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May Rush Hour Concerts at the City Assembly House

25.04.2019

Posted by IGS

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TU Dublin Conservatoire returns to its first home in the City Assembly House in South William Street, to perform in the beautiful newly restored Knight Of Glin Exhibition Room at the Irish Georgian Society. On 15 October 1890, the Dublin Municipal School of Music opened its doors at the Assembly Rooms in William Street. Today, the Conservatoire provides high quality, performance-based arts education encompassing a vibrant Junior Conservatory, third-level degree programmes and the Research Foundation for Music in Ireland.

Monday 13 May, Harps and Guitars
Harps and guitars perform classical and Irish traditional music in solo and ensemble contexts, including works by Spohr and Salzedo.

Monday 20 May, String Quartet and Clarinet Trio
The Chatham Clarinet Trio has specially arranged music for two clarinets and bass clarinet by Schubert, Purcell and Grainger, and then there is music by Scubert performed by the Chordis Quartet.

Tuesday 21 May, Voice, Guitar and String Quartet
The programme begins with the combination of voice and guitar in music by Rossini and Dowland before the Incantato String Quartet returns to the City Assembly House to perform music by Ravel.

The concerts begin at 6.00pm, no booking necessary and all are welcome!

2019 'Conservation without Frontiers' Summer School Programme

22.04.2019

Posted by IGS

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We are pleased to announce the full programme for the upcoming cross-border ‘Conservation without Frontiers’ Summer School, organised in partnership with Ulster Architectural Heritage. This year's summer school will be taking place from 20-22 June.

The theme of the 2019 Summer School is: Survival and Revival: Living Towns and Villages in Cavan and Fermanagh. This theme will explore the challenges facing Irish towns, and the opportunities for enhancement through sustainable heritage-led regeneration to benefit built heritage, the local economy and wider community.

Download the full programme here.

Book 1 day or weekend (3 day) tickets here.

Those wishing to book in GBP sterling can do so here: https://www.ulsterarchitecturalheritage.org.uk/.../uah.../

Participation is recognised as CPD by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland.

Early bird rates available until 11 May.

(Images: Portora Conservation Area, Enniskillen; Virginia, Co. Cavan)

Easter Weekend Opening Hours

18.04.2019

Posted by IGS

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The Irish Georgian Society offices will close on Good Friday for the Easter Weekend, and will reopen from 9.30am on Tuesday 23 April.

The IGS bookshop will be open on Good Friday (19 April) and Saturday 20 April from 10.00am to 6.00pm. It will be closed on Monday 22 April.

Letter to The Irish Times, Monday 15 April 2019: Bord Pleanála’s U-turn on Dublin skyline

16.04.2019

Posted by IGS

Letter to The Irish Times, Monday 15 April 2019

Sir, – An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant planning permission for the construction of an 88m-high building in the historic heart Dublin could set a precedent to alter a fundamental characteristic of the city: the generally low to medium-rise height of its buildings.

While the introduction of new planning guidelines on building heights clearly has had some influence on the decision, it does not explain how over the course of one year An Bord Pleanála radically changed its views on the impact a high-rise building would have on the city’s architectural heritage. In deciding on a planning application for the site in 2018, it was of the view that such a building would “seriously detract from the setting and character of the Custom House”, would “adversely affect the River Liffey Conservation Area and the O’Connell Street and Environs Architectural Conservation Area”, and have a “significant and detrimental visual impact on views and vistas in the city”.

However, in granting permission for a very similar building in 2019, the board resolved that the structure “would integrate satisfactorily with the surrounding existing development . . . including the Custom House and . . .views and prospects towards the site along the River Liffey Conservation Area” and “would not have a significant and detrimental impact on any important views and vistas within the city”.

This volte face is of immense concern for future decision-making on the shape of Dublin and does not bode well either for its historic urban character nor its position on Unesco’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. – Yours, etc,

DONOUGH CAHILL,
Executive Director,
Irish Georgian Society
Dublin 2

Link: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/bord-plean%C3%A1la-s-u-turn-on-dublin-skyline-1.3861171

John Nankivell’s Irish country house drawings, 2019

10.04.2019

Posted by IGS

The exhibition of John Nankivell’s drawings of the Irish country house was one of the highlights in the calendar of the IGS in 2018. A selection of these drawings is once again on show in the City Assembly House with those pictures hanging in the American Room available for purchase. These drawings can also be previewed below.

Through the 1970s and ‘80s, John Nankivell spent many long summers exploring Ireland and drawing all sorts of buildings but with a particular focus on decaying country houses. The resulting drawings are not just very beautiful works of art in their own right, but also invaluable historical and architectural documents, as he sketched houses which have since disappeared or approached even further a state of ruin. As the co-founder of the Irish Georgian Society, Desmond Guinness, wrote many years ago: ‘I have rarely seen such sensitive and accurate architectural drawings’.

This small exhibition of John Nankivell’s works will continue through the spring.