shaun

I walked along the back of this building, i.e. Railway street, yesterday and it can only be described as surreal.

I challenge anyone on this site to come up with a better example of urban dereliction from anywhere in Europe.

I walked the whole area between Buckingham street, Summerhill, Gardner street and lets be honest, it’s a massive derelict site, anything new that has been built there is worse than any Georgian slum tenement.

There are no Georgian terraced houses left, bar a few at thee beginning of Gardner street. The few left standing are basically filthy wrecks. Those photos that Tommyt send move me like they have other people.

Precise copies of these houses should have been rebuilt, or else complete restoration. This is not a serious proposition of course. What we are left with is a urben decay and dereliction that would have rivalled the Bronx in the 70’s.

As you go uptown to Hardwicke place and the church there, you will pass one slum street after another. Parnell street is the filthiest street in the world. Go up Hill street and it’s just weird, were there actually Georgian houses where those flats are ?

I have always loved Dublins derelict sites and run-down urban decay feel. But what was done to this part of Dublin is the biggest crimes against architecture and culture ever committed in in the British Isles. Phew, got that of my chest, feels good.

While out on a long cycle ride on Sunday I happened upon the magnificent Averbode abbey close to Leuven in Flanders.

The vertical power of this church is frightening. It dates from 1672.The temperature outside was 27° but in the church it was as fresh as early morning.

Note the typically Flemish carved seats .

Have any of you guys visited this church, St.Agathas , nearby Summerhill in Dublin ? The amazing thing about it is it’s excellent condition, inside and out. There is a very pleasant atmosphere inside, unlike any other church in the city. Great to have stumbled across a church I never even knew existed.

Nice photo jackwade,epic Dublin view. I’ve always admired these flats, they’re Amsterdam school for goodness sakes, anyone calling for their removal is mad, leave them alone….

Anybody know if they’ve started on the U2 tower yet ??

Or the new bridge, Macken street ??

Thanks.

Yes Maud, a gigantic bungalow would have been a more appropriate choice.

Phil, it’s up there with the top five buildings in Ireland since Busaras, it’s that attractive.I’d go to Naas just to view it every week if I could.By the way, Naas is a fine example of a well preserved Irish provincial town, it’s got some great shop-fronts and buildings, full credit to Naas civic people for a wonderful town. I hadn’t passed through it since the 80’s.

The contrast between the cladding and the brickwork seems good, haven’t seen the thing in the flesh, will have to wait a few weeks, but it looks nothing like that Jurys Montrose monstrosity….

Nice one Graham, I too have always admired this street since I was a kid, coming into town with my Dad, I used to always try and imagine what it was like behind those red-bricked walls, and with the salvation army down the street.

By the way, anybody remenber the Dandalion market just around the corner from here, pity that they ripped it down and put up that horrible pile of shite in its place.

York street will be missed, of that there is no doubt.

Roskav,

If you(re still looking for something may I suggest the Iveagh baths, the only art-nouveau building that I know of in town. Don’t ask me how you’ll gain admittance but if you ask them nicely you’d never know.

This is great news, at last an IKEA store in Dublin, it’s going to regenerate Ballymun too.
Don’t count on free delivery Graham, you’d need a large fleet of trucks to do that.

I’ve worked in IKEA Antwerp for the last 12 years and I can tell you that IKEA is a great employer, I wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.