackville Street, is a commercial success when O’Connell Bridge (then Carlisle Bridge) is opened.

1814

The General Post Office opens.

1817

The Gresham hotel opens.

1853

CLERYS department store opens, and the street prospers as the century goes on.

1913

JAMES larkin is arrested while addressing large crowds during the Dublin lock-out.

1916

The GPO is seized by irish republicans during the rising, leading to days of bombardment. eventually, the rebels retreat to nearby moore Street. much of O’Connell Street is destroyed.

1922

FIGHTING breaks out again at the start of the Civil War. around threequarters of O’Connell Street’s buildings are destroyed or demolished between 1916 and 1922. Clerys is rebuilt.

1924

The street’s name is formally changed to its present name after nationalist leader Daniel O’Connell – although many had been calling it O’Connell Street for decades.

1966

NELSON’S Pillar – a 38-metre memorial to admiral nelson on the site of the Spire – is blown up by republicans.

1973

The Capitol cinema and metropole hotel and are demolished

1978

O’CONNELL street gets its first – and ireland’s second – McDonald’s

2003

The Spire is built

2017

an extension to the luas Green line is opened

2022

POLITICIANS call for a dedicated taskforce to be set up to look into the future of O’Connell

Street in light of worsening violence and anti-social behaviour, with Social Democrats joint-leader róisín Shortall saying that it ‘has the look of an area where those in authority have given up’.