REVISITING DUBLIN CITY QUAYS LUKE O’NEILL –ASSIGNMENT … · substantially improved bridge,...

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REVISITING DUBLIN CITY QUAYS – LUKE O’NEILL –ASSIGNMENT 1 - 13/10/2016

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REVISITING DUBLIN CITY QUAYS – LUKE O’NEILL – CAPEL STREET c.1980S

Foreword:

The primary critique I have of the projects in the Dublin City Quay’s book is that they are primarily

projects which focus on massive urban developments, potentially tearing through the existing fabric

of the city. I believe the focus of these quays projects could have been geared more towards careful

and considered regeneration of areas, such as Capel Street, which in the late 20th Century had

experienced a rapid increase in derelict buildings and a decline in its existing architectural heritage.

(McDonald, 1992)

I have included a brief history of Capel Street from its inception, to the mid 20th Century to

emphasise its importance in the city. This essay is a visual piece as well as a written piece relating to

the quays in the 1980s and will be frequently referring to images throughout.

I have included a gallery of images, which aren’t included in the text, at the end; compiled from

various online databases and books to help give a sense of the development of life in the area in the

20th Century

Capel Street has maintained much of its original form and, unlike many of Dublin’s mainstreets, has

retained the majority of its original character from the 19th Century. There is of course some damage

to its fabric, particularly in the last 30 years. To prevent this damage, the street was listed as an

Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) [see diagram 1]. This boundary fits almost perfectly on a map

from 1757. (Civic Trust, Dublin. 2010)

I have prepared a Morphological Study of Capel Street on the next page to examine how much it has

changed in the past 3 Centuries. I found it has experienced very little change on the larger scale, and

has instead experienced the majority of damage to its original character at the street level.

‘Despite a number of improvements in recent times, Capel Street still suffers from poor presentation of

many of its shop fronts and buildings. In spite of the many quality shop fronts of the commercial street of the

19th century that were lost in a wave of change in the 20th century’ Image and text extracted from CAPEL

STREET & THE CITY MARKETS; A Way Forward. (Civic Trust, Dublin. 2010)

Cover Page: Dublin City Quays, area map overlayed

with ACA and my study area for this project.

View of Capel Street 1970s, Dublin City Council

Archives, 2016

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z

Historical maps of Dublin up to and including the 1980s. Essex Bridge appears from the earliest map, and Capel Street appears in the 17th

Century Map and from there on. From its very inception following Essex Bridge (located at the current Grattan Bridge) the street itself doesn’t

change significantly from map to map.

Maps sourced from:

(Gallica. 2016) - http://gallica.bnf.fr/html/und/cartes/cartes.

(SDUK, (1836), SDUK Map) - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/1836_SDUK_map-of-Dublin.jpg

Soviet Military Topographic Mapping. 2016 - https://www.sovietmaps.com/examples

Wilson, Shane 2016 - http://www.swilson.info/maps/

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-

mJOmQr5Aysg/UZ1SD2VdUgI/AAAAAAAAAl8/nVj6nv_SCTk/s1600/A+New+Map+Plan+Of+Dublin.jpg

http://www.majestymaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/bacons-dublin-19131.jpg

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Capel Street in the 1980s:

Historical development of Capel Street: From residential to retail.

Constructed after the Essex Bridge first spanned the Liffey, Capel Street quickly became Dublin’s

most fashionable place to live in the early 1700s - boasting generous plots on Dublin’s newest

thoroughfare into the new Jervis Estate. (Olwyn James, 2001)

Essex Bridge collapsed twice into the Liffey, resulting in the Duke of Ormond commissioning a

substantially improved bridge, along with the Stone Quay walls, today known as Ormond Quay (Upr.

