People

From historical figures like Dean Swift and Red Hugh O’Donnell to local families such as the Shaw and Plunkett families, the page explores their contributions and associations with the Poddle.

Sister Ann Dominica Fitzgerald

Sister Ann Dominica Fitzgerald, a Dominican nun, was known not only for her spiritual devotion but also for her fierce dedication to preserving the natural and historical legacy of Dublin. Born in Blackrock, Dublin, she spent her later years as an educator at Muckross Park Dominican Convent in Donnybrook. However, her influence extended far beyond the classroom. She became a champion for the protection of Dublin’s forgotten rivers, particularly the ancient Poddle River, which played a crucial role in the city’s development.

Sister Ann’s passion for the Poddle River was rooted in her deep understanding of its historical significance. Tracing its course through Dublin, she highlighted how this modest river contributed to the founding of the city. In her research, she asserted that the Poddle’s confluence with the River Liffey was responsible for forming the “Dubhlinn” or “black pool” that gave Dublin its name. According to her, the Poddle was not just a waterway; it was a lifeline for artisans and residents of medieval Dublin who relied on its waters for their livelihoods.

Her work in preserving the river wasn’t limited to academic research. Sister Ann actively campaigned to save the watercourse from destruction, particularly as sections of it were being diverted or buried due to housing developments, like those at Wellington Lane. She believed that the Poddle could be preserved as a public amenity alongside urban development, and she was often frustrated by the apathy she encountered from the public and local authorities. She saw the river’s decline as a result of poor planning and a failure to recognise the amenity value of small rivers like the Poddle.

To draw attention to the river’s plight, Sister Ann took it upon herself to document its course. She photographed the waterway extensively, capturing images of sections that might otherwise disappear without a trace. Her efforts were supported by notable figures, including filmmaker John Gleeson, who created a 16mm film of the watercourse. Sister Ann contributed the narrative for this project, further amplifying the river’s story. She also gained the support of preservationists like Sean Rothery, the chairman of An Taisce, who recognised the historical importance of the watercourse.

Sister Ann’s passion for the Poddle often led her on physically demanding adventures. In one particularly memorable episode, she fell into the Poddle River twice while tracing its path through Dublin’s Liberties. Her enthusiasm was infectious, earning her the affectionate title of “Poddleologist,” and she became a key contributor to a book on the history of the Liberties, in which she wrote a piece called “Down the Old Poddle.”

Her fight to preserve the Poddle was not just about saving a watercourse but about preserving a vital part of Dublin’s heritage. In her view, the river represented more than just an old canal—it was a relic of the city’s early days, a witness to its growth, and a symbol of the balance between urban development and nature. Despite the challenges, Sister Ann remained hopeful that Dubliners would awaken to the value of the Poddle and work to protect it.

Sister Ann Dominica Fitzgerald passed away on March 10, 2006, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, not only to her religious community and pupils but to the history and natural beauty of Dublin. Her tireless advocacy for the Poddle River stands as a testament to her belief in the importance of preserving the city’s heritage for future generations.

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Red Hugh O’ Donnell

Hugh Roe O’Donnell, often referred to as Red Hugh, was a significant Irish figure during the late 16th century. Born in 1572 into the powerful O’Donnell clan of Tyrconnell (now Donegal), he was a key leader in the Irish resistance against English control during the Nine Years’ War (1593–1603). The O’Donnells were fierce defenders of Gaelic traditions and Irish sovereignty, and Hugh, as the eldest son, was groomed to succeed his father as chieftain of the clan.

O’Donnell’s early life was marked by captivity. In 1587, at just 15 years old, he was captured by the English when he was lured onto an English ship under false pretences while docked in Rathmullan. He was imprisoned in Dublin Castle to prevent the O’Donnell clan from uniting with other Gaelic forces against English rule. His first escape attempt in 1590 failed when he was recaptured after seeking help from Phelim O’Toole, who betrayed him to the English.

However, it was his second escape attempt in 1591 that became legendary. With the help of his servant and two companions, Henry and Art O’Neill, O’Donnell made a daring bid for freedom. They managed to secure a rope, struck off their fetters, and lowered themselves through a tunnel into the River Poddle, which ran beneath Dublin Castle. The Poddle, often hidden beneath the city’s streets, served as a lifeline for the fugitives, though it exposed them to the harsh winter elements. The three men, after crossing the moat, fled towards the Wicklow Mountains. The escape was perilous; O’Donnell and his companions had to travel in freezing temperatures, without proper clothing. Art O’Neill succumbed to the cold, and O’Donnell himself suffered severe frostbite, leading to the amputation of his toes. Despite these hardships, O’Donnell was eventually rescued by the O’Byrnes of Glenmalure and returned to his native Donegal.

