Harold’s Cross

Harold’s Cross

Harold’s Cross, a suburb of Dublin, was originally a village south of Dublin City and remained a small settlement up until the mid-18th century. Roque’s Map of 1760 (Rocque, 1760) shows a village clustered around the Green in Harold’s Cross. The village at Harold’s Cross saw significant development in the late 18th century and early 19th century, in tandem with the development of the Grand Canal. Both Taylor’s Map of 1816 and Duncan’s map of 1821 show denser and more clearly defined settlement around the Village Green. This included terraces of houses along the Harold’s Cross Road of 18th and early 19th centuries.

At the centre of Harold’s Cross is a wedge-shaped park which occupies the site of the original village green and medieval common. The common remained an open green up until the late 19th century when the present enclosed park was laid out in 1893 to 1894 by the Rathmines Township Commissioners.

Source: Kimmage Busconnects documentation.

Sketch image of the old Harold’s Cross laundry, showing water wheel in Poddle – provided by Cathy Scuffli.

 

Association with Poddle

The original course of the Poddle after it had given up one third of its water at the Tongue continued its course to Dublin City, flowing through the grounds of the present Mount Argus Church and the former Loaders Park Mills there, then along the present Lower Kimmage Road (flowing under the front gardens of some houses there) and Harold’s Cross Road where it flowed under the Grand Canal and along Clanbrassil Street,

What the Newspapers Say

  • Evening Herald 23 Oct 1963: Our Lady’s Hospice – new wing: Situated on the banks of the little known Poddle river at Harold’s Cross is a group of buildings now known as Our Lady’s Hospice, founded in 1845 by Mother Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Sisters of Charity. These buildings were later to provide refuge and shelter (for young and old where, when all human aid had failed, they might receive nursing, care, consolation and resignation in their closing days. … The buildings have been extended to provide greater accommodation and beds and a new wing was added a few years ago.
Related newspaper articles
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Punishment For Stealing Meal
1 Feb 1766

Dennis Sullivan was whipped from the Cross Poddle to Harold’s Cross for [s]tealing Meal. Mr. Justice Drury attended, who caused a Bag of Meal to be tied round the Delinquent’s neck,…

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REMARKABLE CITY SCENES
21 Feb 1910

There was a recurrence of the gale, accompanied by a torrential downpour oi rain, in the early hours of Saturday morning, and generally disagreeable tempestuous weather prevailed for the greater…

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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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Harold’s Cross-Ancient and Modern
9 Oct 1927

At a single bound one horse village of Harold’s Cross the so-called has sprung into fame and the limelight. The dog controversy has centred the attention of John Citizen on…

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Telephone Service Dislocated
13 Mar 1937

The whole force of the Post Office engineering staff was called out for the task of repairing damage to telephone poles and ‘wires in Dublin and all over the county…

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Dublin Rescue
6 Mar 1960

Mr. Michael Byrne (31) of Kildare Road, was “under observation” in the Meath Hospital today after he had been rescued from the River Poddle in Harold’s Cross.

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Our Lady’s Hospice – new wing
23 Oct 1963

New wing SITUATED on the banks of the little known Poddle river at Harold’s Cross is a group .of buildings now known as Our. Lady’s Hospice, founded in 1845 by…

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The Liberty Watercourse
22 Mar 1968

The Poddle River at Harold’s Cross makes almost its last appearance before going underground. This was part of the old Watercourse serving the Liberties of St. Patrick’s, dating back to…

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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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Old Cross Poddle
31 Jan 1972

OLD CROSS PODDLE What we call Dean Street, leading from Patrick Street to the Coombe, in ancient times was known as Cross Poddle. The change of name was made as recently as May, 1826,…

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Parishes Face Problems
17 Aug 1974

Parishes Face Problems By PATRICK MURRAY THE-months ahead are full of problems for the parish priests of Dublin’s two newest parishes. Although the new parishes of Priorswood and Mount Argus appear…

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And whatever the fare it flows
15 Feb 1975

The Olympia Theatre has some unusual features, including a stage that is situated at the front of the building, instead of the back. But until this week, when I went…

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Follow me says Sister Ann
7 Mar 1976

AT THREE O’CLOCK this afternoon, Sister Ann Dominica, a black-and-white garbed Dominican nun, will lead a tour along Dublin’s secret river, the Poddle. This years Dublin Arts Festival has Medieval…

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Mount Argus
16 Jul 1986

I first discovered Mount Argus way back in another lifetime when we used to climb the Dublin Mountains on St. Patrick’s Day. I think we took the wrong turn coming home and…

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Singer, Family Trapped in Flood
26 Aug 1986

Singer, family trapped in flood By DENIS McCLEAN OPERA singer Joan Merrigan and her family were today trapped in their home on Harold’s Cross Road as overnight rains and flooding…

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Mount Argus . . . £20 m. scheme launched today
18 May 1990

Mount Argus . . . £20 m. scheme launched today By Cliodhna O’Donohue The land surrounding Mount Argus, the headquarters for Fr. Brian D’Arcy’s mammoth fund raising activities, in Harold’s…

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New Homes Choice
25 May 1990

MOUNT ARGUS is perhaps one of the finest landscaped developments to come on the market in the area for a long time.The River Poddle has been brought through the parkland…

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Discovering The Poddle
13 Jul 1990

Discovering the Poddle I SAW the River Poddle — for the first time this week . about it for years, but never quite unexpectedly. r I have Joe Tiernan of Tiernan Homesteads to thank…

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Cllrs Oppose Plans on Poddle Cover Up
19 May 1993

PLANS to put more of Dublin’s Poddle River underground are being opposed by city councillors. The Corporation is evaluating tenders for the erection of concrete culverts over a section of…

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City painter inspired by drains project
17 Mar 1995

Artist’s life in the gutter Corporation carpenter Frank Connolly, who shares the site with Michael, approves of his new artistic colleague. He says the ‘drainage work “is the kind of…

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How history flows through Dublin
10 Feb 2004

The River Poddle has been known by several different names over the centuries such as the Puddle, Pottle and the Podell. It was known as the Tiber and also as…

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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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