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Wasted Heritage Buildings - Your nominations
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17-02-2010 10:44pm#1A 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.:)11
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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....0 -
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.0 -
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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.
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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
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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
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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?
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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.0 -
The Wonderful Barn - further historical and architectural info here: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=KD®no=119011020 -
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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!!
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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. 0
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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.:)0 -
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
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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/0 -
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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.
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As opposed to its original use?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....
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.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'd rather it was part of irelands national museums over most possible uses.
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 leixlipfilthymcnasty 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.). 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.
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.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!!0 -
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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
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