The Sackville Street and Gardiner’s Mall illustration is attributed to Joseph Tudor, circa 1753, and engraved by John Jones (fl. 1740–1770). It appears to be from an original architectural drawing by Oliver Grace, from between 1751–1755.
Research metadata
- RPS Ref. No.: 6022 (Dublin City Council Record of Protected Structures, Volume 4) [7]
- Overall identification confidence: High — unambiguous single terraced building, corroborated by NIAH, planning records and multiple secondary sources [1][3]
- Vacancy / dereliction status at a glance: Long-term vacant (reported vacant since the 1980s); structurally exposed and braced; slated for restoration within a permitted regeneration of the eastern side of Upper O'Connell Street. (Medium–High) [2][4]
Quick facts
| Address / Eircode |
42 O'Connell Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 PF57 |
| Building type |
Terraced three-bay four-storey former townhouse over exposed basement (later club / commercial premises) |
| Period / date |
Built c.1752 (1750–1755) |
| Heritage refs (RPS / NIAH) |
RPS 6022; NIAH Reg. No. 50010554 (Rating: National) |
| Apparent status |
Vacant (long-term) |
| On Derelict Sites Register? |
Unknown (not confirmed on DCC Derelict Sites Register) |
| On Vacant Sites Register? |
Unknown |
| Owner |
Hammerson (owner of Dundrum Town Centre, Swords Pavilions and the ILAC); purchased by the adjoining Royal Dublin Hotel in 1972; now within the eastern O'Connell Street regeneration lands |
Summary
No. 42 Upper O'Connell Street is the last surviving intact mid-eighteenth-century townhouse on the street — the sole remnant of Luke Gardiner's 1750s Sackville Mall development — and is of national architectural importance. [1][2] A protected structure (RPS 6022) and NIAH-rated of national significance, it has been vacant since the 1980s and is structurally exposed following demolition of neighbouring buildings, but is now slated for restoration within a permitted regeneration scheme for the eastern side of the street. [3][4]
Identification
- Address: 42 O'Connell Street Upper, Dublin 1
- Eircode (if found): D01 PF57 (Medium)
- Building type(s): Terraced three-bay four-storey townhouse over exposed basement; later used as a club / commercial premises [1]
- Approx. date of construction / period: c.1752 (Georgian; NIAH date range 1750–1755) [1]
- Architect / builder: Designed by architect Richard Castle; construction supervised by John Ensor (Castle's clerk); plasterwork attributed (believed) to stuccodore Robert West; built for Robert Robinson MD (High for Castle/Ensor; Medium for West attribution) [1][2]
- RPS / NIAH / other heritage references: RPS 6022; NIAH Reg. No. 50010554 (Rating: National; Categories of Special Interest: Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social) [1][7]
- Coordinates / map link: Lat 53.35175, Long -6.26192 (ITM 315809, 234892) [1]
- Building-match confidence & ambiguity notes: High — a single, well-documented terraced building; no ambiguity. It sits within (or immediately adjacent to) the O'Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area. (ACA status: Medium) [4]
History & Significance