This dramatic escape not only solidified Hugh O’Donnell’s status as a symbol of Irish resistance but also reignited his commitment to fighting English domination. He later became a central figure in the Nine Years’ War, allying with Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, in one of the largest and most organised rebellions against the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

Domville Family

In the late 17th century, Sir Thomas Domville, a figure of considerable power and ambition, secured ownership of Templeogue House, a significant estate near Dublin. His acquisition came after Sir James Talbot, the original owner, was outlawed for his allegiance to King James II in the 1688 war. With Talbot dispossessed, Domville swiftly established his family’s dominion over Templeogue and, more crucially, its precious watercourse—the Poddle River.

The Poddle, winding its way through the Domville estate, was more than just a scenic feature. It was a vital artery that supplied Dublin with its drinking water. At a time when water was scarce, the Domvilles had the power to control the city’s access to it. Sir Thomas Domville’s brick mansion, which incorporated the remains of Talbot’s medieval castle, was built to reflect his dominance. The house featured an impressive Gothic arch and gardens designed around the river, enhancing the estate’s grandeur while reinforcing Domville’s control over the Poddle.

In 1738, Sir Thomas’s son, Sir Compton Domville, continued the family’s influential legacy. He laid out magnificent gardens, crafting a series of cascades along the Poddle, each adorned with statues and architectural elements. But it wasn’t just aesthetic mastery that marked Compton Domville’s rule. His control over the Poddle became a tool of leverage in the city’s politics.

One of the most infamous episodes in Domville history occurred when Sir Compton’s nephew, Lord Santry, was sentenced to death for the murder of a man named Loughlan Murphy. The case shook Dublin’s elite, and it seemed inevitable that justice would be served. However, the Domvilles had other plans. Sir Compton, enraged at the possibility of his nephew’s execution, issued a stark threat to the city: if Lord Santry were to hang, he would cut off the Poddle’s flow to Dublin. The Domvilles had wielded this power before—disrupting the water supply whenever disputes with the city arose—but this time the stakes were life and death.

Facing the potential of mass water shortages, the city’s authorities relented and Lord Santry was granted a pardon. Sir Compton’s audacity cemented the Domville family’s reputation as untouchable overlords of Dublin’s water supply.

Though Sir Compton passed away in 1768, his family’s influence endured. The Poddle’s importance waned only with the advent of the Grand Canal and the Vartry system in the 19th century, which offered the city new sources of water. Templeogue House itself underwent transformations, with sections of the medieval castle still visible beneath later reconstructions. By the early 20th century, the Domvilles had left Ireland for England, and Templeogue House eventually passed out of their hands.

Yet the Domville legacy persists in Dublin’s history. Their name remains tied to Templeogue through Domville Estate and the story of their dominion over the Poddle River serves as a reminder of how intertwined power, politics, and natural resources once were in the fabric of the city.

John le Decer

John Le Decer, a prominent figure in fourteenth-century Dublin, left a lasting legacy through his extensive public works and charitable endeavours. John Le Decer’s most notable contributions to Dublin were his public works, many of which he funded personally. Serving as mayor on six separate occasions (1302, 1305, 1307–1309, and 1324), Le Decer had a profound influence on the city’s infrastructure and civic life.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy was his work on Dublin’s water supply. In 1308, Le Decer commissioned and funded the construction of a marble cistern in Cornmarket, adjacent to St. Audoen’s Church. This cistern housed Dublin’s main water conduit and was celebrated as a marvel of engineering. Known as “Le Decer’s Fountain,” it was a significant public amenity for the medieval city, providing clean water to its residents. Le Decer even placed the famous “Lucky Stone,” a ninth-century grave marker, by the fountain. Legend had it that anyone who drank from the cistern would receive good luck. This water for the pipe was piped from the City Watercourse.

Lord Iveagh

Lord Iveagh, also known as Edward Guinness, played a significant role in improving Dublin’s urban landscape, particularly around the River Poddle and the surrounding slum areas. His work was part of a larger vision to address the deplorable living conditions in the city. The Iveagh Trust, which he established, was pivotal in constructing housing for the working-class poor, with projects like the Bull Alley housing blocks and the nearby St. Patrick’s Park, both situated around the Poddle Valley. His philanthropy extended to creating better housing solutions and ensuring that the city’s sewer systems, including those connected to the Poddle, were modernised and properly maintained​.

