A new exhibition in Dublin Port Company’s cultural hub, the Substation.
The Hibernian Metropolis is nothing without its river. The Liffey has always influenced the function of Dublin; its appearance; and its personality. Navigating the Liffey has been a daily task for generations of Dublin dwellers. Sure, the river had a direct influence on the naming of the riverside settlement Áth Claith – the hurdled ford.
Twenty four bridges help us to cross over the River Liffey, yet most of us would be hard pressed to name them all. Some are named after revolutionaries like Rosie Hackett, others after Nobel laureates such as Samuel Beckett. Some are made of concrete, others of metal. But all of them have one thing in common: to unite Dublin, north and south.
In October 2024, a renowned biographer of the Liffey will tell the story of Anna Livia Plurabelle in a charming new map that celebrates the city’s storied waterway and its bridges.
Fergal McCarthy is an accomplished Dublin-based artist whose previous works have included living on a self-constructed island on the Liffey for a week. This exhibition will feature a jumbo version of Fergal’s illustrated portrait of the Liffey and its bridges, an extract of which can be seen above.
From hippocampi to ha’pennies, this quirky map situates Dublin Port in its wider context, enhancing connections between our port, river and city. ‘The Bridges of Dublin’ exhibition redefines the perception of our city’s river for a new generation of curious Dubliners.
This exhibition is open 11am – 3pm, Thursday to Sunday, until 17th November 2024.
