Poolbeg chimneys at risk of corrosion

Thelonious Monk

I think they're just so horrible, and as someone says in the comments, it's like Dubliners have developed Stockholm Syndrome as they seem to be beloved by most. There's not a chance in hell they'd get planning permission for something as ugly and intrusive on Dublin Bay in this day and age, especially when you see 12 storey building plans being rejected and locals going nuts over "skyscrapers" being built.
I'm hoping this news leads to them being demolished, but wouldn't be surprised if they splashed out to keep them erect.
Am I alone in wishing they were gone?

https://www.thejournal.ie/poolbeg-chimneys-at-risk-due-to-possible-corrosion-in-foundations-esb-warns-5407234-Apr2021/

Caranica

I'm definitely not on your side. They are an iconic part of Dublin's skyline. I disagree that they're an eyesore. I used to love spotting them from a plane, a sign I was home.

odyssey06

I would very much miss them if they are gone, and I am sure I am not alone in those thoughts.

As for ugly and intrusive, they are about the best looking man made thing in the whole port area, apart from the lighthouses and the ships. It's hardly a pristine area of natural beauty. They do a good job of shielding some stuff that really is ugly.

I don't know why the separate discussion about skyscrapers has to come into it, completely different sort of structure and nobody is living next to it apart from seagulls.

HeidiHeidi

I agree they're in an awful state, I was down beside them recently and hadn't realised just how bad they'd got.


But I'd be very sorry to see them go, they're one of the things I most associate with the Dublin skyline, and like the poster above, to me they reek of coming home from abroad (when being abroad was a thing!).


I'd be firmly on the "fix them and keep them" side of things, but I fear they'll just dither and prevaricate until they're gone past the point of no return.

VonLuck

Caranica wrote: »

I'm definitely not on your side. They are an iconic part of Dublin's skyline. I disagree that they're an eyesore. I used to love spotting them from a plane, a sign I was home.

The only unique thing about them is that they're so prominent in a capital city. No architectural merit.

Zaph

Dublin has little enough by way of a recognisable skyline as it is, and the chimneys are a significant part of what we do have. It would be a shame to let them get to such a state of disrepair that they either crumble or there's no alternative but to demolish them.

odyssey06

I think if we had a poll as to what Dubliners would rather see saved and maintained, the Spire or Poolbeg towers, the towers would win rather comfortably.

.42.

Knock them down if they are in a state of disrepair.

Dublin should start modernising itself by building up and not out.

KungPao

odyssey06 wrote: »

I think if we had a poll as to what Dubliners would rather see saved and maintained, the Spire or Poolbeg towers, the towers would win rather comfortably.

I think Dublin City CC should be consulting engineers about relocating the chimneys to O’Connell st. Would look beautiful, 2 dirty stacks beside a big needle.

The J Stands for Jay

odyssey06 wrote: »

It's hardly a pristine area of natural beauty.

Yeah, because someone built a few power stations on it.

odyssey06

.42. wrote: »

Knock them down if they are in a state of disrepair.

Dublin should start modernising itself by building up and not out.

This has nothing to do with the Poolbeg towers.
That spot is not going to become residential any time soon is it?

odyssey06

McGaggs wrote: »

Yeah, because someone built a few power stations on it.

And across from it ... a major port.

It's not an area of pristine nature and hasn't been for a very long time.

That's why power stations were put there.

PhilOssophy

odyssey06 wrote: »

This has nothing to do with the Poolbeg towers.
That spot is not going to become residential any time soon is it?

If the port is moved, there will be thousands living down that way in no time.

Re the towers, they are pretty but maybe Dublin needs to look at a decent landmark - put it this way, I'd rather see a decent structure (e.g. a small version of the Eiffel Tower or the like) have money spent on it, than spend a fortune saving 2 old chimneys which are falling asunder.

No I'm not referring to The Spire, I am referring to a decent landmark!