& Lwr.). Which were the original quay walls in this style which continued further East to what is now

Bachelor’s Walk and further. (Niall McCullough, 2007)

These pre 18th Century dwelling plots were divided into smaller plots and the buildings were

replaced by the more typical Georgian terraced housing city plots as can be seen in John Rocque’s

1756 map of Dublin (See Map Compilation above).These plot layouts haven’t changed at all

considerably since 1756. (maps)

Over the 18th Century, dwelling plots made way for retail units and storefronts, rather than typical

recessed facades, began to populate Capel Street’s building line. By the 1800s, it had become one of

Dublin’s commercial centers. (Olwyn James, 2001)

George Semple’s Essex Bridge, 1756

James Malton’s Painting – View from Capel-Street,

Looking over Essex Bridge, Dublin 1797. Notice the two

shopfronts – Capel Street No. 1 & 2.Artchive, 2016

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This fashionable urban centre which had housed some of the wealthiest families in the city (Olwyn

James, 2001) in the late 1700s early 1800s, had lost its original function, but had gained a new

purpose. Today, Capel Street retains this purpose as a cultural and commercial area, however in the

1980s it was in a transitional stage. Because of its somewhat slow transition into a street of shops,

many different architectural styles were still present. Storefronts may have been altered, but the

facades above these didn’t necessarily follow suit. Additionally, the building behind the façade often

would have been developed before the façade, creating an unusual patchwork or collage of building

styles.

Throughout the 20th Century, Capel Street was involved in the Civil War and saw massive change and

transition. As Dublin’s ‘commercial centre’ began to shift East and South, away from Smithfield and

Capel Street, along Moore Street towards the newly popular Sackville or O’Connell street. This shift

was very clear in the 1980s, areas around the Quays were in rapid decline and the low quality

construction around the Liffey fell victim to Decay. (McCullough, Niall, 2007). Plots became derelict

and businesses along the quays began to shut down. The life of the quays was in serious decline by

the end of the 1980s.Capel street, was, however holding on. Buildings were vacated, shops shut

down, as did Dublin’s first Public Library in 1986. There were a small few businesses which held on.

Dereliction & Destruction of the quays, 1991 Jazay, David. 2016)

Getty Images. 2016. Ambush Attack

(Dublin City Council. Archives, 2016 /199)

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Capel Street today is known for its bizarre and eclectic mix of shops. That is what gives it such a rich

character. From the early 1990s through to today, Capel street has been home to all sorts of stores,

from Brazilian Supermarkets, to music stores, to sex shops. (EAST, L., 1999)

This quote is true today, as it was in the 1980s. The character of the street stems from the

businesses that held on. Remnants of a number of these can still be seen today, however, Capel

streets storefront architecture suffered in the 1980s (Olwyn James, 2001). New shops which opened

would disregard the fine storefronts which had appeared in the 19th Century and were replaced with

garish contemporary signage. In fact the limitations to the impact tenants could have on their

buildings did not exist in the late 20th Century. (Civic Trust, Dublin. 2010)

By the 80s it was clear that Capel Street had a mixture of architectural styles spanning 3 centuries.

18th century Dutch Billie-style panelling on the interior walls, finely ornamented Georgian facades

looked down onto the street, which itself was congested with traffic and signage which pushed out

from modern 20th Century storefronts. Today, this mashing of styles is still apparent, and up until it

was granted ACA status, 21st Century developments entered this mix, disregarding any historical or

architectural value of the building in its place.

The best way to describe the Capel Street in the 1980s is to look through documents, photos and

books relating to the street in the 80s, and to see what stood in its place in history.

Capel Street, 2014 Traffic and signage clogging up the thoroughfare- image cut from CAPEL STREET & THE CITY MARKETS; A Way Forward.

(Civic Trust, Dublin. 2010)

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Capel Street: A Collage of North Dublin’s Commercial history.

Playboy, Capel Street, 1985. Capel Street’s

eclectic mix of shops is typified in this image. An

American Sex Shop storefront sits in front of a

building from the 19th Century.

Irish Times Artivle expressing cconcern at the present day nature of shops replacing the vacant lots on capel street, 2000 (anon. 2000. Irish Times)

(Dublin City Council. 2016. Archives)

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An Irish Garda on patrol, Capel

Street, 1985. The Garish storefronts

and road signs and furniture leave

little room for pedestrians. The

intensity of the Retail Street is

obvious from this photograph.

Capel Street, as with many streets in Dublin, suffers from a profusion of clutter, particularly at

its northern end. (Civic Trust,

Dublin, 2010)

(Dublin City Council. 2016. Archives)

Forkins Fashions, 1985 (Dublin City Council. 2016. Archives)

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No. 95, Capel Street:

A range of buildings suffered severe decay, some to the point that they were deemed dangerous and

were up for demolition (McDonald, Frank, 1992 Oct 06.). This left them abandoned and cordoned off

from the street. The dangerous buildings committee was on high alert from the 1960s onwards.

