A pioneer of science and hanging

THE extraordinary transformation of Dublin Zoo, which began in 1994, continues apace. Last year saw the completion of the new state-of-the-art Asian elephant facility. Now, a landmark building is being restored.

The Haughton House, an elegant half-timbered structure which dates from 1898, occupies a focal point in the gardens. Surrounded by lawns with some fine trees, it has fond memories for generations of Dubliners, having housed the Zoo’s restaurant for many years.

The world’s third oldest public zoo was opened in the Phoenix Park in 1831. Only the Paris Zoo of 1828 and London’s of 1829 are older. Although Queen Victoria became its patron in 1838, the year of her coronation, the Zoo was not always the thriving institution it is today. During a lean period in the 19th Century, the Reverend Samuel Haughton, president of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, is credited with saving it from closure.