8 Irish buildings that vanished, disappeared or were demolished

The architectural illustrations range from the Turkish Baths in Dublin, to the Tholsel in Galway, to the Exchange in Limerick.

WE TAKE A look at some of the lost buildings that have disappeared from the face of Ireland.

The images are all from Archiseek.com, a website dedicated to Irish architecture, particularly historical buildings that either never were or that have now vanished, been demolished or replaced.

“It’s always fun to image what-might-have-been, but on the other hand, it’s often quite painful to see what buildings have been lost to us,” said Paul Clerkin, publisher of Archiseek.com.

The architectural illustrations range from the Turkish Baths in Dublin, to the Tholsel in Galway, to the Exchange in Limerick.

Here are eight sites from around Ireland that are no more:

8 Irish buildings that vanished, disappeared or were demolished

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Vanished Ireland
Dartrey, Rockcorry, Co. Monaghan was built in 1846 and designed by William Burn as a large Elizabethan Revivial mansion to replace an earlier house on the site. Built for Richard Dawson, third Lord Cremorne and later first Earl Dartry, it had very long facades with legions of mullioned windows, oriel windows, Tudor chimneys and curvilinear gables relieved by square turrets with cupolas. On the garden front (pictured) was a two level terrace facing onto Lough Dromore. On an island in the lake there was also a fine Mausoleum to the design of James Wyatt from around 1770 which is now roofless. The house was demolished in the 1950s. All that remains of the estate are various gatehouses, the ruined Mausoleum and a fine stable block built around five sides of an octagon. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
Great Victoria Street Railway Station, Belfast. The Ulster Railway opened Belfast’s first railway terminus in 1839. By 1852 the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway was completed, making it the terminus for the most important main line in Ireland. The Ulster Railway had added a new station building in 1848 to designs by John Godwin, replacing the original station by Thomas J. Woodhouse. Sadly, in the early 1970s Northern Ireland Railways closed both Great Victoria Street and the Belfast Queen’s Quay terminus of the Bangor line and replaced them with a new Belfast Central station. The station buildings were demolished and the Europa Hotel and the Great Northern Tower built in its place. For many years, part of the railway shed remained, in use as a bus station, before being demolished. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
Here is St Michael le Pole, which was once located between Chancery Lane and Ship Street. 'St Michael of the Pool' overlooked the 'Black Pool' from which Dubhlinn took its name. The round tower stood for almost 700 years before it was removed. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
The Turkish Baths, Lincoln Place, Dublin was built in around 1639 and was one of the more bizarre buildings to have graced Dublin. The main front of the Lincoln Place Baths was about 186ft in length. Separate facilities were provided for male and female bathers on either side of the central ticket-office. Very visible was the 50ft high dome above the old company board room, and the 85ft high polychromic brick chimney shaft. It was called ‘the mosque of the baths’ by Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s Ulysses. But as the baths had closed in 1900, some four years before Leopold Bloom’s odyssey, Leopold could not have availed of their facilities. It was demolished in 1970, after being used for a variety of commercial purposes. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
Design for Swing Bridge, Dublin which was published in 1879 for the bridge over the Liffey at Beresford Place. Eventually called Butt Bridge, it linked the new Tara Street with Beresford Place. It was replaced in 1932 with a more conventional structure. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
The Tholsel once stood on Shop Street in Galway city. Construction started on the building in 1639 and it was demolished around 1822. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
Here are the interior designs for remodeling Langford House on Mary St., Dublin. The large five bay, four story house was bought by Rt. Hon. Hercules Langford Rowley in 1743. It had a street frontage of almost 90ft, and was sited where the current Marks & Spencer store is today. In 1765, the architect Robert Adam designed new front and rear drawing rooms for Rowley. The house was demolished 1931. (Image: Archiseek.com)
Vanished Ireland
The Limerick City Exchange was built in 1673, close to St. Mary’s Cathedral to house the city’s covered market and council chamber. In 1702, the Exchange was demolished and replaced by a new larger building to allow for the development of wider streets in the city. During the mid-1800s, the Exchange fell into disuse after a new town hall was constructed across the bridge in Rutland Street. All that remains of the Exchange now is a row of Tuscan columns in the wall surrounding St. Mary’s graveyard. (Image: Archiseek.com)

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