Merrion Square is one of the most intact Georgian Squares located in the heart of Dublin city. Originally laid out in 1762, it is surrounded on three sides by Georgian redbrick houses, with the fourth side containing Government Buildings, the Natural History Museum, Leinster House and the National Gallery of Ireland.
The square and its surrounding area is home to a series of national cultural institutions, including the National Art Gallery of Ireland, the Archaeological and Natural History sections of the National Museum of Ireland which combined attract close to 2million visitors each year.
Merrion Square is also home to a range of other significant cultural organisations such as the Irish Traditional Music Archive, the Irish Architectural Archive, The Arts Council, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Foras na Gaeilge, as well as design studios, media companies and other creative businesses located in buildings which where once the grandest townhouses and homes in the city.
The Merrion Square area also includes several hotels, ranging from 2* to 5* standard (the Shelbourne Hotel and Merrion Hotel respectively).
Merrion Square also has many associations with significant figures in Ireland’s political and cultural history and among the many famous residents who have lived on Merrion Square are Daniel O’Connell, Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats.
The centre of Merrion Square is a public park, owned by Dublin City Council – a wonderful resource that has seen several major improvements in recent years to to re-instate the Georgian features of the park.
Merrion Square, the heart of Georgian Dublin, has a year round cultural and events programme to promote the area as a “go-to” place for national and international culture seekers. Enabled by Fáilte Ireland, the stakeholders and community around Merrion Square have come together through the Merrion Square Innovation Network to build awareness of the area’s rich history and heritage, and to stimulate civic pride.
Click here to see more info on our past events.
Dublin City Council – Merrion Square Park
Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland
Irish Traditional Music Archive
National Museum of Ireland – Natural History
St Stephen’s Church (a.k.a. the Pepper Canister)
Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland