The vision of the Irish Georgian Society is to conserve, protect and foster a keen interest and a respect for Ireland’s architectural heritage and decorative arts. These aims are achieved through its scholarly and conservation education programmes, through its support of conservation projects and planning issues, and vitally, through its members and their activities.
Desmond Guinness Scholarship Winner 2022 Announced
07.12.2022
Posted by IGS
The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to announce that the Desmond Guinness Scholarship 2022 has been awarded to Dee Ring, while a commendation has been given to Deborah White.
Dr Conor Lucey presenting Dee Ring with the Desmond Guinness Scholarship 2022
DEE RING: DESMOND GUINNESS SCHOLARSHIP 2022
Dee Ring is a PhD Research Student at TU Dublin, Grangegorman, who is undertaking a PhD thesis on the documentation of Ireland’s visual graphic heritage of vernacular shopfront lettering with Kilkenny shopfronts as a case study. Dee Ring’s thesis is being supervised by Dr Mary Ann Bolger and Dr Niamh Ann Kelly.
Dee will use the Desmond Guinness Scholarship to help defray the costs of two study trips to the UK. The first will be to the city of Stirling, Scotland to study recent signage initiatives for Stirling's historic shopfronts rolled out by the Stirling Heritage Trust
While in Stirling, Dee will also examine the methodologies employed in recent shopfront audits conducted for Stirling City Council by Dr Lindsay Lennie, Stirling Heritage Trust Manager, and historic shopfront conservation specialist.
The second study trip will be to Birmingham City University to test Dr Geraldine Marshall's METL system for capturing and cataloguing environmental lettering. The process will involve examining existing images to learn and experience the system first-hand with the creator. Additionally, this research exercise will assist in informing and validating the classification system and methodology devised for the Kilkenny Traditional Shopfront Signage Project 2021 pilot survey, which Dee was commissioned to undertake by Kilkenny County Council with the support of Creative Ireland.
DEBORAH WHITE: COMMENDATION & GRANT 2022
The Desmond Guinness Scholarship committee also recognised Deborah White’s application with a commendation and a grant. Deborah White is a PhD student at the Ulster University, whose thesis is providing an examination of hand-woven linen damask production and design in Ireland. Deborah’s research is being conducted under the supervision of Professor Karen Fleming.
The Desmond Guinness Scholarship committee have awarded a grant toward the technical investigation and analysis of a linen damask tablecloth point paper design (mise-en-carte) sold by Henry McCleary of Waringstown at Mountrath Street, Dublin in 1740.
This mise-en-carte is believed to be the earliest extant example of this kind of point paper design in Ireland, and Deborah anticipates that her research will help illuminate our understanding of linen damask design in eighteenth century Ireland, a trade then in its nascency, and now recognised by historians of material culture to be of international significance.
The Irish Georgian Society would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who applied for the scholarship in 2022.
The Society would also like to extend our gratitude to the Desmond Guinness Scholarship assessors (Professor Christine Casey, TCD; Associate Professor Alison FitzGerald, Maynooth University; Dr David Fleming, UL; Professor Kathleen James-Chakraborty, UCD; Associate Professor Conor Lucey, UCD; Dr Anna Moran, NCAD; and Primrose Wilson, OBE) for their generosity in sharing their academic expertise and investing their time in evaluating the applications.
Georgian Homes: material culture of the domestic interior in 18th century Ireland lectures autumn 2022
23.09.2022
Posted by IGS
Georgian Homes: material culture of the domestic interior in 18th century Ireland.
The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to present our Conservation Education Programme autumn 2022 lecture series. These thematic talks will explore the material culture of the Irish Georgian house, in both town and country, focusing on interior decoration, furniture and fine art.
Commencing on Tuesday 11th October, the talks will run for nine consecutive Tuesday evenings.
The keynote introductory talk, Great Irish Households: understanding their inventorieswill be delivered by John Adamson, editor, producer and indexer of the new publication, Great Irish Households: Inventories from the Long Eighteenth Century.
