12-13 DORSET STREET WHERE THE MOY ONCE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED MARCH 2020
I have lived on Bolton Street for more than twenty five years and I always believed that the area shown in my photographs was Bolton Street rather than Dorset Street.
Dorset Street is an important thoroughfare on the northside of Dublin, Ireland, and was originally part of the Slighe Midh-Luchra, Dublin’s ancient road to the north that begins where the original bridging point at Church Street is today. Subsequently, yet prior to the street being given its current name in the 18th century, the road was known as Drumcondra Lane and was shown on maps as such. It is divided into Dorset Street Lower (northeast end) and Dorset Street Upper (southwest end).
The street runs north east from Abbey Street and Bolton Street at Dominick Street junction, north of Parnell Square and Mountjoy Square, and leads into Drumcondra Road at Binn’s Bridge on the Royal Canal. It makes up part of the most common route from Dublin Airport to the city centre, and the R132 regional road follows Dorset Street for part of its route. It meets the R135 route at the junctions with Blessington Street, location of the Blessington Street Basin, and St. Mary’s Place; other major roads feeding onto this spine street include North Circular Road, Gardiner Street, Eccles Street, North Frederick Street, and Granby Row.
Physically the street rises up from the Liffey valley at its south western end, to its apex at roughly where it meets with Blessington and North Frederick Streets; proceeding north west the street slopes down again on the approach to Binn’s Bridge at the Royal Canal.
Some early Georgian houses are dotted along the street, primarily identifiable by the stone Gibbsian door case entrances, and close to the crossroads with Blessington and North Frederick Streets. Much of the street redeveloped during the Victorian era, with a number of significant buildings built, such as the Gothic style stone-built Dominican priory, designed by J. L. Robinson in 1884–87 at the corner of Dominick Street, while across from it is the red brick Italianette former fire station, designed by C. J. McCarthy and completed in 1903. Much of the street consists of vernacular Victorian terraces, with shops opening straight onto footpaths at ground-floor level. During the latter part of the twentieth century, stretches of the street were again redeveloped by Dublin Corporation for social housing flat complexes near Dominick Street.
THE MOY IS GONE – LONG LIVE THE MOY AS THERE IS NOW A NEW BUILDING AT 12-13 DORSET STREET
Right up to the end it appeared that part the original was being preserved but that does not appear to be the case.
According to Wikipedia Playwright, Westminster Parliament member, and son of Thomas, Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born on this street at number 12 in 1751; Brinsley Sheridan’s works include The Critics and A School for Scandal.
However, nothing in Dublin is ever simple.
Recent research indicates that Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born elsewhere on Dorset Street [the confusion is due to the fact that the house numbering system changed after his birth].
Planning permission was lodged 06/03/2007 was lodged for Demolition of no. 12(a protected structure) and no. 13 Upper Dorset Street and the construction of 6 storey mixed use development comprising retail use and 9 apartments and all ancillary works. Permission was refused 03/09/2007
Plannning permission number: 2906/17 4063/08 Thursday, 25 April, 2019 – Apartment development at 12-13 Upper Dorset St consisting of 1 no. 2 bedroom apartment at basement/ lower ground floor and 1 bedroom & 2 bedroom apartment at ground floor level, 2 no. 2 bedroom apartments at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor (9 no. apartments in total), including open space to rear at lower ground floor level, balconies to rear at ground floor level and storage space at basement level.
The National Inventory Of Architectural Heritage described No. 12 as follows: “The last surviving example of a Georgian townhouse on this section of Dorset Street, it would have formed part of a terrace of similar buildings. While the group value of the building has been lost, individual significance has subsequently increased. The integrity of the building has been significantly compromised by the partial demolition/collapse of the upper storeys and is further degraded by the blocking of window openings. The solid masonry door-case is an example of quality craftsmanship characteristic of the era but only a proportion of the original ensemble remains. The playwright and Westminster M.P, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, was born here in 1751.”
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