Re: Re: Thomas Street & James Street, Dublin!

A shame indeed. I passed this morning and the former shop unit has been completely gutted. The roof of the return structure that exene1 charts has collapsed, and it appears that the interior is destroyed.

Apparently No. 143 and No. 144 have both been tied up in wrangling for quite some time. Believe it or not, I understand Dublin City Council themselves hold the fee simple to No. 143 next door, in spite of a giant advertising hoarding oversailing the site on the gable wall of No. 142. I’m not sure what the ownership status of No. 144 is.

The most unassuming house at No. 142 (below) is older than it appears. It has good, deeply coved cornicing to the first floor front room characteristic of 1750-1770. A modest arched and pilastered surround of c.1800-1830 survives at ground floor level in the side entrance corridor. I must find those pictures. There is evidence internally that the first floor windows were shortened in height from their original, more elegant length. Admittedly, the rest of the house is largely gutted and/or drylined out, but there’s no question that the structure is salvagable. No. 143 appears to have been its matching pair. What a fine group they would have been.

No. 142 is in the upcoming Allsop Space auction on October 15th. No doubt another of Thomas Street’s old decency that will vaporise with time, or given the current climate in the city, just be gutted in broad daylight.