West Pier, Howth.
One thing I’ve wanted to see with my own eyes for a long time are the footprints of King George IV, recorded for posterity at Howth’s West Pier. It was there that he first set foot on Irish soil in August 1821. On his own birthday (he had just turned 59), he was said to arrive in very high spirits. ‘Very high spirits’ , of course, a polite way of saying he was pissed drunk. George, contemporary reports noted, “was received with the utmost enthusiasm by the inhabitants of Dublin.”
Standing beside the very small footprints of King George IV.
Historian Turtle Bunbury has noted that “Dublin rose to the occasion with banners, flags and bunting strewn across the city in a fantastic display of Royal pageantry. By night, every public building was illuminated while fireworks exploded into the sky and the citizens guzzled hogshead after hogshead of free porter.”
George stayed in Ireland for a number of weeks, departing the country via Dún Laoghaire, which was renamed ‘Kingstown’ in the aftermath of his visit. It would remain under that name until independence in 1922, and while the name has reverted, there is still a trace of the visit to be found there, with a monument commemorating the visit still standing. A bombing of the obelisk did minimal damage in 1970, but did lead The Irish Times to remark “It is a harmless enough relic – indeed, in some ways, a pleasantly absurd one. Fifty years after independence perhaps we could afford to leave it alone”
George IV monument at Dún Laoghaire. Illustration via http://www.archiseek.com
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
I know that monument very well. He lost one of his four balls in the explosion. Had my name taken by the guards for attempting to photo the result.
Might also be a fitting place to recall that in 1911, when George VI was departing, the illustrious Killiney and Ballybrack UDC set Killiney Hill on fire with an overenthusiastic use of partly deficient and delayed action fireworks.
http://photopol.com/dca4/hill_burnt.html
Did he not land in Howth by mistake while they were all waiting in Dun Laoghaire?
PS: Why has CHTM converted to a foreign language? “Tüm yorumları gör” appears at the end of your email notifications.
I think there’s been a hack job on WordPress, it’s nothing to do with ourselves. Very very strange.
Think I fixed it.
Bir Cevap Yazin Pockety Dill Donal memsabb
Fixed for me now.
I think it was Irish!
Yes, a bit Irish alright.
Fantastic article.
Just wanted to make a quick correction re Kingstown/Dun Laoghaire if I may. The name change actually took place during the summer of 1920, prior to independence. Resolutions had been forwarded and passed by Sinn Fein councillors at Kingstown Urban Council and the change was given official sanction by Dublin County Council during July of that year.
James, do you know the name of the Sinn Féín councillor who passed that motion, Seán I think was the first name.
[…] We doubled back before we reached the Martello Tower near Sutton, and picked up the car before heading back into Howth Harbour for a take-out of lemon sole and chips with garlic sauce from the incomparable Burdocks. Then the quick obligatory trip out onto the pier for a quick peek at the trawlers, a Grey Seal’s head bobbing in the harbour, and King George IV’s feet. I could explain that last one, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can read all about it online, no doubt. Here’s your starter for ten… […]