The Hindu-Gothic gateway at Dromana, Co. Waterford was erected c. 1840-1850 on the south bank of the River Finisk to designs by Martin Day (d. 1861) of County Wexford. It was originally approached by a timber bridge, carried on stone piers, with a central lifting section for river traffic. It is said to have been built to replace a temporary canvas-and-timber version erected to welcome home from honeymoon in Brighton the newly-wed Henry Villiers-Stuart (1803-74) and Theresia Pauline Ott (d. 1867) of Dromana. The IGS undertook a programme of restoration works to the building in the 1960s while Waterford County Council undertook further works in the 1990s. However, the building is once again at risk with a public road driving through it not only compromising its setting but also resulting in damage to its central arch.

In 2023 the IGS awarded a grant to the Villierstown Education & Culture Project CLG to support the preparation of a building report prepared by Margaret Quinlan Architects and David Kelly Partnership. This report aims to assist with identifying and prioritising remedial works required to reinstate this structure to its former glory. It includes recommendations on protecting its fabric, on further investigations to the building, and on measures for traffic control.

A comprehensive account of the Dromana Gateway by Damian Murphy, Architectural Heritage Officer, NIAH, is available on the following link: https://www.buildingsofireland....