IT IS ST. NICHOLAS OF MYRA NOT ST. PATRICK – CARMAN’S HALL OFF FRANCIS STREET
When I photographed this building back in 2012 I thought that the statue on the wall was St. Patrick.
There is both a building and a street named Carman’s Hall.
The National Inventory Of Architectural Heritage describes the building as follows: “Freestanding corner-sited nine-bay two-storey former national school, built 1936-39, having curved two-bay three-storey stair hall to south-west corner, playground and shelter to roof, and two-bay two-storey return to rear (north) elevation. Now in use as parish hall and heritage centre. Flat roof hidden behind parapet with concrete coping, having rendered chimneystack and cast-iron rainwater goods to north elevation, and flat-roofed concrete shelter with circular-profile piers adjacent to stair hall to west end. Rendered cross to parapet to front. Rendered walls with roughcast render below continuous sill course to ground floor windows. Statue of the Virgin Mary and raised metal lettering to front elevation. Statue of St. Nicholas of Myra to curved south-west corner.”
Below is information provided be Dublin city Council:
Carman’s Hall is a two storey building located along Carman’s Hall in Dublin 8. The site is bounded by Garden Lane to the west, the rear of Mews Garden Court development to the north and a vacant site to the east which is located at the junction of Francis Street and Carman’s Hall. The premises were formerly used as a Parish Centre and known as St. Nicholas of Myra, it is in the ownership of the Dublin Archdiocese. The permitted use under the lease is as a temporary accommodation facility to cater for the needs of homeless persons and the term of the lease will cease on the 1st of September, 2021.
As restrictions are easing during the current Covid-19 Pandemic, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) & Dublin City Council’s Housing and Community Services give notice that planning permission is sought for the retention of the existing use for a further period of 12 months, until cessation of the lease, of the former Parish centre at 12-14 Carman’s Hall. This is to ensure the continued emergency accommodation of homeless persons during these unprecedented times. This service is funded by the DRHE under Section 10 funding from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The service will continue to be operated by the Dublin Simon Community.
I lived on a street off Francis street for a few months about thirty years ago and I liked the area.
The next time you visit Francis Street it will be very different to what is was back in September 2012 when I took these photographs.
In 2019 it was announced that work would begin on a new-look public realm for Francis Street. Following on from design workshops and a successful Part VIII planning consent in 2017, the project is now set to be completed this year. While construction work had originally been expected to start in March 2020 the Covid 19 Emergency led to delays.
With a strong emphasis on pedestrians, the plan envisaged the widened pavements and new threshold spaces to the front of the Iveagh Market and St Nicholas de Myra Church. The awkward widening and narrowing of the carriageway will give way to a consistent width and measures to reduce speeds and allow for more relaxed cycling and easier crossing. Changes to car parking and loading arrangements, 20 new street trees and landscaped areas, sustainable urban drainage measures (SUDs), new street lighting, street furniture and utilities will all serve to create a much improved street and establish Francis Street as a destination.
You must be logged in to post a comment.