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This is my favourite park in Dublin, and I now try to visit each time I'm in Dublin. At my recent visit (October 2011) I particularly enjoyed watching the swans fluffing up their feathers on the waterside.
St Stephens is probably Europe's 'largest City Square' - having over 9 hectares of grassed areas, flower beds, duck ponds and shrubberies interspersed with pathways. Statues, a band-stand and childrens play ground are other features.
It always has a pleasant atmosphere, and is great for 'People-Watching' Quite a tranquil spot, despite being opposite one of Dublins busiest pedestrianised shopping streets - Grafton Street
However, it does have quite sinister beginnings. During the mid 17th Century, this area was the site for public executions and burnings!
In 1663, the land was enclosed,and beautified and was strictly for the use of the rich - the lower classes weren't allowed in.
Arthur Guinness eventually opened access for all, by introducing an Act of Parliament - 3 years after it's introduction, the park opened to the public in 1880.
This park was a favourite place of Phil Lynotts, and Thin Lizzys 2nd album 'Shades from A Blue Orphanage' features Phil and band members Brian Downey and Eric Bell walking through St Stephens Green on its' cover.
From March - October 2011, an exhibition of Phils life and music was held on the upper floor of the Stephens Green Shopping centre, which overlooks the park. I got to visit it 3 times, and enjoyed the views from the window over the Green.
The main entrance to the park is through the Fusiliers Arch (pic 4)- a monument to over 200 men of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who lost their lives fighting in the Boer War.
Written Dec 28, 2011
Address: St Stephens Green, Dublin 2
Phone: N/A
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In the south of Dublin’s city centre, there is this great park with a good balance of recreational areas, artpieces of Gardening and monuments. The latter include such as a monument dedicated to the victims of the Great Famine, Arthur Guinness, James Joyce and WB Yeats. Some other structures like fusilier’s arch and the three fates (a gate) are worth to mention. I enjoyed this park on two occasions: Once on a normal day, where it was a nice place to relax. On another day, it was St. Patrick’s Day. Then St. Stephen’s Green was used by many visitors to relax for a while from all the noise and party. Others tried to sleep off their early overdose of Guinness there. In both ways, several daffodils became victims of the wannabe-leprechauns.
St. Stephen’s Green was opened in 1664, but limited to the upper classes only. It was opened to everyone in 1877. Three years later, it was redesigned and took almost its present form. That project was funded by a member of the Guinness family.
Written May 8, 2011
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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It's not St. Patrick's or Christ Church Cathedral, but I enjoyed services at Dublin Unitarian Church, 11 a.m. on Sundays. According to the church's website, the church is housed in a "19th century building at the west corner of St. Stephen’s Green. Built in the Gothic revival style, the church was opened in 1863 and quickly came to distinguish itself as a haven for liberal religious thinking, founded on a belief in reason and tolerance."
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Address: 112 St. Stephen’s Green West, Dublin 2
Phone: + 353 (0)1 478 06 38
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You could spend hours in St. Stephen's Green; it's what a park is suppose to be! It's green, lush, filled with beautiful flowers, fountains, interesting sculpture, and tree-lined walks. According to DublinTourist.com, "St. Stephen's Green was enclosed in 1664. The 9 hectare(22 acre) park was laid out in its present form in 1880. Landscaped with flowerbeds, trees, a fountain and a lake, the green is dotted with memorials to eminent Dubliners. The 1887 bandstand is still the focal point for free daytime concerts in summer."
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Address: Dublin 2, Ireland
Phone: + 353 1 475 7816
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Originally it was like most of the park's in the city for the residents of the area until 1877 , but fortunately it was reopened to the publik then at the initiative of Sir A E Guinness and who paid for the laying out of the Green in approximately its current form, which took place in 1880, and gave it to the Corporation, as representatives of the people
The park is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named for it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies and the city terminus of one of Dublin's Luas tram lines. At 22 acres (89,000 m2), it is the largest of the parks in Dublin's main Georgian squares.
Updated Nov 3, 2010
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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A really lovely place to walk through or enjoy a picnic if its not raining of course. The lake which is home to ducks and other waterfowl is fed by an artificial waterfall, the O'Connell bridge spans this lake. There is a scented garden in the north west corner of the park with notices in braille for the blind to enjoy. The park is filled with statues and memorials to prominent Irish people.
Written Apr 10, 2010
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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St. Stephen's Green is a rectangular park in the Dublin city centre. Initially, it was a marshy common on the edge of Dublin used for grazing. After 1663, access the park was limited to well-to-do local residents. In 1887, St. Stephen's Green was re-opened to the general public at the initiative of A.E. Guinness, a member of the famous Guinness brewing family.
Today, it is a pleasant oasis of green within Dublin's busy city centre. Within the park, there are walking paths -- a lake with ducks -- and statues and memorials scattered throughout.
Written Nov 27, 2009
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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Continuing on from Merrion Square, I made my way over to St. Stephen's Green, a lovely green 27 acre park. It's had various uses over the years, as a place for public punishment of criminals until 1664, then made into a private park in 1814, and finally as a public park in 1880 thanks to a member of the Guiness family. The north side of the square where you'll find the Shelbourne Hotel is the more fashionable side of the square.
As you stroll through the park, you'll find a number of statues and busts, some of the famous folks you'll come across are author James Joyce, poet WB Yeats and Sir Arthur Guinness (you don't need me to tell you what the Guinness family is famous for, do you?). There are also monuments to soldiers killed in the Boer War, victims of the Great Famine and the Three Fates fountain given to the city of Dublin by the German government in recognition of their help for refugee children after WWII.
Updated Oct 20, 2009
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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I love parks with large expansive lawns and beautiful trees. It's where you can just sit on a bench and comtemplate the world.
St. Stephen's Green is a very nice park here in the heart of Dublin. It's a great way to spend some time just doing nothing. Ferni and I had just finished visiting Trinity College and decided to walk along St. Stephen's just wandering around and enjoying a nice day.
The weather was quite nice and a good way to enjoy an hour or two in the park. We enjoyed watching a handful of fowls splashing about in the lake as well as children running around or riding their bikes.
There are a few nice fountains and some benches where you can stop to enjoy the world around you.
Updated Oct 9, 2009
Address: Top of Grafton Street
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The creation of St. Stephen's Green dates back to 1664, when the space previously used as a common was enclosed to turn the area into Dublin's new high-end location. Access to the park used to be restricted to local residents, but it was opened to the public in 1877 and Lord Ardilaun, a member of the Guinness family, paid to have the green redesigned in 1880. A fountain, a lake, a bandstand and a variety of other landscaping elements were then added, as well as numerous monuments. Perhaps the most easy one to spot is the Fusilier's Arch, at the north corner of St. Stephen's Green. On a sunny day, students, workers and visitors gather around this area to have lunch and relax. Since our hotel was located right on the green, we had plenty of opportunities to explore the park and very much enjoyed the quiet atmosphere it afforded right at the heart of Dublin. A nice break from all the hustle & bustle of the city!
Written May 23, 2009
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Top of Grafton Street
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