Sheriff Street

Sheriff Street (Irish: Sráid an tSirriam), known by locals as "Sheriffer" or "The Street", is a street in the north inner city of Dublin, Ireland, lying between East Wall and North Wall and often considered to be part of the North Wall area. It is divided into Sheriff Street Lower (west end) and Sheriff Street Upper (east end).

Sheriff Street
Sheriff Street Lifting Bridge
Native name Sráid an tSirriam  (Irish)
Namesake Sheriffs in general
Length 1.2 km (0.7 mi)
Width 12 metres (39 ft)
Location Dublin, Ireland
Postal code D01
Coordinates 53.350569°N 6.240527°W / 53.350569; -6.240527
west end Commons Street
east end East Wall Road

History
Sculpture of the singer Luke Kelly on Sheriff Street. Sculpture was erected in 2019

It is one of a group of streets named after civic offices and concepts: Mayor Street, Guild Street, Harbourmaster Place and Commons Street are all nearby.

The Sheriff Street area might be defined as Upper and Lower Sheriff Street, Mayor Street, Guild Street, Commons Street, Oriel Street, Seville Place, Crinan Strand and Mariner's Port. Sheriff Street had a reputation as a run-down area with a high crime rate.[1] Issues with poverty and crime peaked during the heroin epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s, the Sheriff Street flats (St Laurence's Mansions, St Bridget's Gardens and Phil Shanahan House) were demolished and this area became quieter. Although the area has been redeveloped it still remains a mainly working class area.

Traditionally, work on the docks provided employment for local men, but the arrival of containerization led to mass unemployment in the late 1980s.[1]

Notable people

Luke Kelly of the band The Dubliners was born in Lattimore Cottages, 1 Sheriff Street. His place of birth has since been demolished. Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Dunleavy was born and raised in Sheriff Street. [2] Stephen Gately (now deceased) of Boyzone and Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan are also from the area.

References
  1. 'You keep your mouth shut and your head down', Rosín Ingle, The Irish Times, 24 July 2010
  2. https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40050137.html
  • – In 1973, RTÉ Radio 1 producer, Seán Mac Réamoinn set out to capture life in the North Wall/Sheriff Street area of Dublin city in a radio documentary, Inner City Island, looking to the past, present and future, which aired on RTÉ Radio 1 on 17 March 2009 and is online as a podcast.[1]


  1. "Inner City Island".
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