Nassau Street, Dublin
Encyclopedia
Nassau Street is a street in central Dublin, running along the south side of Trinity College
. It runs from Grafton Street
in the west, to the junction of South Leinster Street and Kildare Street
in the East.
The south side of the street is commercialised, with newsagents and a music shop to the east of the junction with Dawson Street
and smaller shops to the west of it.
Formerly known as St Patrick's Well Lane after a 12th century well, it was renamed in the 18th Century, after the accession to the throne of King William III
, a member of the House of Orange-Nassau
. To emphasise the point, one of the houses erected a marble bust of William with the verse:
The site of the well is in the grounds of Trinity College
, near the Nassau Street exit.
Folklore connects the well with Saint Patrick
, who (legend states) struck the ground with his staff and brought forth water bubbling to the surface. The well dried up in 1729.
Nassau Street is also very famous for being the location in which Irish writer James Joyce
met his lifelong love, Nora Barnacle
on 10 June, 1904.
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. It runs from Grafton Street
Grafton Street, Dublin
Grafton Street is one of the two principal shopping streets in Dublin city centre, the other being Henry Street. It runs from St. Stephen's Green in the south to College Green in the north...
in the west, to the junction of South Leinster Street and Kildare Street
Kildare Street
Kildare Street is a well-known street in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland close to the principal shopping area of Grafton Street and Dawson Street, to which it is joined by Molesworth Street. Some Irish government departments have their offices on this street but it is most famous for Leinster...
in the East.
The south side of the street is commercialised, with newsagents and a music shop to the east of the junction with Dawson Street
Dawson Street
Dawson Street is one of the main streets of central Dublin, running parallel to Grafton Street, to which it is connected by Duke Street and South Anne Street...
and smaller shops to the west of it.
Formerly known as St Patrick's Well Lane after a 12th century well, it was renamed in the 18th Century, after the accession to the throne of King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, a member of the House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
. To emphasise the point, one of the houses erected a marble bust of William with the verse:
The site of the well is in the grounds of Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, near the Nassau Street exit.
Folklore connects the well with Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
, who (legend states) struck the ground with his staff and brought forth water bubbling to the surface. The well dried up in 1729.
Nassau Street is also very famous for being the location in which Irish writer James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
met his lifelong love, Nora Barnacle
Nora Barnacle
Nora Barnacle was the lover, companion, inspiration, and eventual wife of author James Joyce.-Biography:Nora Barnacle was born in the town of Galway, Ireland, but the day of her birth is uncertain. Depending on the source, it varies between the 21st and the 24th of March 1884...
on 10 June, 1904.