Nassau Street, Dublin
Nassau Street is a street in central Dublin, running along the south side of Trinity College. It goes from Grafton Street in the west to the junction of South Leinster Street and Kildare Street in the east.
History and naming
Formerly known as St Patrick's Well Lane after a 12th-century well, it was renamed in the 18th century, after the accession to the throne of King William III, a member of the House of Orange-Nassau. To emphasise the point, one of the houses erected a marble bust of William with the couplet:The site of the well is in the grounds of Trinity College, near the Nassau Street exit. Folklore connects the well with Saint Patrick, who struck the ground with his staff and brought forth water bubbling to the surface. The well can still be visited by arrangement with the Provost's Office of Trinity College.
Two separate visits to the street by United States President Bill Clinton have made headlines. In December 2000, the outgoing US First Family visited the Blarney Woollen Mills store. In March 2017, ex-President Clinton made an unannounced stop at the Kilkenny Store.