Erected to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 1900 visit, the Queen Victoria Fountain stands as a testament to a bygone era. It is located in Dún Laoghaire. She disembarked at the harbour in Kingstown. The town was renamed Dún Laoghaire.
The Queen Victoria Fountain is more than just a water source. It represents a complex history of royalty, craftsmanship, and resilience. Imagine Queen Victoria arriving in 1900. The fountain would have been a symbol of welcome.
Designed by Walter Macfarlane & Co of Glasgow, the Queen Victoria Fountain is design number 20. It is an elaborate structure. The fountain stretches 18 feet high and 4 feet wide. The Saracen Foundry in Possilpark, Glasgow manufactured it. This Scottish firm recreated the cast iron filigree dome. They also completed a paint analysis to discover the structure’s original color. The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company funded the project. It was completed in 2002.
The canopied drinking Queen Victoria Fountain rests on a double octagonal plinth. Eight columns support an open filigree canopy. Griffin terminals sit over capitals. Foliage friezes adorn square bases. Highly decorated cusped arches feature rope mouldings. Cartouches within lunettes offer shields for memorials.
Look closely. You will spot inscriptions. One reads “Restored by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company 2002”. Another says “Erected to commemorate the visit of Her Majesty Queen Victoria April 1900”. Two shields display a crane standing on one leg. Two shields show a swan in water. One shield has Queen Victoria’s crowned head. Another features a man’s crowned head.
Faceplates on each side arch offer space for inscriptions. They often display the monition, “Keep the pavement dry”. Civic virtues like temperance were common. Doves and flowers decorate the circular ribbed dome of the Queen Victoria Fountain. Internal capitals showcase flowers. Owl statues sit on enlarged column heads. Lion mascarons adorn internal shields. An imperial crown finial sits at the apex.
Under the canopy stands the font. It is design number 18. A circular shaft, ornamented with water lilies, rests on a wide base. It features canted corners. Four lion jambs support four highly decorated quatrefoil basins. A pyramid-shaped stanchion rises from the center. Swan and bird decorations adorn it. The terminal is a winged horse. It originally had four consoles with drinking cups suspended by chains.
The Queen Victoria Fountain uses symbolism. Griffins guard priceless possessions. Cranes symbolize vigilance. Lions represent guardianship. Owls are guardians of the afterlife. The winged horse connects with water. Myth says that inspiring springs burst forth wherever Pegasus struck his hoof.
In 1981, Republicans almost destroyed the Queen Victoria Fountain. In 1985, it was restored to working order and illuminated. The following year, it was rededicated. This marked the 70th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. An inscribed stone paving slab was laid beside it.
Sadly, the Queen Victoria Fountain has faced vandalism. In 2002, work stopped after threats to construction workers. Gardaí investigated an incident in June 2020. The Queen Victoria Fountain was vandalized with red paint.
The Queen Victoria Fountain stands as a reminder of history. It embodies art, and resilience. It connects us to the past. Take a moment. Reflect on its stories. Consider its survival.