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Call for swift action to preserve Iveagh Market as new images show 'shocking' deterioration

The historical structure is the subject of an ongoing ownership dispute.

THERE HAVE BEEN calls for actions to be taken to prevent further deterioration at Dublin’s Iveagh Market and to restore the structure to its former glory following new images that reveal the scale of its disrepair.

The market was developed by Lord Iveagh, Edward Cecil Guinness in 1902 to accommodate Dublin’s many street traders. It has been derelict for more than 20 years and is the subject of an ongoing legal dispute.

A viewing organised by the Liberties Cultural Association allowed members of the public to view the Francis Street market from outside on Sunday and those who caught a glimpse said they were shocked at the condition it is in.

Images they shared show the market is significantly waterlogged and overgrown.

Speaking to The Journal, Graham Hickey, conservation director at the Dublin Civic Trust, said the structure is now “heavily decayed”.

“A major problem with the building is the amount of water ingress over the years, all of the outside brick has become saturated,” he said.

That type of Edwardian brick, Portmarnock brick it’s called, has a glazed face, a ceramic-type face and so many of those have exploded off the brick. There’s only so much repair mortar you can use on bricks of that kind, probably a lot of the brick will have to be replaced, which is a great shame.

“It’s very sad to see that level of deterioration, I saw one or two of the photos and it’s really quite shocking.”

He said it appears from images that some of the timber work has also decayed and may have to be replaced. 

A 2019 report by Howley Hayes Architects, commissioned by Dublin City Council, advised that more than €13 million would be required just to carry out “essential structural repairs” on the building. 

Old Dublin Town Old Dublin Town

Speed is of the essence when it comes to protecting and restoring older buildings such as the Iveagh Market, he said. 

“There’s no question that you do reach a tipping point, especially when you have water coming in from above,” he said. 

Ownership

Late last year the Guinness family took back possession of the historical market in the latest twist in an ongoing ownership saga. 

For over 75 years, Iveagh Markets housed a large number of Dublin’s traders under a 99-year lease agreement between the Guinness family and Dublin Corporation.

The Guinness’ agreed to lease it to Dublin Corporation provided it be used solely as a market for Dublin 8 locals.

In the mid-1990s, Dublin City Council said it was looking for a developer to redevelop the dilapidated Iveagh Markets.

Businessman Martin Keane was granted planning permission for a redevelopment in 2007 after agreeing a 500-year leasehold with DCC in 1997. The council later announced its intention to repossess the building as two separate planning permissions had lapsed and Keane failed to raise finance for development.

Old Dublin Town Old Dublin Town

A third planning application by Keane was refused by the council on the basis that he was not the legal owner and he launched a High Court case.

The Guinness family got involved in December last year, invoking a clause in the original Deed of Conveyance from 1906 which stated that the market would revert to the Guinness family it it was not developed as a market. 

A dispute over ownership is still ongoing,  but speaking to speaking to Newtalk’s Pat Kenny in February, Edward Guinness (the current Lord Iveagh) said there are plans to restore the market.

He had in December circulated a “call to arms” to local people about the need to bring the market back to life, which he said resulted in “overwhelming “support.

“We just need to keep gaining traction because we will get to a sustainable use for this magnificent structure,” he said.

Guinness said the structure was built to a very high standard with innovative techniques but “like every structure if isn’t looked after, nurtured and cared for, it will go back beyond repair”.

Kevin McGowan, chairperson of AM Guinness markets, which is to oversee the development of the Iveagh Market, told the programme that they are hoping to redesign the market, taking some inspiration from European markets.

“Listening to the people of the Liberties is also a key factor because their parents and their grandparents have been involved in the market for a long time since its opening,” he said.

“They are the lifeblood of the market before it was closed. Also the Liberties is an underdeveloped area, which we hope that through this development, we will bring industry, employment, and a lot of tourists, and revamp the area.”

He said the new market would have space for food and clothes stalls, coffee shops, art displays and pop-up shops. McGowan said the space could also be used for public meetings and concerts. 

He said he could not give a timeline for this plan to be executed, telling the programme he would “have to talk to a fortune teller about that at the moment”.

- With reporting by Cónal Thomas.

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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
    Favourite George Vladisavljevic
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:12 PM

    Liquid natural gas, fracked gas, increased coal burning for power plants. Reopening of nuclear plants, shipping more and more natural gas, oil and coal from around the world, mostly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and we are going to get penalised and fined for the peatlands.

    Someone really needs to grow a pair and tell the EU Commision to sod off and that we are living in very challenging times.

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    Mute Ciaran O'Mara
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:24 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic: I disagree. Ireland has broken the law for many years. We were warned in 2011 to stop it. The Commission has been far to slow in enforcing the rules. It is shameful that we won’t protect our own heritage.

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    Mute Alan Kenny
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:55 PM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: They have been happy to pay the fine due to VRT. Ah sure why don’t they buy some energy credits. It’s a shambles, designed by people who will never be affected by their policies

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    Mute Peter Donoghue
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:55 PM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: define what you mean by heritage ?

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    Mute Urban Living Dublin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 3:22 PM

    @Peter Donoghue: natural heritage perhaps? Our greatest sources of biodiversity and largest carbon sinks?

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    Mute Gavin Tobin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 6:44 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic: no someone needs to stand up to greedy culchies wrecking SACs

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    Mute Alan Kenny
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:21 PM

    Bord Na Monas industrial scale cutting of the bogs has caused this. Now the farmer suffers. Always the way.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Sep 30th 2022, 1:33 PM

    Keep cutting lads. Centuries old custom of heating dwellings

    107
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    Mute Michael Keegan
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:32 PM

    @Dave Barrett: when are the disadvantaged in Dublin getting their turf

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    Mute Urban Living Dublin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 3:20 PM

    @Dave Barrett: no more modern amenities for you so. Replace that Avensis with a horse and cart and pull the copper wire out of your house, candles only from now on. And wait, what are you doing on the Journal.ie? Shouldn’t you be sending handwritten letters to the Dublin Penny Journal instead?

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    Mute Peter Donoghue
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:49 PM

    Friends of Irish Environment (FIE) have little to be at !! .. reporting people . What active activity are they ever engaged in ? .
    As for the EU – We the people of Ireland should have the right to make and enforce our own rules, instead of a band of Nazi’ shoving legislation down our throats

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    Mute Daniel Morrissey
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    Sep 30th 2022, 7:51 PM

    An absolute farce… all about control from the EU.. stop cutting the turf lads.. we need your carbon credits for the data centres…
    Off topic… Will the Italian’s make an attempt at getting out of the EU…

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    Mute Kenny Hyslop
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    Sep 30th 2022, 1:22 PM

    Arrest the people doing it, take their companies, close them down and put them in prison.
    Oh no wait, this is Ireland.
    Do nothing and say you can’t fix it overnight, 12 years later.

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    Mute Ken Red
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    Sep 30th 2022, 8:54 PM

    What ever about people burning for heat, their is also the industrial scale harvesting of peat for gardens in the UK Westfield and others

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