On Thursday, 26 May, the Data Stories team embarked on a boat tour of the Dublin Port. The excursion, organised by James Deery of the National Treasury Management Agency and Maynooth’s Department of History and run by the Dublin Port Company, was an on-the-water seminar discussing the Port’s environmental heritage and sustainability initiatives.
For the Data Stories team, the tour presented an opportunity to see the ongoing construction of the North Lotts and Grand Canal Docks Strategic Development Zone and to view the rapid—though at times stunted—growth of the area from a different vantage point. To get a sense of the planning and development activities that have occurred since the 1980s, when Irish neoliberalism became visible through the built environment of the city, the Data Stories team did a mini-walking tour from Connolly Station to Berth 18, the departure point for the boat tour. The walking tour highlighted key projects on the north side of the Liffey, such as the Custom House Quay building (CHQ), Mayor Square, the convention centre, and the Central Bank. The team then walked along Lower Sheriff Street to discuss the gradual displacement of the housing complexes that were home for communities who fuelled the economy of the port since as far back as the 1700s.
The day could not have been any more beautiful for a boat tour. The sun was shining on our way out and the water was still, allowing for a clear, unobstructed and unique perspective of the Dublin docklands. The team will continue to visit various developments throughout the city to gain a deeper understanding of planning and development activity across time, and to complement our growing knowledge of the role the data ecosystem plays in guiding said developments.
Relevant Stories:
- Dublin Port Company – History of the Port
- Eye On The World – Researching the History of a Dublin Neighbourhood. Lower Sheriff Street, 1. Topography
- Transnational Institute – Bright lights, tech city for the no-collar worker