A history
and
guidebook

Phoenix Park is a prime example of a seventeenth-century deer-park and was established within its present boundaries between 1662 and 1680.

The park landscape is dominated by grassland separated by clumps of trees, which may appear to be haphazardly grown; but which were planted to complement other aspects of the park.

Some twenty-eight per cent of the area is under trees.

Trees have also been planted over the years as screens around a number of ponds in Phoenix Park.

Development of the wildlife area in the south-west of the park, focusing on the Furry or Furze Glen is seen as part of passive recreational activities development.

Wild plants have been observed and enjoyed in Phoenix Park for nearly 300 years. The first records of the flora of the park were published during its early period as a royal deer park even before it was opened to the public in 1745.

Several plants can still be found on or near the sites where they were first noted by Caleb Threlkeld in 1726, including gipsywort (near lake shores and in ditches); lords-and-ladies (in shady places); swine cress (on disturbed ground); hairy bitter cress (on walls); burnet saxifrage (in grassland); and holly (in the woods).

Considering it is now an urban park, Phoenix Park supports a surprisingly rich flora. In fact, during a recent survey more than 300 different flowering grasses and ferns were recorded. That represents about a third of all the species found in Ireland, and some forty-four per cent of those to be found in the Dublin area. The large number is attributable to the variety of habitats, which are suitable for different kinds of plants.

For more detail read

The comprehensive book on Dublin's own national park.

In the shops now

ISBN 1-904148-78-6
or order online here
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Copies of Phoenix Park a history and guidebook are a welcome addition to your corporate or conference goodybags.

  
Brendan Nolan has reported on Phoenix Park as a freelance journalist for several decades and was a professional observer at many of the events of the late 20th century related herein.

He was born in Chapelizod in a house beside the churchyard of Le Fanu and counted Phoenix Park as his personal rambling ground through his growing years and beyond.