‘Layers of Dublin Port’ Mapped for First Time in New Conservation Strategy

30th April 2024

Dublin Port Company has launched its Conservation Strategy, an ambitious document which maps the layers of Dublin Port - what’s on the floor of Dublin Bay, what’s underground on the Port estate and the heritage value of the built environment still standing. The strategy aims to put the rich legacy of Port Heritage in context and provides a framework for future planners to preserve and celebrate it across a range of initiatives, including cultural practice, community outreach and climate change action

Dublin Port Company (DPC) has mapped its rich natural, industrial, and cultural heritage in a new Conservation Strategy, which Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, TD, launched today.

The ambitious document maps Dublin Port's layers, including findings on the floor of Dublin Bay, discoveries underground from archaeological digs, and the industrial history of the built environment still standing on the Dublin Port estate. This is the first time Dublin Port’s heritage has been mapped on this scale in its 300-year history.

A key pillar of the Strategy is Port-City Integration, the framework through which all aspects of Dublin’s maritime heritage, from structures as significant as the Great South Wall to the historic photographs, maps and drawings of the priceless Port Archive, can be preserved and celebrated.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD behind the wheel of a vintage port vehicle with Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive at Dublin Port Company and Caitriona Crowe, former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland, at the launch of the Dublin Port Heritage Conservation Strategy, an ambitious document which maps the layers of Dublin Port. Photo: Robbie Reynolds 

This broader vision for Dublin Port as a landscape of living heritage involves promoting a range of initiatives across cultural heritage practice, the historic built environment, architectural quality, community outreach, and climate change action to ensure Dublin Port remains safe and is increasingly accessible to the public.

The Journey of Dublin Port – Heritage Great and Small

The strategy includes a mapped timeline drawn from the Port Archive, which charts the Port’s journey to the east from the 1600s to the present day. Readers can trace the establishment of the North and South Lotts and the current Dublin Port estate, which were reclaimed from the sea over centuries.
This timeline gives context to the central role port activity has played in the life of the city. Drawing on Baukultur, a concept outlined in the Davos Declaration, it argues for a culture-centred approach to sustainably developing the built environment. Utilising this key concept, the Strategy aims to establish a vibrant landscape of industrial heritage across Dublin Port encompassing the ordinary and the extraordinary.

The scope of the Conservation Strategy includes statutorily protected monuments within the Port estate and those listed on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, like the former Odlums Flour Mills. Preserving this varied heritage landscape can help the public gain a greater understanding of Ireland’s economic, natural, and social history.

Underground and Deepwater Discoveries

Many of Dublin Port’s heritage structures were built upon across centuries, preserving them for future study. The project team have uncovered and recorded an 1826 patent slip in the Alexandra Basin. The slip was then recovered, and samples of its stones were taken into DPC’s care.

The Strategy spotlights plans to open up heritage assets to the public, including the original Graving Dock No. 1, which currently lies below ground beside DPC’s performance venue The Pumphouse and will be excavated as part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) Project.

As the Strategy outlines, there have been over 300 recorded shipwrecks in Dublin Bay. Of these, 18 have been definitively located, the rest potentially still discoverable beneath the waves.

One shipwreck, dubbed ‘Millstone Wreck’ was discovered by DPC during dredging works. The ship dates back to the 18th century, and as part of the Conservation Strategy, its timbers and cargo of millstones have been studied and preserved. These slabs of Old Red Sandstone were cut from exposed bedrock at Waterford Harbour to feed the mill industry in cities along the east coast, but never reached their destination as the ship sank when it hit a storm at the Dublin Bar. Today, dredging works and breakwaters stop sand from building up along the Bar and lessening the depth of passage, which can cause deeper drafted vessels to run aground and sink.

Opening Up the Port

Through cataloguing Dublin Port’s heritage assets, the project team aims to contextualise Dublin Port’s deep historical connections to the docklands and the wider city.

Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company, said “The story of Dublin Port is one that is crucial to our economy, but also to our social history. The Conservation Strategy allows us all to come to a richer understanding of the maritime and industrial heritage beneath our feet and all around us. This can serve as a roadmap for future planners, both inside and outside the Port, to help make the area a welcoming destination for the public.”

