{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2019}} {{Infobox port | name = Dún Laoghaire Harbour | image = Dun Laoghaire Aerial.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Harbour from the air in 2009 looking West | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_caption = | country = Ireland | location = Dún Laoghaire | coordinates = {{coord|53.295062|N|6.130345|W|type:landmark_region:IE|display=inline,title}} | locode = | opened = | operated = | owner = | type = | sizewater = | sizeland = | size = | berths = 5<ref name="PlanB"/> | wharfs = | piers = | draft_depth = | air_draft = | employees = | leadershiptitle = | leader = | blankdetailstitle1 = | blankdetails1 = | blankdetailstitle2 = | blankdetails2 = | blankdetailstitle3 = | blankdetails3 = | arrivals = | cargotonnage = | containervolume = | cargovalue = | passengertraffic = | revenue = | profit = | blankstatstitle1 = | blankstats1 = | blankstatstitle2 = | blankstats2 = | blankstatstitle3 = | blankstats3 = | website = }} thumb|19th century map of Dublin Bay locating Kingstown Harbour thumb|Carlisle Pier and Kingstown Harbour East late Victorian Era '''Dún Laoghaire Harbour''' and '''Carlisle Pier''' were constructed in the nineteenth century for the purposes of sheltering ships and accommodating the mailboat which sailed between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead. The nearby settlement of Dún Laoghaire has also previously been known as Kingstown and also as Dun Leary. Carlisle Pier has been known previously as Kingston Pier and the Mailboat Pier.
==Description== The piers of the harbour differ in length, with the west pier approximately {{Convert|1.55|km|mi}} long, and the east pier approximately {{Convert|1.3|km|mi}} long. They enclose an area of {{Convert|250|acres|km2}} with the harbour entrance being {{convert|232|m|ft}} across.<ref name="Walkies"/><ref name="PlanB"/> The glacis on the outer faces of the piers were designed to have a slope of 1 in 5 except for the lowest part increasing to 1 in 1 or 1 in two.<ref name="Goodfellow"/> The top of the pier had a width approaching two roadways, and this led to the width at the bottom of the seafloor being up to {{Convert|80|m|ft}}.<ref name="Goodfellow"/>
The harbour is divided into four major inner harbours by various piers and breakwaters. In the south west corner the Old Harbour (sometimes termed the inner Coal Harbour) is enclosed by the Old Pier constructed in 1767. The Old Harbour incorporates tidal public slipway. The exit from the Old Harbour leads to the Coal Harbour, bounded by the Traders Wharf which possesses a non-tidal public slipway. The Coal Harbour leads past the Marina Harbour which was created around 2001 together with the Western Breakwater and Eastern Breakwater to protect smaller boats. The Main Harbour covers the sweep from the Northern and Eastern breakwaters which mark a broadly North north east direction road past the harbour entrance and including all of the eastern part of the Harbour including St. Michael's Pier and Carlisle Pier and the five ship berths.<ref name="Walkies"/><ref name="PlanB"/>{{Additional citation needed|date=July 2019 |reason=The tidal nature of inner harbours needs referencing but is deferred }}
Since 3 October 2018 the management and operation of the harbour has transferred to Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council from the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.<ref name="DLR-CoCo-1"/> Almost 200 years of a Holyhead to Dún Laoghaire passenger ferry service ended in 2014 when Stena consolidated all its services on Dublin Port.<ref name="ITimes-20150204a"/> The port does accommodate passenger cruise ships although larger vessels are required to moor outside of the harbour and be serviced by tender.<ref name="ITimes-20150204a"/><ref name="CplanSunk"/><ref name="ITimes-20161104ruling"/>
==History==
===Harbour=== A natural cove or creek was developed into what had now become known as the Old Harbour. In the eighteenth century Dún Laoghaire was a small village, previously termed Dunlary or Dunleary, supporting a small fishing community. Problems with silting and shifting sand bars in Dublin Bay meant some ships took to transferring passengers tender to the cove when weather and tides prevented entry to Dublin. Eventually following a parliamentary petition Charles Vallancey oversaw construction of a pier in 1767. While initially successful if soon became victim to silting and became known for a while as the "Dry Pier".<ref name="DLH-hist"/><ref name="Walkies"/>
William Bligh mapped and charted Dublin Bay at the start of the nineteenth century and proposed a refuge harbour be built at Dún Laoghaire.<ref name="DC-Bligh"/>
The problem of frequent shipwrecks from easterly gales with nowhere for shelter around Dublin Bay came to a head in 1807 with the loss of ''Rochdale'' and ''Prince of Wales''. Searches for an ''asylum harbour'' for ships in rough weather found Dún Laoghaire to be a suitable location for the construction of such a harbour with a suitable depth of water close to the shore. The efforts of Richard Toutcher in advocating the harbour and securing the stone quarrying facilities at Dalkey were particularly noted. Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.<ref name="Book-FIR-WR-KT"/><ref name="DLH-hist"/>{{sfnp|Pearson|1981|p=22}}
Rennie had concerns a single pier would be subject to silting, and by 1820 gained support for construction of the Western pier to begin shortly afterward.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed ''Kingstown'', a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years. The harbour was named the ''Royal Harbour of George the Fourth'' which seems not to have remained for so long.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
1824 saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
In 1826 Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year.<ref name="DLH-hist"/> The service was transferred from Howth whose harbour had suffered from silting and the need for frequent dredging.
