Wasted Heritage Buildings - Your nominations

Judgement Day

A new thread on the Commuting & Transport forum advocating the transformation of the old MGWR railway terminus at Broadstone brought me back to yet another of my pet hobby horses - State-owned heritage properties that are not being used to anything like their full potential.
Broadstone Station would definitely be right up there as would my first nomination - the wonderful Shelton Abbey near Arklow - currently used as an open prison.


Surely a travesty using this fine building for prisoners when it could be the premier tourist attraction in County Wicklow.
Another wasted asset a few miles further south is Johnstown Castle near Wexford town. In use by Teagasc (the Agriculture & Food Authority) - for many years the grounds of this superb mock Gothic castle have been open to the public but the house is strictly off-limits. Despite being proposed for development as a tourist facility the Teagasc staff have shown a marked reluctance to quit the poorly maintained building.

The whole project now appears to have been abandoned. There are numerous other fine State-owned properties around the country in various states of misuse/decay - please nominate your own personal favourites.:)

zonEEE

Elsinore Lodge





Yeats home in sligo, i think its gone beyond repair

Judgement Day

Banagher, Co.Offaly has a unique complex of military buildings - forts, martello towers etc built to defend the Shannon crossing and prevent enemy (French) ships from coming up the river. While some preservation work has been carried out by a local historical group, these important buildings are very neglected and in terms of heritage/tourism appear to be totally overlooked.




Further upstream at Shannonbridge even more impressive fortifications exist also in various states of decay - at least they were the last time I was there - and I believe that they are also in State ownership.

Pic below shows important defensive structures within Shannonbridge Fort - save for the ivy they could have been built yesterday! Another major tourist attraction going to waste.

Judgement Day

Two more, important State-owned buildings came to mind this morning - Curraghchase House at Kilcolman in County Limerick in the 'care' of Coillte for many years - a roofless shell surrounded by a 1,000 acre forest park;



and Kilmacurragh House near Rathdrum in County Wicklow also in the care of Coillte but with some of the grounds now maintained by the National Botanic Gardens as an arboretum. This house is one of the few remaining Queen Anne period houses in the country and has been let go to complete wrack and ruin by the State - it's not too late to save it but it soon will be! http://www.botanicgardens.ie/kilmac/kilmhome.htm

Judgement Day

Daingean Reformatory in County Offaly is another State-owned complex used by the OPW as a dump secure store for surplus National Museum artefacts - all sorts of plans have been conjured for it over the years but it still remains semi-derelict and its exact contents a closely guarded secret.

trad

The Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park.

Zebra3

What a waste.

Judgement Day

Can't understand the Customs House posting as the building is in use, well maintained and visible/accessible to the public.

Another only too visible building which is now an eyesore is the Williamstown Martello Tower - just south of Booterstown on the DART line. This tower was built circa 1804 as part of the coastal defences installed to protect against an expected French invasion. Proposed for restoration as a visitor centre, complete with replica guns etc, the building remains in a sad state and the graffiti is now far worse than in this photograph.

Judgement Day

[IMG]http://www.askaboutireland.ie/aai-files/assets/libraries/dún-laoghaire-rathdown-county-library/reading-room/big-houses-of-ireland/maretimo.jpg[/IMG]

While not strictly within the scope of this topic - they are not in State ownership (but should be) - Cloncurry's Towers at Maretimo near Blackrock in County Dublin are another example of important buildings being allowed to go to wrack and ruin. The bridge and adjacent buildings were built to coincide with the opening of the Dublin & Kingstown Railway in 1834 as compensation for local landlord Baron Cloncurry. Originally the complex included the bridge, a private pier and bathing pavilion (far left of picture). The pavilion has in recent years been partially demolished by yobs while the towers and railings are in an indescribable state. Another major eyesore on the DART line!

Amtmann

Great thread, Judgement Day.

No pictures, but the Elizabeth Fort in Cork could be made into a dedicated museum.