Lar Joye, Port Heritage Director at Dublin Port Company, said: “This comprehensive document highlights the diversity of the Port’s built environment and the responsibility of our stewardship. At Dublin Port Company, we’ve already begun putting Port-City Integration into practice with the establishment of The Diving Bell Museum in 2015, the restoration of The Substation into an exhibition space in 2023 and the development of active travel routes along the Tolka Estuary for the first time, set to open this summer to pedestrians and cyclists.”

This commitment to Port-City Integration is to inform DPC’s Masterplan 2040, which includes the nearly complete ABR Project and the ongoing MP2 Project, as well as its third and final Masterplan Project, 3FM, to be submitted for planning later this year.

Launching the Strategy

The Conservation Strategy was launched by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, alongside representatives from DPC and the wider project team, which includes Shaffrey Architects, the Archaeological Diving Company (ADCO), MOLA Architecture and heritage conservation specialists Southgate Associates.

Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive at Dublin Port Company (left) with Dublin Port Company’s Lar Joye, Port Heritage Director, James Kelleher, Head of Special Projects, Caitriona Crowe, former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD, at the strategy's launch in Dublin Port Photo: Robbie Reynolds

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State, Malcolm Noonan, TD, said: “Preserving and maintaining aspects of our national heritage is not a passive endeavour, and this strategy helps push forward a proactive, meaningful framework through which Dublin’s heritage as a port city can be celebrated.
“It is great to see Dublin Port Company leading the way in this field, and there is great potential for other semi-state bodies to follow suit.”

Published in Dublin Port, River Liffey, Dublin Bay

Published in Dublin Port

Tagged under

Dublin Port

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

About Dublin Port

Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest and busiest port with approximately 17,000 vessel movements per year. As well as being the country’s largest port, Dublin Port has the highest rate of growth and, in the seven years to 2019, total cargo volumes grew by 36.1%.

The vision of Dublin Port Company is to have the required capacity to service the needs of its customers and the wider economy safely, efficiently and sustainably. Dublin Port will integrate with the City by enhancing the natural and built environments. The Port is being developed in line with Masterplan 2040.

Dublin Port Company is currently investing about €277 million on its Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR), which is due to be complete by 2021. The redevelopment will improve the port's capacity for large ships by deepening and lengthening 3km of its 7km of berths. The ABR is part of a €1bn capital programme up to 2028, which will also include initial work on the Dublin Port’s MP2 Project - a major capital development project proposal for works within the existing port lands in the northeastern part of the port.

Dublin Port has also recently secured planning approval for the development of the next phase of its inland port near Dublin Airport. The latest stage of the inland port will include a site with the capacity to store more than 2,000 shipping containers and infrastructures such as an ESB substation, an office building and gantry crane.

Dublin Port Company recently submitted a planning application for a €320 million project that aims to provide significant additional capacity at the facility within the port in order to cope with increases in trade up to 2040. The scheme will see a new roll-on/roll-off jetty built to handle ferries of up to 240 metres in length, as well as the redevelopment of an oil berth into a deep-water container berth.

Dublin Port FAQ

How old is Dublin Port?

Dublin was little more than a monastic settlement until the Norse invasion in the 8th and 9th centuries when they selected the Liffey Estuary as their point of entry to the country as it provided relatively easy access to the central plains of Ireland. Trading with England and Europe followed which required port facilities, so the development of Dublin Port is inextricably linked to the development of Dublin City, so it is fair to say the origins of the Port go back over one thousand years. As a result, the modern organisation Dublin Port has a long and remarkable history, dating back over 300 years from 1707.

Where was the original Dublin Port located?

The original Port of Dublin was situated upriver, a few miles from its current location near the modern Civic Offices at Wood Quay and close to Christchurch Cathedral. The Port remained close to that area until the new Custom House opened in the 1790s. In medieval times Dublin shipped cattle hides to Britain and the continent, and the returning ships carried wine, pottery and other goods.

How big is Dublin Port?

510 acres. The modern Dublin Port is located either side of the River Liffey, out to its mouth. On the north side of the river, the central part (205 hectares or 510 acres) of the Port lies at the end of East Wall and North Wall, from Alexandra Quay.

Who owns Dublin Port?

Dublin Port Company is a State-owned commercial company responsible for operating and developing Dublin Port.

What is Dublin Port Company?

