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Regarding Andy’s original comment about cleaning the quay walls, Jim Barrett (City Architect) had a letter in the Irish Times on April 5, 2000. Entitled ‘Litter in the Liffey’, it included the promise, “be reassured that the Corporation will soon remove the kelp from the quay walls. Besides being unsightly, this undermines the stability of the stonework. A more general cleaning of the quay walls is also planned.”
If the building is recent or currently a proposal, planning files, including drawings, are available for inspection free of charge at the public counter in the local authority office. In the case of Dublin city, go to the Civic offices at Wood Quay (not open at lunchtime). Older files (we’re talking years, not decades) can be ordered up from the archives, but it is a costly business. Older than that, your only hope is that the building was a prominant one: the plan may have been published (for example, in Irish Architect, awards catalogues, etc) or, in very few cases, the original drawings may be lodged in the Irish Architectural Archive, located at 73 Merrion Square.
Both, plus the developers – one of Johnny Ronan’s vehicles (name escapes me at present) – and An Bord Pleanala: both first- and third-party appeals have been lodged.
What is wrong with Dublin Corporation? Are they totally blind to the qualities of buildings worth listing and saving? If so, they should, as a priority, employ the required specialists.
Rumour has it that ‘works’ are currently underway in Busarus – in the attic restaurant and, possibly, in the Minister’s suite (apparently Dermot Ahern has vacated his office for the time being). Anyone know what’s going on?
I believe outline planning permission for the demolition of Pelican House was granted to Johnny Ronan last year.
Keep an eye out for future planning notices!
The book referred to is still on sale in the RIAI bookshop (cost ca £2). It is a little square book with a white cover, the catalogue of an exhibition of Irish architectural drawings and paintings put together by John Meagher in 1975 to mark European Architectural Heritage Year.
The house is ‘Journey’s End Lodge’, the Devane family home. The famous photo is of the cantilevered living room, which was Devane’s principal extension to the existing cottage/bungalow that was on the site when he bought it. The house was sold some years ago. It is on the south side of Howth Head, with views to Dublin Bay and the mountains, and is accessed directly off the main road.
http://www.madurodam.nl is good for a laugh.
Have a look at http://www.archweek.co.uk
Joyce is right.
The gatelodge is currently on the market (owned by Johnny Ronan – Noel O’Callaghan’s brother in law – as is the Summerhouse and main house on the site – all bought some years ago from Tony Ryan).
From The Irish Times, 26th May 1994 (page 4):
“RESIDENTS OF GEORGIAN STREET PROTEST AT CONTINUING WORK
By Frank McDonald, Environmental Correspondent“Residents of Dublin’s oldest Georgian street are strongly protesting against the Corporation’s decision to proceed with work to fill in their cellars despite assurances from the Department of Arts and Culture that the issue is being referred to the National Heritage Council.
“Mr Michael Casey, who has owned one of the houses at Henrietta Street for more than 15 years with his wife and family, said the Department had ‘led us to believe that work would stop pending a report from the council, but at 8 o’clock this morning the Corporation started again without any notice to us.’
“He said the Green Party city councillor, Mr Ciaran Cuffe, had also been given assurances that no further work would be carried out.
“Mr Casey complained that in blocking up the under-street cellars, the Corporation was making it very difficult, if not impossible, for the National Heritage Council to gain access to inspect them.
“He accused the Corporation of seeking to pre-empt the council’s consideration of the matter, on foot of a ruling from An Bord Pleanala – in a case taken by the Corporation itself – that the cellars did not form part of the structures in the street which were listed for preservation.
“Mr Ian Lumley, who owns one of the other houses on the street, said last night that the reference to An Bord Pleanala had been made by the Corporation without the property-owners on the street being notified in any way, and all of the repaving work was initiated without any survey of the cellars.
“However, the Corporation maintains that the repaving of the street cannot be completed until the ‘foundations’ which support the paving – and the cars which are regularly parked there – are made safe. For its paving department, the primary issue is one of public safety rather than archaeology.
“‘We see ourselves as the saviours of the street’, said Mr Noel Carroll, the Corporation’s spokesman, referring to the long-standing scheme to repave it with traditional granite flags and limestone setts. ‘We are trying, at great expense, to improve the street with the works we are carrying out.’
“He said the Corporation was prepared to talk to local residents about its plans. ‘But in the meantime, we’re going to rectify a situation that is dangerous. We don’t want to leave ourselves open to accusations of negligence, so nobody is going to stop us lifting a shovel to remove this danger.’
“The repaving work was started over two years ago, but it was disrupted when the cellars of two of [the] houses apparently caved in. The Corporation is now seeking to fill in all of the cellars, but this is being resisted by the newly formed Henrietta Street Preservation Society.”