The development of Dublin in the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw several ambitious improvement schemes, particularly in areas deemed unsanitary or in need of redevelopment. One such area was the Bride Alley district, also referred to as the Poddle Valley area, where the underground river Poddle flowed beneath old, deteriorating houses. The presence of this hidden watercourse, along with the disrepair of the buildings above, posed significant health and safety risks to the residents.

A critical turning point for the district came when Lord Iveagh, an influential philanthropist, decided to fund and oversee a major improvement scheme. His involvement included the requisitioning of adjacent properties, as well as a substantial financial investment in the rebuilding effort. The initial delay in starting the project was due to the acquisition of properties, but once underway, the scheme promised significant changes for the district.

At the heart of the development challenges was the Poddle River itself. Many of the buildings in the area, particularly in Anderson’s Court and Patrick Street, were in a state of disrepair, with some houses even collapsing due to poor foundations over the river. To address this, the Corporation decided to divert part of the Poddle’s course, ensuring that the new houses to be built would not suffer the same fate as the older ones. This diversion, while necessary, was a complex and time-consuming process, compounded by the need to reconfigure the old sewer systems that discharged into the Poddle.

The project was part of a broader plan that included the construction of 29 blocks of flats to house 210 families. The flats were designed with varying sizes, accommodating both smaller and larger families, with 112 three-roomed flats and 98 two-bedroom flats planned. However, the necessary drainage and foundation work meant that the construction of these buildings was delayed.

A key figure in the advancement of the scheme was Lord Iveagh, who not only facilitated the redevelopment but also generously contributed £1,400 to assist the Corporation in completing works on the Poddle River. His funding specifically covered the extension of the new channel from St. Patrick’s Cathedral to the junction of the two branches of the Poddle. The Corporation expressed their gratitude for this contribution, recognising it as another example of Lord Iveagh’s commitment to public welfare and urban improvement in Dublin.

The scheme was part of a larger wave of urban renewal in Dublin, aimed at addressing the city’s poor living conditions and modernising its infrastructure. The Poddle River, which had once been a critical water source for the city, became an obstacle to redevelopment but was ultimately integrated into the new urban landscape through thoughtful planning and generous support from benefactors like Lord Iveagh.

Dean Swift

Jonathan Swift, born in Dublin on November 30, 1667, became one of the most influential satirists and public figures of his time. Educated at Kilkenny School and Trinity College, Dublin, he earned an M.A. from Oxford in 1692. Swift’s early career was shaped by his writings, particularly A Tale of a Tub (1704), which showcased his sharp wit. However, his legacy is intimately tied to his role as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, where he served from 1713 until his death in 1745.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Swift spent much of his later life, holds a unique place in Dublin’s history. Built on a site linked to St. Patrick himself, the cathedral sits alongside the River Poddle, an underground tributary that once flowed visibly through the area. The river played a significant role in shaping Dublin’s early development, including the placement of several churches along its banks. The Poddle continues to influence the site to this day, with its waters lying just seven feet below the cathedral floor.

The tower and spire of St. Patrick’s were later developments, but Swift was instrumental in preserving its architectural integrity. During his tenure, there was a proposal to crown the cathedral’s tower with a brick spire, which Swift, with his discerning taste, opposed. Eventually, a more fitting spire was added, elevating the cathedral to a height of 240 feet. Though its grandeur is partially concealed due to the cathedral’s low-lying position relative to the street, the tower remains one of Dublin’s iconic features.

Swift’s connection to Dublin extended beyond his ecclesiastical duties. He engaged deeply with the city’s politics and society, famously penning Journal to Stella, a series of letters chronicling his life during his stays in England and Ireland. His work during this period also included fierce attacks on the Whig government, particularly their policies in Ireland. This activism made him both a beloved and controversial figure.

Swift’s literary output, including the scathing Gulliver’s Travels (1726), earned him a place among the great satirists, but his contributions to Dublin’s civic and cultural landscape are equally significant. He was known for his philanthropy, particularly his efforts to improve conditions for the city’s poor. In his will, he left much of his fortune to establish a mental hospital, later known as St. Patrick’s Hospital for the Insane, which remains a functioning institution today.

Swift’s lasting legacy can be seen not only in his literary accomplishments but also in his preservation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and his engagement with the city’s social fabric. His name is forever entwined with Dublin’s history, from the underground Poddle to the soaring heights of the cathedral spire.

