Last week’s Thursday Doors photos were taken as we drove through Dublin city headed for Marconi House, headquarters of one of our national radio stations, Today FM. I had been invited by The Last Word host, Matt Cooper, to participate in a program on self-publishing in Ireland and couldn’t have asked for a nicer day for the car trip. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, so decided to have a wander around one of our favourite haunts as teenagers – St. Stephen’s Green shopping center (although it wasn’t a shopping center back then). In our day it was called ‘The Dandelion Market’ and was situated on the site of a former lemonade bottling plant. This was where I bought most of my lovely ’70’s fashion items such as cheesecloth dresses and shirts, tie-dyed tops, denim jackets and flared jeans. It was also our biking days, as you’ll see from the forty year old photos below – I can’t believe it was four decades ago.
Did you notice the Dublin doors and the old telephone kiosk?
Among the many young bands to play their first gigs in the Dandelion Market, entertaining the stall browsers, was one you might have heard of – U2. I’m sure Bono and the lads have fond memories of the Dandelion. By 1980 preliminary work had begun on the new shopping center and the market had to go.
Although the entrance doors are not too spectacular, the beautiful facade more than makes up for that. Opened in 1988, Stephen’s Green was the first premium shopping center to be built in Ireland. The glass dome and ornate iron structure replicates older, more historical buildings, which helps it to blend in well with the surrounding Victorian and Georgian architecture. Situated at the top of a pedestrianized Grafton Street, the center is directly opposite St. Stephen’s Green Park, in the heart of Dublin’s prestigious shopping and cultural quarter.
Inside is just as ornate as the outside, with modern stores, kiosks and art galleries spread across three floors.
Look at that beautiful blue sky – I told you it was a lovely day for our trip. Let’s take the elevator to the second floor, to get a closer look at that clock.
This is the second floor and it was in a nostalgic little retro shop on this level that I bought a Batman poster (lots of stuff in there reminded me of the Dandelion Market). From this vantage point you can see how well the architecture evokes a Victorian greenhouse.
Here’s the view from the top floor.
Well, I certainly enjoyed my trip to Dublin and down memory lane. I hope you did, too. Over on Norm’s blog you find a link to lots more Thursday Doors from all over the globe. Enjoy and thanks for visiting.
Thursday Doors Last week's Thursday Doors photos were taken as we drove through Dublin city headed for Marconi House, headquarters of one of our national radio stations, …