There are also numerous old late medieval/early modern tower houses lying derelict all over the country. I think it might be an idea for the state to purchase several of these around the country as well as some adjacent land and do them up, restoring them authentically. Archaeologists could then be used as consultants, and genuinely medieval villages could be created around them as a tourist attraction. On suitable occasions you could have open air feasts, re-enactments, and even jousting competitions every so often that would draw in large numbers of medievalists from all around Europe. It would be a seasonal affair, and quite different from what's currently on offer. Bunratty of course does have a folk village; but it isn't medieval and it's not what I would have in mind for these 'Tower House Villages'.

Zebra3

Judgement Day wrote: »

Can't understand the Customs House posting as the building is in use, well maintained and visible/accessible to the public.

I posted the Customs House in the thread cos it's a fantastic building that houses civil servants.

Therefore it's a wasted heritage building.

not too difficult to understand I hope....

Lord ButterSlip

Good thread

Judgement Day

Going slightly off topic again here - another non State owned building - Dromore Castle in County Limerick. Built for the Earl of Limerick in the 1860s and seen from a distance appeared very like the Rock of Cashel - a magnificent ruin when I was last there in the late 1970s (?) - but when I googled it last night this came up:

http://www.limerickleader.ie/leader-memories/Dromore-Castle-How-it-came.4820521.jp

Surely it hasn't been demolished?? Anyone in Limerick know? Incidentally how on earth did the 'thing' below it get planning permission?

Judgement Day

Just two more links to derelict historic properties - with plenty of pics - mainly in private ownership:

http://www.nobodyhome.ie

http://www.abandonedireland.com/

This one has been on the Boards before but is constantly being updated.

Judgement Day

Moore Hall in County Mayo - yet another Coillte property. Pic from Abandoned Ireland.com

Paddysnapper

Doneraile Court. Co. Cork. A fortune was spent on a new roof, but it has been boarded up for years now. I dread to think what it must be like inside.

Judgement Day

Paddysnapper wrote: »

Doneraile Court. Co. Cork. A fortune was spent on a new roof, but it has been boarded up for years now. I dread to think what it must be like inside.

I was at Doneraile Court in the late 1970's when the Irish Georgian Society http://www.igs.ie were involved in its restoration. I believe it is still owned by the State and was leased to the IGS but that it has now reverted to OPW control. Disappointing to hear that it's still not open to the public.

Judgement Day

Dangan Castle, Co.Meath - childhood home of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Apparently derelict for many decades. I seem to remember it being for sale in the last couple of years - anybody know? It would seem to have potential as a tourist attraction given the famous connection and its location close to Trim Castle, the Boyne Valley etc.

Judgement Day

Gunsborough House, Listowel, Co.Kerry
Birthplace of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. Apparently still exists but in a ruinous state. A couple of years ago I spoke to a man from the area, from an impecable nationalist background, and he was beside himself that such an historic building was being let fall-down. Even in the heartland of Irish republicanism much benefit could be brought to the local area by the sensitive development of such a building. Lord Kitchener must surely be one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century?

Rebelheart

Judgement Day wrote: »

Gunsborough House, Listowel, Co.Kerry
Birthplace of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. Apparently still exists but in a ruinous state. A couple of years ago I spoke to a man from the area, from an impecable nationalist background, and he was beside himself that such an historic building was being let fall-down. Even in the heartland of Irish republicanism much benefit could be brought to the local area by the sensitive development of such a building. Lord Kitchener must surely be one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century?

What the f uck? Why should Irish taxpayers' money be spent doing up a house - an ugly alien Georgian one at that - belonging to an extraordinarily evil bastard like Kitchener - and even you must know that it was he who presided over the British concentration camps in South Africa which murdered - not just "killed" as British apologists would contend - tens of thousands of women and children.

What, pray tell, did that guy or his ilk do for Ireland - never mind the infinitely more important human race? Clearly, he has done much for British imperialism (particularly the diamond industry), which at the end of the day is really why you seek his place to be "preserved". At any rate, Kitchener was a "pure-blooded" (to maintain the spurious constructions) Englishman born of English (not Anglo-Irish) parents.

