Essential repairs to Iveagh Markets building to begin, months behind schedule
Repair works on Dublin's historic Iveagh Markets in The Liberties, essential for its future use, have begun, according to Dublin City Council (DCC).
The works, set to take two years, consist of emergency repairs and stabilisation to the now-derelict structure, and were expected to start in July.
It follows the installation of safe access routes, propping, and removal of vegetation around the building earlier this year, key steps in ensuring its potential return to use.
The latest tranche of works, to be undertaken by Kelbuild ltd and overseen by conservation architects Howley Hayes Cooney, will include essential repairs to the roof, gutters, rainwater disposal systems and stabilisation of the internal walls and parapet.
It is funded through a €9.5m grant from the Department of Housing and Local Government through the government’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
Dublin’s Lord Mayor Ray McAdam said the beginning of the works “marks an essential and long-awaited step towards securing the Markets’ future”.
"As a city, we are determined to protect our architectural heritage, honour the legacy of those who shaped it, and ensure that this historic landmark can once again play a meaningful role in the life of Dublin," he said.
Housing minister James Browne said the works would “help secure the architectural heritage of this important part of the city” and marks “another milestone” in the restoration of the building.
Chief executive of DCC, Richard Shakespeare, said the stabilisation of the building was a priority for the authority.
"With the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Urban Regeneration & Development Fund, we are taking decisive action to secure this iconic structure and explore its potential for future use,” he added.
Independent councillor Vincent Jackson, chair of the DCC South Central Area Committee, said: "The Iveagh Markets have been at the heart of the community for over a century, and these works will ensure that they remain a source of pride for local residents.”
The Iveagh Market was gifted to the people of Dublin by the Guinness family and sold by DCC to developer and hotelier Martin Keane after its closure in the 1990s.
Completed in 1906 and occupying an entire city block, it was originally conceived as a wet hall for the sale of fish, meat and fresh produce, and a dry hall for second-hand goods and clothes.
Its structure, measuring 70m by 40m, is supported by cast iron columns and perimeter masonry walls, and features two semi-glazed roof structures of complex geometric design.