THE Phoenix Park is a precious asset that has been enjoyed by generations of Dubliners for 355 years.
Set on 1,752 sprawling acres, making it one of the largest city parks in Europe, it is arguably Dublin’s most valuable amenity. When you stroll through this vast parkland, surrounded by deer and rich woodland, it’s hard to believe there is a capital city right on your doorstep.
Just a short hop up the quays lies O’Connell Street, a world away from the tranquility of the Phoenix Park.
Not only is it the location of Dublin Zoo and the President of Ireland’s official residence, Aras an Uachtarain, the Phoenix Park is a hub of sporting activity and recreation. It’s a jogger’s paradise and popular with cyclists, providing them with some welcome respite from the hazards posed by the city’s clogged up streets.
Many of us will recall making the trek to see Pope John Paul II offering up mass in the Phoenix Park in 1979, an event immortalised by the iconic papal cross.
Others will have childhood recollections of playing on the sloping steps of the Wellington Monument.
These days, one of my favourite parts of the park is Farmleigh, an estate of 78 acres situated near Castleknock. It was purchased from the Guinness family by the Government in 1999 for €29.2m and the house was extensively refurbished by the Office of Public Works to provide premier accommodation for visiting dignitaries. As bed and breakfasts go, they don’t come much posher than this.
One of Farmleigh’s most famous overnight guests was Queen Elizabeth II. Her son, Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, also visited the estate during their recent visit to Ireland.
When it’s not entertaining high profile guests or facilitating Government meetings, Farmleigh is open to the public and regularly hosts artisan food markets and cultural events. The estate’s old boathouse has been lovingly restored and is now a popular waterside restaurant.
I visited Farmleigh on a recent Sunday morning and can’t rate the experience highly enough. The upkeep of the estate is an absolute credit to the OPW and my only small criticism is the apparent lack of litter bins.
In the chaos of today’s fast-moving world, where ‘always on’ technology threatens to turn us into work-addicted robots, Farmleigh is a place where you can really switch off; a genuine oasis where you can opt out of the rat race for a few hours. Sometimes, it seems, you have to adopt the mindset of a tourist to fully appreciate your native city.