The Liberties is an area in central Dublin, located in the southwest of the inner city. One of Dublin’s most historic working-class neighbourhoods, the area is traditionally associated with the River Poddle, market traders and local family-owned businesses, as well as whiskey distilling, and, historically, the textiles industry and tenement housing. Many places in The Liberties still have connections with a turbulent past in which political upheaval or dire poverty were the order of the day. In the 17th century, parts of them became wealthy districts, when the weaving crafts of the immigrant Huguenots had a ready market around the present day Meath Street Market, and a healthy export trade.
The Liberties holds a range of cultural centres, and forms part of the wider Dublin 8 area, home to five of Ireland’s top visitor attractions, with the Guinness Storehouse alone accounting for 1.6 million annual visits. Thomas Street is home to the country’s largest art college, the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). The College was founded in 1746 as a private drawing school, and has become a national institution educating over 1,500 day and evening students. As a constituent college of University College Dublin, NCAD degrees and awards are validated by UCD. The Liberties feature a number of art galleries, including that at NCAD, along with private sector projects such as Basic Space, Pallas Projects, Cross Gallery, and the Jam Art Factory. Nearby is the Irish Museum of Modern Art in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
The Liberties hosts regular performances in theatres, bars, music venues and night clubs. The Tivoli Theatre, located on Francis Street, can accommodate 450 theatre patrons, or a standing audience of around 1,000. Music venues include Vicar Street, on Thomas Street, hosting comedy, drama and concerts, with capacity for 1,500, and The Thomas House, specialised in punk, rock and reggae music. The Liberties Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest festivals. Starting around 1970, it has grown to include sporting and community events, and a multi-cultural and arts programme encompassing visual art, film, dance, comedy, literature and music. Most of the events held during the festival are free.
The Liberties is the home of the iconic Guinness brewery, which continues to attract investment from parent company Diageo, including €130 million on the development of Brewhouse No. 4 on Victoria Quay. The Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s most-visited paid visitor attraction, brings in 1.6 million annual visitors. Further, having seen most local breweries and distilleries close since the late 1800s, the area is currently undergoing a renaissance as a centre for craft distilling and brewing in Dublin. Teelings Whiskey have opened their new distillery and visitor centre in Newmarket, the first new Irish whiskey distillery to develop in Dublin since the 19th century, while significant investment has also been made in The Liberties by the Dublin Whiskey Company, Alltech, Galway Bay Brewery, 5 Lamps Brewery and others. The Pearse Lyons distillery opened on St James’s Street in September 2017 while the Dublin Liberties Distillery on Mill Street is due to open in 2018. The Beer Market, the only bar in Ireland which serves only beer, opened on Cornmarket in April 2015.
Historically, The Liberties was home to some market areas. Today there are the Liberty Market on Meath Street, the fruit and vegetable markets during weekends on Thomas Street and Meath Street, and street vendors located throughout the area. There are future plans for further market areas, such as the redevelopment of the Iveagh Market on Francis Street. Newmarket, to the south of the area, hosts Dublin Food Co-op, as well as several other market events.
The Digital Hub is a cluster of digital content and technology enterprises, located on a campus in the centre of The Liberties. Set up by the Government of Ireland in 2003, The Digital Hub is now home to 100 Irish and international business. The Digital Hub is Ireland’s largest cluster of technology, internet and digital media companies.
The Liberties Business Area Improvement Initiative is a partnership between Dublin City Council and local businesses and stakeholders to transform the commercial heart of Dublin 8 through public and private sector investment, to create a more vibrant and attractive city neighbourhood.
