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What are all those buildings in the Phoenix Park?

It’s massive, but what are all those buildings?

THE PHOENIX PARK is massive.

At 707 hectares, it is one of Europe’s largest walled parks and there is a long-standing campaign to have it declared a UNESCO world heritage site.

While development within the walls isn’t strictly forbidden by the myriad of laws governing the park, it is such a well-used resource for Dubliners and people around the country, it is unlikely to be touched in any major way any time soon.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t already buildings in the park.

But, what are they?

Phoenix Park

1. Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo samboal samboal

That’s where daddy’s taking us tomorrow. Opened in 1831 with animals donated by London Zoo, it covers 28 hectares of the park. The original lodge was built for £30 and was used as a ticket office until the upgraded gate was built.

2. Gate Lodge

The gatekeepers’ lodges are placed near the gates to the park. The North Circular Road one is notable as being the founding place of Bohemian Football Club, who now play not far from the gate in Dalymount Park.

3.  Garda Headquarters

Garda Headquarters Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The headquarters of the gardaí, unsurprisingly.

4. The Tea Rooms

Constructed as an ice cream kiosk for visitors to the park and nearby Dublin Zoo, today the Tea Rooms act as a cafe and serve some yummy cakes.

5. Phoenix Cricket Club

Phoenix Park Deer Eamonn Farrell / Photocall Ireland Eamonn Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The club was founded in 1830 by John Parnell, Charles Stewart Parnell’s father and is Ireland’s oldest cricket club. They have been at this site since 1847.

6. Sports grounds

The sports grounds are used by both GAA and field hockey teams.

7. Polo Grounds

The All Ireland Polo Club has been on “the nine acres” since 1873. At the height of summer, three matches are played a week.

8. Áras an Uachtarain

Aras an Uachtarainin Sam Boal Sam Boal

Home to the President of Ireland, it was built in 1751 as the lodge for the British Viceroy of Ireland but has housed the Irish President since 1939. It was designed by an amateur architect. At the back you may spot Ratra House, the lodge house for the Aras.

9. American Ambassador’s residence

4th July American Celebrations Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Formerly the Chief Secretary’s lodge, Deerfield is now American property, as well as American soil. The residence is the home to the American ambassador. It was bought by the US government in 2013.

10. Ashtown Castle

The fortified house was found hidden within the walls of a much larger and more recent building that was being used by the Papal Nuncio until 1978. Originally thought to be from the 1400s, it was rebuilt in 1989 and is home to the Phoenix Park visitors’ centre, a playground and a walled garden.

11. Civil Defence offices

The organisation used to be run from here, but has since decentralised to Roscrea.

12. Phoenix Park Special School

The school provides support for children with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties.

13. Gate lodges

There are lodges at most of the park’s gates, but the two at the Ashtown gate are probably the most notable.

14. Whitefields Lodge

The lodge is now home to the Park Rangers and park superintendent.

15. Farmleigh

Economic Forums in Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The official State guest house, Farmleigh was built in 1881 after Edward Cecil Guinness renovated what was a small Georgian home. The State bought it in 1999 and it now hosts foreign dignitaries and a host of festivals and markets.

16. OSI

The building is the headquarters of the Ordinance Survey Ireland, the national mapping agency.

17. Knockmaroon Gate Lodge

The lodge at the Knockmaroon gate, unsurprisingly.

18. St Mary’s Hospital

The hospital was built in 1769 and was originally the Royal Hibernian Military School. It was then used as an army hospital. In 1964, it became a facility for older people.

19. Gate House

The Parkgate Street house is now home to a bike rental office.

20. Magazine Fort

Snow Scenes Bad Weather

The fort marks the location where Phoenix Lodge was built by Sir Edward Fisher in 1611. In 1734 the house was demolished when the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset directed that a powder magazine be provided for Dublin. An additional wing was added to the fort in 1801 for troops. It was the scene of the Christmas Raid in 1939.

Read: 425 Irish dogs helped break a Guinness World Record

Read: New US ambassador to Ireland says he is the luckiest man in the United States

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64 Comments
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    Mute Féach News
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    May 4th 2018, 9:58 AM

    BREAKING NEWS: Sean Canney tosses coin to decide his future in Independent Alliance.

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    Mute David Huston
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    May 4th 2018, 11:20 AM

    @Féach News: Election coming, must distance oneself from the Sene of the crime, abstaining is not the same as voting against

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    Mute Charliegrl80
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    May 4th 2018, 1:41 PM

    @David Huston: Michael Lowry TD stated on radio over a week ago we’ll have an election within six months before all the new s*crew ups happened! And the worst thing he left the alliance because of noting getting a change of guard for the role he thought he was getting. No fear of him leaving because of the cervical check scandal, that’s not important to them only who got the nod.

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    Mute Bernard Kavanagh
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    May 4th 2018, 2:57 PM

    @Féach News: Maybe 30 pieces of silver.

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    Mute Joe Burke
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    May 4th 2018, 4:16 PM

    @Féach News: independents a waste of space!

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    May 4th 2018, 10:04 AM

    Earth shattering stuff. What will Ireland do now?

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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    May 4th 2018, 11:32 AM

    @John Mulligan: build a bigger trough, perhaps?

