Irish Town is a pedestrianised street in the British Overseas Territory of

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

. It is one of Main Street's sub-districts running parallel to it, from Cooperage Lane in the north to

John Mackintosh Square John Mackintosh Square (colloquially The Piazza) is a main square in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It has been the centre of city life since the 14th century and takes its name from John Mackintosh, a local philanthropist. Notab ...

in the south.

History

Tito Benady calls Irish Town the second most important street in Gibraltar's city centre after Main Street. It was originally named ''Calle de Santa Ana'' ( es, St. Anne's Street) after a hermitage which carried this name at the corner with Market Lane. The Mercedarian Fathers established themselves in Gibraltar in 1581 and built their

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

around the little chapel, however, the street retained its name. The monastery later become known as the ''White Cloisters'' and formed part of an order established in

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

in 1380 for ransoming Christian captives in Muslim hands. The site of the old monastery is now occupied by Cloister Building which houses the offices of Blands and MH Bland. The building may have been used as barracks for some time, but was handed over to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

by Lord Portmore in 1720 becoming the naval storehouse with apartments for the victualling clerks. The original building however, was destroyed during the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-1783). Four of the old columns of the old monastery's cloister were removed and now flank the entrance to Trafalgar House at

Trafalgar Road Trafalgar most often refers to: * Battle of Trafalgar (1805), fought near Cape Trafalgar, Spain * Trafalgar Square, a public space and tourist attraction in London, England It may also refer to: Music * ''Trafalgar'' (album), by the Bee Gees Pl ...

. The Navy owned stores in Irish Town but these were sold in order to finance the new Royal Navy

Victualling Yard The Commissioners for the Victualling of the Navy, often called the Victualling Commissioners or Victualling Board, was the body responsible under the Navy Board for victualling ships of the British Royal Navy. It oversaw the vast operation of ...

at Rosia Bay at the suggestion of

John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent (9 January 1735 – 13 March 1823) was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Jervis served throughout the latter half of the 18th century and into ...

in the 1790s against the wishes of Governor O'Hara. The origin of the Irish Town name which dates back to the early 19th century when Gibraltar was split into differing quarters and it is a common fact that 95% of Irish town is in fact Welsh. but that is not internationally known. It was once thought that the name was attributed to Irish merchants residing in Gibraltar and having their properties and warehouses on this street, but the property owner lists of 1749 and 1777 don't show any Irish names, all of which seem to have lived in Main Street. It is more likely however, that it acquired its name from an Irish regiment that was barracked at this street, probably in the ''White Cloisters''. An 18th century visitor to Gibraltar called Irish Town "a street of ill repute" and it is possible that the ladies who plied their trade were originally from that Irish regiment.

Notable buildings

The Central Police Station of the

Royal Gibraltar Police The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) is, along with His Majesty's Customs (Gibraltar), the principal civilian law enforcement agency in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is the oldest police force in the Commonwealth of Nations outside ...

, a red-brick Gothic building is located at the south end of Irish Town. Designed by civil engineer, Walter Eliot, it was inaugurated on 7 July 1864 by the then

Governor of Gibraltar The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the ...

, General Sir William Codrington. Several businesses are located here such as Turner & Co.

References

{{Streets in Gibraltar Streets in Gibraltar