Other distinguished speakers include: Dr Aidan O'Boyle (art collections); Dr Alison FitzGerald (silver); James Peill (furniture); Sarah Foster (shopping); Annabel Westman (textiles); Dr Patricia McCarthy (wine cellars); and Dr Mark Purcell (books and libraries). The concluding lecture in the series will be delivered by Dr Conor Lucey, who will provide insights into his forthcoming publication, House and Home in Georgian Ireland.
Enjoy the lectures in person at the IGS's City Assembly House or virtually through Zoom. *It is now possible to book for in-person CAH tickets on an individual basis.
To book visit our events page where talks can be booked individually or at a discounted whole course rate.
Photos of speakers (top left clockwise): John Adamson; Dr Alison FitzGerald; Dr Patricia McCarthy; Mark Purcell; Sarah Foster; Dr Conor Lucey; James Peill; Dr Aidan O'Boyle; and Annabel Westman.
The Irish Georgian Society launched the 2022 Architectural Conservation and Original Drawing Awards sponsored by John Paul Construction in the Spring, receiving a total of 20 applications across the two categories. The Awards are open to Irish architects and architectural practices, building surveyors, contractors, engineers, and other professionals involved in the conservation of historic buildings on the island of Ireland.
The judging panel consisting of Livia Hurley (Chair), Karen Latimer, Simon Lincoln, Frank McDonald, and Kevin V Mulligan, met in May to reduce the 16 applications for the Architectural Conservation Project category to a shortlist of nine projects. The panel gained Andrew Tierney as additional panelist for the shortlist tour which they completed at the end of August.
Please join us as we announce the winner of the 2022 Architectural Conservation and Original Drawing Awards at a reception hosted at the City Assembly House on Thursday 20 October at 6:30pm.
Congratulations to the shortlisted projects:
Alistair Coey - Gunpowder Store in Donaghadee
Howley Hayes - Carlingford Castle in Carlingford & 9 Merrion Square in Dublin
Fingal County Council - Casino Railway Museum in Malahide
Lotts Architecture - Riverstown House in Kildangan
FMP Architects - Honan Chapel UCC in Cork City
ACP Architectural Conservation Professionals - Dunraven Fountain in Adare
O'Neill Architecture - ONA Farmhouse in Nenagh
Office of Public Works - Gate of Justice at Dublin Castle
IGS stand at Timeless: The Irish Antique Dealers’ Fair 2022
01.09.2022
Posted by IGS
The IGS is delighted to announce that it will once again have a stand at the Irish Antiques Fair in the RDS from 23rd – 25th September 2022. An invitation to attend can be downloaded from the following link and entitles the bearer plus one guest free entry to the event: Timeless 2022 invitation
Sir, – The recently featured article on the sale of lands immediately to the rear of Castletown House, Co Kildare, raises great concerns for the future protection of one of the most architecturally significant buildings of Ireland’s Georgian period (“Celbridge landholding with ‘future development potential’ for €5 million”, July 6th).
The Irish Georgian Society has called for the State to bring the lands into public ownership through the Office of Public Works and so forever safeguard the setting of Castletown.
The urgency of this is illustrated in the marketing materials for the site that were highlighted in The Irish Times article which suggests they have a “future development potential”. It should be noted that this is entirely aspirational as the lands are currently zoned for open space and amenity and which, given their proximity to Castletown, is an objective that should never be changed.
In purchasing Castletown in 1967, Desmond Guinness acquired 120 acres to the front of the house “so as to preserve them” and in doing so provided a protective envelope that secured its setting and protected views extending to the south. While some housing was subsequently built, the greater part of the historic demesne remains intact. This is a testament to the success of Desmond’s vision and the subsequent custodianship and management of Castletown by the Castletown Foundation and by the Office of Public Works.
