O’ Connell Street, Dublin
- This topic has 3,789 replies, 212 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by
.
- Posts
The material used in the signage will be critical to whether or not one objects I think. If its illuminated plastic I will be objecting on the basis of it being an inappropriate material in a conservation area.
Going down the Victorian moralistic route of condemning a bookies on usage grounds is not really a ground of complaint I think. The furore over the Anne Summers shop a couple of years ago baffled me, if like the bookies it is ‘so out of step’ then it will surely fail and that will be an end to it.
Personally I view the Findlater House property as the pne that can make the difference on O’Connell St, from the Savoy down on that side the Street has collapsed into a series of ‘Dead frontages’ however sensitively designed.
Bookmakers intend to apply for planning permission for the change of use and works as outlined below to the protected structure at 28 Lower O”Connell St., Dublin 1. Ground Floor/Basement; the change of use of the existing banking hall into a betting office/sports cafe to include the internal fit out, refurbishment of existing plasterwork, timberwork, stone cladding and flooring and installation of 3 new satellite dishes to the roof to facilitate the betting office function, the cleaning of the existing facade and installation of new non-illuminated signage. First, second, third and fourth Floors; The change of use of the existing banking offices into a restaurant / cafe and associated ancillary services. Internal fit out includes the making of additional opes to existing internal partitions and the refurbishment of the existing plasterwork, skirting, architraves and timberwork.
Bookmakers are exactly the type of operation O’Connell St needs. It fits in with what is already there – adult entertainment, fast food, nasty arcardes…
Originally posted by Graham Hickey
You gotta love it, the conversion of a banking hall into a ‘sports cafe’ – now that’s a new one 🙂Graham please define ‘Sports Cafe’ :confused:
Title: O’Connell Street Statues Conservation Works
Awarding Authority: Dublin City Council
Publication date: 18-Aug-2004
Application Deadline:
Tender Deadline Date: 17-Sep-2004
Tender Deadline Time: 17:00
Notice Type: Tenders
Has Documents: No
Abstract: O’CONNELL STREET MONUMENTSBRIEF FOR CONSERVATION WORKS
AUGUST 20041 INTRODUCTION
Dublin City Council wishes to commission the carrying out of conservation works for the monuments in the O’Connell Street Area. Proposals are sought from suitably qualified professionals for this project, which is being commissioned in association with:
– The Office of Public Works
– S.I.P.T.U.
– An Garda SÃochanaThe person(s) selected for the project will be expected to assemble a team of relevant professionals to assist in fulfilling the brief as outlined below. The successful applicant will also be expected to have the necessary skills to bring the project to implementation.
1.1 Objective
The objective of the programme is:
(1) to preserve the monuments in the best possible condition and arrest the cause of damage, by way of specialist cleaning
(2) to restore areas of loss with minimum intervention using the most suitable and effective materials
(3) to protect the monuments from long term damage1.2 The Site
The monuments in question are as follows:
1. Parnell Monument
2. Father Theobald Matthew
3. James Joyce
4. James Larkin
5. Sir John Gray
6. William Smith O’Brien
7. O’Connell Monument
8. Sheahan Monument
1-7 are situated on or in the vicinity of O’Connell Street
8 is located at junction of Hawkins Street and Burgh Quay1.3 The context
By their nature, these monuments occupy a central exposed position for maximum impact and view, they are therefore highly susceptible to water and wind erosion. For the monument to maintain its public memorial function then it must remain exposed, however, long term damage can be reduced by implementing a regular maintenance programme.
Rainwater is the primary agent of stone decay, with two main effects: mechanical erosion and chemical dissolution. In O¿Connell Street the concentration of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides is high, and when combined with rainwater, forms sulphuric acid, nitric acid and nitrogen oxides, leading to extreme acidification of the water. This `acid rain¿ is very aggressive and produces mineral corrosion and strong decay when it comes into contact with the monumental stone. One of the most destructive pollutants responsible for stone decay in the city is sulphur which causes stone sulphation and the development of gypsum crusts.
2 BACKGROUND RESEARCH
The attached schedule forms part of the historic report commissioned by Dublin City Council and carried out by Archive Consultants. It is a general overview of the condition of the monuments and it does not set out to describe a detailed maintenance programme, rather its function is as a briefing document to invite tenders for cleaning and conservation intervention.
Further study including
· A condition report on the O’Connell Monument, carried out by Paul Arnold Architects
· A structural engineers report on the Sheahan Monument at Hawkins Street, carried out by Barrett Mahony.
This information is also attached.For those accessing this brief on http://www.etenders.ie these documents are available from the heritage office by emailing heritage@dublincity.ie.
