The Temple Bar Editorial Photo

In 1609 Sir William Temple was made Provost if Trinity College Dublin and Masters Chancery in Ireland and moved to Dublin. Temple built his house and gardens on newly reclaimed land here in the corner of Temple Lane and Temple Bar. In 1656 his son Sir John Temple, acquired additional land which with reclamation made possible the building of a new sea wall. This allowed the development of the area we now know as Temple Bar. In the 17th Century, Barr (later shortened to Bar) usually refered to a raised estuary sand bank, often used for walking on, thus the River Liffey embankment along side the Temple Family's plot became known as Temple's Barr or simply Temple Bar.