I surmise by your use of 'an historic' rather than 'a historic' that you are British, or have out-dated aspirations in that regard (Check the 'Usage' section under 'An' in the OED to see what I'm talking about).

There are over 100,000 sites in Ireland today which could be classified as national heritage sites. Some of these exist on all sides of my own home and it is only myself and a few local people who keep them looking decent. The money it would take to preserve a house once lived in by an absolute racist evil f uck - and I really do understate the situation - like Horatio Herbert Kitchener could maintain and record at least 1000 of these sites near me. But, of course, in this case we are talking about sites which overwhelming predate British rule in Ireland so it's not exactly 'in' with the same old shi tehawks who are running around the place lobbying to commemorate something - anything - from that profoundly anti-Irish parasitical ethno-political grouping, British settlers in Ireland.

Lord ButterSlip

Rebelheart wrote: »

What the f uck? Why should Irish taxpayers' money be spent doing up a house - an ugly alien Georgian one at that - belonging to an extraordinarily evil bastard like Kitchener - and even you must know that it was he who presided over the British concentration camps in South Africa which murdered - not just "killed" as British apologists would contend - tens of thousands of women and children.

What, pray tell, did that guy or his ilk do for Ireland - never mind the infinitely more important human race? Clearly, he has done much for British imperialism (particularly the diamond industry), which at the end of the day is really why you seek his place to be "preserved". At any rate, Kitchener was a "pure-blooded" (to maintain the spurious constructions) Englishman born of English (not Anglo-Irish) parents.

I surmise by your use of 'an historic' rather than 'a historic' that you are British, or have out-dated aspirations in that regard (Check the 'Usage' section under 'An' in the OED to see what I'm talking about).

There are over 100,000 sites in Ireland today which could be classified as national heritage sites. Some of these exist on all sides of my own home and it is only myself and a few local people who keep them looking decent. The money it would take to preserve a house once lived in by an absolute racist evil f uck - and I really do understate the situation - like Horatio Herbert Kitchener could maintain and record at least 1000 of these sites near me. But, of course, in this case we are talking about sites which overwhelming predate British rule in Ireland so it's not exactly 'in' with the same old shi tehawks who are running around the place lobbying to commemorate something - anything - from that profoundly anti-Irish parasitical ethno-political grouping, British settlers in Ireland.

I think you are quite wrong to dismiss a building (which IS notable) on the grounds of a dislikable occupant. Heritage sites are old, the only thing is how old is old? Places from 1750 and back are old and therefore Heritage sites whether there is 1000 of them around the country or not. "an ugly alien Georgian one at that" is ridiculous as if you want to talk about alien buildings how about the hundreds of castles around the country built by the Norman "aliens". Don’t be so silly. The history of a country is made up of ALL the things in its past and you have just dismissed 1730-1840.

Rebelheart

Lord ButterSlip wrote: »

I think you are quite wrong to dismiss a building (which IS notable) on the grounds of a dislikable occupant. Heritage sites are old, the only thing is how old is old? Places from 1750 and back are old and therefore Heritage sites whether there is 1000 of them around the country or not. "an ugly alien Georgian one at that" is ridiculous as if you want to talk about alien buildings how about the hundreds of castles around the country built by the Norman "aliens". Don’t be so silly. The history of a country is made up of ALL the things in its past and you have just dismissed 1730-1840.

Well, a few fields away from me is a late medieval tomb with the writing now barely legible in Latin (due to it being out in the rain) where a well-known local guy was buried. Along the tomb, which is on an ancient church site and surrounded by walls which are at least 700 years old, are carvings of this man's children and wife on one side and coats of arms of numerous families which had intermarried with him on the other. It is neither a heritage site nor noted on a single tourist map. It is abandoned. There are numerous more examples like this which, on antiquity grounds alone, are far more worthy of preservation than this house, a house which if planned nowadays would be rejected as its design is not keeping in tune with local surroundings.

It is hard for people from Dublin and near Dublin to appreciate just how alien Georgian architecture is to the landscape of large areas of rural Ireland. Visit Inis Mór and look at the single Georgian house on the island and it might sink in.

