Not to be confused with actual ‘Love Lane’ on the other side of the city, Crampton Court in Temple bar has been renamed Love Lane and is now one of the brightest and best lanes in Dublin. Recently, some of the laneways around Temple Bar (the bar/tourist quarter of the city) have been given a makeover with rubbish removed and murals painted on the walls to make them less of an intimidating place to walk through. This ‘Love the Lanes’ initiative was taken on by Dublin City Council and local artists were given permission to turn the cultural district into an open-air gallery. This particular lane joins Essex Street to the back of the iconic Olympia Theatre on Dame Street.
The lane itself is an Instagram favourite, with many large artworks and some tiny nuances you might miss if you’re not paying attention. My favourite part of the lane is the wall dotted with tiles with quotes from movies, local sayings and famous loving words written by the great playwrights and authors of the world. The last time I visited I was joined by a young, loved-up couple who sat in front of the wall pointing out their favourite tiles and talking about the people who wrote them. It’s one of the many little parts of the city that makes it a truly special place to call home.