3 IMPLEMENTATION
A detailed implementation programme for Conservation Works must be set out by the appointed consultants This will require an outline of the responsible parties for the Monuments, an outline of formal protection for the monuments, the adoption of policies and the planning and implementation of conservation measures including repair and enhancement.
It is essential that a phased programme of works with a detailed timescale of each phase be proposed. This programme of works should prioritise monuments in order of the level of urgency of the works found to be required. A detailed cost breakdown for each phase of the proposed programme of works must also be provided.The Sheahan monument: “At the junction of Hawkins Street and Burgh Quay a memorial was unveiled on 3rd August 1906 to Patrick Sheahan, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, who lost his life on 6th May 1905 in an heroic attempt to rescue the foreman and two workmen from the main sewer of the new Main Drainage Works in which they had been overcome by sewer gas. The monument, in Celtic Romanesque, is 20 feet in height, of Ballinasloe limestone, relieved by pillars of Galway and Donegal granite, and by an ingenious development of the Cross and Crown in its design conveys the idea of sacrifice and triumph (Source: http://indigo.ie/~kfinlay/).”
From my own information, I think it’s on the list because it is in urgent need of repair. The City Council report says it has “several fractures identified on all sides”.
Its architect was WP O’Neill and sculptor was W Harrison & Sons. Erected in 1906 by what was then the Dublin Metropolitan Police.
Wonder if the sewer gas victims survived – presumably they did. Nice little piece, textbook Irish Romanesque. Doesn’t it lean over to one side – might be mixing it up with something else though.
Good to see the monuments being tackled now, wonder if any of the railings will be reinstated around some of their bases, although – I think some of them look equally fine without them. Rubbish would probably fill up behind them if they were put back, but they would also largely prevent the graffitti brigade from attacking them – John Gray was notoriously bad till recently.
The black pen scribble is much worse than the spray paint.I haven’t the faintest as to what a ‘sports cafe’ is Diaspora – considering it’s likely no one else does either, it gives them a good deal of room to manoeuvre 🙂
Originally posted by Graham Hickey
I haven’t the faintest as to what a ‘sports cafe’ is Diaspora – considering it’s likely no one else does either, it gives them a good deal of room to manoeuvre 🙂The only reference I can think of is ‘The All Sports Cafe’ that was on Fleet St and is now the Hard Rock Cafe
Not too much ambiguity there
I am also pleased to see the City Council investing in the Steets monuments, money well spent, any chance of having Big Jim’s hands recast to a realistic proportion?
His hands are almost bigger than his head, it might have more relevance if they were around William Martin Murpheys neck!!!!
Little known fact: originally Big Jim was to have a large bronze beachball in his hands, due to the years he spent on Dollymount chasing the beachbunnies… however the GAA nixed this on the grounds that beachball was a foreign game….
Have you noticed that all the statues in O’Connell St. face South (including the floozie while she was there)? Consideration was given to erecting the O’Connell Monument facing up the Street to the North but was rejected because Daniel could not be seen to be looking up to Nelson on his Pillar!
😀
I’ve wondered this too, it was off centre on the ‘old’ median as well. It’s much more noticable now with the rigid symmetry of the trees and lamposts. Glad it wasn’t moved though, nice to have things in their original spots, even if slightly odd!
The base/plinth of this monument is as equally fine as the sculpture, often goes unremarked. The granite has a lovely rough texture which contrasts with the sharp lines of the overall profile.Are his hands purposely oversized so as to appear to-scale when seen from below, like the statue of David?
What a silly idea to have O’Connell facing up the street – suppose it woud have been just another of those things we did our own way that everyone else laughed at – like putting dado rails upside down, the amount of times you see it…:)
I have a copy of the report into the condition of the monuments on O’Connell Street. It’s too long to type it in full.
Briefly in the form Problems/Recommendations
* Parnell Monument: extreme discolouration, leaching of mortar from joints/cleaning, one fractured granite block to be fixed.
* Father Theobald Mathew: Heavy gypsum encrustation, fingers falling off, graffiti/cleaning, replacement of fingers.
* James Joyce: Patinated, lightly soiled/nothing necessary.
* James Larkin: Heavily soiled, granite support discoloured/cleaning. Fixing of plate to head to prevent birds. Enlargement of the plaques and reduction of plinth optional.
* Sir John Gray: Heavy encrustation on figure and guana on head/cleaning, plate to stop birds.
* William Smith O’Brien: As above.
* Sheahan Monument: As I mentioned in above post. Problems with fractures.
* O’Connell Monument (subject of two reports – will post second one separately): Heavily soiled. O’Connell head at risk from ammonia due to pigeon guana. Graffiti. Granite dissolution. Bronze staining of stone/Cleaning recommended, re-fitting of bronze bases, fixing pin plate to head.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
