On this day 26 April in Irish History

26 April 1781: The Architect James Gandon arrived in Ireland. He came to Dublin at the behest of Lord Carlow and John Beresford to supervise the construction of the new Custom House and later the Four Courts also on the banks of the Liffey. The story runs that Gandon had to be smuggled into Dublin because of the widespread opposition to the Custom House being built so far from the centre of the City.

26 April 1895: In London the Old Bailey trial of Oscar Wilde for homosexuality began. Wilde was released on bail but he was later convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years hard labour. It was after his release from prison that he wrote his famous poem ‘The Ballad of Reading Jail’.

26 April 1916: Field guns from Trinity College and the gunboat Helga on the Liffey bombarded Liberty Hall and demolished it. Buildings in O’Connell St were also targeted and destroyed. The upper floor of the GPO was evacuated.

Commandant Daly’s men set the Linen Hall Barracks in north central Dublin alight before being captured..

The Battle of Mount Street Bridge: British soldiers from the Sherwood Foresters come under fire from a handful of Republican positions as they approach the Bridge along Northumberland Rd. Despite repeated attempts they are driven back sustaining over 200 casualties before they take Clanwilliam House by storm. Three of the twelve defenders were killed. The Insurgents were men drawn from the garrison at Boland’s Mill under the orders of Commandant Eamon De Valera.

British forces entered O’Connell St. and took up positions to cover the GPO and suppress the garrison within.

James Gandon also designed - though a little bit later - Emo Court outside Portlaoise and the CoI church at Coolbanagher, just outside Emo.

The Earls of Portarlington - Dawsons (after whom Dawson St. is named) hired him. It's relatively small but perfectly formed and set in the most wonderful parklands with a redwood-lined (old) entrance.