Lord ButterSlip

Rebelheart wrote: »

Well, a few fields away from me is a late medieval tomb with the writing now barely legible in Latin (due to it being out in the rain) where a well-known local guy was buried. Along the tomb, which is on an ancient church site and surrounded by walls which are at least 700 years old, are carvings of this man's children and wife on one side and coats of arms of numerous families which had intermarried with him on the other. It is neither a heritage site nor noted on a single tourist map. It is abandoned. There are numerous more examples like this which, on antiquity grounds alone, are far more worthy of preservation than this house, a house which if planned nowadays would be rejected as its design is not keeping in tune with local surroundings.

I understand what you are saying its just these have been built and so they are now part of our history.

Rebelheart wrote: »

It is hard for people from Dublin and near Dublin to appreciate just how alien Georgian architecture is to the landscape of large areas of rural Ireland. Visit Inis Mór and look at the single Georgian house on the island and it might sink in.

Im from Kilkenny, rural at that, and I appriecate the historical signifigance of all forms of architecture whether I personally like them or not. And I hope you dont mean that everything that isnt a 2 roomed cottage to be left to go derelict in Ireland.

Judgement Day

What the f uck? Why should Irish taxpayers' money be spent doing up a house - an ugly alien Georgian one at that - belonging to an extraordinarily evil bastard like Kitchener - and even you must know that it was he who presided over the British concentration camps in South Africa which murdered - not just "killed" as British apologists would contend - tens of thousands of women and children.

What, pray tell, did that guy or his ilk do for Ireland - never mind the infinitely more important human race? Clearly, he has done much for British imperialism (particularly the diamond industry), which at the end of the day is really why you seek his place to be "preserved". At any rate, Kitchener was a "pure-blooded" (to maintain the spurious constructions) Englishman born of English (not Anglo-Irish) parents.

I surmise by your use of 'an historic' rather than 'a historic' that you are British, or have out-dated aspirations in that regard (Check the 'Usage' section under 'An' in the OED to see what I'm talking about).

There are over 100,000 sites in Ireland today which could be classified as national heritage sites. Some of these exist on all sides of my own home and it is only myself and a few local people who keep them looking decent. The money it would take to preserve a house once lived in by an absolute racist evil f uck - and I really do understate the situation - like Horatio Herbert Kitchener could maintain and record at least 1000 of these sites near me. But, of course, in this case we are talking about sites which overwhelming predate British rule in Ireland so it's not exactly 'in' with the same old shi tehawks who are running around the place lobbying to commemorate something - anything - from that profoundly anti-Irish parasitical ethno-political grouping, British settlers in Ireland.

Jesus - it's very hard to know how to deal with your outburst without resorting to being personally offensive and I would like to keep this thread about neglected heritage buildings rather than politics so I will refrain. Please find somewhere else to continue your assault on the wicked Brits and fellow inhabitants of this island who are not of your political persuasion? I genuinely mean this - please leave this thread alone.

Rebelheart

Judgement Day wrote: »

I would like to keep this thread about neglected heritage buildings rather than politics so I will refrain. Please find somewhere else to continue your assault on the wicked Brits and fellow inhabitants of this island who are not of your political persuasion?

Clearly, when you open your post about one particular house being the birthplace of Kitchener - 'Birthplace of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum' - and end it with a little ode to poor Horatio: ' Lord Kitchener must surely be one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century?' you are engaging in much, much more than mere architectural interest à la Desmond Guinness.

Judgement Day

Rebelheart wrote: »

Clearly, when you open your post about one particular house being the birthplace of Kitchener - 'Birthplace of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum' - and end it with a little ode to poor Horatio: ' Lord Kitchener must surely be one of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century?' you are engaging in much, much more than mere architectural interest à la Desmond Guinness.

