REPAIRS HAVE GOT underway at Dublin’s Iveagh Markets to stablise the historic building for future generations.

The roof 119-year-old markets will be repaired, along with the gutters and rainwater disposal system. The parapet and internal walls will also be stabilised.

The works are expected to be completed over the next two years.

In 2023, €9.5 million was allocated by the government in funding for conservation works on the markets in Dublin 8 through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.

Dublin City Council has today announced that it has appointed contractor Kelbuild Ltd to undertake the work.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam welcomed the programme of repairs, saying that they are “not just a building, they are a cornerstone of Dublin’s story and a symbol of the resilience and character” of The Liberties.

For generations, this place has stood at the heart of a community defined by its spirit, its craft, and its sense of belonging. Beginning these emergency works marks an essential and long-awaited step towards securing the Markets’ future.

Completed in 1906, the Iveagh Markets were developed by Edward Cecil Guinness – or Lord Iveagh – as part of a series of major urban regeneration projects he financed in The Liberties area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Originally intended to house street traders displaced by the development of the Bull Alley Estate on nearby Patrick Street, the markets were conceived as a ‘wet hall’ for the sale of fish, meat, and fresh produce and a ‘dry hall’ for second-hand clothes and household items.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said that the market is a “landmark of architectural, cultural, and social significance” in the Liberties.

“The planned works will help secure the architectural heritage of this important part of the city and I look forward to seeing the next phase of these essential stabilisation and repair works progress in the coming months,” Browne said.

Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council said the stabilisation of the Iveagh Markets is a priority for Dublin City Council and that the works will help it to “explore its potential” for future use.

Councillor Vincent Jackson, Chair of the South Central Area Committee, added that 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”.