A historic Georgian building in the heart of the north inner city has officially reopened after a major €5.5 million restoration project that will see it become Ireland’s new home for poetry and heritage.
Last Thursday (7th), President Catherine Connolly officially opened No. 11 Parnell Square at a special ceremony attended by politicians, cultural leaders and heritage organisations.
The landmark building, located on one of Dublin’s most historic streets, has undergone an extensive conservation-led refurbishment that organisers say will breathe new life into a property with more than 300 years of history.
The restoration project was led by the Irish Heritage Trust and Poetry Ireland in partnership with the Irish Landmark Trust.
Funding for the redevelopment included €3.9 million from the Government’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund under Project Ireland 2040, with a further €1.55 million secured through philanthropy and other sources.
President Catherine Connolly, alongside Claire Power, Director of Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, and Anne O’Donoghue, CEO of the Irish Heritage Trust
Designed by McCullough Mulvin Architects, the restoration preserves many of the building’s original Georgian features, including its historic façade, parquet flooring and a timber-lined council chamber regarded as one of the building’s most architecturally significant spaces.
One of the centrepieces of the redevelopment will be the new Seamus Heaney Poetry Library, which will house the late Nobel Laureate’s personal poetry collection from his study, donated by his family to Poetry Ireland.
The library will also include the Austin Clarke Poetry Collection alongside a contemporary poetry archive built up over the past 50 years.
Organisers say the new library is intended to become a public space for reading, study, creativity and literary connection.
President Catherine Connolly, alongside Claire Power, Director of Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann.
Speaking at the official opening, President Connolly said she hoped the restored building would become an inclusive space for communities and culture in the city centre.
“It is an honour to officially open Number 11 Parnell Square as it becomes Ireland’s home for poetry and heritage,” she said.
“As President of Ireland, I warmly welcome the new life which the Irish Heritage Trust and Poetry Ireland will breathe into this beautifully restored Georgian building, one which already holds almost three centuries of history.
“Arts and cultural organisations have so often in the past been marginalised and forced into peripheral and sometimes inaccessible spaces.
“I am particularly pleased that the newly restored building will over the decades to come be an inclusive space where local communities are welcomed, where stories are shared, and where our past and heritage are woven thoughtfully into the present and the future.”
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne described the project as an important investment in Dublin’s Georgian core.
“No. 11 Parnell Square East is at the heart of Dublin’s Georgian core, and I am proud that this redevelopment and refurbishment has been made possible through funding from my Department’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund,” he said.
“This building’s conservation and the preservation of its architectural heritage represent a significant addition to the built and cultural heritage of this part of Dublin City.”
Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan said the restoration would strengthen the growing cultural identity of the Parnell Square area.
“The conservation of this beautiful Georgian building will greatly enhance this vibrant cultural quarter centred on historic Parnell Square,” he said.
“It is vitally important that we invest in our country’s cultural infrastructure.”
Ger Aherne, Chair of the Irish Heritage Trust, said the project represented an important return to the heart of Dublin’s north inner city.
“We are delighted to be joined by Minister Browne today and grateful for the strong support from his department that made this return to the heart of Dublin’s north inner city possible,” he said.
“It is a pleasure to see No. 11 restored to the highest conservation standards in partnership with Poetry Ireland.”
John O’Donnell, Chairperson of Poetry Ireland, described the opening as a major moment for literature and the arts in Ireland.
“This remarkable building, with its rich, layered past, is now transformed into a living, breathing home for poetry on this island,” he said.
“With the establishment of The Seamus Heaney Poetry Library, we honour one of Ireland’s greatest poets, while creating a lasting resource for future generations of readers and writers.”
The reopening of No. 11 Parnell Square is also being seen as another significant milestone in the ongoing regeneration of Dublin’s north inner city cultural quarter, with organisers hoping the building will become a major public destination for heritage, literature and community events in the years ahead.