Thankfully the SADD in 1988 contested this act and awareness was raised of this destructive act’s

sweeping powers. Number 95 was one such building labelled ‘dangerous’ and was therefore at risk

of being demolished. (McDonald, Frank, 1992 Apr 01)

Completed in 1730, No. 95 was finely detailed on the interior and stood 4 stories above the street.

The trend of shop fronts replacing ground floor residential entrances took over this end of Capel

street, and 95 had a shop front constructed above an existing basement with minimal structure, as

was typical of the area. (McDonald, Frank, 1992 Apr 01). The owners sought demolition, not

considering the historical merit of the architecture of the existing Georgian building. Despite this

building being unsafe – it was maintained based on the reasoning of the Domino effect which was

evident around the quays. Knock down one terrace, and the neighbouring buildings will be

destabilised. (McDonald, Frank, 1992 Apr 01) This intelligent and considered approach led ultimately

to the existing recessed Georgian building and its basement to be retained. Perhaps this is how Capel

Street held onto some of its heritage and maintained some level of use through the late 1900s. the

same can’t be said for the surrounding areas. It is clear from these archival photographs that the

storefront was falling into disrepair throughout the 80s, but still held its original character. Today it

has been restored to its former state, a 1730s Georgian terrace. (google maps, 2014)

No. 96, Capel street, Post Demolishion, may 2000. A beautiful Georgian Dublin memoir, destroyed by neglect in the 20

th Century. (Dublin City

Council, 2016, Archives)

(Dublin City Council, 2016, Archives)

(McDonald, Frank, 1922) (Google maps, 2014)

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( James, Olwyn, 2001)

No. 66, Capel Street – A rare example of old Georgian style panelled homes which at one stage were

common on Capel Street. Constructed in the 1720s, the historical merit of this construction was

appreciated and the building lasted through the treacherous attitudes of late 20th Century Dublin. It

is a fine example of 18th century construction (Pearson, 2002) and stood idle through the 1980s.

(Olwyn James, 2001)

(Google maps, 2014)

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No.114-116, Capel Street:

By the 1980s, every remaining building on Capel Street had undergone a number of different repurposing jobs. Lots 114-116 still retained its elaborate façade. At the time of the drawing below, it was under lease to Messrs’ Kerr & Sons (1871). (James, 2001). B.S Lewis Importers & distributors occupied this ornately detailed shop front in 1985. ((Dublin City Council, 2016, Archives). It has been maintained excellently over the 20th Century. At the turn of the century it housed Oman antique galleries, and today it is an auction room for antiques. The impressive façade has all of the original embellishments intact. (Pearson, 2002)

)

No. 88, Capel Street:

In the following images we can see no. 88 in the 1900s - Seemingly in full operation. Then, in 2000,

following illegal demolition, in total disrepair - only the façade remained of the demolished

distinctive building. Clearly it had been left to decay, and, in a similar fashion to No. 95 (above), was

up for demolition. Thankfully the original character was somewhat restored.

(Google maps, 2014)

(James, Olwyn 2001)


(James, Olwyn 2001)

(James, Olwyn 2001)

(Google maps, 2014)

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No. 104-106 - Capel Street Public Library and Neighbouring buildings:

105 Capel Street in the 80s was home to another obscure business which added to the eclectic

mixture of uses which existed on the street. (Dublin City Council, 2016, Archives). Each front held a

new and different type of business. Notice how the adjoining buildings have been demolished in this

photo. The façade has been retained at the ground floor level. Additionally, Capel Street Library next

door which was established in 1884, closed in 1986.

Johnny Eagle’s Tattoo Parlour – 1970s. Located at the top of Capel Street, this tattoo parlour is

another example of the mixture of functions and uses below the Georgian Facades of Capel Street.

Johnny Eagle’s Tattoo Parlour – At the top of Dublin’s ‘fashionable Caple Street’ 1970 (WhatWasThere 2016) (Anonymous 1990)




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162 & 161, Capel Street, 1985

Two shop fronts on Capel Street; A seemingly wacky clothing store which was very common to capel

street in 1985, and a vacant warehouse building, The Capel Warehouse, Wholesale Clothiers. Vacant

lots were also very common at the beginning of the 1980s. Capel Street was rife with clothing stores

and empty buildings waiting for a new purpose. These two newspaper articles from the end of the

20th Century explain how Capel Street was known for its bizarre clothing, and how its new function

was becoming known for its quality furniture stores, but also its vacant properties; reaching 25% in

1986 (Wallace, Arminita. 1986).

