Smithfield, Dublin Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Smithfield Margadh na Feirme
Neighbourhood of Dublin
Smithfield Plaza
Country	Ireland
County	Dublin
City	Dublin
Postal district	D7

Smithfield is a lively area located on the north side of Dublin, Ireland. Its main feature is a large public square. This square used to be an open market and shared land. Today, it is officially called Smithfield Plaza, but many people still call it Smithfield Square or Smithfield Market.

Long ago, Smithfield was part of an area called Oxmantown. It was very close to Oxmantown Green, a large grassy area. Smithfield was also part of St. Paul's parish. It had two churches: St. Paul's Church of Ireland and St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. These buildings are now used for other community purposes.

The Smithfield area is bordered by the River Liffey to the south. Bow Street is to the east, and Queen Street is to the west. To the north, it reaches North Brunswick Street in the Grangegorman area.

Some well-known places in Smithfield include the Old Jameson Whiskey Distillery. There is also an Observation Tower. For fans of Irish traditional music, the Cobblestone Pub is a famous spot.

History of Smithfield Market
- Modern Changes and Design
- Horse Fairs and Traditions
Smithfield Horse Market
Key Places to Visit in Smithfield
Future Developments
Getting Around Smithfield
Places to Stay
Images for kids
See also

History of Smithfield Market

Chimney with observation decks in Smithfield

Old map showing land lots in Oxmanstown Green from 1665.

The Smithfield Market was first set up in its current design in the mid-1600s. It was built as a market close to where Oxmantown Green used to be. For a long time, it was mainly a place for markets and businesses.

One of the few fancy houses in the area belonged to Thomas Taylour, 1st Earl of Bective. He built it in 1738. However, he later moved to a more fashionable area in Dublin.

Before it was updated in the early 2000s, the square had many city 'farm yards'. These yards kept livestock like cows and sheep. In 1964, famous actors Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor visited Smithfield. Richard Burton was filming The Spy Who Came in from the Cold there. Smithfield was used to look like Checkpoint Charlie in the movie.

Modern Changes and Design

Smithfield got a big makeover as part of the HARP (Historic Area Rejuvenation Plan). An architecture competition was held in 1997, and McGarry NiEanaigh Architects won. The renovation was a huge job. Workers had to lift over 400,000 cobblestones that were 120 years old. They cleaned each one by hand and then put them back in place.

Now, the square has modern buildings and twelve tall gas lighting masts. Each mast is 26.5 meters high and has a 2-meter flame at the top. The flames are not lit very often. However, the lights on the masts can change colors. They reflect different cultural events throughout the year. For example, they turn bright green for St. Patrick's Day. They also showed rainbow colors for the opening of the 2015 GAZE International LGBT Film Festival at the Light House Cinema in Smithfield.

Horse Fairs and Traditions

Smithfield has been a place for horse fairs for hundreds of years. This tradition is still alive today. Horse fairs happen on the first Sunday of every month. You can still smell horses at the Smithfield Horse Market. The sights and sounds on these Sundays give you an idea of what Smithfield was like in the past. Many small streets and alleys nearby have names that relate to the area's horse history.

Smithfield Square in the evening.

After its renovation, the square hosted several concerts. However, these stopped because local residents complained about the noise. Smithfield was hoped to become a major financial area, like the IFSC in the east of the city. This did not happen. But the plaza is still a useful path for local people. It is also used by many professionals who work in the legal buildings nearby. These include the Prison Probation Services, the Family Court, and the Law Society of Ireland. Smithfield is very close to Dublin's main legal area, The Four Courts.

Smithfield Horse Market

The Smithfield horse market in March 2008.

The area is famous for its historic horse market. This market takes place on the first Sunday of March and September.

The Horse Fair used to happen every month. But a new rule was made on January 14, 2013. This rule reduced the market to only twice a year. It also set new rules for how the market should run. This change happened because of some violent events and complaints from people living nearby. Residents were uncomfortable with the noise and worried about animal welfare.

The Smithfield Horse Fair still gets a lot of criticism from many groups. These include the Garda Síochána (Irish police) and the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA). It is hard to close down or move the market because of its long history. This has led to an ongoing disagreement between the city council and those who defend the horse fair.

Key Places to Visit in Smithfield

Cattle and horse trough at Smithfield Square

The old Jameson Distillery Chimney tower and its observation deck reopened in 2018. It had been closed for a long time. You now have to climb 244 steps to reach the top, as the lift is no longer in use.

The Light House Cinema reopened in Smithfield Square in May 2008. It had closed its previous location on Abbey Street in 1996.

The Cobblestone Pub has been a home for Irish Traditional music sessions for over thirty years. They host sessions every day of the week. Some of Ireland's best musicians play here. Many famous Irish musicians, like John Francis Flynn, Lankum, and Ispíní na hEireann, started their careers playing at the Cobblestone.

Smithfield is also where you will find the Dublin District Children Court. This is where legal cases involving people under 18 years old are usually handled.

Future Developments

Smithfield is part of a larger developing area. This includes the Museum district to the west and the Four Courts district to the east. These areas are mostly residential. Together with Smithfield Square, they make up the main riverfront of Dublin 7.

In the early 2000s, new businesses, homes, and cultural places made the area very popular. However, between 2008 and 2010, growth stopped. Many projects stalled when the Irish economy faced a recession. There are still empty apartments, closed shops, and unfinished buildings in Smithfield Market. These show the economic challenges that this historic part of Dublin still faces.

Getting Around Smithfield

The Smithfield Luas stop is on the Red Line tram system. The tram line runs along the south side of the square. This makes it easy to travel to the city center or to areas further south like Tallaght or Saggart.

Places to Stay

Several hotels are located right in Smithfield Square. The largest is the 3-star Maldron Hotel Smithfield, which has 92 rooms. These range from smaller suites to family rooms. The well-known European hotel chain Generator is next to the Jameson Distillery Bow St. The newest hotel is The Hendrick, which opened in 2019. All three hotels also have their own bars and restaurants.