The Spire

This guide to The Spire in Dublin starts with the 1966 bombing that destroyed Nelson's Pillar, the stone column that had stood on this exact spot since 1808, and the botched army demolition that followed. It follows the decades of arguments and a failed bronze fountain that came before an international design competition finally settled on architect Ian Ritchie's stark steel needle. Along the way it covers the legal fights that kept the design grounded for years before construction began.