Dublin Port Company is a self-financing, and profitable private limited company wholly-owned by the State, whose business is to manage Dublin Port, Ireland's premier Port. Established as a corporate entity in 1997, Dublin Port Company is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of the Port.

Name someone famous connected to Dublin Port?

Captain William Bligh (of Mutiny of the Bounty fame) was a visitor to Dublin in 1800, and his visit to the capital had a lasting effect on the Port. Bligh's study of the currents in Dublin Bay provided the basis for the construction of the North Wall. This undertaking led to the growth of Bull Island to its present size.

Is Dublin the largest Port in Ireland?

Yes. Dublin Port is the largest freight and passenger port in Ireland. It handles almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland.

Who handles the Cargo in Dublin Port?

All cargo handling activities being carried out by private sector companies operating in intensely competitive markets within the Port. Dublin Port Company provides world-class facilities, services, accommodation and lands in the harbour for ships, goods and passengers.

Who is the Chief Executive of Dublin Port?

Eamonn O'Reilly is the Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Who is the Harbour Master of Dublin Port?

Capt. Michael McKenna is the Dublin Port Harbour Master

How many passengers come through Dublin Port each year?

In 2019, 1,949,229 people came through the Port.

How many cruise liners arrive in Dublin Port?

In 2019, there were 158 cruise liner visits.

How many tonnes of exports were shipped by Dublin Port?

In 2019, 9.4 million gross tonnes of exports were handled by Dublin Port.

How many ships arrive at Dublin Port each year?

In 2019, there were 7,898 ship arrivals.

What is the total throughput of goods at Dublin Port?

In 2019, there was a gross tonnage of 38.1 million.

How many tourist vehicles come through Dublin Port?

In 2019, there were 559,506 tourist vehicles.

How many trade vehicles come through Dublin Port?

There were 98,897 lorries in 2019

Can pleasure craft enter Dublin Port?

Boats can navigate the River Liffey into Dublin by using the navigational guidelines. Find the guidelines on this page here.

What is the VHF Channel for Dublin Port control?

VHF channel 12. Commercial vessels using Dublin Port or Dun Laoghaire Port typically have a qualified pilot or certified master with proven local knowledge on board. They "listen out" on VHF channel 12 when in Dublin Port's jurisdiction.

Is there a Dublin Bay webcam?

A Dublin Bay webcam showing the south of the Bay at Dun Laoghaire and a distant view of Dublin Port Shipping is here

What is Dublin Port’s 'distributed museum'?

Dublin Port is creating a distributed museum on its lands in Dublin City.  A Liffey Tolka Project cycle and pedestrian way is the key to link the elements of this distributed museum together. The distributed museum starts at the Diving Bell and, over the course of 6.3km, will give Dubliners a real sense of the City, the Port and the Bay. For visitors, it will be a unique eye-opening stroll and vista through and alongside one of Europe’s busiest ports: Diving Bell along Sir John Rogerson’s Quay over the Samuel Beckett Bridge, past the Scherzer Bridge and down the North Wall Quay campshire to Berth 18 - 1.2 km. Liffey Tolka Project - Tree-lined pedestrian and cycle route between the River Liffey and the Tolka Estuary - 1.4 km with a 300-metre spur along Alexandra Road to The Pumphouse (to be completed by Q1 2021) and another 200 metres to The Flour Mill. Tolka Estuary Greenway - Construction of Phase 1 (1.9 km) starts in December 2020 and will be completed by Spring 2022. Phase 2 (1.3 km) will be delivered within the following five years. The Pumphouse is a heritage zone being created as part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project. The first phase of 1.6 acres will be completed in early 2021 and will include historical port equipment and buildings and a large open space for exhibitions and performances. It will be expanded in a subsequent phase to incorporate the Victorian Graving Dock No. 1 which will be excavated and revealed.   The largest component of the distributed museum will be The Flour Mill. This involves the redevelopment of the former Odlums Flour Mill on Alexandra Road based on a masterplan completed by Grafton Architects to provide a mix of port operational uses, a National Maritime Archive, two 300 seat performance venues, working and studio spaces for artists and exhibition spaces. The Flour Mill will be developed in stages over the remaining twenty years of Masterplan 2040 alongside major port infrastructure projects.