The Building Stones of Dublin

Classical architecture in Dublin

Although my contract was with the Heritage and Planning Programme, I took an interest in the work of the Minerals Section, especially the Irelithos project  – a collaboration with the Office of Public Works - and I was allowed to use my photography and design skills to promote this work.

 

                                       

Carboniferous limestone at St Audoen's Church

Having specialist interests in stone matching and the restoration of historic buildings, and experience of producing several national trade exhibitions, I didn't hesitate to volunteer to organise the Geological Survey of Ireland stand at the inaugural Dublin Stone Show.

Trinity College

Possessing a comprehensive database of quarries and geologists able to undertake petrographic analysis, the GSI is ideally placed to advise on the most appropriate stone for use in a programme of repairs to historic stone buildings. With Niahm undertaking all of the general organisational work, and with the Cartography section able to print the display panels in house, I had some time to visit and photograph some of Ireland's historic buildings.

As a great capital city, Dublin has its fair share of monuments and grand historic buildings, which have used a wide variety of Irish and imported stones and, with The Building Stones of Dublin to guide me, I started off by exploring these.

Making the most of the breaks in the weather, and the appearance of the sun and blue sky, I could easily pop out of the office just for a couple of hours to take some photographs. Before long, I had seen many public buildings, churches, ancient monuments, memorials, bridges and various other structures that demonstrate the wide variety of stones that are found in Dublin.

Red sandstone on Westmoreland Street