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    Mute Brian Deane
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    May 4th 2018, 12:23 PM

    @John Mulligan: An ‘Independent Alliance’ is a complete contradiction. Vote for some independent in Galway and who ends up representing you only the likes of Shane Ross and Zappo from Seattle! If it’s a political grouping like the ‘Independent Alliance’ then it can’t represent independents.

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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    May 4th 2018, 12:35 PM

    @Brian Deane: Independent = ‘separate and not connected’. Alliance = ‘formally united’. So Independent Alliance is an oxymoron with an emphasis on the ‘moron’ part of the word.

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    Mute Shakka1244
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    May 4th 2018, 10:30 AM

    A Gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull. After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the Bull’s pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.

    “You must be very glad to have me go now,” he said.

    “It’s all the same to me,” replied the Bull. “I did not even know you were there.”

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    Mute John Scott
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    May 4th 2018, 10:10 AM

    It’s my ball and I’m taking it home!

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    Mute Tommy Griffin
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    May 5th 2018, 7:31 AM

    @John Scott: that was exactly what came into my mind

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    Mute Patabake Kennedy
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    May 4th 2018, 9:59 AM

    Hurrah, we are sure going to see some positive changes in policy now. Oh wait.

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    May 4th 2018, 10:38 AM

    So Boxer don’t keep the agreement. What’s new in politics.

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    Mute Mark McDermott
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    May 4th 2018, 10:22 AM

    Flipping a coin for who does the role first, what the f### has this country become when this is how politicians decide things.

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    Mute Brinster
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    May 4th 2018, 10:25 AM

    @Mark McDermott:

    Almost exactly 2 years ago.

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    Mute Trevor Hayden
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    May 4th 2018, 10:26 AM

    Wow, I’m utterly blown away by this news.
    Oh well back to watching the paint dry on my walls.

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    Mute Eamonn Skerrett
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    May 4th 2018, 10:53 AM

    I would think Boxer made his mind up for him after trying to take all the credit for the flood defences on RTE last night

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    Mute andrew
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    May 4th 2018, 11:24 AM

    @Eamonn Skerrett: yes. Saw that. Tosser Moron busy making himself seem like Noah

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    Mute Martina Flynn Fitzgerald
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    May 4th 2018, 10:50 AM

    How am i going to get through this day?
    after hearing this tragic news!

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    Mute kissmyarse
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    May 4th 2018, 11:58 AM

    @Martina Flynn Fitzgerald: say a decade of the rosary, and you be ok

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    Mute Colm Mcmahon
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    May 4th 2018, 11:20 AM

    He did his two years and is entitled to his over inflated pension now, so why bother sticking around……what a tosser and I am not speaking about the coin.

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    Mute Tony Hogan
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    May 4th 2018, 10:24 AM

    Tossing a coin . He’s tossed his toys out of his pram

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    Mute kissmyarse
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    May 4th 2018, 12:04 PM

    @Tony Hogan: Leo has been rolling him up and down the corridors of Leinster house in that pram shoving his doe doe in his mouth

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    Mute colm mc sweeney
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    May 4th 2018, 10:54 AM

    Why didn’t he just go with the FG badge in the first place? He is FG in everything but name.

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    Mute Rodney Williams
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    May 4th 2018, 1:06 PM

    Good man!
    Close the door on your way out

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    May 4th 2018, 10:11 AM

    Brexit is important

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    Mute Stiofán Na Mara
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    May 4th 2018, 11:26 AM

    I went to a Shannon flood relief public meeting last year and this idiot was one of the speakers.. he and ‘Boxer’ and a number of others didn’t have an ecological thought in their heads.. and we wonder why were in this global mess. Good riddance to all these old paradigm thinkers.. their idiots. There is a new consciousness and understanding emerging on how we go forward with economics, ecology, science and each other. Either go with it or remain regressive and destructive, which is what these morons are. Celebrating a dredging contractor that is contracted to the US milltary in Iraq and elsewhere is nothing to be proud of, neither is destroying the Shannons ecology. Short term, small minded idiotic thinking with not one iota of holistic vision for now or the longterm future.

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    Mute Willy Malone
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    May 4th 2018, 11:36 AM

    Who tá fu(K cares. Staying at trough. Why not pull out and gain some respect…

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    Mute Padraig Maloney
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    May 4th 2018, 11:40 AM

    “Séan Canney has decided to leave the Independent Alliance group” how wound we know?

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    Mute Joseph Duggan
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    May 4th 2018, 12:59 PM

    Still chief whip how much is that worth vote fine gael money no morals

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    May 4th 2018, 5:55 PM

    @Joseph Duggan: 15k pa.

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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    May 4th 2018, 2:41 PM

    Wants to keep the 15k extra he receives as assistant whip. Zero morals.

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    May 4th 2018, 12:05 PM

    Remember , be compassionate, somebody , like you and me , just ordinary people, is working themselves up into a tizzy over this. Your pity should know no bounds. do not mock the afflicted.

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    Mute Adrian
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    May 4th 2018, 10:36 AM

    Shows just how stupidly lucrative being a politician in ireland is for these incompetent idiots.

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    Mute Anita Oman
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    May 5th 2018, 9:15 AM

    Thats a pity had many a good banter with Sean in OPW . A gentleman was very well liked he be missed wish him well.

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