Extending the State’s ownership of land in the Castletown demesne would not just protect the setting of the house but would also greatly enhance the amenity value of its parklands. It is noted that Castletown House & Parklands was the fifth most popular visitor destination in Ireland in 2019 attracting 965,632 visitors. This additional landholding would present opportunities for visitors to further explore and utilise the parklands to the rear of the house and would facilitate and secure the current access route from the M4 motorway. As one of the most important historic buildings in Ireland, it is incumbent on all with an interest in and responsibility for our heritage to ensure that Castletown House is protected for the present and for future generations. Ever since the demesne was broken up in the 1960s there have been aspirations to reunite the house with its historic landscape. It seems that now, after over 50 years, a golden opportunity has arisen for the State to achieve this. – Yours, etc,
Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show launched by Minister for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan
17.06.2022
Posted by IGS
Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan, TD officially launching the Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show in Merrion Square Park, Dublin, Saturday 11th June 2022
The Irish Georgian Society wishes to thank all those who made the Dublin’s Heritage Buildings Show in Merrion Square park on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th June 2022 such a success.
We wish to thank our partners, Dublin City Council’s Conservation and Heritage Offices, in particular Charles Duggan, Heritage Officer and Niamh Kiernan and Mary McDonald,Architectural Conservation Officers, and Sarah Halpin and Mary-Liz McCarthy, Conservation Research Officers, as well as DCC’s Department of Parks and Biodiversity for hosting us in Merrion Square Park. The Dublin’s Heritage Buildings Show is an action of the Dublin City Strategic Heritage Plan, and was part-funded by the Heritage Council’s County Heritage Plan Grant Scheme.
The exhibition was formally launched at noon on Saturday by Minister Malcolm Noonan, TD, Minister of State for Heritage with Lord Mayor Dr Alison Gilliland, Councillor and IGS Vice President, Camilla McAleese.
Together they praised thehighly skilled traditional building skills craftspeople who agreed to give over their weekend to demonstrate at the Dublin’s Heritage Buildings Show and promote the importance of using appropriate traditional methods and materials in the conservation of our built heritage.
Over two dozen craftspeople actively demonstrate key traditional building skills needed for the conservation of old buildings including: sash window repairs, stained glass & fanlight conservation, stone carving, dry stonewall construction, use of lime-based mortars and hemp; brick pointing; brick making; decorative plasterwork; ironwork, slate roofing, gilding and wallpaper making.
In tandem with the traditional buildings skills demonstrations and visits to cultural institutions on Merrion Square there were a series of walking tours focusing on the architecture, designed landscape and conservation of Merrion Square and its environs.
The Irish Georgian Society wishes to thank everyone who opened their doors and lead tours, in particular; James Howley, FRIAI; Kieran O'Brien, Director, Grafton Architects; Rob Goodbody, local historian, planner and conservationist; Jeffrey Jones, DCC gardener; Graham Hickey, Conservation Director, Dublin Civic Trust; Eamonn Kehoe, Director, Shaffrey Associate Architects; Kevin Blackwood & Alice Bentley, Kevin Blackwood Associate Architects; Aideen Ireland, Committee member, RSAI; Laura Conlon, Senior House Manager, Notre Dame; Seán Potts and Iarfhlaith Ó Dómhnaill, ITMA team members; Simon Lincoln, Exhibitions & Outreach Officer, IAA; Martin Burns, Creative Director, Oscar Wilde House.
Additionally, the Society would like to thank all those who delivered the series of architecture, conservation and designed landscape lectures on Sunday 12th June: Shona O'Keefe, Chairperson, SPAB Ireland; Shane Nolan, BLFI Committee Member; Colm Murray, Architecture Officer, The Heritage Council; James Howley, Howley Hayes Cooney Architects; and Damian Murphy, Architectural Heritage Officer, NIAH.
