Dun Laoghaire Harbour

My winged alter ego was talking about the Harbour this morning. I'm not really keen on any of the proposed new buildings on the Carlisle Pier.

I love the Harbour. Everytime I crest the hill on my way down into Dalkey, I take a peek out to see what it looks like. It's part of a spectacular vista, but it's the man-made part. There are virtually no man-made features in Ireland that are part of a beautiful scene. In many cases, the man-made items in a scene are a detraction from what is nature at its spectacular best. Dun Laoghaire Harbour may be the one big exception to that.

Looking out over Dublin Bay from the top of Dalkey Hill is tremendous. The view of Howth in the distance, Dalkey Island up close and the bay and the distant city make a fantastic picture. The Harbour adds to the picture. Seeing the Harbour from just above the quarry from which the Harbour stones were taken enhances the enjoyment - you can imagine the sweat and tears that went into the Harbour's construction.

All of this is important for those who are considering what to build on Carlisle Pier. I would prefer if nothing was built and the Pier was simply removed. Or, if the Pier was part of a floating Maritime Museum, intended to complement the current Maritime Museum.

But, simply building a large glass building to house a cultural center or whatever, would spoil the Harbour. The Harbour is man-made, beautiful, functional. It makes sense. Unless the new building fits in with these criteria, it will aesthetically ruin the Harbour.