Blackpitts

Blackpitts

Blackpitts, a significant area in Dublin’s Liberties, is steeped in history and industry, tracing its origins back to the early days of the city. Located near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, this district has played a crucial role in Dublin’s development, particularly in the tanning and milling industries. The area has seen significant events and transformations over the centuries, shaping its identity and the lives of those who have lived and worked there.

The Poddle River, a vital watercourse for early Dubliners, flows through Blackpitts. This river was the city’s primary water source until the 13th century, providing clear water when the Liffey was unsuitable due to flooding. The Poddle’s course was altered in the 13th century to power mills, including those in Blackpitts, where it became an industrial backbone for the area, the river in Blackpitts is now mostly underground but still holds historical significance.

Blackpitts has long been associated with industry, particularly tanning. The area’s name, found on maps as early as 1728, likely refers to the many seasoning pits used by tanneries along the Poddle’s branch course through the Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore. This industrial heritage is evident in the area’s layout and the presence of other trades, including milling. e

The area’s industrial nature also made it prone to fires. A notable incident occurred on September 15, 1906, when a serious fire broke out in Messrs. Barnatt’s food stores on Fumbally Lane, near St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The fire destroyed a large amount of cattle feed and hops but was contained within an hour, preventing a larger disaster. This incident echoed an earlier tragedy in Blackpitts, where a whiskey fire led to fatalities and a case of mistaken identity.

Blackpitts and its surrounding streets are rich in historical and architectural interest. St. Kevin’s National School for boys, built in 1894-1895, fronts onto Blackpitts and is a significant landmark. The school sits on a site that marks the boundary between the possessions of St. Thomas’s Abbey and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, following the original course of the Poddle River.

Dowker’s Lane, another key street in Blackpitts, alongside Tucker’s Lane, Malpas Street, all small lanes and roads off Blackpitts. Warrenmount, named after Nathaniel Warren, a notable figure in Dublin’s history who served as Lord Mayor in 1782. The lane, along with nearby Warrenmount Place, reflects the area’s industrial past and its connections to Dublin’s broader commercial activities.

Fumbally Lane, another street in the vicinity, also carries industrial memories. It was the site of Messrs. Barnatt’s food stores and remains a part of the area’s commercial landscape. The lane and its surrounding streets continue to echo the district’s rich industrial heritage.

In the 1880s, a significant portion of Dublin’s housing stock in Blackpitts and surrounding areas was built by Arthur Hammond, a Catholic builder. His daughter, Mary Agnes Hammond, who later became known as a British spy during and after World War I, inherited 150 properties in 1902. These homes, many of which were occupied by Guinness Brewery workers, are notable for their quaint washing rights in the River Poddle, a unique feature even though the river now flows underground.

Mary Hammond’s estate, which included 26 terrace houses in Blackpitts and Emerald Square, remained largely intact until the 1980s. These properties, though modest in size, reflect the working-class character of the area and its deep connections to Dublin’s industrial past.

In recent years, Blackpitts and the surrounding areas have faced new challenges, particularly related to flooding. The Poddle River, despite being largely hidden from view, has caused significant flood damage, particularly during extreme weather events like Hurricane Charlie in 1986. To address these issues, a €7 million flood protection project was initiated in 2020, aiming to safeguard over 800 homes from future floods.

Association with Poddle

The Poddle River, a vital watercourse for early Dubliners, flows through Blackpitts. This river was the city’s primary water source until the 13th century, providing clear water when the Liffey was unsuitable due to flooding. The Poddle’s course was altered in the 13th century to power mills, including those in Blackpitts, where it became an industrial backbone for the area, the river in Blackpitts is now mostly underground but still holds historical significance.