At the risk of prolonging this argument I used the word iconic to describe Kitchener (and the accompanying recruiting poster) to illustrate my point that even people who have never heard of him will have seen his face on millions of adapted posters which have appeared over the years advertising a myriad of events.
It is a simple fact that the bulk of visible architecture in this country dates from the centuries of Norman/British 'occupation'. With the exception of Newgrange, a few Ogham stones, Dolmens, Staigue Fort etc most of our collective heritage of built items dates from post 1170. Nothing you or I can do about that. My point is that we should make the maximum use of what we have inherited be it 'alien Georgian buildings', 1798 memorials, or whatever. An interpretive/visitor centre at Gunsborough House, for instance, need not present Kitchener in an heroic light - the whole story could be told warts and all. My point is that we have few enough genuine historic sites open to the public and we can ill afford to ignore those that we have. I bring no political baggage to this thread but as you so astutely noticed I am from a Unionist background - does this make my posts any less valid? Living where I do, not far from from Vinegar Hill, I see a massive opportunity for a 1798 Battlefield Centre....again warts and all...it is our common heritage! As I pointed out on another thread I have had reason to complain to the local authorities about graffiti on the 1798 memorials both here and in New Ross - when did you last complain about the defacement of a British memorial?

Judgement Day

Funny how things come full circle. I was trying to think of some more heritage buildings to post here, to get the thread back 'on track', and I thought of CIE's Inchicore Works. Instead of putting the Railway Museum in Broadstone and shifting Bus Eireann to Inchicore, why not put the museum in Inchicore Works? The original Great Southern & Western Railway locomotive running shed, look-out tower and adjacent signal cabin all survive and are very fine Gothic style buildings worthy of preservation in their own right. Like so much other CIE property the former running shed, seen here, is now used for offices and surely room could be found somewhere else on the 72 (!) acre site to accomodate these staff? The location would be ideal for a museum - not operated by CIE - and would be rail connected, close to existing visitor attractions, schools etc. More pics at this link: http://ireland.archiseek.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/inchicore/irish_rail_works/index.html

Judgement Day

Tonight's offering is from my old hometown and hard to beat in terms of the misuse of a heritage building. This is the wonderful mock tudor Town Hall in Bray, a gift to the town from the Earl of Meath in the early 1880's, and it is now occupied by a MacDonalds fast food outlet! The building was restored to its former glory in 1991 before eventually being let to MacDonalds in 1997. More info here: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/Surveys/Buildings/BuildingoftheMonth/Archive/Name,646,en.html

Judgement Day

Today's sad contribution comes from Foynes in County Limerick. The former railway station is gradually returning to nature. The rail line is still intact all the way back into Limerick but CIE/IE no longer bother to maintain it. Foynes is home to the the Flying Boat Museum and surely the station should be preserved as a complimentary heritage attraction?

http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1250/1126708685_8a21d1fdb4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/90134546%40N00/1126708685/&usg=__77zupMfTePODU1i24x_pQmQwiws=&h=370&w=500&sz=197&hl=en&start=49&itbs=1&tbnid=T-zci7t9V2x-ZM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfoynes%2Brailway%2Bstation%26start%3D36%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1



More pictures here: http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/f/foynes/foynes_old(1997)1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/f/foynes/index.shtml&usg=__uT6njjTY6nLl91dwy2XKrrKjYQ8=&h=399&w=598&sz=53&hl=en&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=G6b5yNFPw0TxZM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfoynes%2Bstation%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Judgement Day

I have to include this one although poor old Rebelheart will be pulling his hair out.
The Bank of Ireland in College Green, Dublin, former home of the Irish Parliament prior to the Act of Union in 1800. A magnificent building which deserves a better use than filthy commerce conducted by a totally discredited institution like BoI. Properly developed it could be an enormous tourist attraction for the Capital and the rest of us could get a proper look inside the place. Perhaps now that the State now owns 15% of BoI they should take the buildings too in return for the impending further investment?

