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THE ESB IS to keep the iconic Poolbeg chimneys in Dublin.
The towers ceased being functional in 2010 and the ESB last year said that continuing to repair them wasn’t a good use of their resources.
That prompted outcry among many in the capital and beyond, with the chimney stacks holding a special place in the hearts of many.
Today, the ESB said that the chimneys, built in 1969 and 1977, will stay standing.
The semi-state will carry out maintenance works that will protect the chimneys while more extensive works, such as painting and sealing the concrete outer shell, will be evaluated in the coming years.
A spokesperson for ESB said; “The chimneys are a well known landmark in the Dublin skyline, distinguished by their height, as Dublin does not have significant high rise development.
The spokesperson added that metal caps will be placed on the chimneys.
The caps will not change their look but will prevent rainwater ingress and damage. Work will commence later this week on the wider of the two chimneys, while the second chimney will be capped in the Autumn.
“This remedial work will have no impact on the operation of the adjacent Poolbeg 470 mega watt gas turbine plant.”
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I wonder if they were never there and the esb proposed to build 2 massive chimneys would there be massive outcry as this destroying of the Dublin skyline??
You bet your f**k there would..people will complain about anything here.
But what if they tore them down, only to subsequently agree to reinstate them in response to the inevitable outcry. What would we all do then? Would we be for or agin’ that?
Knock and stick up a few wind turbines see the reaction then
In this case they Fingal County Council should have left Ballymun towers. They were pretty as well. What a nonsens.
Great that they’ll still be around for future generations. Still remember the feeling you get when they come into view on the ferry to the north wall after being away for 14 yrs.
Keep your hands off our twin towers.
Ah just get rid of them, such an eyesore
Im not a fan of them but if they must stay a lick of paint may help.
Fantastic news! It always feels like coming home everytime they come into view!
Next let’s nationalise Lambay Island and stick a big “Failte Go Dubhlinn” set in lights in case they change their minds! :P
I could see them in the distance from where I grew up, the welcome me home and mark my exit from the city every year and are a surprising comfort for many returning Irish
Are we really that desperate for landmarks that we want to keep a couple of chimneys?
Why not? What’s the criteria of a landmark other than a building or feature of note? These certainly are that.
Whether you consider they beautiful or not is open to one’s one taste but, these are examples of industrial architecture, of which we have little in Ireland with such an impact.
Only in Ireland would a pair of dirty looking industrial chimneys be kept. Honestly what is wrong with people, any tourists coming here only see an eyesore in the Dublin skyline.
This saga reminds me of when they made hill 16 a national monument which prevented Croke park being fully finished.
Bottom line I suppose, Irish people couldn’t agree on the colour of shiiite no matter how much progress is at stake.
Niall or thee battersbey power plant in London? Or say the van nelle factory in Rotterdam. The carrie furnace Pensilvania?
Hill 16 has no relevance to Croke parks current profile, only one plan to fully enclose the stadium was suggested but due to the logistical and financial impact of closing the rail line for the duration I the works it was deemed impossible. So blame the Dublin to Maynooth commuters
Battersea is a grand art deco structure. No comparison. A friend of mine visiting Dublin thought it was a nuclear power station.
Woeful comparisons there Wayne, try compare like with like.
Niall you mean like the Carrie furnace that I listed??
Nice you are ignoring that and your woefully inaccurate and ignorant assessment of Croke Parks development in one go.
I’m nor from ‘the Big Smoke’ so I really don’t get the whole love in with two big dirty chimneys, what am I missing?
I much prefer the sight of our greenery and cliffs when flying back into the country. Then again, our Urban cousins won’t have been exposed to as much beauty as us simple country folk so…lower expectations of what looks good I guess?
If you get a chance try take a boat trip on Dublin Bay Kian. It’d surprise you. Really scenic.
Great news.
Despite all the negativity. This is good news. The next step is to convince the FG pinkos on DCC to put the chimneys out to tender for redevelopment. An observation/viewing gallery at 179 mtrs high would give Dublin a great tourist attraction. Most medium sized European cities have a viewing tower somewhere. At a 179mtrs high this would be a huge attraction..
Nice Idea, but probably impossible – but how do you get up the chimney without completely rebuilding it ?
@ Michael Fehily
Aren’t FG in a minority on DCC?
It’s controlled by SF/AAA/Ind at the moment.
A zipline to the GPO from the Big Chimneys could be a major tourist attraction.
‘Falling to the Rising’ we could call it.
I assume the SF/AAA controlled DCC will vote against squandering 300,000 euros on refurbishing the chimneys and instead will send the money to one of the many worthy causes they champion.
They belong to dublin. Pull them down at your own risk.
Total waste of already scarce state resources. They should be sold to private investors/developers. I’m sure a rotating bay view restaurant on top is possible along with some kind of bungy jumping/rock face climbing , extreme rope climbing facility, adventure park type idea is very realisable.
John, ESB pays a substantial dividend to the state and is a very profitable enterprise the maintenance and upkeep of a significant Dublin land mark will be a small price for them to pay
If they’re going to stay then repaint them in the Dublin colours!
Remember a GAA advert from years ago where a couple of geezers painted them blue and navy?
It was a funny ad
Yeah, giant blue chimneys against a blue sky. What can possibly go wrong with that!
Brilliant, previously mentioned they should be a tourist attraction with sky lounge on top!
Just imagine the game of Angry Birds you could have with them !!!!
No offence to all the Dubliners who have an emotional attachment to the two chimneys but as a visitor to Dublin I reckon they are the ghastly.
Every time I see them I’m reminded of an ex-soviet Nuclear reactor from the 70s, old and decaying.
Snooze.
A viewing tower would be possible.The lift shaft being in the centre of the flu.Would be a unique tourist attraction for Dublin.oh and what about linking the two chimneys together at the top to firm a viewing gallery/restaurant ?Just a thought
I got a red thumb hammering for a similar suggestion. trouble is, people in Ireland expect government or authority to do everything for them, including pouring public founds into nostalgic projects that will only cost more and more in the future. Offload the things to the private sector and like you say, develop it into something worthwhile and profitable.
U obviously haven’t been down to poolbeg the smell of sewage is unbearable, the only tourists going down there would be kamikaze ones,long live the chimneys.
At least have them earn their keep somehow, a viewing deck or something. Otherwise I can’t wait to see the increase in my bill to pay for the maintenance.
Eye sores
Only in Dublin would incinerator chimneys be considered protected structures which compliment the skyline… Overlooking all the methadone clinics as the sun rises on a spring morning!
Dublin should have a nice modern day skyline instead of these eyesores.The are chimney stacks,every city had them back in the day.
Proper order.
“Skyline”
It is totally absurd that a Dublin City councillor is forging ahead to try and get a motion passed to have these chimneys listed –
These are now obsolete , requiring huge money spent in restoration costs – their use ended in 2010 and now they should simply come down .
If Dublin City Council elect to have these listed it will be a total travesty – their head is simply up their Ass even to consider this ridiculous proposal.
Can they not do something meaningful for a change like proper Council work and run the city in a professional manner -
Good drone video of the chimneys here:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YRUZF4AGNV0
Can The Big Chimneys not be used to emit the fumes from the mega incinerator or will be have to build The Bigger Chimneys?
Tourists must be amazed at the Irish knack for cleverly naming landmarks and eyesores we market to them for their key sites tour.
Tá siad uafásach gránna!
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