Raytown Rocks

odyssey06 wrote: »

And across from it ... a major port.

It's not an area of pristine nature and hasn't been for a very long time.

That's why power stations were put there.

Old power station
Dublin port access
Incinerator
Water treatment plant
Scrapyard

odyssey06

chef wrote: »

Old power station
Dublin port access
Incinerator
Water treatment plant
Scrapyard

To quote the song.. "And the Liffey as it stank like hell..."

Well I think they captured and preserved that smell in the vicinity of said water treatment plant!

odyssey06

PhilOssophy wrote: »

If the port is moved, there will be thousands living down that way in no time.
Re the towers, they are pretty but maybe Dublin needs to look at a decent landmark - put it this way, I'd rather see a decent structure (e.g. a small version of the Eiffel Tower or the like) have money spent on it, than spend a fortune saving 2 old chimneys which are falling asunder.
No I'm not referring to The Spire, I am referring to a decent landmark!

IF the port is moved... that's a pretty big and expensive IF which Dublin port don't seem keen on.

And if we're going to put up a structure... I propose two red towers...

Thelonious Monk

It kind of is an area of beauty tough, Dublin Bay on the whole, and these things are a blight on the bay, to me anyway.

.42.

I would prefer Dublin to have a skyline to match Hong Kong, Singapore, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai, Frankfurt, City of London.

Thrashssacre

.42. wrote: »

I would prefer Dublin to have a skyline to match Hong Kong, Singapore, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai, Frankfurt, City of London.

You'll have to keep dreaming so.

PhilOssophy

odyssey06 wrote: »

IF the port is moved... that's a pretty big and expensive IF which Dublin port don't seem keen on.

And if we're going to put up a structure... I propose two red towers...

I can honestly tell you, I have had lots of people from overseas to Dublin and never once have I said "You have to see these 2 chimneys".

Raytown Rocks

odyssey06 wrote: »

To quote the song.. "And the Liffey as it stank like hell..."

Well I think they captured and preserved that smell in the vicinity of said water treatment plant!

yeah none of these things are conducive with housing as someone mentioned earlier,
And also moving the Port is a big IF.

there are proposed housing works going to take place on the old IGB site, but this is a little bit away from where all of the above mentioned areas are

Personally as a local who lives beside the Poolbeg, I hope they stay.

Cant beat a walk down the shellybanks, past the chimneys and off out to the red lighthouse

Thelonious Monk

Is the building underneath them functional at the moment? There's a nice walkway around there from Sandymount I did last year.

.42.

Thrashssacre wrote: »

You'll have to keep dreaming so.

We've had the opportunities and still do.

Many people in DCC seem to love the gutter look of the city.

odyssey06

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I can honestly tell you, I have had lots of people from overseas to Dublin and never once have I said "You have to see these 2 chimneys".

They are a local sight for local people

Yyhhuuu

odyssey06 wrote: »

They are a local sight for local people

They're eyesore in my opinion...

Thrashssacre

.42. wrote: »

We've had the opportunities and still do.

Many people in DCC seem to love the gutter look of the city.

We have opportunities to build up in places but the places you've listed would have buildings upwards of 100 stories, completely unnecessary for Dublin but a good cluster of 20-30 story buildings around the Docklands would certainly do us good.

odyssey06

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

They're eyesore in my opinion...

Have you noticed how the rest of that area looks?
Without the towers, it's a heap of industrial plants etc

Tabnabs

Iconic, comforting, historic.

The Dublin skyline absolutely would not be the same without them and you'd be a brave person to sign off on their demolition.

.42.

Thrashssacre wrote: »

We have opportunities to build up in places but the places you've listed would have buildings upwards of 100 stories, completely unnecessary for Dublin but a good cluster of 20-30 story buildings around the Docklands would certainly do us good.

Ah Yeah, I dont expect us to build to the moon but scaled down in height.

