The Docklands in Dublin is a district which is roughly located between the Matt Talbot Bridge eastward to land’s end. It was primarily a commercial district, as implied by the name, but has of late undergone a spate of re-urbanization and revitalization, with a lot of development and the opening of several train stations. There is a commission in charge of attracting businesses and residents to the area, and economic growth is surging in this part of Dublin. It is easily accessible via the new train service, and there are many things to see and do. The Custom House Famine Memorial, statues designed and sculpted by Rowan Gillespie, commemorate the Great Famine of the 19th century, when over one million people either died of starvation or left Ireland for the New World because of lack of food. Because of the availability of large spaces, many art galleries have moved to Docklands, and the visitors have followed. The Jeanie Johnson is a replica of a so-called “famine ship” which made fifteen or more trips to America during the Great Famine with immigrants fleeing the harsh conditions at home. Docklands is also the departure point for various River Liffey tours of Dublin, and there is also a self-guided walking tour which will cover the major sites of Docklands, including the Custom House and most of the major businesses which have sprung up along the quay and the River Liffey.
