Harry’s Dublin

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Harry says: “I took the top photo shortly after the seats were installed some years ago and passing by yesterday, I photographed the Autumnal one with the gentlemen seated (above).”

Havel’s Place.

St Patrick’s Park, , Dublin 8.

Harry Warren writes:

Many people visit St Patrick’s park adjacent to Christchurch cathedral in Dublin and sit at two beautifully designed seats enjoying a coffee and a conversation but are completely unaware of the origin of the seats.

The seat and table are Havel’s Place, a memorial bench to Vaclav Havel, a playwright and former Czech President and above all a champion for human rights that were ceremonially unveiled in Dublin on December 10, 2013. A unique work by the famed designer Borek Sipek.

The bench, comprising a round table with a Linden Tree (The Czech National Tree) growing though its centre and coupled with two movable chairs decorated with typical Havel hearts (today the hearts are now sadly missing) enables visitors to freely discuss matters of interest, which is the main mission of the whole work, “Without free discussion there is no Democracy”.

In addition to the bench there is a small commemorative plaque, usually hidden by pebbles, mounted on the ground. In light of the ongoing Brexit discussions perhaps it’s time that Boris Johnson and Michel Barnier sat down here and had a coffee together.

Pics by Harry Warren

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3 thoughts on “Harry’s Dublin

  1. Con Kennedy

    I think you’ll find that St Patrick’s Park is in fact adjacent to St Patrick’s Cathedral and not Christchurch Cathedral….

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