Across the street from Christchurch Cathedral stand three bronze children forever frozen in play. The sculpture is “Millennium Child” by John Behan which was unveiled by Mary McAleese in November 2000 to celebrate “the Children of the New Millennium”
Behind the bronze statue is the Millennium Park which was opened, not in 2000 but in 1988; the much-disputed ‘thousand year anniversary’ of the founding of Dublin.
Being a submerged park, it remains slightly forlorn and mostly unnoticed by passers-by. Its lack of status has not been helped by the fact that its gates were locked for years because of anti-social behaviour. Happily in recent times it has been renovated and is now open to the public.
The park occupies the site of what was formerly one of Dublin’s most important civic buildings: The Tholsel. The name ‘Tholsel” was a corruption of “Toll Stall” i.e. a location to pay tolls.
The original structure was built at Skinner’s Row (now Christchurch Place) in the early 14th Century, and was rebuilt in 1683.
Activities carried on at the Tholsel included a merchants’ exchange, and sittings of the City Recorder’s Court where punishments for crimes less serious than murder were meted out. These included being whipped while being dragged behind a horse and cart from Skinner’s Row to College Green. Alternatively one could be flayed and/or pilloried at the front of the building. Thankfully these punishments had ceased by the late 1700s.
The Tholsel was also the location of the first Dublin fire brigade. The Tholsel Porter was tasked with raising the fire alarm and dispatching the two fire pumps plus crew and equipment. It was at the Tholsel that Dean Jonathan Swift was granted the Freedom of Dublin. On special occasions the front of the building would be lit by hundreds of candles, and free beer and food would be distributed to the grateful Dublin citizenry.
By 1809 it had been allowed to deteriorate to such a degree it had to be demolished. Nothing survives on the site today, but some remains of the Tholsel survive across the road. In the crypt of Christchurch Cathedral lies some of the statuary from the façade of the historic building: King Charles II, James Duke of York and a stone rendition of the Royal Crest lie in state.
Fascinating reminders of a long-forgotten, and once hugely important Dublin landmark. One wonders what scenes of a vastly different Dublin these statues presided over.
South Dublin Libraries Local Studies 
Thanks for this interesting fact, we never stop learning do we.
Regards,
John Kenny.
Sydney, Aust.
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