What the Newspapers Say

  • A serious fire broke out in Messrs. Barnatt’s food stores on Fumbally’s Lane in Dublin’s Liberties, near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, on the morning of September 15, 1906. The fire began in the upper lofts of the 150-foot-long building, which was once part of a brewery. The fire brigade quickly responded, preventing the fire from spreading and extinguishing it within an hour. While a large amount of hops and cattle food was destroyed, barrels of oil were spared. The incident recalls a major fire 25 years earlier in nearby Blackpitts, where burning whiskey led to fatalities and a case of mistaken identity.
  • A correspondent recalls the Tongue Fields, where a button factory thrived 50 years ago, powered by the River Poddle. This stream originates in the Dublin Mountains and splits at Kimmage, with one branch flowing through Harold’s Cross and the other through Dolphin’s Barn, Marrowbone Lane, Pimlico, Blackpitts, and into the Liffey near Grattan Bridge. In the 18th century, the Domville family held water rights. When their relative, Lord Santry, faced hanging for murder, they threatened to cut off Dublin’s water supply from the Poddle. As a result, Lord Santry was spared from execution.
  • Early Dublin settlers relied on the Poddle for clear water, as the Liffey was unsuitable due to flooding. The Poddle, originating from the Tallaght Hills, provided the city’s water until 1200, alongside wells from James’s Gate to College Green. As Dublin grew, a 1244 watercourse linked the Poddle to the Dodder, joining near Whitehall Cross Roads and splitting at Kimmage. Parts flowed through Blackpitts to the Liffey, and others to Dolphin’s Barn. By 1254, water was supplied via public fountains and wooden pipes. In 1868, the Vartry water scheme began, spearheaded by Sir John Gray, leading to his O’Connell Street statue.
  • George Bernard Shaw’s father, George Carr Shaw, was a miller in Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin. The family’s business, “Clibborn and Shaw,” secured a loan on a mill and its machinery, located near Hall’s Lane. Although Hall’s Lane no longer appears on modern maps, it is believed to have become part of Rutland Avenue, close to the Grand Canal at Dolphin’s Barn. The Poddle, diverted from “The Tongue” at Kimmage, powered the mill. Nearby, in Blackpitts, another area associated with industrial activity, Shaw’s presence is still remembered, with one resident recalling the mill as “Shaw’s Mill” and recounting a childhood encounter with the playwright.
  • St. Kevin’s National School for boys, built in 1894-’95 and officially opened on April 20, 1895, fronts onto Blackpitts, a street dating back to 1728. Blackpitts, historically significant, marked the boundary between the possessions of St. Thomas’s Abbey (later the Earl of Meath’s Liberty) and St. Patrick’s Cathedral (later the Liberty of St. Sepulchre). This boundary followed the original course of the Poddle River, which was redirected between 1245 and 1324 to power new mills for St. Thomas’s Abbey. The stream’s altered path went from Harold’s Cross to Donore Avenue, looping around Pimlico, Ardee Street, and Warrenmount before rejoining its old course at Blackpitts and New Row.
  • Liam positioned himself to draw near where Dowker’s Lane meets Blackpitts. In the distance, you can see the maltings above New Row. On the left, there are gable ends of houses in Warrenmount Place. Blackpitts, historically an industrial area, got its name (found on a 1728 map) from the seasoning pits used by tanneries along the Poddle’s branch course through the Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore. Dowker’s Lane, formerly Tucker’s Lane, was renamed Warrenmount, after Nathaniel Warren, Lord Mayor in 1782 and a Dublin City M.P. He was rumored to be a partner in “The Sham,” a notorious gambling house near the modern Dolphin Hotel.
  • A section of old Dublin housing, previously owned by British WWI spy Mary Agnes Hammond, has gone on sale. The estate comprises 26 two-story terrace houses in the Liberties, particularly in Blackpitts, Emerald Square, and Dolphin’s Barn. Mary Hammond, daughter of a Catholic builder, inherited 150 properties in 1902. These homes were often occupied by Guinness Brewery workers. The properties include a unique right to use the River Poddle for cleaning, though the river is now underground. Mary never married and passed away in Switzerland in 1956. The houses, being sold with tenants, are considered investment properties.
  • A €7 million flood protection project on Dublin’s southside aims to safeguard over 800 homes from the River Poddle’s flooding. The Poddle, originating in Tallaght and running underground through areas like Tymon Park, Harold’s Cross, and Blackpitts, has flooded four times in 35 years, including during Hurricane Charlie in 1986. The project, led by the Office of Public Works and local councils, includes creating containment areas in Tymon Park, Whitehall Park, and Ravensdale Park, raising embankments, and sealing manholes. The plan also involves a 1.5-meter wall in Poddle Park, reducing trees by 20%.
Related newspaper articles
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Serious fire outbreak in Dublin
17 Sep 1906

Our Dublin correspondent says —A big blaze occurred in the small hours of the 15th inst. in Messrs. Barnatt’s food stores, Fumbally’s Lane, in the Liberties, west of St. Patrick’s…

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Die-hards ignore B and T Office
27 Oct 1922

The butter buttons referred to in this column reminds a correspondent of the Tongue fields, where a button manufactory flourished fifty years ago, with waterpower from the River Poddle. This…

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Seen and Heard – Notes on notions for Men and Matters
20 Jun 1923

An adequate supply of clear water is one of the first essentials looked for by colonists, and the early visitors to what is now the city of Dublin found that…

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George Bernard Shaw and Dolphin’s Barn
6 Sep 1938

George Carr Shaw and George Clibborn, trading as “Clibborn and Shaw.” of Jervis St.. Dublin_ merchants, secured a loan on the ” mill_ mill pond, mill machinery, water wheel,” and…

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School in Blackpitts
14 Aug 1969

St. Kevin’s National School for boys was built 1894-’95, and officially opened on April 20 in the latter year. The directories give St. Kevin’s as fronting on to Blackpitts, a…

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Industrial Liberties
21 Jan 1973

LIAM took his stand to make this drawing just about where Dowker’s Lane comes in from the right, to meet Blackpitts. In the distance you can see the silvery outlines…

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On Sale-Spy Mary’s Old Estate
12 Sep 1986

On sale – Spy Mary’s old estate A LARGE slice of old Dublin housing stock, with quaint washing rights in the River Poddle, owned by a British Great War spy.…

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€7m work on Poddle protect 800 homes
11 Sep 2019

Sean McCarthaigh MORE than 800 homes on Dublin’s southside are to get improved flood protection with planned upgrade of defences on the River Poddle. Work on the €7m project, funded…

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