page_title: Portobello, Dublin
section_title: The basin
hierarchical_section_title: Portobello, Dublin / History / 19th and 20th centuries / The basin
caption_attribution_description: Part of an old hand-drawn map in my possession, dating from about 1840, author unknown, showing Portobello, Dublin, and environs.
context_page_description: Portobello is an area of Dublin located in the South City Centre, bounded to the south by the Grand Canal.
  Portobello came into existence as a small suburb south of the city of Dublin in the 18th century, centred on Richmond St. During the following century it was completely developed, transforming an area of private estates and farmland into solid Victorian red-bricked living quarters for the middle classes, and terraced housing bordering the canal for the working classes.
  As a fast-expanding suburb during the 19th century Portobello attracted many upwardly-mobile families whose members went on to play important roles in politics, the arts and the sciences. Towards the end of the century came an influx of Jews, refugees from pogroms in Eastern Europe, which gave the name "Little Jerusalem" to the area.
  It is in the postal district of Dublin 8. It is in the local government electoral area of Dublin South East Inner City and the Dáil Constituency of Dublin Bay South.
context_section_description: The Dublin section of the Grand Canal was opened on 23 April 1796, while Portobello Harbour came into use in 1801.  In 1812 Richmond Basin, Portobello, (later called the "City Basin"), located between Lennox Street and the canal, was opened as a water reservoir for the south side of the city. From 1860 investigations of the water quality coming from the Basin showed that it was not up to standard – in particular, levels of sulphuric acid were relatively high. Public representatives from Rathmines were unwilling to cough up the necessary money for a new water-works, but the will of the majority prevailed, and the new Vartry Reservoir was completed in 1863.
caption: Portobello about 1840. On the west, Clanbrassil St., on the east, Sth. Richmond St. Click to enlarge.
exif: {}