(MCDONALD, FRANK, E.C., 1988, Nov 30)



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No. 41 Capel Street; Louis Copeland:

The original Louis Copeland store in 1985, still in operation to this day and stands out as one of Capel

Streets Upmarket stores. Opened in the late 50s, it is one of few commercial shopfronts which still

boasts its original façade. “It’s classic, it doesn’t have to be changed” – Louis Copeland Jr. He also

referred to Capel Street in the 1970s as a “man’s street”. (DCTV. (2013))


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Capel Street’s Culture and nightlife in the 1980s

Capel Street was not only a unique commercial street, besides the negativity of the contemporary

commercial facades and overall disregard for its history, there were some positive examples of

restorative and considered design. Additionally, Capel Street had a widely regarded pub culture,

which it still maintains today. Restaurants and bars popped up in the vacant shopfronts and

continued to replace one another, but there were a number of pubs which stood the test of time

and were favoured by the locals. (Dublin town, 2014)

Dolly’s Restaurant – 1985 (Dublin City Council, 2016, Archives)

A positive opinion piece about Capel Street’s rich dining

and bar culture in 1990 (FITZGERALD, M., 1990).


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J. McNeill – Traditional Est 1834

– Photographed in the late 20th

Century. (James 2001)

The Kingsway Bar – Capel Street 1960. (above).

Replaced with The Earl Grattan Bar – 1985. (left)

-A brilliant

article

excerpt,

which

captures the

life of Capel

Street

around the

turn of the

century.

(East, L

1999)




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Slattery’s of Capel Street, Pictured in order; 1975, 1990s, unknown – pre 1980s & the business band

playing in slatterys in 1987. Slatterys is one of Capel Streets most renowned bars and has been for

decades.


(The Historical Picture Archive. 2016.)

(The Business Blues Band. 2016) (K. C. Kearns, 2000)

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Conclusion:

None of the projects outlined in the 1980s City Quays book successfully address what is an essential aspect of Dublin’s architectural heritage. The ACA: CAPEL STREET & THE CITY MARKETS; A Way Forward highlights the value and potential benefits of revamping the area “Capel Street is the most significant commercial street in the north west of the city centre and is at the heart of a wider area encompassing the City Markets, Smithfield, the legal quarter centred on the Four Courts, Blackhall Place and Kings Inns, and Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street. While these are all assets of great potential and economic value to the north west city centre, they fail to integrate successfully with one another or to tap into the wider residential areas which surround them. A renewed Capel Street and environs could provide a catalyst for the further regeneration of the north west quarters of the city centre and become a thriving hub for this wider community.” (Civic Trust, Dublin. 2010) This is an obvious move, one which should have been realised in the 1980s before much of the

destruction of Capel Street, and ultimately North Dublin, took place.

Contrary to what Louise East writes, Capel street already had its buzz. It was a ‘busy and truly

eclectic shopping street…the davis gallery, Mcquinlan toolsand numerous sex shops amd army

surplus stores’ (East, L. 1999). The buzz in the area is down to its heritage. The patchwork of shops

which litter the street include 19th Century retail fronts, and at the same time could contain the

newest or most popular pub. It gets its charm from its diversity and its range of styles. No 2 facades

are the same. Its informal and unconventional street level experience is always interesting.

“Trendy design emporiums they ain’t – but then that ain’t so trendy anymore” (East, L. 1999).

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GALLERY:

Capel

Street

<1960S


Bridges of Dublin, Grattan Bridge c.1962 – JFK visit – Bridges of Dublin, 2016

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(Bridges of Dublin, Grattan Bridge 1970s)

(Bridges of Dublin, Grattan Bridge 1973)

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Bibliography:

1. Anonymous 1990, Oct 20. Beating a tattoo on the street. The Irish Times (1921-Current File),

18.

2. Anonymous2000, Sep 13. Sofas and sex shops in area struggling for new identity. The Irish

Times (1921-Current File), 1.

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REVISITING DUBLIN CITY QUAYS LUKE O’NEILL –ASSIGNMENT … · substantially improved bridge,...

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