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DUBLIN’S MAIN LIBRARY is to move to Parnell Square as part of a €60 million development to create a new ‘cultural quarter’ for the capital.
The main library, currently based in the Ilac shopping centre, will relocate to a premises which will have a direct connection to the Hugh Lane Gallery through a new pedestrianised plaza.
The library will move to the old Coláiste Mhuire building, and two adjacent units, on the north-eastern side of Parnell Square. The building was vacated by the school in 2003 and is now owned by the Office of Public Works.
The building will also incorporate facilities for music and writing, and hopes to help regenerate the Parnell Square area – the capital’s oldest Georgian square – as well as revitalising the upper part of O’Connell Street as part of a larger ‘Civic Spine’ for the city between Parnell Square, O’Connell Street, Trinity College and Christchurch.
Council authorities hope that the regenerated Parnell Square area will become a popular meeting place north of the Liffey.
An initial €2.5 million in funding for the project is being supplied by an international property company, Kennedy Wilson, which will also lead the fundraising efforts to come up with the rest of the funding needed.
The existing library in the Ilac centre is open for 54 hours a week, but access is restricted based on the opening hours of the centre itself, while the constraints of the centre offer only limited space for expansion.
City manager John Tierney said the project offered “a powerful opportunity and catalyst for the redevelopment for this part of Northside Dublin”, while city architect Ali Grehan said it would be “the heart of the cultural life of the capital”.
A public consultation seeking suggestions and input on the plans will begin in the coming months.
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Quick someone mention how we can’t afford this and give out about the government
Goverment donkeys wasting money we dont have again on stupid things
So a library is a “stupid thing”?! Obviously you don’t frequent them.
When there are children going hungry and cold, than investing in a library while taking food from children’s mouths ,because the country is so broke is a stupid thing.
Who needs the library when you have the internet.
Libraries do have computers so the public can use them to access the Internet!
Libraries are fountains of knowledge. And yes they are necessary still, Google could never replace the librarian.
Great news, that bleeding ILAC library is like a homeless shelter
And that will change by moving it a few hundred yards?
Are the junkies going to be moved with it? Will they be called dandys or vagabonds or something so as to appeal to tourists?
For once I agree with James…. what are they going to do? … create an island of culture in a sea of anti social behaviour? ….I grew up in this area and worked off Parnel Street for years…… the area has been hijacked by junkies and skangers and even Foreign students have a name for some of the less desirable people in the area. … Dublin City council needs to cop on as does the government and realise that this problem won’t just how away. … people need to be held responsible for their behaviour and perhaps a new wing of the police created to deal with anti social behaviour and given teeth and a mandate to work for the citizens of Dublin rather than tolerating what makes our city Less attractive at present.. is a good idea but needs to be approached holistically rather than in isolation
Parnell Street is already a cultural hub. Home of Dublin’s China Town, home of Moore Street (by far the most colourful and diverse street in Dublin), home of the Gate Theatre, home of the Writer’s Centre and much more. I love that area.
True, there are unsightly folk. True, there is far too much illegal dumping and littering (there’s a horrible second hand “market” on North Cumberland Street every Saturday where loads of stuff gets dumped – the good people over at Dublin Litter Blog would have field day there). But it’s an area that deserves investment. It’s got more culture in one its kerbstones than the whole of Dundrum Town Centre.
Smart investments like this will go million times further than heavy policing in rejuvenating the area. Great news!
Brysn….I never said that there were no positive attributes to the area. …I was suggesting that the Powers that be address some of the less attractive points of the area in order to serve the citizens of Dublin better. …I was born and raised around the North inner city and I have seen many good and positive changes. ..I have, however seen negative developments such as too many junkies polluting the streets of the area.. this problem needs to be dealt with
Also do think that designating an area as China town and promoting it as such would be much better than a bunch of restaurants spread out over several streets. … maybe with gateways like in other cities?
Most of us don’t want junkies around us but junkies don’t like us either, too many of us and they scarper like roaches when the lights go on. You get people going about their normal business in an area and it becomes a war of attrition, more people in the area means more business in the area and less tolerance for antisocial behaviour. We need to gentrify and reclaim the city centre ASAP.
That doesn’t seem to be the case on Marlborough street, Abbey street and the corner of Abbey street and O’Connell street. There’s always a gang of them outside the newsagents beside the bank there, especially at night. I’ve seen them throw glass bottles at people and saw a deal recently where the guy squatted down, put his hands into the back of his trousers and got them out. A woman laid her sleeping bag on the ground sat on it and shouted at people. People strung out like that guy on the island in the centre of the street who was flailing around and getting very close to falling in front of traffic on one side. Had a hard job getting an ambulance stopped at the lights to pick him up but they did eventually thank god. I could go on and on but they definitely don’t scarper these days. They’re getting no help and the guards are turning a blind eye so its only getting worse.
