Ireland's tallest O'Connell Tower, which was built in 1855 in memory of famous Irish statesman Daniel O'Connell, was reopened to the public on April 14, 2018 after 47 years. The 55-meter-high and round-shaped tower suffered a bomb attack at its base in 1971 which destroyed its interior staircase ascending to the top of the tower with four windows which provides a 360-degree view of Dublin.(Xinhua)
DUBLIN, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's tallest tower "O'Connell Tower" reopened to the public here on Saturday after a closure of 47 years following a bomb attack whose perpetrator has not been officially identified until now.
Hundreds of tourists, both local and foreign, were seen coming in from different corners of the city to visit the tower on the first day of its reopening to the public.
A flower vendor at the gate of Glasnevin Cemetery where the tower is located told Xinhua that the number of visitors to the tower and the cemetery had obviously increased on Saturday due to the reopening of the tower.
Located in the north of Dublin city, the tower was built in 1855 in memory of Daniel O'Connell, one of the greatest political figures in the first half of the 19th century in Ireland, who was most famous for its fight for the equal political and civil rights of Catholics in the country.
Daniel O'Connell,born in 1775, died in Italy in 1847 while on a pilgrimage to Rome. According to his wish, his heart was buried in Rome while his remaining body was buried in a coffin placed at the base of the tower.
Measuring 55 meters in height, the round-shaped tower built with stones is the tallest of its kind in Ireland, which provides a 360 degree view of Dublin city and its neighbouring counties of Wicklow and Meath with four windows at the top of the tower, making it once one of the greatest attractions for tourists in the country.
However, in 1971, a huge bomb containing 10 pounds of gelignite hit the base of the tower, causing structural damage and destroying the interior staircase.
Though some group claimed responsibility for the bomb attack, it has never been officially confirmed who really conducted the attack, said officials in charge of the maintenance of the tower.
In 2016, Glasnevin Trust, the largest funeral services provider in Ireland, which also runs Glasnevin Cemetery among others, started the work to restore the destroyed staircase that leads to the top of the tower.
Officials with Glasnevin Cemetery said the destroyed staircase has been restored strictly according to what it looked like in the past. Made of wrought iron, the spiral staircase consists of 198 hand-carved wooden steps ascending to the top of the tower with 6 landing platforms.
With the reinstatement of the staircase, the cemetery expects to make the tower once again a famous tourist destination in Dublin.
