Demolition at the corner of St. Stephen's Green and Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin.
[graphic]
| In collection: | The Wiltshire Photographic Collection |
|---|---|
| Format: | Photo |
| Published / Created: |
1964
|
| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | In our catalogue, this photo was originally titled "Side view of building supported by girders, demolition site, Dublin". Research by our Flickr Commons users established that this captured numbers 70-75 St. Stephen's Green South - close to the junction with Earlsfort Terrace. Loreto Hall at number 77 is perhaps the building with the curved bay window. This image may have documented the demolition which preceded the building of Hainault House. Additional information about this photograph is available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/40110865514/ Physical description: 1 photographic negative film 6 x 6 cm. more |
While at face value this photograph (from the camera and eye of the the late Elinor Wiltshire) may appear dull and uninteresting, it is an illustration of a time and conditions in Ireland that many may have forgotten. Old Georgian Dublin was disintegrating and a number of buildings had collapsed with loss of life. In addition, the drive for development to bring the city into the 20th Century was gathering pace and these derelict spaces were ripe for the picking!
The general consensus is that this scene was captured at or around numbers 70-75 St Stephen's Green South - close to the junction with Earlsfort Terrace. Loreto Hall at number 77 is perhaps the building with the curved bay window. This image may have documented the demolition which preceded the building of Hainault House. Originally built in the mid-1960s (matching-up with the dates here), Hainault House is due for redevelopment in the coming years. Its neighbours had already been replaced in 2007 and 2015. "New glass cages" indeed.....
Photographer: Elinor Wiltshire
Collection: Wiltshire Photographic Collection
Date: 1964
NLI Ref: WIL 4[10]
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Tags:
Elinor Wiltshire, Rolleiflex Camera, Rolleiflex, Wiltshire Photographic Collection, National Library of Ireland, Elinor O’Brien Wiltshire, Derelict site, wooden supports, Georgian houses, rere view, cellars, Stephen's Green, St Stephen's Green, Earlsfort Terrace, Hainault House, Basement, Canada House, Demolition, Construction
Comments
domenico milella
Congratulation for your beautiful Album.
Posted: 15.03.2018
John Spooner
Excuse me for butting in like this, but I’ve been amusing myself recently converting some stereo-pair photos from this stream to anaglyphs. You’ll need a pair of red-blue glasses to get the full 3D effect the photographer intended, but these can be had for less than the price of a (cheap) cup of coffee. I’ve converted four so far:
Ross Castle (including stove-pipe hat)
SS Adolphine
Blackwater, featuring Mr Muttonchops
and best of all, Doon Well and the woman with scary eyes
Posted: 15.03.2018
Carol Maddock
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] John, are normal 3D glasses (from cinema) red-blue?
Posted: 15.03.2018
oaktree_brian_1976
brief history of the Georgian-style here in the colonies and back in the Isles www.ontarioarchitecture.com/georgian.htm. Toronto had similar problems with older buildings ofthe same vintage, falling apart... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walnut_Hall
Posted: 15.03.2018
John Spooner
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03] I think the ones used in cinemas are polarised, not red-blue.
Red-blue ones look like this (with one "lens" blue and one red) I bought a packet of 10 for £2.46 (but with cardboard frames)
Posted: 15.03.2018
derangedlemur
There's a few places with round half towers like that at the back in Dublin. FItzwilliam, Leeson Street and Gardiner street woudl be my prime suspects, but that doesn't really narrow it down much since that's about 80% of 5 storey Georgian Dublin anyway.
Posted: 15.03.2018
derangedlemur
I guess the ESB offices is most likely - it seems to be facing a green area and it's '60s
Edit: nope; they're further along - no trees
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
The bay window arrangement 4-ish houses along is unusual at the back of a Georgian terrace, I should (eventually) be able to spot it on the OS 25" map. The ironmongery at the front is less unusual, but if still standing, would be confirmation...
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
Hmm, maybe less time than I thought. This could be the corner of Stephens Green and Earlsfort Terrace. If so, the building with the bay is the nearest still standing, the ironmongery does not help.
Posted: 15.03.2018
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
I need a pair of these glasses urgently!!
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
If it is that corner, the offensively hideous office block which went up on this site has itself been demolished since, and replaced by a somewhat less ugly (if rather IKEA minimalist) block.
Posted: 15.03.2018
derangedlemur
The back of the house seems to be facing south or west, depending on the time of day. Looks like lunchtime and more or less south.
Posted: 15.03.2018
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Stephen's Green/Earlsfort Terrace was my initial reaction, but that was based solely on instinct.
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
There were demolitions of other Georgian buildings in the 60s, but what can those trees across the road be if not Stephens Green?
Posted: 15.03.2018
Dún Laoghaire Micheál
I'm thinking the Green - with the adjoining building also 'upgraded'
Posted: 15.03.2018
Carol Maddock
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] Thanks!
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
I just flew that google 3d view around Stephens Green. Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square and Mountjoy Square. There are other buildings with the semicircular shape, but different windows, or where the whole Georgian terrace is still standing.
The corner of Earlsfort Terrace is the only match I see for that shape plus a building site from the 60s opposite a bunch of trees.
Hmm, counting the houses standing here, we may be looking at the site of Hainault House next to Canada house, which is still standing. Wait - spoke too soon, here are the proposals to rebuild Hainault House, "Status Demolition Works Commenced".
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
The other building erected here was called Canada House. here on www.broadsheet.ie are pics of that building being pulled down in turn from 2014.
Posted: 15.03.2018
Niall McAuley
Here is how I remember Canada House in the 80s (I was in college in Earlsfort Terrace next door).
Posted: 15.03.2018
sharon.corbet
Here is the one on the other side (Colmstock House, I think, at no. 75), being built.
Posted: 15.03.2018
guliolopez
For what it's worth, I agree with the consensus on location: 70-75 St Stephen's Green South. Loreto Hall (#77) is the building with the curved/bay window. I worked for some years in a building less than 200m away - with a similar bay window. I wouldn't be surprised if Elinor Wiltshire took this image from just inside this gate. It's all change around there - even now. With a favoured wateringhole closed - and the brutal lump of Canada House replaced with an only slightly less-brutal lump. Thankfully the green and Iveagh gardens remain constant sanctuaries.
Posted: 16.03.2018
derangedlemur
I don't think the 25" OS is a great guide. I can think of several buildings with this sort of bay that aren't marked as such - e.g. here: maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,716517,733293,12,9
www.google.ie/maps/@53.336801,-6.2505029,3a,75y,8.37h,88....
On the modern OS, I'd agree that Stephen's green looks like the best match.
Posted: 16.03.2018
victor98_2001
Excellent shot
Posted: 16.03.2018
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02] Agreed on the 25", but flying the Google eye in the sky around, many of the bays (like the ones you highlight on Baggot St and many on Merrion Square South) have a different arrangement of windows.
Plus we need a 60s building site in the terrace.
Plus we need a lot of trees opposite and no buildings.
I am sure that this is Stephens Green.
Posted: 16.03.2018
Silje Roos
Amazing!
Posted: 16.03.2018
Luicabe
Posted: 16.03.2018