December 1834 saw the Dublin and Kingstown Railway begin operations from their terminus at Westland Row to a terminus at the West Pier which began at the old harbour.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
1837 saw the creation of ''Victoria Wharf'', since renamed ''St. Michael's Wharf'' with the D&KR extended and a new terminus created convenient to the wharf.<ref name="DLH-hist"/> The extended line had cut a chord across the old harbour with the landward pool so created later filled in.
By 1842 the largest man-made harbour in Western Europe had been completed with the construction of the East Pier lighthouse after some disagreements were resolved on how to complete the harbour opening.<ref name="Book-FIR-WR-KT"/><ref name="DLH-hist"/>
The harbour was further enhanced by completion of Traders Wharf in 1855 and Carlisle Pier in 1856. The mid-1850s also saw the completion of the West Pier lighthouse. The railway was connected to Bray in 1856.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
Kingstown reverted to the name Dún Laoghaire in 1920 and in 1924 the harbour was officially renamed "Dun Laoghaire Harbour".<ref name="DLH-hist"/>
===Carlisle Pier=== thumb|right|Carlisle Pier July 1980, the last year of the trains with the Pier now modified for a Car Ferry Construction of the pier started in 1853 and was completed in 1855. The railway station opened in 1859.<ref name="DLH-hist"/>{{rp|19}} The pier was named after the Earl of Carlisle, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.<ref>[http://www.irishseashipping.com/heritage/subsite/eire/dlcarlisle/dlcarlisle.htm Carlisle Pier - Dún Laoghaire], irishseashipping.com {{dead link|date=February 2019}}</ref> In subsequent years many Irish people emigrated from it.<ref name="it-pier-pressure"/>
The RMS ''Leinster'' departed from the pier on her final voyage in October 1918, when she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat.
In 1953 a passenger lounge was built along the east side of the pier and around the end with sheds added in the 1960s.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080828124606/http://www.sealink-holyhead.com/the_ports/Dun_Laoghaire/carlisle_pier.htm The Carlisle Pier]}}, sealink-holyhead.com</ref>
thumb|left|The harbour in 1987 In 2009 Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company began demolishing the 1960s structures, preserving the cast-iron columns of the original 1850s structure.<ref name="it-pier-pressure"/> The harbour company had been accused of planning to demolish the pier itself by Richard Boyd Barrett, an accusation the company rejected.<ref name="it-not-demolish">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0723/1224251143179.html No intention to pull down pier, says harbour company] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017092214/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0723/1224251143179.html |date=17 October 2012 }}, Olivia Kelly, The Irish Times, 23 July 2009, retrieved 8 September 2009</ref> There had been a number of buildings proposed to be built on the pier over the years, but all have fallen through.<ref name="it-not-demolish"/> The demolition was criticised though some politicians supported it.<ref name="it-pier-pressure"/><ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/planning---row-erupts-over-piers-demolition-1875153.html Planning row erupts over pier's demolition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905074651/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/planning---row-erupts-over-piers-demolition-1875153.html |date=5 September 2009 }}, Paul Melia and Grainne Cunningham, Irish Independent, 2 September 2009, retrieved 8 September 2009</ref> The building infrastructure is now removed and pier is currently used as a car park, boat storage, unloading of unusual cargoes and special events such as funfairs.<ref name="REGEN2018"/><ref name="DLRCOCO-fair2019a"/>
====Railway Station==== The railway station on the pier opened in 1859.<ref name="RAILSCOT-CP">[http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf Kingstown, Carlisle Pier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302022802/http://www.railbrit.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf |date=2 March 2011 }}. Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf .</ref> It provided a link for both passengers and postal traffic between the main railways and the ferry service. Originally trains could only go to Westland Row (Pearse station, but with the opening of the ''loop line'' in 1891 enabled services to Broadstone and Kingsbridge Heuston).{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} Closure came on 11 October 1980 due to the curvature of the platform being an issue for modern stock and the expense that would have been incurred resolving a connection with the main line that had been lowered to accommodate overhead electrification for the DART.<ref name="TIM"/> {{Disused Rail Start}} {{Rail line|previous=Dun Laoghaire<br /><small>Line and station open</small>|next=Terminus|route=Great Southern Railways<br /><small>Dun Laoghaire boat train</small>|col=228b23}} {{end}}
