A bridge from past to present

DUBLIN is truly a city of two names, Dubh Linn and Áth Cliath, each reflecting a distinct part of its ancient past. The English name ‘Dublin’ derives from the Gaelic ‘Dubh Linn,’ meaning ‘Black Pool,’ itself adapted from the Viking Dyflin. The name refers to the dark tidal pool where the River Poddle met the River Liffey, a spot that now forms part of the gardens of Dublin Castle. For centuries, up until the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, Dublin Castle served as the administrative heart of English and later British rule in Ireland.

The Vikings established a settlement, or longphort, here in the ninth century, and it grew into a major trading hub in Western Europe, infamously dealing in slaves as well as goods. Traditionally, everything east of Dublin Castle was known as Dubh Linn.

The Irish name Áth Cliath, meaning ‘Ford of the Hurdles,’ refers to what is believed to have been the first crossing point of the Liffey, roughly where Father Mathew Bridge now stands at the foot of Bridge Street. The area west of this crossing was known as Áth Cliath, and it was here, around Bridge Street, that the Viking settlement took hold and flourished.

Excavations in the area and further downstream at Wood Quay have revealed a wealth of Viking artefacts, evidence of Dublin’s early urban life. Sadly, much of the original Viking site at Wood Quay was destroyed in the 1970s during construction of the Dublin City Council buildings, a decision that sparked widespread protests from historians, archaeologists, and citizens alike.

Steeped in rebellion

Bridge Street is steeped in rebellion, folklore and legend. The Brazen Head (above)—founded in 1198 and recognised as Dublin’s oldest pub—has been a public house ever since. Its walls have witnessed countless gatherings of revolutionaries and patriots. Robert Emmet—the doomed leader of the 1803 rebellion—is said to have met fellow United Irishmen here to plan their ill-fated uprising. Later figures from the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence, including Michael Collins, are also reputed to have frequented the pub.

One curious relic within the Brazen Head is believed to be among the oldest pieces of graffiti in Dublin, scratched onto an upstairs windowpane are the words ‘John Langan halted here 7th August 1726.’ The faint inscription remains visible today, though you’ll need a keen eye to find it amid the glare of the glass.

Directly opposite stands O’Shea’s Merchant, formerly owned by James Mullett, a Fenian who hosted meetings of the Dublin branch of the movement. Mullett’s story took a darker turn when he became one of the first to surrender the names of the ‘Invincibles,’ the men responsible for the Phoenix Park assassinations, to the Dublin Metropolitan Police in exchange for leniency. Though James Carey is better known for turning state’s evidence during the trials, it was Mullett’s betrayal that first set the case in motion, a fact largely forgotten by history.

Another prominent figure of the revolutionary era, Oliver Bond, lived on Bridge Street. A prosperous merchant and committed United Irishman, Bond hosted meetings of the Leinster Directory in his home until the group was betrayed by informer Thomas Reynolds. Fourteen members were arrested, and Bond later died in suspicious circumstances in Newgate Prison, reportedly murdered just as his release seemed imminent. In a striking twist of history, Bond’s full name was Oliver Cromwell Bond , a curious echo of the diversity and contradictions within the United Irishmen movement.

The lore of Little John

Local folklore adds another colourful layer to the area’s history. It is said that Little John of Sherwood Forest fame sought refuge in Dublin around 1188, fleeing capture in England. His reputation as an archer soon spread, and an exhibition of his skills was arranged on the old Dublin Bridge, close to the very site of the ancient ‘Ford of the Hurdles.’ According to legend, one of his arrows flew so far that it landed near St Michan’s Church, where Oliver Bond is buried. For generations, Dubliners called the spot ‘Little John’s Shot.’ Stories tell that Little John lived in the wooded area around Arbour Hill before eventually being captured and hanged for theft.

The Bridge Street area was once home to three prisons: the Marshalsea, the Black Dog, and Newgate, most of them debtor’s prisons over the centuries. The district also gave birth to Napper Tandy, another famed revolutionary, and once contained the house where Wolfe Tone was waked.

Few streets in Dublin carry as much historical weight as Bridge Street. From Viking traders to rebel dreamers, its stones tell the story of a city forever reinventing itself, yet always rooted in the past.