1941 – DUTC Club, Earl Place, Dublin

Constructed by the DUTC as a social club and now the Dublin Bus canteen. Smaller projects like this helped Michael Scott through the lean war years. Scott later became involved with Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE) the National Transport Company which came into being on the 1 January 1945 as a result of the Transport Act of 8 December 1944. This was the last of a series of transport amalgamations as the independent bus companies and the railway companies had joined forces into two companies – Dublin United Tramways and Great Southern Railways. The new head of this transport firm was an accountant, A.P. Reynolds. Reynolds had built up a successful small bus company, before the amalgamation and was friends with Scott and Sean Lemass (1899-1971) who was the Minister of Industry and Commerce in 1945. Scott generously passed on many of the commissions to promising architects, remaining as CIE’s Consultant Architect but kept the major projects for his own firm.

Dublin Transport has pleasure in presenting particulars of the new D.U.T. Club at Earl Place. The drawing herewith gives an impression of the appearance of the new centre which fronts onto Earl Place. The rear approach from Marlborough Street will only be used as a tradesmen’s entrance. The plans on this page show the division of the floor space on the ground and upper floor.

The Canteen Hall
Looking the place over from the viewpoint of the average transport man who will use it, he will first be impressed by the smart appearance of the front, with its wide windows. He will then enter the entrance hall, passing on the left the porter’s office, where, om the beginning, he may have to satisfy that gentleman that he is really a transport man and a respectable, fit, and proper person to use such a handsome club. Once safely inside he will leave his cloak in the cloakroom, just off the spacious entrance hall, or foyer.

He will probably want a meal next, so he will go into the most important place in the building, the canteen. This will have a floor area of 1,500 square feet where the visitor may be one of 150 diners enjoying first-class food at the separate tables. He will be impressed by the large and lofty hall, but this will not distract him from his food, which will have been prepared in a most up-to-date kitchen, with first class equipment.

Having settled the inner man, the visitor n\may adjourn to the general lounge, just off the foyer, to recuperate for a few minutes and admire the large decorative fireplace on which a mural drawing will be executed.

Billiards, Cards, Rings
He may then drop into the billiards room, which will be just off the main corridors, on the ground floor. There will be three tables here, with spectators’ seats nearby, so his prowess, if any, may be duly admired.

He will then proceed, as the Garda says, to the first floor. Here he will find a reading and writing room, with all appropriate facilities, and an area of 400 square feet. Off this room again will be the library, with 750 square feet of floor, providing ample storage for books.

Next door he will find the card room which, even though it can accommodate 15 tables, will probably be packed to capacity, so that he will have to retreat. He will then call into the games room, which faces on to Earl Place. Here. Encourage by plenty of light and air from the big windows, he may play rings, darts, or table tennis, or sit in some of the seats specially provided for criticising or coaching one’s depot team.

By the time he has sampled all the amenities of the centre he will probably have to walk home. The only way in which he will then be able to satisfy his wife that he has been having innocent and inexpensive enjoyment in his own private club is by bring her for afternoon tea in the lounge and also promising to bring her along on the next “gala night”.

On a Concert Night
On such a night he will find that the canteen has become a concert hall seating 300 persons. At one end he will see that the stage has been curtained. His unfortunate colleagues who are on duty and have to refuel during their break will be upstairs in the reading and writing room. There will be space for some 40 to 60 of them there, and a lift from the kitchen will ensure the usual prompt service. The kitchen will be quite cut off from the concert hall by a sliding door, and the interviewing accommodation will be occupied as dressing rooms and “green room”” by the transport artistes.

He May Boast
And when our DUTC man meets an employee of another concern he will be able to tell him truthfully than nowhere in Ireland or Britain has any firm provided a finer social centre for its men.
Dublin Transport, June 1941