On Saturday 11th, for younger attendees to the Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show, there were Cruinniú na nÓg children’s workshops. This was a wonderful facet to the show and we greatly appreciate the time invested in preparing and delivering the workshops on stone carving by Philp Quinn of Stone Mad; wallpaper making by David Skinner of Skinner & Sons; fanlight making by Liam McCorkell of Glasshaus Studios; gilding and stencilling by Ruth Bothwell of Decowell; traditional joinery techniques by Sven Habermann of Letterfrack Conservation; and lime rendering by Edward Byrne of The Traditional Lime Company.
It was fantastic to see the high level of engagement and participation at these ancillary Dublin’s Heritage Buildings Show events, as well as the enthusiasm and appreciation of the public who visited the exhibition over the course of the weekend to receive free, accurate and impartial advice on traditional methods and materials needed to best conserve their Dublin heritage buildings.
The Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show represented a coming together of the conservation community: state; semi-state; non-governmental organizations; and independent conservation practitioners and professionals. Without all these stakeholders' generosity and support it would not be possible to deliver the exhibition and allied activities.
Critically, the last word of thanks goes to the Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show funder: The Heritage Council; the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Creative Ireland; the Upper Leeson Street Area Residents Association; and the South Georgian Core Residents Association.
Lord Mayor Councillor Alison Gilliland welcome address at the Dublin's Heritage Buildings ShowEmmeline Henderson, IGS Assistant Director; Niamh Kiernan, DCC Architectural Conservation Officer; Malcolm Noonan, TD, Minister for Heritage; Michael Wall, IGS Chairperson; Alison Gilliland, DCC Lord Mayor; Camilla McAleese, IGS Vice-President; & Charles Duggan, DCC Heritage Officer. Attendees and participants at the launch of the Dublin's Heritage Buildings ShowNolans Group brick maker explaining the craft to Minister Noonan and Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland with Shane Nolan, MD, Nolans GroupMinister Noonan discussing traditional building skills with Shona O'Keefe, Chair of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in IrelandPat Lynch, McLynn Joinery explaining timber sash window joinery details to the Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland and Minister for Heritage, Malcolm NoonanCharles Duggan, DCC Heritage Officer, Niamh Kiernan, DCC Architectural Conservation Officer, Alison Gilliland, DCC Lord Mayor with Edward Byrne of the Traditional Lime CompanyCamilla McAleese, IGS Vice-President; Niamh Kiernan, DCC Architectural Conservation Officer; Alison Gilliland, DCC Lord Mayor; Malcolm Noonan, Minister for Heritage; Michael Wall, IGS Chairperson with Ken Curran, DSWAI, Chair; & Stephen Barcoe, Dry Stone Wall Association of Ireland committee member
Minister Malcolm Noonan and family with stone carver, Philip Quinn of StonemadPaddy Byrne discussing roofing techniques with exhibitor Niall O'Regan of Crannog RoofingAcquilla Cooper & Jonathan McCormick of Forgecraft: artist blacksmiths demonstratingDry Stone Walling Association of Ireland practitioners demonstratingDemonstration of pointing by Nolans GroupSven Habermann of Letterfrack Conservation teaching traditional timber jointing techniques at the Cruinniú na nÓg children's workshops in the Irish Architectural Archive, 45 Merrion Square. Kieran O'Brien, Director, Grafton Architects leads a tour of the ESB project, Fitzwilliam Street to participants at the Dublin's Heritage Buildings ShowDublin's Heritage Buildings Show participants arrive at 63 Merrion Square for a tour of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland from RSAI Committee Member, Aideen Ireland.Kevin Blackwood and Alice Bentley of Blackwood Associates Architects lead a tour explaining their conservation work at the National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square to Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show participants. Rob Goodbody, local historian, planner & architectural conservationists, and author of RIA Irish Historic Towns Atlas, Dublin, Part III, 1756-1847 leads a walking tour tracing the history & development of Merrion Square to Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show participants
Dublin's Heritage Buildings Show participants enjoying live traditional music from the Georgian era from Irish Traditional Music Archive team members Seán Potts (uilleann pipes) and Iarfhlaith Ó Dómhnaill (fiddle) in the ITMA HQ, 73 Merrion Square.
