1879 – Former Pembroke Town Hall, Merrion Road, Dublin

Architect: E.H. Carson

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Now used by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, the former Pembroke Town Hall was designed by E.H. Carson, the father of Edward Carson, the Unionist Leader, in 1879. He was assisted by his pupil J.L. Robinson, later to form Robinson Keefe which as Robinson Keefe Devane designed the AIB Bank Group HQ nearby. The smaller block to the left hand side is a former fire station designed at the same time.

From The Building News: “The new Town Hall for the Pembroke Township, now in course of erection, is situated on the Rock-road, adjoining Ball’s-bridge, on the outskirts of the City of Dublin. It is built of rough-punched Ballynockan granite set in regular courses, with bands of red sandstone. The principal entrance door and windows of upper story have columns of polished Aberdeen granite. The building provides accommodation on the ground floor for secretary, engineer, rate collector, post and telegraph office, also sanitary office and care- taker’s apartments. The board room, 45ft. by 21ft., with open timber roof stained and varnished, is on the first floor. Off same, are waiting and cloak rooms, with lavatories, w.c., &c. Messrs. Gahan and Sons, of Dublin, are the builders, and have taken the contract at £3,300, which does not include the stables and out-offices, nor gas-fitting or wrought-iron safes. Mr. E. H. Carson, of Harcourt-street, Dublin, is the architect. “