George Carr Shaw

George Carr Shaw, born on 30th December 1814 in Kilkenny was a civil servant and corn merchant, best known for being the father of George Bernard Shaw. He ran his corn mill business “Clibborn and Shaw” on Rutland Avenue through which a branch of the river Poddle flowed.

He opted to sell his pension to Joseph Henry O’Brien for a sum of five hundred pounds.  He bought a mill with a business partner, Clibborn, and set up Clibborn and Shaw as a merchant, dealing wholesale in flour and corn. He had an office and warehouse in 67 Jervis Street in the city; and he had a mill in Rutland Avenue on the country side of the canal, at the end of a rather pretty little village street.

According to George Bernard Shaw, “I should mention that as he knew nothing about the flour business, and as his partner, a Mr Clibborn, having been apprenticed to the cloth trade, knew if possible less, the business, purchased readymade, must have proceeded by its own momentum, and produced its results, such as they were, automatically in spite of its proprietors. They did not work the industry: it worked them. It kept alive, but did not flourish. Early in its history, the bankruptcy of one of its customers dealt it such a blow that my father’s partner broke down in tears, though he was fortified by a marriage with a woman of property, and could afford to regard his business as only a second string to his bow. My father, albeit ruined, found the magnitude of the catastrophe so irresistibly amusing that he had to retreat hastily from the office to an empty corner of the warehouse, and laugh until he was exhausted. The business struggled on and even supported my father until he died, enabling him to help his family a little after they had solved a desperate financial situation by emigrating to London: or, to put it in another way, by deserting him. He never, as far as I know, made the slightest movement towards a reunion; and none of us ever dreamt of there being any unkindness in the arrangement. In our family we did not bother about conventionalities or sentimentalities.”

George Carr Shaw passed away on 19th April 1885.

Shaw Family

The Shaw family, part of the Anglo-Irish gentry, had deep roots in Dublin’s social and political life, and Frederick Shaw, in particular, played a significant role in the legal and political spheres of 19th-century Ireland.

Kimmage Manor, located in the southern suburbs of Dublin, and through which the River Poddle flows, was part of the family’s estates during the 19th century. Frederick Shaw, a lawyer by profession, became one of the most prominent figures in the family. He served as the Recorder of Dublin, a senior judicial position, for several years. In addition, Shaw was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Dublin University, representing the Conservative Party. His political views aligned with those of the Anglo-Irish Protestant Ascendancy, and he was a staunch supporter of maintaining the union between Ireland and Great Britain.

Kimmage Manor served as a symbol of the Shaw family’s status and influence. As a member of the upper class, Frederick Shaw’s residence at Kimmage reflected his standing in society and his connection to the landed gentry of Ireland. The estate was more than just a family home; it was a manifestation of the family’s political power and social influence during a time when the Anglo-Irish elite held significant sway over Ireland’s political and economic landscape.

Frederick Shaw’s career and his association with Kimmage Manor reflect the complexities of Anglo-Irish identity during a period of significant social and political change in Ireland. While the Shaw family enjoyed wealth and privilege, they were also part of a dwindling class as Irish nationalism and the push for Catholic emancipation gained momentum throughout the 19th century.

In later years, Kimmage Manor took on a different role, particularly after the Shaw family’s influence waned. Eventually, the property was sold and later became associated with the Holy Ghost Fathers, serving as a religious institution. Despite these changes, the legacy of Frederick Shaw and his connection to Kimmage Manor remains a significant part of the estate’s history. He did not concur with his fellow MPs on the issue of the repeal of Peel’s Corn Laws, and is thought to have refused the post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Frederick’s wife Thomasina Emily Jocelyn was a granddaughter of the Earl of Roden, founder of the Orange Order, and one of his granddaughters, Flora Shaw, a journalist with The Times (London) was married to the governor of , and had proposed the name for Nigeria.

Plunkett Family

The Plunkett family, known for their role in Irish nationalism, contributed to Dublin’s industrial history through Larkfield Mills on Sundrive Road, Kimmage, sitting on the banks of the River Poddle. Initially a flour mill, it later expanded into textiles. The mills became a hub for revolutionary activity and the Kimmage Garrison, a group of mostly foreign volunteers, lived and trained there before the Rising. Joseph Mary Plunkett, a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, used the site to store arms and plan the rebellion. Larkfield Mills symbolised the family’s support for Irish self-sufficiency and independence. Though it closed in the mid-20th century, the mills remain a testament to the Plunketts’ legacy in both industry and Irish history.