Phoenix Park: A History and Guidebook
Brendan Nolan
Liffey Press, 2005http://www.liffey-i.com/
Big Houses, Guards, Bombs, Loud Music and Lion Sex
When visiting Dublin (or living here, for that matter) a stroll in Phoenix Park is a must. As Lonely Planet or any other Irish guidebook will reveal, the park's 1,752 acres make it the largest enclosed city park in Europe. Other than a mention that the Dublin Zoo and American ambassador's residence are within, there's not much told. Believe me, though- there's a lot more worth knowing.
Brendan Nolan's Phoenix Park: A History and Guidebook tells the full story of the park. Beginning with "A Brief History of Phoenix Park," chapters cover the ground from "Big Houses and Other Buildings" to "Monuments and Memorials" to sections that focus on the sporting events that take place, literary links, and even a whole chapter on the herd of eight hundred wild deer that freely roam the grounds.
Those deer are a mad thing to see, for the first time. I remember one summer day in 1998, cutting across Phoenix Park. On the map, I had taken the section of the park called the Fifteen Acres literally and thought I'd be across it in a jiff. Man, was I running late. Suddenly an oddly-placed hedge leapt up and raced away. Damn! The antlers on those things! It's a good thing the busck didn't charge my direction or else I'd be in Brendan Nolan's book. Stupid American Killed By Fallow Deer.
There is a chapter on "Crimes and Misdemeanours," relating the infamous Invincibles murders in which a pair of high-ranking British officials where assassinated by revolutionaries in 1882. Phoenix Park is also the location of Garda Headquarters, who get a chapter of their own on fighting crime.
While the guidebook does contain fifteen acres of information, certain patches feel... patchy. The close of the "Mass Events" chapter for instance. When covering the large concerts that have been held in the Phoenix Park, the narrative advances from the early 20th century to Word War One to 2002, then back to the U2 gig in 1983. Then a 2002 event again and then to the Robbie Williams show that took place earlier in 2002. And is the appearance of manufactured boy/girl band flop, Six, really historically noteworthy?
This from a reviewer who digs Bubba Ho-Tep, I know, I know. Still: the particular passage felt poorly organized.
I found other sections much more colorful and interesting, like the time that the Nazis bombed Dublin Zoo. The IRA had more luck leveling an equestrian statue of Lord Gough, a companion piece to their destruction of Nelson's Column that I had not previously heard. Other paramilitary adventures aside, Phoenix Park also features sections on deer sex, lion sex, and the Chapelizod author that Bram Stoker ripped off for Dracula.
Mick says: Phoenix Park: A History and Guidebook is a welcome addition to the bookshelf. While lacking the erudite lyrical style of Michael Fewer's Irish Waterside Walks and the vast interactivity of Pat Liddy's Walking Dublin, Phoenix Park and features a wealth of illustrations and black and white photographs that the other guidebooks lack.
Mr. Nolan's sound overview is officially recommended by Critical Mick. It has given me more things to think about, cutting across Phoenix Park, than how late I am.
Freelance journalist Brendan Nolan is webmaster of askaboutwriting.net and of Liffey-i.com, a site that features information about Phoenix Park. Why not visit!
Added October 2009! He has also tried his hand at short fiction set in West Dublin. Stories that have been broadcast on Liffey Sound 96.4 FM are collected in Barking Mad: Tales of Liars, Lovers, Loonies and Layabouts.
Hi Brendan! The secret message down below has nothing to do with your book, I just needed an overlooked review to link to from my Mark Leslie interview.
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