Amtmann

This continues to be an excellent thread. ("Wow" is all I can say to that McDonalds, btw!) It is actually amazing that we neglect so much of the built heritage in this country - you'd really have to wonder why. Of course, we're also really bad at maintaining natural heritage (such as our forests, hedgerows and rivers), so I guess it comes down to a quirk of national character. There might also be an element of nativism involved. But on the point of buildings used for evil purposes, or inhabited by wicked men, yesterday I toured the former rally grounds of the Nazi Party at Nuremberg. I have lots of pictures. It's quite interesting to see what the Germans have done (or have not done) with the vast area. Sorry for the digression!

expectationlost

i thought custom house was under utilised, and getting run down.

alot of these places, they could certainly become attractive locations for tourists to visit but i don't think they could be run without some other income like concerts etc, which locals might not like.

filthymcnasty

The Wonderful Barn in Leixlip. Its just off the M4 before the celbridge off ramp. it origins are sketchy- i'm guessing was originally part of nearby castletown estate, possibly used as a granary.
Anyway i think its a fantastic looking unique building- unfortunately its only purpose these days looks like for knacker drinkng. would love to see it preserved.

Judgement Day

The Wonderful Barn - further historical and architectural info here: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=KD&regno=11901102

Lord ButterSlip

Ah I was wondering if The wonderful barn (and the smaller dove cote one behind it) would get a mention on your list. I think they are privately owned, so depending on which way you look at it they have a greater chance or less chance of being restored.

lord lucan

I'm including this building but i'm not sure what it's present status is. I grew up a couple of miles from 'The Obelisk' as it was known locally and visited it many times. When i was a young fella you could go up to the middle landing via a staircase. The views across pre-built up Leixlip and Celbridge were fabulous on a clear day. It was blocked up some years ago,H&S would deem it a hazard now as there were no guard rails to stop you falling over the edge!!

Judgement Day

I believe Mariga Guinness, one of the founders of the Irish Georgian Society, is buried under the Connolly Folly. It certainly is very worthy of preservation and I know maintenance work has been carried out on it in relatively recent years.

lord lucan

Judgement Day wrote: »

I believe Mariga Guinness, one of the founders of the Irish Georgian Society, is buried under the Connolly Folly. It certainly is very worthy of preservation and I know maintenance work has been carried out on it in relatively recent years.

I might take a spin up that way at some stage this week to see what it's like now,i'll take a few snaps while i'm at it.:)

Judgement Day

Today, one from really close to home - the old windmill on Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. Apparently the windmill building was already derelict when the hill was occupied by Irish rebels during the 1798 rebellion. The windmill itself is an unimposing structure which has changed little in the forty years since I first saw it, but it is part of an immensely important battle site which was pivotal in the smashing of the rebel cause in 1798. On the 21st June 1798, a 20,000 strong force of Crown troops commanded by General Lake faced a similar number of rebels encamped on the hill. A seemingly strong position, when viewed from the west, the hill can be easily approached from the east and the well equipped Crown forces soon dislodged the rebels but failed to complete the defeat by cutting off their retreat to Wexford.
Today the hill is popular with cider drinkers, quad bikers and yobs who delight in setting fire to the surrounding gorse. What, in any other country, would have been developed as a major heritage/tourist attraction is a mess and the town derives zero benefit from its proximity to the site.

Contrast the 'development' of the Vinegar Hill Battlefield with that of the English Battle of Hastings site here: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.14118

lord lucan

lord lucan wrote: »

I might take a spin up that way at some stage this week to see what it's like now,i'll take a few snaps while i'm at it.:)

Went for a spin today as far as Connollys folly. Didn't take any snaps but the entire thing is surrounded by scaffolding and there were a few lads working away on it. It's surrounded by a perimiter fence so there was no way of going in for a closer look but it appears to be getting some work done to it which is good news.:)

InTheTrees

Judgement Day wrote: »

I believe Mariga Guinness, one of the founders of the Irish Georgian Society, is buried under the Connolly Folly. It certainly is very worthy of preservation and I know maintenance work has been carried out on it in relatively recent years.

