Love is alive and well today with the restoration of ‘Love Lane’ in Temple Bar by Dublin City Council and The Temple Bar Company.
Over a decade after it was initially restored ‘Love Lane’ in Crampton Court remains as popular as ever with Dubliners and tourists alike. The past few years have seen it serve as the backdrop for many expressions of love, including numerous proposals, engagement and wedding photo-shoots and music videos.
Despite, or possibly because of, its popularity ‘Love Lane’ has suffered from unwanted attention over the years resulting in tagging, scratching and damage to the tiles. In a bid to restore it to its former glory, earlier this year the original artist Anna Doran was tasked with redesigning the wall to better withstand the challenges of being a public mural.
‘Love Lane’ creates a pathway of tiles adorned with deconstructed heart motifs and displays over 100 public contributions including quotes, poems, lyrics and dedications celebrating love and loved ones.
For the revamp, Anna has maintained the same concept and design but this time the lane has been fully tiled using custom tiles for outdoor use, which were installed by professional tiler Dan Milici who specializes in durable outdoor murals.
This approach aims to significantly extend the mural’s lifespan, ensuring it withstands the elements and continues to make a powerful, positive statement for Temple Bar.
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Commenting about the revamp, Anna Doran said, “I never imagined 11 years ago when we started Love Lane that it would become so popular and important to Dublin. Behind every tile is a story from the public, and every tile means something special to someone.
“Life can be a struggle at times, and if Love Lane can give one person hope or make them smile, then it has done its job. Love Lane has long been a heartfelt tribute to Dublin—a lane created for the people, by the people. It celebrates the city’s spirit and community.