===St. Michael's Pier=== The port's first car ferry service operated on 9 July 1965 by the ''Normannia'' using a temporary terminal on the East Pier. The {{Convert|175|m|ft}} purpose-built with a capacity of 650 cars per day twin berth St. Michael's Pier opened on 9 March 1969 by {{SS|Holyhead Ferry I||2}}.<ref name="H2I"/>
==Service users== The harbour serves a variety of types of user but has tended to more leisure use in recent times. Activities include promenade walks along the east and west piers. Water-based include rowing, canoeing and yachting with a marina and local clubs. There is a commercial small boat cruise service across Dublin Bay and private charter fishing trips. While Dún Laoghaire used to have a significant fishing fleet this was lost when Howth became designated a Fishery Harbout Centre.<ref name="HowFishy"/> The harbour has support an RNLI lifeboat station with both inshore and all weather lifeboats. The harbour is also the base for the Commissioners of Irish Lights and National Maritime Museum of Ireland. In 2017 the harbour conferred freedom of entry to the Irish Naval service, the {{LÉ|Eithne|P31|6}} being particularly associated with the harbour.<ref name="NavalFree"/> The long history of passenger services to the port finished in 2015 but there has been some intermittent visits by cruise ships.
==See also== * Dún Laoghaire Harbour Police
==References== {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="DLH-hist">{{cite report|url=http://dlharbour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/project_east_pier_construction.pdf|title=The Construction of Dun Laoghaire Harbour|publisher=Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company|date=2003|access-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221080202/http://dlharbour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/project_east_pier_construction.pdf|archive-date=21 February 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="it-pier-pressure">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/property/2009/0903/1224253738294.html Carlisle Pier pressure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017092132/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/property/2009/0903/1224253738294.html |date=17 October 2012 }}, The Irish Times, 3 September 2009, retrieved 8 September 2009</ref><!-- best full cite with url-access=limited -->
<ref name="Book-FIR-WR-KT">{{cite book|title=The First Irish Railway: Westland Row to Kingstown|first=Kurt|last=Kullman|date=28 May 2018|isbn=978-0750987646|publisher=THP Ireland|pages=16–19}}</ref>
<ref name="TIM">{{cite book|title=The Irish Mail|first=Mike|last=Hitches|page=153|publisher=Sutton Publishing|isbn=0-7509-2301-6|date=2000}}</ref>
<ref name="ITimes-20150204a">{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/stena-line-confirms-end-of-dun-laoghaire-to-holyhead-route-1.2090954|first=Charlie|last=Taylor|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=27 July 2019|title=Stena Line confirms end of Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead route|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701111928/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/stena-line-confirms-end-of-dun-laoghaire-to-holyhead-route-1.2090954|archive-date=1 July 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="DLR-CoCo-1">{{cite press release|url=https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news-press-releases/d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-harbour-transfers-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-rathdown-county-0|title=Dún Laoghaire Harbour transfers to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council|date=28 September 2018|publisher=Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530062834/https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news-press-releases/d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-harbour-transfers-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-rathdown-county-0|archive-date=30 May 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="Walkies">{{cite web|url=http://dlharbour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/map_harbour_walks.pdf|title=Walks|publisher=Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company|date=February 2012|access-date=28 July 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218001742/http://dlharbour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/map_harbour_walks.pdf|archive-date=18 December 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="PlanB">{{cite web|url=http://www.pleanala.ie/news/PA0042/RPA0042.pdf|title=Inspector's Report -PL06D.PA0042|pages=8–11|website=An Bord Pleanála|date=23 March 2016|first=Fiona|last=Tynan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121075743/http://www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/PA0/RPA0042.pdf|archive-date=21 November 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="CplanSunk">{{cite web|url=https://afloat.ie/port-news/dun-laoghaire-news/item/42652-dun-laoghaire-cruise-ship-berth-project-abandoned|title=Dun Laoghaire Cruise Ship Berth Project Abandoned|website=Afloat.IE|first=Lorna|last=Siggins|access-date=28 July 2019|date=21 May 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522000041/https://afloat.ie/port-news/dun-laoghaire-news/item/42652-dun-laoghaire-cruise-ship-berth-project-abandoned|archive-date=22 