Its also their logo:

http://www.igs.ie/

Judgement Day

Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour is home to the Irish Naval Service and is littered with important buildings of historic significance having been an important naval base for over 200 years. The closure of the ISPAT (formerly Irish Steel) plant on the island some years ago has freed up space for tourism and heritage development but little has happened to date. While searching for a suitable pic I came across this interesting report prepared for the Heritage Council in 2007 which proposed that a National Maritime Museum be created on part of the site. http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Museums_and_Archive/Scoping_Maritime_Report.pdf
The report also contains lists of various 'preserved' items of marine/water interest including some of the inmates at the old Daingean Reformatory referred to elsewhere in this thread. The pic below shows one of the Storehouses which was being considered in the report but which was destroyed by fire less than a year later.




I also came across this great You Tube video about Camden Fort (near Crosshaven) another great collection of historic State-owned buildings being let go to rack and ruin. Note the narrow gauge railway tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl_GOMqYb7w

Mellor

Zebra3 wrote: »

I posted the Customs House in the thread cos it's a fantastic building that houses civil servants.

Therefore it's a wasted heritage building.

not too difficult to understand I hope....

As opposed to its original use?

Judgement Day wrote: »

Properly developed it could be an enormous tourist attraction for the Capital and the rest of us could get a proper look inside the place. Perhaps now that the State now owns 15% of BoI they should take the buildings too in return for the impending further investment?

I agree that it's a shame that it's a bank. But I fail to see how it could be a tourist attraction. Obviously, its interesting to irish people, but there is no way it would pull in enough yanks to make it viable.
I'd rather it was part of irelands national museums over most possible uses.

filthymcnasty wrote: »

The Wonderful Barn in Leixlip. Its just off the M4 before the celbridge off ramp. it origins are sketchy- i'm guessing was originally part of nearby castletown estate, possibly used as a granary.
Anyway i think its a fantastic looking unique building- unfortunately its only purpose these days looks like for knacker drinkng. would love to see it preserved.

It's orgins aren't sketchy, it was built as a semi-folly by the Conellys (specificly Katherine), and therefore part of the Castle town estate (makes it celbridge not leixlip ). And it was a granary. other suggestions are mistake, like dovecote , a mix up with the dovecotes nearby, or shooting tower, again dove links.

It's under private ownership, on the lands of a pub or breakfast house or something.

lord lucan wrote: »

I'm including this building but i'm not sure what it's present status is. I grew up a couple of miles from 'The Obelisk' as it was known locally and visited it many times. When i was a young fella you could go up to the middle landing via a staircase. The views across pre-built up Leixlip and Celbridge were fabulous on a clear day. It was blocked up some years ago,H&S would deem it a hazard now as there were no guard rails to stop you falling over the edge!!

This is Conellys folly, also by Katherine. Never served a purpose expect keeping guys in jobs during the famine. Castletown is pretty well funded, so I doubt there is a chance of this falling into disrepair.

Celbridge

Donaghcumper Desmesne and the Historic buildings, trees, vistas and protected boundary walls are under threat from developers Devondale/Durkan Brothers.

even in these economic times Kildare County Council have granted planning on a development that will drive an un-needed and unwanted bridge accross the Liffey at the parochial house (protected) ripping down trees (protected) and destroying vistas that have been enjoyed by walkers for generations.

8 storey glass buildings that can be seen in Dublins docklands have no place in this rural setting.

follow Donaghcumper on twitter and Donagh Cumper on facebook. show the Public representatives that their "job" is to represent the PUBLIC.

please lobby Kildare County Councilors at every opportunity

The rape of the countryside will continue until we say enough

Thank you

storm2811

I know for sure there's a castle around here somewhere but no one knows the name or exact location because its not well known but i there a few years ago.

I heard a few of the older people saying that a good few years ago all the contents of it were taken and sold on but nothing could be done to stop it because it's not owned by anyone i dont think.
I went looking around for it there last month but couldn't find it,dunno if it was knocked or if i was going the complete wrong way:pac:

There was a megolitchic tomb aswell but the whole thing was demolished to quarry limestone!
Can't believe they could let that happen:mad:
There's actually a really long story behind it..

Cul a cnoic

storm2811 wrote: »

I know for sure there's a castle around here somewhere but no one knows the name or exact location because its not well known but i there a few years ago.

