Ringsend

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Ringsend is a suburb of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It is located directly on the south side of the River Liffey, about two miles to the east of the city centre.

Formerly the point where ships arriving across the Irish Sea would dock, it went into decline in the 19th and 20th centuries when the shipping moved to ports further south along the coast.

Ringsend and Dublin Port is also home to the Great South Wall connecting the Poolbeg Lighthouse to the mainland. The lighthouse lies at the extreme east end of the wall and was constructed in 1767. The stone wall that now stands was constructed over a period of many years and was completed in 1795. The wall and lighthouse are a popular walk destination for Ringsenders and Dubliners alike. In the photograph below the Isle of Mann passenger ship, Lady of Mann, visits Dublin in 2004.

With the growth of Dublin in the "Celtic Tiger" years of the 1990s and later, Ringsend has become a popular spot for students and younger workers, looking for an area close to the city's night-life, but which also has access to parks and the sea. The first years of the 21st century has seen significant growth in the area, with the adjoining Grand Canal Docks Project and U2 Tower due for completion in 2008/2009.Local residents include Colin Farrell, the actor, Paul Durcan, the poet, and Green Party politician, John Gormley.

Ringsend was originally a long narrow peninsula separated from the rest of Dublin by the estuary of the Dodder river. Since the Irish for peninsula is Rinn, pronounced 'Ring', it seems likely that the name means 'the end of the peninsula'.

Ringsend has long been known colloquially as Raytown reflecting its history as a fishing village.

Ringsend also has a long connection with sport. Two major Irish football clubs Shelbourne F.C. and Shamrock Rovers F.C. were founded in the area. There is also a long tradition of rowing with two clubs St. Patrick's and Stella Maris and the traditional Ringsend Regatta still takes place annually. More recently, the Poolbeg Yacht, Boat Club, & Marina has established a centre for all forms of water-based sporting activity in the area and hosts an eighteen-race sailing series from the marina to the Dublin Bay area during the summer months each year.

Ringsend traditionally held a reputation for being quite clannish and residents of the small village can trace their ancestry back many generations, with especial boating links.

Coordinates: 53°20′30, N°6′13