May 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="ITimes-20161104ruling">{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/ruling-restricts-size-of-cruise-liners-in-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-harbour-1.2854656|first=Olivia|last=Kelly|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=28 July 2019|title=Ruling restricts size of cruise liners in Dún Laoghaire Harbour|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711054244/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/ruling-restricts-size-of-cruise-liners-in-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-harbour-1.2854656|archive-date=11 July 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="H2I">{{cite book|title=Holyhead to Ireland|first1=Justin P.|last1=Merrigan|first2=Ian H.|last2=Collard|date=2010|isbn=9781848689589|pages=57–60|publisher=Amberley }}</ref>
<ref name="Goodfellow">{{Cite journal|journal=Engineers Journal|url=http://www.engineersjournal.ie/2018/01/09/history-dun-laoghaire-harbour-construction-compromise/|title=The history of Dún Laoghaire Harbour – construction and compromise|date=9 January 2018|publisher=Engineers Ireland|first=Rob|last=Goodbody|url-status=live|access-date=31 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717143339/http://www.engineersjournal.ie/2018/01/09/history-dun-laoghaire-harbour-construction-compromise/|archive-date=17 July 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="HowFishy">{{cite web|url=http://dlharbour200.ie/dun-laoghaires-fishing-fleet-in-the-1960s/|title=Dún Laoghaire's Fishing Fleet in the 1960s|date=10 May 2017|access-date=31 July 2019 |website=Dún Laoghaire HarbourBicentenary|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501164124/http://dlharbour200.ie/dun-laoghaires-fishing-fleet-in-the-1960s/|archive-date=1 May 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="NavalFree">{{cite web|url=http://dlharbour.ie/dun-laoghaire-harbour-hosts-freedom-entry-irish-naval-service/|title=Dun Laoghaire Harbour hosts Freedom of Entry to Irish Naval Service|date=29 March 2017|access-date=31 July 2019 |website=DLR County Council|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218080633/http://dlharbour.ie/dun-laoghaire-harbour-hosts-freedom-entry-irish-naval-service/|archive-date=18 December 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="REGEN2018">{{Cite web|url=https://www.marineindustrynews.co.uk/dun-laoghaires-carlisle-pier-regeneration-plan-seeks-expression-interest/|title=Dún Laoghaire's Carlisle Pier 'Regeneration Plan' seeks expression of interest|access-date=1 August 2019|website=Marine Industry News|first=Peter|last=Nash|date=13 February 2018 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801070436/https://www.marineindustrynews.co.uk/dun-laoghaires-carlisle-pier-regeneration-plan-seeks-expression-interest/|archive-date=1 August 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref> <ref name="DLRCOCO-fair2019a">{{cite web|url=http://dlharbour.ie/event/summer-funfair-18th-july-to-5th-aug-2019/|title=Summer Funfair – 18th July to 5th Aug 2019|access-date=1 August 2019|website=DLR CoCo|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190801071235/http://dlharbour.ie/event/summer-funfair-18th-july-to-5th-aug-2019/|archive-date=1 August 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
<ref name="DC-Bligh">{{cite web|url=https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/dcr015-bligh%E2%80%99s-map-dublin-bay-1803|title=DCR015 Bligh's Map of Dublin Bay 1803|website=dublin city Council|access-date=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618062942/http://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/dcr015-bligh%E2%80%99s-map-dublin-bay-1803|archive-date=18 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> }}
==Sources== * {{cite book |title=Dun Laoghaire Kingstown |isbn=0-905140-83-4 |first1=Peter |last1=Pearson |publisher=O'Brien Press |year=1981 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/dunlaoghaireking00pear_0|author-link=Peter Pearson (painter, born 1955)|ol = 22450451M |publication-place = Dublin}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Dún Laoghaire Harbour}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100105061500/http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/C/Carlisle%20Pier/A%26Bindex.html Railway Stations C - Carlisle Pier], eiretrains.com *[https://archive.org/stream/royalmailtoirela00watsiala/royalmailtoirela00watsiala_djvu.txt Full text of "The royal mail to Ireland; or, An account of the origin and development of the post between London and Ireland through Holyhead, and the use of the line of communication by travellers"] - archive.org * [http://www.dlharbour.ie/ Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702181009/http://www.dlharbour.ie/ |date=2 July 2007 }}
{{History of Dublin}}
Category:Former railway stations in County Dublin Category:Railway stations serving harbours and ports in Ireland Category:Dún Laoghaire Category:Piers in Ireland Category:Marinas in the Republic of Ireland Category:Railway stations in the Republic of Ireland opened in 1859 Category:Railway stations in the Republic of Ireland closed in 1980