One of the quaint survivals in Dublin place-names which I heard discussed the other day was the Pigeon House - a title which clings to the premises at the end of the South Wall extension of the Liffey quay. Inquiry reveals that the name derives from a small wooden house, which was built early in the 18th century on piles near the spot. This was called "Pidgeon's House" from its occupation by a watchman of that name, and was highly popular as a resort for boating parties from Dublin. Pidgeon supplemented his ordinary occupation and income by supplying refreshments to his visitors, and so many of them ultimately came that he set up a boat for himself to convey them to and from the shore.
When the piles were superseded by the South Wall, a stone dwelling, at first known as the "Block House", replaced Pidgeon's abode, and it is recorded that the Lords Justices, with the Lord Mayor of Dublin and the directors of the Ballast Office, partook of a "cold repast" there in 1764.
Very soon, however, the old familiar name was resumed, in the corrupted form of "Pigeon House", and the place became the famous starting point for the English packet boats. The attentions of the Revenue officers there used to be mentioned cynically as the "plucking at the Pigeon House", after which the long-suffering passengers were transported to Dublin in a comfortless vehicle known as the "Long Coach".
The Irish Times, July 13th, 1931