Deteriorated Herbert Park bandstand seen in Phil Lynott's 'Old Town' restored
The much-loved Herbert Park bandstand has been restored after experiencing severe deterioration over the past decade.
Music lovers will recognise this Ballsbridge bandstand as the spot where Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott blasted the trumpet in the music video for his iconic single ‘Old Town.’ First erected in the early 1900s, time has taken its toll on the structure which was given works under the philosophy of “as little as possible, but as much as necessary.”
Lord Mayor Councillor Ray McAdam visited Herbert Park today to view the restored bandstand, as well as the newly completed Peace of Mind Garden. Acknowledging the creativity and hard work of Donnybrook Tidy Towns and Dublin City Council’s Parks staff, the initiative has transferred this underused corner of the park into a serene and contemplative space.
The Peace of Mind Garden is now a place where visitors can pause, sit, and allow their minds to become still. Thoughtfully designed with steps, seating, plant and landscaping, it creates a warm reflective environment for all park users.
Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor McAdam stated: “Today, the Peace of Mind Garden and this beautifully restored bandstand stand as lasting expressions of why investment in our parks matters so profoundly.
“This is about more than bricks, stone, timber or design. It is about recognising the cultural life of our public spaces, their social importance, and the history and memory they hold for generations of Dubliners. One offers a place of quiet reflection, calm and renewal.
“The other offers a place of gathering, performance and celebration. It gives me great pleasure now to officially open the restored Herbert Park Bandstand, a place shaped by our past, valued in our present, and ready to serve and inspire generations yet to come.”
The history of the bandstand extends well beyond Phil Lynott’s bombastic trumpet skills , which cemented its place in Dublin’s collective cultural memory, but actually goes back to 1907. This was when a large bandstand was first placed in the park during the Irish International Exhibition, but this was sold at auction in 1908 and relocated to the seafront in Bray, where it still stands today.
The bandstand now found in Herbert Park is a later and more modest structure, built around 1911 as part of Ernest Cheal’s elegant Edwardian landscape design for the park. With its Arts and Crafts styling, octagonal form, timber columns and terracotta-tiled roof, the bandstand has long been a cherished feature of Dublin’s public realm.
By 2024, however, time had taken its toll. The structure was experiencing severe deterioration, including slipped roof tiles, water ingress, rotting timbers, failing soffits, blocked gutters and structural concerns. Dublin City Council commissioned 7L Architects to prepare a Conservation Method Statement, following the principle of undertaking ‘as little as possible, but as much as necessary.’ Their recommendations informed a careful and sensitive restoration programme.
The completed works include the replacement of missing clay tiles; repair of the roof structure and timber soffits; reinstatement of hardwood railings based on patterns seen in early photographs; restoration of the decorative finial; repointing of the granite base in lime mortar; and installation of a discreet French drain to prevent future water damage. The long‑lost original gate has also been faithfully recreated from historic images. All works were carried out to a high standard by Barbary Roofing & Conservation Ltd.
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