A key aspect of An Taisce’s work, and one of the reasons I joined the organisation in the first place, is the preservation and conservation of the building heritage of the country. This means old buildings (and some not-so-old) mainly in urban settings that are part of our cultural heritage and need looking after. We actively lobby to maximise the upkeep of buildings at risk of decay or neglect by their owners. In this regard the organisation keeps a Buildings at Risk Register, which holds updated records of developments on buildings in danger of destruction or serious damage to their structures.

The list is updated regularly, and reports are circulated on social media such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). This encourages interested parties to take the necessary steps to ensure the maintenance of our cultural building stock.

Buildings in danger of dilapidation do not necessarily need to be Listed Buildings but any structures of historical, cultural, architectural or vernacular interest should be considered carefully. A run-down shop or house in a period street of a town or village would spoil the whole combination.

Dublin buildings

Buildings on the list that I know, would of course be in Dublin. A perusal of the list throws up the Edwardian shop at the North Circular Road entrance to the Phoenix Park (see below). I would have passed it incalculable times in my childhood on my way in to play in the park and bought sweets there. It appears to have been sold relatively recently but is now shuttered and vacant. Hopefully, with our publicity it will have a new life.

Another is Aldborough House (seen on left in banner image) in the North Inner City, which has been on the list for many years. It was the last Georgian house built before the Act of Union and was never used much as a home as intended. It was the second-largest Georgian house in Dublin after Leinster House.

Nos. 11 to 15 Usher's Island was included as the setting for James Joyce’s short story The Dead at 15 -  It’s sad what has happened to this Joyce-related building on the Dublin quays. It was the inspiration of one of the best short stories of all time, if not the best.

The Register

Building Conservationist, Ian Lumley, has been an important part of An Taisce for many years. He has been the key driver of the Buildings At Risk list. In fact, the idea for this blog came when Ian dropped in unexpectedly to a meeting I was having in An Taisce’s Foster Place and we got waylaid into discussing the state of the current list.

One of the entries that Building Conservationist Ian singled out for mention is Carrigglass Manor (seen on right in banner image) in Co. Longford. It is an early 19th century Tudor revival house designed by Daniel Robertson. The late 18th century stable yard and main entrance gates are designed by James Gandon, architect of famous Dublin landmarks. This building has been vacant for a number of years and does not give the appearance of being maintained. Most of the external fabric remains, but there are obvious signs of deterioration, particularly water penetration, slipped slates and vegetation growth. There is no immediate danger of collapse but the condition is such that unless urgent remedial works are carried out the building will sharply deteriorate. Owners buy these properties with plans to restore them, but then inertia sets in, and they hold them with an expectation of increased asset value.

Buildings on the list tend to get noticed by the media, especially local papers that publish details and photos listed by An Taisce. An Taisce can make representations in appropriate channels for action on deteriorating buildings. Politicians and county councils, etc. would be lobbied for action. Being on the Buildings at Risk register can annoy owners but by opening a dialogue with them, it can help to influence action to improve the status of the building.

The Register does need help and resources to keep it updated. Is it a fantastic repository that has been built over many decades by dedicated individuals, such as Ian. As An Taisce strives to carry out its work as the National Trust for Ireland, I feel that it has never been as important to maintain an up-to-date Buildings at Risk Register to help us save the built heritage of our country for future generations.

By Eric Conroy

Eric Conroy is an active member of An Taisce since first getting involved with the Dublin City Association in the 90s. Elected onto the national Council in the 2000s, Eric has served as Treasurer twice and on the Climate Change committee with a brief to influence famous people to communicate about climate change. He's an on-going member of the Natural Environment Committee. In that role, he helps direct An Taisce’s policy on natural environment issues. He also serves on the audit sub-committee and in recent times contributes articles on environmental topics which are greatly informed by the depths of his experience.