The Blessington Street Basin is known as Dublin's secret garden, as it remains largely undiscovered in the city. Most of the park is water and it also includes an artificial island created as a refuge for animals. Blessington Basin is a real secret garden, only a 15-minute walk from Upper O'Connell St. Go past Parnell Square on Frederick St which becomes Blessington St, where charming Georgian doors and features remain. Cross over Dorset St & Berkeley St to the end. Through the iron gates you’ll be greeted by sweet-scented flowers, mature trees & serene swans on the water. Relax on a bench or stroll along the walkway. The Basin Keeper's cottage, built in 1811, is picture-perfect. Refurbished in 1994, the park is surrounded by high stone walls and lined with plants and seating. At the far end you will find a children's playground, exercise stations, fanciful bronze sculptures, a mixed-use games area and even beehives. Blessington Street Basin is one of the most unusual parks in the city, as 80 percent of the area of the park is water. It was formerly a city reservoir that supplied homes until 1885, then Powers & Jamesons distilleries until the 1970s. An artificial island has been developed in the centre to create a refuge for the ducks and swans that regard the basin as home.

A very welcoming 'green' space full of life and away from traffic. Local and migratory birds spend time in the basin, and neighbours walk through or soak up the sun on good days. Well looked after, specially in spring and summer months. The attached pics are from January.

A real hidden treasure in the city that I stumbled upon by chance one lunchtime five years ago. The DCC staff who look after it really take pride in their work. Don't be put off by people down on their luck such as the homeless or addicts drinking cans on the benches, they never hassle you and if anything are some of the friendliest people you'll meet there compared to other public spaces in the city. It's partly why I love this place, that it's full of people from all backgrounds lost in their own thoughts just appreciating the beauty of the basin.

It is a cool greenery gem in the very city centre. There are trees,birds,water of basin. It is very quiet and great spot for meditation. Just check for this place opening hours as they might close the gates.

Quiet place. Nice to stroll around

Lovely and quiet park. The basin and the birds are beautiful

Lovely place to bring your young kids cycling.

Just to echo the general sentiments hereon, where this eco-oasis sits hidden in plain sight, in the heart of the north city metropolis. A great little spot to visit to reconnect to the core of it all, midst all of the city madness, for sure.

While waiting for a friend who had a hospital appointment in the Mater, I wandered up by the old State Cinema site to look at the soldier's statue and then walked on and found this fabulous little public amenity! And I've been driving around Phibsboro for more than 40 years never knowing it was there!

In the concrete greyness of the north city centre there is this beautiful green space with water. Its being reclamed as a park after a sucessful run as a water resivour in georgain dublin. An amazing recycling of use and purpose.

Beautiful little park in the middle of a busy city .Nice place to chill with a coffee and watch the world go by .

Lovely little park close to the city centre. Plenty of seats to relax on. Also a tree lined walk along the west side of the pond.

A hidden gem city centre small oasis brilliant lads staff an helpful

My favourite spot when I was living there.. still I spent time when I am nearby 🩵🩵🩵

EXCELLENT Place To Feed The Swan's, Seagulls And Pigeons.

An oasis of quiet in a busy city. Relatively unknown to most.

Quite a hidden gem, rather small but it's worth the walk if you're in the area

This is a nice little hidden gem just outside the city centre. There's not a whole lot to see or do so it's hard to award it more stars but it is a nice little spot to sit back with a coffee and relax a short while.

Lovely park if you're looking for a quiet place to come away from the busyness of Dublin.

A hidden gem 💖 love this place, whenever I feel stressed and need to feel better, I go for a walk there 🥰 I took my friends there and they were so amazed 🤩

Happy memories, would love to go back to visit but not living there anymore, it’s a beautiful tranquil place which I didn’t even know about for many years

Nice small pond but it is a great place for bird life plenty of ducks from America in the pond and some other unusual birds too

Dublin is full of secret places none more dear to me than my own secret garden near were my father's family grew up. The Blessington Basin, amazing this gem of a place is so close to O'Connell Street and yet tucked away is this old Victorian Reservoir. Built in 1810 as a water storage reservoir for the city, the water is fed via the Royal Canal with water from Lough Owel. The is made from Calp Limestone and the bed is of water retaining blue clay. It is fed by pipe from Reilly's Bridge in Finglas at the 8th Lock. The Style Gate lodge was built in 1811 and still retains its wonderful old gothic style. From 1860 to 1970 water from the Basin was fed to Jameson's Bow Lane Distilery and Power's Whiskey Distillery at John's Lane. But this is a wonderful oasis for local residents and visitors, set in a quiet residential area at top of Blessington Street it has been a wonderful place for young children for years. The Swan's and many species of water fowl add so much to this beautiful place along with the hidden doorway entrances for example onto Primrose street. The lush vegetation, huge waterfalls, the discreet seating and lovely sculptures add touches of magic to Dublin's very own secret Garden. Author and philosopher Dame Jean Iris Murdoch was born in the last house on Blessington Street which was adjacent to and now included in the Basin/Park. Childhood memories of this wonderful place still stay with me. If looking for a great place to relax,have a coffee and just chill this is it.

A little hidden gem in inner city Dublin, if you ever need a break and somewhere nice to read or even just sit a while and get pleasantly lost in thought.