Wexford Street
History
As early as 1326, St Kevin's Gate is recorded as being one of the gates into the city of Dublin.
Later the street was known as "Kevin's Port" (also spelled "Kevan’s") a reference to nearby St. Kevin's Church and is detailed as such on the Down Survey map of 1655.
The street is shown with mostly farmland and orchards along its edges and without significant buildings in John Rocque's maps of Dublin around 1757. The street acted as the main road to both Portobello and Milltown south of the city.
In the 19th and early 20th century, the street was known for housing a number of Jewish businesses.
It was in the 18th century renamed as the route to nearby County Wexford.
On 16 March 1921 it saw an incident of the Irish War of Independence; a troop lorry from Wellington Barracks, carrying British soldiers from the South Lancashire Regiment, was hit by two grenades thrown from Wexford Street, killing two soldiers (Lance Corporal Jarvis and Private G. Thomas) and wounding six others, one of whom, Private Whiting, died from his wounds.
Whelan's is a well-known pub and music venue on the street; it dates back to 1772.
Notable residents
- Robert Tressell was born on the street in 1870.
- Simon Donnelly was living on the street in 1911.
- Frank Kerlin grew up at 15 Wexford Street
- William Maple resided on the street from the 1740s