Dublin Port Opens Refurbished Substation as Interpretive Centre on ...

The Irish economy “couldn’t function” without the “central role of Dublin Port”, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said.

Speaking at the opening of Dublin Port’s Substation as an interpretive centre and venue, Mr Donohoe said that Dublin began as a port city, and it was easy to forget this.

“We understand that better about our history than we do about our present,” he said, stating the port is “a vital piece of national infrastructure that is an artery not just to our city, but to our economy”.

The Fine Gael minister, whose constituency is Dublin Central, said this could best be appreciated when walking out to the end of the North Bull Wall and observing the shipping traffic in the bay with “the wind in your face and the salt on your lips”.

He paid tribute to Dublin Port for “opening up walls and gates”, with the refurbished Substation being a prime example of this.

Dublin Port chief executive Barry O’Connell noted that the opening was taking place on national culture night, when a plaque honouring Bindon Blood Stoney, one of the port’s most pioneering engineers, would also be unveiled.

“Today marks another significant milestone in our journey towards making Dublin Port a destination, and achieving port-city integration,” O’Connell said.

The Substation’s opening and discovery and preservation of the 18th century sea wall, which gave East Wall its name symbolises the port’s “commitment to bridging the past and present”.

During refurbishment works on site, part of the city’s original sea wall was discovered running underneath the Substation. The 18th century sea wall once served to protect the East Wall from flooding and was a catalyst for the North Lotts reclamation of centuries ago. Dublin Port, together with a multidisciplinary team has worked to preserve and expose the sea wall underneath a glass floor inside the building  Photo: Conor McCabe

“As we continue our efforts to connect the port with the city, this interpretive centre becomes a vital part of Masterplan 2040, fostering a deeper connection between our maritime heritage and the community,” he said.

Dublin Port heritage director Lar Joye said the Substation marked the point where the “port meets the city”, and once played a pivotal role in the early electrification of the port complex.

The 18th-century sea wall discovered running underneath the Substation once served to protect the East Wall from flooding and was a catalyst for the North Lotts reclamation of centuries ago.

One of the Substation’s first events will be an exhibition curated by the Little Museum of Dublin in November, entitled “Solidarity: the Dockers of Dublin Port”.

A tribute to the dockers was the theme of a short performance at the Substation opening by ANU actor Robbie O’Connor, based on a short extract from “The Book of Names” by Louise Lowe.

When completed, the redbrick Substation museum display would be part of a 6.2 km cycle and pedestrian route linking port, maritime and industrial heritage landmarks and views from Dublin Port estate and overlooking Dublin Bay, Joye said.

The Liffey-Tolka project recently acquired planning permission to create a “transformative public realm” along a 1.4 km dedicated cycle and pedestrian route linking the Liffey with Tolka estuary, passing the Substation en route as part of a greenway.

Attending the event at the Substation – and assisting the minister in ringing a ship’s bell before he unveiled the section of the old sea wall - were Adam Roche (9) and Everly Whelan (9) of St Joseph’s Co-Ed Primary School.

Adam Roche, 9, and Everly Whelan, 9, of St. Joseph’s Co-Ed Primary School, at the launch of the Substation at Dublin Port Photo: Conor McCabe

Their school board chairperson, former Dublin Central Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan, also attended the opening, along with members of the Ringsend and East Wall communities.