Smithfield Plaza, market, square in north Dublin Ireland
Smithfield (Irish: Margadh na Feirme, meaning "Farmers' Market") is an area on the northside of Dublin. Its focal point is a public square, formerly an open market, now officially called Smithfield Plaza, but known locally as Smithfield Square or Smithfield Market. Notable landmarks include the The Old Jameson Whiskey Distillery and the Observation Tower. The area also has a seasonal ice rink. There is no general agreement on the extent of the area known as Smithfield, but it might generally be said to incorporate the area bounded by the River Liffey to the south, Bow Street to the east, Queen Street to the west, and North Brunswick street to the north. Smithfield Market was laid out in the mid 17th century as a marketplace. Until recently the square was lined with inner city 'farm yards' housing livestock. In 1964 Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor spent time here, as Burton worked on the film set in Smithfield for the film adaptation of John le Carre's novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Recently, Smithfield has been rejuvenated under the HARP (Historic Area Rejuvenation Plan). The restoration involved lifting more than 400,000 one hundred and twenty-year-old cobblestones, cleaning them by hand and re-laying them. Contemporary architecture and twelve 26 metre gas lighting masts, each with a 2 metre flame, now flank the square. The smell of horses can still be experienced at Smithfield at the Horse Market (every first Sunday the month) and the sight and sounds on these Sundays give an impression of what Smithfield once was. The city council is in the process of trying to move the horse market out of the area, with some newer residents especially uncomfortable with its atmosphere. The Smithfield area is also home to the Dublin City Fruit Vegetable and Flower Market, one of Dublin's best kept Victorian architectural secrets. The Council recently demolished the adjacent Fish Market building and plan to redevelop the rest of the site.
Size: 3364px × 5046px
Location: Smithfield, Dublin
Photo credit: © Shane Phelan / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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