They’re in the majority there. Ordinary people haven’t got the critical mass and the cops aren’t able or inclined to get rid of them. I avoid using that luas stop. Until enough of us feel safe to use that stop and those streets it’ll remain skanger territory.
It’s definitely a case of a very large elephant in the room. … then again I can’t imagine that the people who make large decisions live in areas affected by these. ……. ahem. ..cough….people
Great news it will also put it besides the http://www.writersmuseum.com and http://www.writerscentre.ie/
Boring.
Here’s an idea, stop being so close minded.
It was always a shame that the Dublin city main library was in the middle of a shopping centre, this is a good move putting a library in a correct environment.
This is a very good project. Anyone who thinks spending money on renovating parts of the capital city is waste must be a neanderthal.
There are many, many Georgian buildings around Dublin that are run down. It gives a poor impression to visitors that we can’t even keep our capital city clean and well maintained. The landlords of these Georgian buildings should be forced by the state to maintain them externally to a high standard or face heavy fines.
We are borrowing this money !!!!!
Are we not in enough debt??
This government can find money for spefcific items and fails to look after the find it for many vital services. This is borrowing money to gamble on a project that will need continuous funding. It is a gamble as the politicians are only hoping things improve in Europe and we will be able to pay it back. It’s just like the developers and bankers. Same old tactics.
A gamble implies the possibility of increasing our monies. This a frivolous waste. We need hospital beds, not a new library when we already have a functional one.
Where does it say we’re borrowing this money?
well they’re hardly spending current revenue (of which there is a shortfall) on capital expenditure.
I was laboring under the assumption that improving literacy and education helps the economy, there are few jobs for those in society who can’t read, not to mention a direct effect reducing crime and antisocial behavior…. and public works act as a stimulus providing employment for many blue collar construction workers hit in the current economic stagnation.
We don’t need more hospital beds we need to more efficiently use the ones we
Did the article not say that the money was coming from a private body? Or did I misinterpret something?
“An initial €2.5 million in funding for the project is being supplied by an international property company, Kennedy Wilson, which will also lead the fundraising efforts to come up with the rest of the funding needed.”
Perhaps I’ve misread / misunderstood the article?
I’m with you, Rob….I associate “Fundraising” with Charitable bodies & the private sector. If state money was going in it would usually be the first cheque on the table.
It’s ok, books are junkies only natural enemy in the wild!
Ah the smell of diesel fumes from racing Dublin buses going round Parnell square will give the cultural center an atmosphere all of its own.
Good idea to help rejuvenate one of the oldest parts of the city but the Garda need to get the finger out and move on the junkies that blight the o’connell street area.
Hmmm gonna make journeys for us southsiders a right pain in the arse.
Old gallery and tiny writers museum that no one visits does not a cultural center make. I smell Temple Bar #2
DCC seems to be obsessed with plonking things into dilapidated area of the city in the hope they will rejuvenate them, but just creates more sprawl. Far too many Dublin galleries and museums are spread out beyond walking distance, while the center of the city still lacks many attractions.
I would have preferred the Central Bank location.
Central bank could also have been made to look like a stack of books easily enough. Tacky or quirky?
Is the city centre just Grafton St and its surroundings then?
I think you are right, an old gallery and tiny Writers Museum does not make a cultural quarter. If only there was an established theatre, a museum to one of the most famous Irish writers like Joyce for example, a centre for writing, a great book shop, the best restaurant in Ireland and a multi-cultural and historic area near by then we might have something.
For those of us interested in Cultural Quarters there are plenty of chances to ask questions and seize opportunities at the upcoming ‘Inspire the City’ Conference. This conference will focus on the social and economic impacts of creative quarters throughout Europe. We will be delighted to welcome guests from Helsinki, Nantes, Dublin, as well as the CURE project that brings together 8 creative quarters throughout the continent. Day includes coffee, light food & a wine reception that will double up as a networking sessions as the creative quarters showcased will offer significant opportunities for the audience.
Full programme and tickets here: http://inspirethecity.wix.com/seminar
Disgraceful ! Who actually uses the library ! Wot about housing and education ???
Here. I know for a fact that the library in the Ilac provides a valuable service for people learning English as a second language, libraries also provide a wealth of local books. Access to daily newspapers. Free access to books. An ebook rental service. Librarians provide knowledge or recommendations on good books by like authors of a favourite genre. They can be used for local events, as a study area for kids after school.
So in short, libraries are still needed as a cornerstone of a community. And you can rest assured that the people involved with trying to get this project off the ground had to fight tooth and nail for it, because funding doesn’t come easy to libraries, despite what people think, they have seen cuts too.
(Please don’t argue with an actual librarian on the worth of libraries)
No person said it is to be built any year
Soooon.
Remember the plan for the ambassador site
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