Reimagining Dublin’s heritage for a new generation
A heritage tramway proposal that reimagines Dublin’s transport history — along 2.2km of Europe’s greatest city park.
Dublin once had one of the most beautiful and efficient tram networks in the world. This project proposes the return of just one of those glorious trams in the form of a single-track, heritage-style tramway through Phoenix Park. Connecting Park Gate to the Phoenix Monument, it would offer families, tourists, and locals alike a nostalgic, low-impact, and unforgettable experience.
This is a citizen’s idea–”a seed-planter”, a conversation-starter…
It is hoped that this high-level idea can gain traction and that the vision be realised to bring what would be a fantastic tourist attraction to the city.
A Brief History
By January, 1901 approximately 100km of tram lines in Dublin were electrified (having being previously horse-drawn). It was a network that reached out into the suburbs. It was an extremely popular and well-used system up until the advent of the buses which competed by literally zooming ahead of the trams and pilfering the passengers. The last tram to cease operation was the No.8 to Dalkey in 1949 although the Hill of Howth tramway stayed in operation for day-trippers until 1959.
Today, almost nothing remains of that original network — the tracks were torn up, the depots demolished, and the elegant double-decker trams consigned to memory. But the affection for them has never quite disappeared. With Dublin now embracing sustainable transport and rediscovering the value of its past, the time feels right to bring back one small, beautiful fragment — not as nostalgia, but as a living civic experience.
Further Reading
Visit the Public Participation Network’s website for information on the journey taken by Dublin’s trams:
LINK >
Read about Dublin’s tram history on Wikipedia:
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Through Streets Broad and Narrow: A History of Dublin Trams - by Michael Corcoran
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON >