NUMBERS 33 & 34

BENCHMARKS continued

Not many people know this but just like London and New York, there is an area of Dublin City that is called Soho. To explain: - the 'ho' bit comes from that part of Dublin where the Heuston Railway Station and the eponymous Bridge are located; the 'So' bit means 'south of'. Therefore Soho stands for south of Heuston. But it hasn't really caught on with your average Dub.

Anyone who has been to Dublin's Soho Square will know they are extremely unlikely to find any benchmarks there; its a modern offices, shops and apartments development. But the same can not be said for the nearby Heuston area and these two have been located there, one each on the eponymous station and bridge.

During the 1916 Rising, the 25 year old Sean Heuston was the commander of the volunteers in the Mendicity Institution (the original building now long demolished) on the south side of Dublin city. His task was to hold the position for three or four hours, in order to delay the advance of the British troops and give the headquarters staff time to prepare their defenses. He and his comrades succeeded and more, by holding out for over two days and for that Heuston was executed on 8^th May. On the 25^th anniversary of the Rising the bridge was renamed in his honour, while in 1966 the station, where he had worked for a time, was given his name. However many rare auld Dubs still refer to the structures by their original name i.e. King's Bridge. The bridge when it was opened in the 1820s was named to honour an earlier visit to Dublin by George IV. From 1923 until it was renamed for Sean Heuston in 1941, it was called Sarsfield Bridge in honour of Patrick Sarsfield. Is this perhaps the only occasion where a structure named after a nationalist hero was later renamed for another person? The railway station which opened in the 1840s, took its name from the bridge. At the time, with no internal roof support pillars, it had the largest open floor area of any similar building in the world.

Below: The 'mark on the Bridge.

Above: The south western corner of the Bridge with the 'mark at bottom right.

Below: The 'mark on the south eastern corner of the Station. There is something appropriate about this 'mark and its positioning. It is almost as if it represents a 'quality mark' on the building testifying to a job well done.

Above: The 'mark was spotted recently as Benchmarker was en route to the Airport. It can be seen on the left, just to the right of Benchmarker's luggage.

NUMBER 32

BENCHMARKS continued

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This building - located at the northern end of the Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park in Dublin - with its ample though restrained decorative features is a fine example of colonial era architecture (early Victorian possibly). The 'mark is on the base of the gate pillar on the right. It appears that someone has attempted to repair a crack in it with a plug of cement. The lamp standards on the gate pillars - a recent touch - offends Benchmarkers refined sensibility as excessively twee. Oh well!

Above: The 'mark is on the base of the gate pillar at right.

NUMBER 31

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The wall surrounding the Phoenix Park is about 6 miles in length and this may be the one and only benchmark it contains; time may tell. It is located on the Chapelizod Road about 250 yards from the Islandbridge Gate.

Above: Chapelizod Road looking east; the 'mark is on the base of the wall at near-left, while nearby Benchmarker's trusty steed stands in need of company.

NUMBERS 27, 28, 29 & 30

BENCHMARKS continued

Another little known Dublin burial ground - Grangegorman Military Cemetery is where these four are found. Anyone who doesn't know the exact location and planning a visit could be misguided by its name. It is in fact situated about a mile away from the Grangegorman area of Dublin. A helpful website gives this information “It is situated on Blackhorse Ave, off Navan Rd, facing the wall of the Phoenix Park, and just up the road from McKee Barracks.” So, have you got it now? The website adds more information “ This cemetery opened in 1786. In it are buried men who served in the British Forces and their wives and families. After 1923 only servicemen and their next of kin could be buried there.” (However another website gives the date of its opening as 1876.) Many of the servicemen who died when the mail boat The Leinster was torpedoed and sunk in Dublin Bay just a month before the end of World War One are buried here.

These two are on the base of the wall pillar at the south east corner.

Above: Blackhorse Avenue looking north. The 'marks can be seen on the base of the wall pillar at bottom right.

This pair are on the base of the wall pillar at the south west corner.

Above: Blackhorse Avenue looking south. The 'marks are at the base of the pillar at left. The pavement is now set at a level that partly conceals them.

NUMBER 26

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If cemeteries are your thing then cast a cold eye on this one - located on top of a granite block situated on the North-West corner of the gate lodge of Goldenbridge Cemetery at Inchicore in Dublin - and pass by through the archway and into the burial ground. It's well worth a look. According to the Glasnevin Trust website “Inspired by the Cemetery of Pere Lachaise in Paris and founded by the Dublin Cemeteries Board, it comprises 2 acres of beautiful grounds including a classic temple and an adjoining canal. This distinctive cemetery has a host of different memorials” with the first burial taking place in 1828.

The classic temple is currently being restored and Benchmarker plans to return to view the finished result.

Above: The mark is located on top of the granite block at the left corner of the house. The cemetery is through the archway.

UPDATE 25

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With 25 benchmarks now posted it is worthwhile to look at the state of play.

The present tally is : -

DUBLIN - 020
DONEGAL - 004
LOUTH - 001
KERRY - YET TO SCORE

NUMBER 25

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"Sarah, oh, oh, Sarah,

You must forgive me

My unworthiness."

On the east side of Sarah Bridge a.k.a. Islandbridge in Dublin, this is another 'upside down' example. Perhaps the blocks were taken apart to carry out repairs sometime in the past and then later put back the wrong way up.

Above: Sarah Bridge looking east. The 'mark can be seen through the bars of the railings.