Irish Department Stores

1846 – Queen’s Old Castle, Grand Parade, Cork

Architect: Henry Hill / S.F. Hynes / Chillingworth & Levie

William Fitzgibbon from Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, began a drapery store in Shandon street,

1848 – Former Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, Dublin

Started in 1848 with a large extension a decade later, and Italianate in style. Gutted in the 1990s for Marks &

1851 -Todd, Burns & Co., Mary Street, Dublin

Todd Burn’s Department Store on the corner of Mary Street and Jervis Street was a bustling enterprise on Dublin’s northside.

1853 – Clery & Co., O’Connell St., Dublin

Architect: William Caldbeck

Opened in May 1853 when McSwiney, Delany and Co. opened ‘The New or Palatial Mart’ opposite the General Post Office.

1856 – Pim’s Department Store, Sth Great George’s Street, Dublin

Architect: Sandham Symes

Large department store demolished in the 1970s to make way for an office building. Designed by Sandham Symes and built in several stages by the Pim family from the mid 1850s onwards.

1858 – Cannock, Tait and Co. Department Store, Limerick

Architect: William Fogerty

Part of the building was constructed in 1858 and described in The Irish Builder, February 1 1859: “Messrs.

1860s – McBirney & Co., Limerick

McBirney’s Drapery Emporium which was taken over by Roches Stores in the 1940’s. The building was burned to the ground in a disastrous fire in 1948 which also destroyed a neighbouring building also used by Roches.

1865 – McBirney’s Department Store, Aston Quay, Dublin

Architect: J. Rawson Carroll / William M. Mitchell

1866 – Arnott’s Warehouse, Bridge St., Belfast

Architect: Thomas Jackson & Sons

Destroyed during the 1941 Belfast Blitz along with its later extension of 1899 on the corner with High Street.

1866 – The Munster Arcade, St. Patrick’s Street, Cork