Darando

Funny thing is, people think they look nice from the distance of the city centre etc.., but up close they are in rag order.. it's a nostalgia thing for people liking them. Nothing more.

Thelonious Monk

Just read the article again, sounds like they're in pretty bad shape. Would be a great sight to see them being demolished.

.42.

Out of sight, Out of mind.

People will forget about them pretty quick when they're gone

LollipopJimmy

Having seen this on twitter the last while the call for the removal is mostly coming from people who don't live near them. They can be seen from many parts of the city and something about them just says 'home' to me. I will be saddened if they come down, however the ESB seem hellbent on removing them, I assume this is because they are having to foot the bill for maintenance

KungPao

I vote to knock em. Then Dubs can buy chunks of them as souvenirs, to help pay off our debts. Afterwards we can have a memorial garden for the chimneys, like ground zero in New York.

I do think their days are numbered though, this is the start of the long goodbye. Too old and useless to justify spending money on them.

I just hope the chimney at Milltown Luas bridge isn’t next. Sniff.

PhilOssophy

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Having seen this on twitter the last while the call for the removal is mostly coming from people who don't live near them. They can be seen from many parts of the city and something about them just says 'home' to me. I will be saddened if they come down, however the ESB seem hellbent on removing them, I assume this is because they are having to foot the bill for maintenance

If the ESB are footing the bill, that means you and I are footing the bill.....

Is there not other things which say "home" to you? While I agree they are iconic as you fly or sail in to the city, surely we can do better than this as a country/capital city?

Imagine flying in to Paris or London on the Heathrow flight path and thinking "oh there's 2 lovely landmarks of chimneys, rather than looking at Westminster or the Eiffel Tower in the distance?

We can surely do better in terms of iconic landmarks than spending several million euro to retain 2 derelict chimneys. Surely?

odyssey06

PhilOssophy wrote: »

If the ESB are footing the bill, that means you and I are footing the bill.....
Is there not other things which say "home" to you? While I agree they are iconic as you fly or sail in to the city, surely we can do better than this as a country/capital city?
Imagine flying in to Paris or London on the Heathrow flight path and thinking "oh there's 2 lovely landmarks of chimneys, rather than looking at Westminster or the Eiffel Tower in the distance?
We can surely do better in terms of iconic landmarks than spending several million euro to retain 2 derelict chimneys. Surely?

Well we don't have an Eiffel tower do we?
When we tried to do something, we got the Spire.
So let's be realistic.

And London has this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battersea_Power_Station

PhilOssophy

odyssey06 wrote: »

Well we don't have an Eiffel tower do we?
When we tried to do something, we got the Spire.
So let's be realistic.

And London has this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battersea_Power_Station

Well we can try again and come up with something better than the spire for the millions that will be spent on these.

Battersea Power Station is an eyesore the last time I got the train in from Gatwick a couple of years ago.

pauliebdub

I just don't get the love for these industrial chimneys. Most normal countries demolish such stacks when they are no longer used but for some bizarre reason they are considered iconic in Dublin. I just don't get it. They're not even that old dating from the 70s. They've deteriorated very badly over the past few years and I don't think public money should be spent preserving them.

LollipopJimmy

PhilOssophy wrote: »

If the ESB are footing the bill, that means you and I are footing the bill.....

Is there not other things which say "home" to you? While I agree they are iconic as you fly or sail in to the city, surely we can do better than this as a country/capital city?

Imagine flying in to Paris or London on the Heathrow flight path and thinking "oh there's 2 lovely landmarks of chimneys, rather than looking at Westminster or the Eiffel Tower in the distance?

We can surely do better in terms of iconic landmarks than spending several million euro to retain 2 derelict chimneys. Surely?

It's the fact that they can be seen from many parts of the City and that's where the sense of hone comes from.

