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Expecting visitors from home? Or travelling around a bit yourself.....
Check this list below for places of interest for Kiwis.
AROUND DUBLIN
Croke Park, Jones Rd,
The Gaelic Athletic Association's headquarters, Croke Park, scene of many famous Hurling and Gaelic Football matches, is named after Bishop Thomas Croke from Ballyclough, Co Cork, who was the second Catholic bishop of New Zealand succeeding Bishop Pompallier. On his return to Ireland in 1874 he became Archbishop of Cashel and Emly and gave great support to the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
"No 33 Merrion Square" (National Maternity Hospital)
Site of birthplace of John Robert Godley (1814-1981), 'founder of Canterbury'. A supporter of schemes of planned emigration to British colonies, he became the main organiser of the Canterbury Association which brought settlers to the South Island of New Zealand to found the city of Christchurch and the surrounding province of Canterbury. His birthplace no longer exists having been demolished along with several adjacent houses. There is a commemorative plaque on the Merrion Square facade of the hospital which now occupies the site. Godley spent his early life at the family home in Killegar, Co Leitrim, which remains the home of his direct descendant, Lord Kilbracken.
Mercy International Centre, 64A, Lower Baggot St. Dublin 2
This was the origianl convent of the Sisters of Mercy, a religious Order for women founded in the 19th century by Mother Catherine McAuley which has schools, orphanages, hospitals, etc. in New Zeland and in many parts of the world. The foundress is buried in the grounds of the Convent which has been made into the international centre for the Ordercontaining memorabilia and records of its history worldwide. See also County Carlow
Kenilworth Square, Dublin.
This locality has a connection with Kate Sheppard (1848-1934), early suffragette and leader of the successful campaign which resulted in 1893 in New Zealand being the first country to give women the vote. She was the daughter of a Scottish father, Andrew Malcolm and an Irish mother, Jemima Souter who after the death of her husband brought most of her family to live with her relatives in Dublin. Kate and an older sister continued their education in Scotland while staying with Scottish relatives. It was from Dublin that the family emigrated to Christchurch, New Zealand in 1868 where Kate married Walter Sheppard. She kept contact with her Irish relatives and on trips back to Europe revisited her aunt Jenny Inglis who was living at 56 Kenilworth Square.
24 Upper Mount St, Dublin 2, and Phoenix Park
The Duke of Wellington (1769-1850) supported the promoters of systematic colonisation of New Zealand and their first planned settlement which became New Zealand's capital city was named after him. He was born at 24 Upper Mount St, part of a terrace of Georgian houses which after reconstruction in the 1990's became the Merrion Hotel. There is an obelisk in the Phoenix Park erected in honour of his victory at Waterloo.
Trinity College
Trinity College has some interesting books relating to early New Zealand in its archives. Among its alumni who have a place in New Zealand history are Sir William Lee Plunket (1864-1920) Governor; Sir Edward Stafford (1819-1901), Prime Minister; George Ferguson Bowen (1821-1899); William Hunter Magee (1833-1868) soldier; Crosbie Ward (1832-1867) journalist and politician; Robert Maunsell (1810-1894) a distinguished Classics scholar and linguist who served as an Anglican missionary in New Zealand and translated many texts into Maori including the Old Testament from Hebrew.
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