Clanbrassil Street, Dublin
[view map | take a walk | Sean Lynch's 'zines]
Clanbrassil Street (Sráid Chlann Breasaill) is located in south west Dublin city [view map] and runs from Robert Emmet Bridge on the Grand Canal to New Street. It is named after James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Clanbrassil.
Originally, the street likely formed part of the Wicklow Way (Slí Cualann), which ran south from the settlement at Áth Cliath (Dublin), taking its name from Cualu, the district which lay between the mouths of the Liffey and the Avoca (in County Wicklow).
In 1868, a new street was opened to connect Harold's Cross with Lower Clanbrassil Street. The street was to be called Kingsland Street, but that name was never used. It became known then as Upper Clanbrassil Street.
Clanbrassil Street was also known as part of 'Little Jerusalem'. In the first half of the Twentieth century, it was at the heart of the Jewish community in Ireland. The first Jewish families arrived in the early 1870s (fleeing oppression in Lithuanian under the Russian Empire) and eventually settled off Lower Clanbrassil Street. In the following decades many settled along South Circular Road, both sides of Leonard's Corner and in the side-streets.
Leopold Bloom, the fictional Jewish character at the heart of James Joyce's novel Ulysses, lived at '52 Clanbrassil Street' (a plaque commemorating this can be found on the wall of 52 Upper Clanbrassil Street).
Today, Clanbrassil Street is home to many diverse communities from all over the world, both longestablished and recently arrived to Ireland. Notably there are two mosques within the area and a wide array of ethnic restaurants, local businesses, shops, halal butchers and community organisations.
Why not take a walk down Clanbrassil Street... [view slideshow]
Sean Lynch's 'Zines on Clanbrassil Street
You might also enjoy reading artist Sean Lynch's two 'zines about Clanbrassil Street that he produced as part of his residency. They can be found here: