Parnell Square, Public square in Dublin, Ireland
Parnell Square is a Georgian square at the north end of O'Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland. It is surrounded on three sides by rows of original Georgian houses, with the Rotunda Hospital occupying much of the southern part and the Garden of Remembrance along the northern side.
Originally laid out as Rutland Square in the eighteenth century, the square was later renamed in honour of Charles Stewart Parnell. Over the years, it became a centre for political and cultural activity, with buildings on the square serving as headquarters for various organisations and playing a part in events such as the 1916 Easter Rising.
The square is named after Charles Stewart Parnell, the nineteenth-century political leader, and its name is a reminder of his role in Irish history. Today, the square is a place where people pass through on their way to the nearby theatres, galleries and hospitals, and where the Garden of Remembrance offers a space for reflection.
The square is easy to reach on foot from the city centre, and its central location makes it a handy starting point for exploring the north side of Dublin. Visitors should allow time to walk around the perimeter, as the different sides each have their own character and points of interest.
The square is home to the Dublin Writers Museum and the Irish Writers' Centre, both located on the northern side. Less known is that the square's development was largely driven by Bartholomew Mosse, who laid out pleasure gardens to fund the Rotunda Hospital, Europe's first lying-in maternity hospital.
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