Also, the site they are built in is actually mostly reclaimed, this was reclaimed with the slack from the coal burning power station. There is a lot of history from our industrial past down in Poolbeg

Thelonious Monk

They've turned Battersea into apartments and kept the chimneys, pretty big development.
I grew up close enough to them to have been looking at the poxy things enough, it doesn't seem like too long ago they were still pumping out steam.

PhilOssophy

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

It's the fact that they can be seen from many parts of the City and that's where the sense of hone comes from.

Also, the site they are built in is actually mostly reclaimed, this was reclaimed with the slack from the coal burning power station. There is a lot of history from our industrial past down in Poolbeg

They can be seen from most many parts of the city - can they? I drive and cycle around many parts of Dublin all the time, and I can't say they feature on my radar!

HeidiHeidi

PhilOssophy wrote: »

We can surely do better in terms of iconic landmarks than spending several million euro to retain 2 derelict chimneys. Surely?

It's when talk turns to "we could do better " that i get really nervous..... that's what gave us the Spire - which while I don't hate it, is distinctly meh IMO.

Trying to manufacture an iconic landmark is doomed to failure, mostly - the chimneys are there, and for me the argument is should we pay to keep them or not - not what could or should replace them. Then you're down the road of just trying too hard, to be hip/cool/iconic/historic - and it just gets embarrassing.

Bob Harris

I like them but as I've posted before, just repair and give them a lick of paint.

Raytown Rocks

PhilOssophy wrote: »

They can be seen from most many parts of the city - can they? I drive and cycle around many parts of Dublin all the time, and I can't say they feature on my radar!

Maybe the more coastal parts of the city then...
And some of the higher parts looking down.

Maybe not on your radar, but on lots of others though

PhilOssophy

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

It's when talk turns to "we could do better " that i get really nervous..... that's what gave us the Spire - which while I don't hate it, is distinctly meh IMO.

Its unbelievably meh. But if at first you don't succeed, try again. But don't flog a dead horse either.

Like there is no reason other than NIMBYism that Dublin couldn't do something like the Space Needle in Seattle - give a great view of the city at the top, its an iconic structure. Plus it would generate money so would pay for itself over time, even if it cost 40-50 million or whatever.

Caranica

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I can honestly tell you, I have had lots of people from overseas to Dublin and never once have I said "You have to see these 2 chimneys".

But how many people have seen them from further down the coastline and asked what they were/admired them from a distance? I was down in Sandycove yesterday and it made me smile when I realised i could see them from there.

IngazZagni

Bob Harris wrote: »

I like them but as I've posted before, just repair and give them a lick of paint.

Well this is the whole debate. They are in need of major repairs which will cost millions.

It's 100% Stockholm syndrome and nostalgia that people want these kept. Can you imagine the uproar if these were proposed now? Dublin doesn't have a skyline of note and Dublin City Council continue to try and block us from having a nice skyline so the chimneys are really the only things that represents Dublin from a distance.

Fandymo

They're the perfect metaphor for Dublin city centre. Ugly, outdated, and run down. And thats from a Dub.

0lddog

In my younger days they did not exist.

There was no enthusiasm for them when they were constructed

They are a hazard, need constant maintenance and are unnecessary.

They should be removed

Anyone remember the telecoms deflector that Dept of P & T graced Shielmartin Hill with ? It was put up around the same time as the chimneys. It was removed without debate some time after technology advances made it redundant. The chimneys are redundant, they should now be removed.

Thelonious Monk

Fandymo wrote: »

They're the perfect metaphor for Dublin city centre. Ugly, outdated, and run down. And thats from a Dub.

That's not really fair, lots of Dublin is quite pretty. Including Sandymount and surrounds which is right under their shadow.

odyssey06

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I can honestly tell you, I have had lots of people from overseas to Dublin and never once have I said "You have to see these 2 chimneys".

I see lots of people taking photographs of the towers, especially through the bathing shelters on Bull Island.
They don't all appear to be Dubs.

And someone even painted this:
https://www.endacavanagh.com/product/bull-island-bathing-shelter/