Railway link established

Dún Laoghaire East Pier (NLI v.)

A view of the eastern part of the Harbour of Dun Laoghaire, from the East Pier. In view from left to right are: The bandstand, the Mariner’s Church (1837), The National Yacht Club, The Royal Marine Hotel, a paddle steamer, a screw-propeller stem ship at Carlisle Pier. St. Michael’s Church with scaffolding, the Town Hall (1880). In the foreground are two women, one with a bicycle. At the turn of the century a practice of cycling furiously down the West Pier, across the harbour, known as 'scorching' caused such annoyance it had to be prohibited.

Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Dún Laoghaire East Pier (NLI v.)
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Dún Laoghaire East Pier (NLI v.)

A view of the eastern part of the Harbour of Dun Laoghaire, from the East Pier. In view from left to right are: The bandstand, the Mariner’s Church (1837), The National Yacht Club, The Royal Marine Hotel, a paddle steamer, a screw-propeller stem ship at Carlisle Pier. St. Michael’s Church with scaffolding, the Town Hall (1880). In the foreground are two women, one with a bicycle. At the turn of the century a practice of cycling furiously down the West Pier, across the harbour, known as 'scorching' caused such annoyance it had to be prohibited.

Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

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The real catalyst for the development of the town behind the harbour was the arrival of the rail-link to Dublin, the first rail track in Ireland. The first station was in the old village of Dunlery, near the base of the west pier. However by 1836, it had been extended to its present terminus (designed by T .S. Mulvany) underlining the shift in the new town. The construction of the causeway for this track extension cut the old haven in two, creating salt marshes, like those created all along the coast to Dublin. The one at Dun Laoghaire was later filled in and served as an area for coal yards.

The railway had originally been constructed as a freight concern but as direct access to Dublin Port improved with the building of the North Bull Wall after 1842, passenger transport became more important. This was complimented by the introduction of steam-powered craft for short distance travel, such as across the Irish Sea. The harbour it served became host to some of the fastest steamers of the time. The mail-ships were quickly established as the fastest means of transporting cargo, passengers and the mail to and from the mainland, with Dún Laoghaire thus becoming the principal port between Ireland and Britain.

The railway was therefore never used for the transport of heavy goods as originally envisioned and no significant docks were ever built. The trading and commercial section of the harbour was always confined to its older (western) part. Coal shipping and fishery were the chief commercial activity centred on the old quays (Coal Harbour). Coal, the port's basic import, was vital to serve the steam powered ships and the needs of the growing fireplaces of the town. The rail line connection was extended to Rosslare in the eighteen-fifties. For the ten years after 1844 an Atmospheric railway had operated between Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey constructed on the line of the old funicular track. This experimental transport system working on a system of compressed air but was not very successful. It was replaced in its turn by the steam-train line when the route to Wexford was constructed.

The Irish mail after 1849 used the boat trains from Euston Station, London to Holyhead to which it was linked in 1848. After this the harbour frontage was developed rapidly with the Traders' Wharf constructed in 1855 (the Outer Coal Harbour). Victoria Wharf (St. Michael's Wharf) built in 1837 remained the mainstay for packet boats and Royal Navy troopships (20,000 troops were sent to the Crimea from there in 1854), until the Carlisle Pier was constructed with its rail spur-line in 1859. Disembarking passengers then had the comfort of being able to walk straight from the ship to the train alongside, where they were a fifteen-minute ride to Dublin.

Carlisle Pier

A copy of a photogravure depicting the Carlisle Pier in Kingstown Harbour with its railway spur. In view from left to right: the Royal Navy guardship, Carlisle Pier with steam paddle mailboat berthed, the 1823 monument to George IV’s visit in 1821 which caused the renaming of the town.

With the permission of the Irish Archichitectural Archive

Carlisle Pier
With the permission of the Irish Archichitectural Archive

Carlisle Pier

A copy of a photogravure depicting the Carlisle Pier in Kingstown Harbour with its railway spur. In view from left to right: the Royal Navy guardship, Carlisle Pier with steam paddle mailboat berthed, the 1823 monument to George IV’s visit in 1821 which caused the renaming of the town.

With the permission of the Irish Archichitectural Archive

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The coming of the railway greatly enhanced Kingstown' potential for residential use and as a resort town. Churches of various denominations with schools and commercial enterprises sprung up to cater to the needs of the labourers and their families working on the construction of the harbour and then the railway. The wealthy citizens of Dublin came to see Dun Laoghaire as a favourable summer residence, which led to the growth of houses and villas in the area. Low fares on the line encouraged people to settle in the area and it became a dormitory town to Dublin. Workers building the town and schoolchildren were given special rates. The growth of the town is reflected in the census reports:
1831 - 5,736 pop.
1841 - 7,500 pop.
1857 - 10,500 pop.