Steward’s House, Farmleigh to be official Taoiseach’s residence
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i like zaha hadid’s proposal from the 70’s …… http://www.zaha-hadid.com/ …presentation wise it’s pretty sharp as well…. fickle i know
@ctesiphon wrote:
This is the pic that was in the paper recently- part of an Irishman’s Diary from the Sat 4th Feb Irish Times. Apologies for the quality but the image is pretty small in the original.
(No photographer’s name attached.)I know its an old pic to quote, but damn does that ever look like a railway station.
@Maskhadov wrote:
dublin apartments ? refurbished house in phoenix park ? what a joke. Leinster House should be the offical residance and they should build a new capital hill styled building in phoenix park
Words fail me…
It will never happen but I always thought that Tyrone House on Marlborough St. that houses the department of education would be an excellent residance. From the outside its a very sober afair but the true beuty lies inside. To locate such an important building here would give one of the sabbiest areas of Dublin a huge lift.
Well actually the apartment idea was a very good one. The leinster house as the Dail is a joke. Just look how small the place is on TV. How can that be anything other than a offical residence
Why change the Dail at all – it’s only ever full on about 6 occasions during the lifetime of a government (vote on a Taoiseach and 5 budgets). Aint broken don’t fix it.
On the point of having a Taoiseach’s official residence – why? We’ve survived without one since the foundation of the State and Farmleigh is suitable for all official government entertainment. Just because we have one of the highest paid heads of state in Europe doesn’t mean he should be housed in palatial accomodation – at least if they use their own accomodation they can retain some link with reality.
Further debate is probably pointless as the decision is made & refurb complete.
Cowen will be the first Taoiseach to occupy, Bertie wont budge.
Farmleigh seems like a logical location to me although the steward’s house is overly modest & surely its position adjoining the roadway is weak from a security point of view which was supposed to be the basis for the move in the first instance.
I don’t a residance ever being created as the concept of a residance payed for with tax payers money will always prove unpopular, if you look at Downing St. it was a present form the monarch and only accepted on the condition that it be for the PM of the day. Unless some wealthy individaul would be willing to pay for a Taoiseach’s house 😮 its unlikely to happen.
Aside from the security concerns of the location should’nt the leader of the country be located in the centre of the capitol city?
Also, any one have any info or pictures on the competition in 1970’s to build a residance at Ashtown Castle in the Park. I saw one the runner up designs by Meagher and DeBlacam that would have been ground breaking if realised. The proposal was scrapped by CJH, afterall who would want to leave Abbeyville anyway
Crestfield as mentioned, the Taoiseach’s residence is complete & awaiting its first occupier afaik.
I assume such a modest dwelling was chosen to stave off the ‘waste of taxpayers money’ argument.I went looking on Google Maps and, while I can’t be certain whether or not this is the building, there seems to be a little complex of whitish looking houses just north of Farmleigh Hse on White’s Rd. There seems to be some sort of courtyardy business there, suggesting that the bit adjacent to the road is actually an out-house of some sort with the main building removed from the wall..
Possibly fergair, hard to know. All there is to go on is the description of it being a former gate lodge which would indicate that adjoining the road, although given security vulnerability etc. perhaps it is the adjacent building …
@crestfield wrote:
Unless some wealthy individaul would be willing to pay for a Taoiseach’s house 😮
Ah, hindsight… 😀
So will Biffo be moving in on May 6th or 7th? It might be a nice little ceremony. He could motor up Chesterfield Avenue, stop at the Aras and then go straight up to the house with his bags. Maybe throw an envious glance into Deerfield as he goes past.
In any case, I imagine there’ll be a little bit more of a focus on this residence in the months ahead than there has been. Oh and by the by, it may not be a great structure but The Steward’s Houses is an appropriate name for the residence of the country’s temporary leader. Unless it’s changed to Aras an Taoiseach… because of course nothing could be left in English in this Anglophobic State, could it? :pUnless it’s changed to Aras an Taoiseach… because of course nothing could be left in English in this Anglophobic State, could it
to be fair there is very little official use of Gaelic in the United Kingdom and dominions.
Just on the general matter, great to see Evie Hone’s My Four Green Fields window in the full glare of publicity yesterday – usually skulking as it does in the background of the staircase hall. What a stunningly sharp and vivid memorable backdrop.
And apt too in da Bert context.@Fergair wrote:
Ah, hindsight…
So will Biffo be moving in on May 6th or 7th? It might be a nice little ceremony. He could motor up Chesterfield Avenue, stop at the Aras and then go straight up to the house with his bags. Maybe throw an envious glance into Deerfield as he goes past.
In any case, I imagine there’ll be a little bit more of a focus on this residence in the months ahead than there has been. Oh and by the by, it may not be a great structure but The Steward’s Houses is an appropriate name for the residence of the country’s temporary leader. Unless it’s changed to Aras an Taoiseach… because of course nothing could be left in English in this Anglophobic State, could it?I’d imagine he’d be reluctant enough to be seen availing of this ‘perk’ but given the commute to offaly, he’ll be needing a Dublin base, i’m sure he has one already, but it makes sense at this stage to initiate a fixed working residence for An Taoiseach. Not sure if he’ll have a choice anyway, the security lads seem to be dictating this one, doubt there’ll be any ceremony, a quite slip in the door more like 😉
Watch the tabloids hop on this one.@GrahamH wrote:
Just on the general matter, great to see Evie Hone’s My Four Green Fields window in the full glare of publicity yesterday – usually skulking as it does in the background of the staircase hall. What a stunningly sharp and vivid memorable backdrop.
And apt too in da Bert context.Slightly off point here but am i right in thinking Graham, or anyone else for that matter, that the drum & dome of Government Buildings are actually slightly off line with the pillared & central gate to merrion street ? a little to the left i think ?
Perhaps this is one for the Dublin Vista’s thread.Perhpas Not ! just more often a dodgy camera angle i think.
Copyright FJP.Of course the Taoiseach should have an official residence; the (Scottish) First Minister has one at Bute House, a swanky pile in the middle of an Edinbugh New Town terrace. Never understood why they don’t knock Agriculture House and built something half decent, including a contemporary rebuild of Kildare Place which could have a residence (which usually = office, meeting and reception rooms, etc.) for the T and the two ‘speakers’ of the Dail and Seanad. Ever been mooted?
Crestfield: you’re confusing Downing Street with Chequers; I’m sure DS was just a private residence that was ‘acquired’ at some point – Chequers was a gift on the terms you state.Yep the vista spot on Peter – always dodgy camera positions that get it wrong! Incidentally the drum of the dome is put to the delightfully ceremonial use of a canteen.
The security savings alone should negate much criticism of a Taoiseach’s residence. A host of new pricey equipment has to be installed in a new house every time there’s a change in the position.
The difference in the Irish situation however is that we already have a Downing Street administrative-wise in the form of Government Buildings, where all ceremonial receptions are also held. There’s Farmleigh and the Castle for larger events. As such only a residence is really required, perhaps with a single reception space. A contemporary new-build would be preferable, given every other aspect of the Oireachtas is houses in a converted shell of one kind or another.
No way should the chairs of the Houses have residences; there isn’t the history attached to the ceremony of the positions as in London.
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