I heard a few of the older people saying that a good few years ago all the contents of it were taken and sold on but nothing could be done to stop it because it's not owned by anyone i dont think.
I went looking around for it there last month but couldn't find it,dunno if it was knocked or if i was going the complete wrong way:pac:

There was a megolitchic tomb aswell but the whole thing was demolished to quarry limestone!
Can't believe they could let that happen:mad:
There's actually a really long story behind it..

Hello storm2811, roughly where in Leitrim was it?
Thanks

storm2811

Cul a cnoic wrote: »

Hello storm2811, roughly where in Leitrim was it?
Thanks

The castle is around the Lough Rynn/Gortlettera area and the megolithic tomb is on the way to cloone/carrigallen from mohill,nothing left of it now though,just a quarry filled with water and a scrapyard around it:(

Cul a cnoic

storm2811 wrote: »

The castle is around the Lough Rynn/Gortlettera area and the megolithic tomb is on the way to cloone/carrigallen from mohill,nothing left of it now though,just a quarry filled with water and a scrapyard around it:(

Apart from Lough Rynn House, there is also Lakefield House the other side of the lakes on private land. Wasn't at it in a lifetime but we used to pick mushrooms there as children. Link here. It was run down even then but it is still there, just very overgrown in and around it.

I am originally from Aughavas, on that stretch of road, you say the tomb is from but I can't think of where this one might be. Heres a link to a site, which may help. http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/leitrim.htm

If you think of where it might be, just post. Thanks

storm2811

Cul a cnoic wrote: »

Apart from Lough Rynn House, there is also Lakefield House the other side of the lakes on private land. Wasn't at it in a lifetime but we used to pick mushrooms there as children. Link here. It was run down even then but it is still there, just very overgrown in and around it.

I am originally from Aughavas, on that stretch of road, you say the tomb is from but I can't think of where this one might be. Heres a link to a site, which may help. http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/leitrim.htm

If you think of where it might be, just post. Thanks

Yeah i think lakefield is the place,i'd have to see it to remember but i remember that there wasnt a road leading all the way to it,ya had to walk through a few fields and that.

The tomb is gone now,everything was destroyed when they were bombing to quarry limestone,but theres some long story about a local priest and my dad who found a skull there before it was quarried and tried to stop it happening.The priest died a while ago but i think his name was Fr.Carney?

Judgement Day

Irish Independent

By Ralph Riegel

Thursday August 12 2010

AN American nun whose multi-millionaire philanthropist father donated a vast estate to the State has vowed to return when the Government finally honours its promise to her late parents and restores their former home.

The McShane family donated Killarney House in Kerry to the State 20 years ago -- but were then appalled when the house was effectively ignored and allowed fall into near-dereliction.

This was despite the fact it ranks as one of the most historic homes in the south-west -- and boasts an incredible location near the Killarney lakes.

Irish-American construction tycoon, John McShane, was a friend of US President Franklin D Roosevelt as well as several taoisigh. However, John and his wife, Mary, fell in love with Kerry and chose to spend the latter years of their lives in Killarney House from the 1950s.

John left his beloved Irish home as well as substantial property including islands in the Killarney lakes to the Irish State.

However, the State then allowed Killarney House to fall into disrepair and near-dereliction.

John and Mary's only daughter, Pauline, became a nun and has lived a life of devotion and poverty.

When Sr Pauline -- who is now based in Pennsylvania -- first heard of the damage to the house two years ago and the fact that squatters had even taken up residence there, she was heartbroken.

Now, she has warmly welcomed the decision of Environment Minister John Gormley to provide up to €1m for initial preservation and renovation of her parent's beloved home.

"I am delighted. This is something we were hoping for since we turned over the property," she told Radio Kerry.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/donated-ancestral-home-left-derelict-by-state-2293639.html

InTheTrees

Judgement Day wrote: »

AN American nun whose multi-millionaire philanthropist father donated a vast estate to the State has vowed to return when the Government finally honours its promise to her late parents and restores their former home.

Shameful. It really is.

I doubt they'd ever accept the condition but it would be wise to include some kind of non-performance clause when handing over property to the state.