Historical Significance & Maritime Operations
The Port of Dublin, situated where the River Liffey empties into Dublin Bay, was the vital maritime gateway for emigrants from across the eastern provinces and midlands. From the historic North Wall Quay, paddle steamers and cargo boats carried hundreds of thousands of emigrants across the Irish Sea to Liverpool, where the great transatlantic passenger steamship lines docked.
During the nineteenth century, the quays bustled with timber merchants, grain imports, and emigrant ticket agencies. A poignant memorial to this tragic era stands today along the Dublin Custom House Quay: the world-famous bronze Famine Memorial statues sculpted by Rowan Gillespie, depicting emaciated citizens walking toward the docks.