A tour of Dublin's main street and the story of Ireland’s path to freedom and independence. Rebels, writers, artists and more

O’Connell Street is not just Dublin’s capital, but through its statues and buildings can be told the story of Ireland’s path to freedom and independence.

The wide street is book-ended by the statues of Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell, heroes of the Home Rule movement and in between is the iconic General Post Office (GPO) famous from the 1916 Easter Rising. The street has many other statues and locations from Irish history, literature and cinema.

All of this is explored on this 2 hour walking tour, vividly brought alive by our guide Eamon Delaney, a historian and specialist on public art.

We hear of the long struggle for independence and freedom : from the old House of Commons on nearby College Green through to Home Rule and the Fenians and on to the 1916 Rising. The tour concludes, appropriately, at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square.

En route, we see the statue of Labour leader Jim Larkin and hear about the 1913 workers Lockout. We also see William Smith O’ Brien and explore the Fenian movement. We go to where Cathal Brugha was shot during the Irish Civil War and where the Fianna Fail party was founded after that Civil War.

We also cross the paths of old cinemas, music halls and scenes from famous novels and stories, as well as exploring the history of O’Connell Street itself – formerly Sackville Street and before that Gardiner’s Mall.

Description supplied by the event organiser.