Obair 2014

BULLETIN FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS

OBAIR

OBAIR 2014 BULLETIN FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS

Published by: The Office of Public Works, Head Office, Jonathan Swift Street, Trim, Co. Meath email: info@opw.ie www.opw.ie

2014

Contents

1 Introduction

30 D煤n Aonghasa

2 Rathfarnham Castle

34 Elizabeth Fort

6 Flood Risk Management

35 Castletown House

8 Intreo Programme 10 Casino Marino

37 Health and Safety Services

12 Schools Programme

38 Civil Ceremonies

14 Dublin Castle

39 Farewell to

Hatch Street

18 Building Control Regulations

36 Teagasc

40 Trim 5k Run

19 Newgrange

42 CIE Tours Awards

22 Art Management

43 Partnership

23 Business

Transformation Unit

44 Long Service Awards 46 Staff Changes

24 Ionad an

Bhlascaoid Mh贸ir 28 CFRAM Cover Image: Archaeology Plan/Alva Mac Gowan late 17th century Chinese porcelain plate excavated from Rathfarnham Castle.

Design: Bennis Design

Introduction

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Welcome to the 2014 edition of Obair Magazine.

As always, we are delighted to bring you a sample of the projects and events that make up the day to day running of our organisation.

In this issue, we feature the treasure trove of artefacts found at Rathfarnham Castle during the archaeological monitoring of the building works. In addition, interesting articles in relation to events that have taken place in OPW properties, throughout the year, from the Flood Risk Management Conference in Dublin Castle to the history of the Blaskets are covered.

Thank you to all our colleagues who took time to provide material for this issue.

We look forward to receiving your feedback and welcome suggestions and contributions for the 2015 edition.

The Obair Editorial Team OPW - Looking to the future - Caring for the past

1 OPW Headquarters, Trim.

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Rathfarnham Castle

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Exciting new discoveries at Rathfarnham Castle Rathfarnham Castle in South Dublin is a National Monument in State ownership since 1988. The Office of Public Works manages the site and has been undertaking a programme of restoration and conservation on the castle over the past twenty years.

Previous phases of works carried out by the OPW involved structural repairs, re-roofing, re-rendering, installation of services, and limited decoration. The current works relate to the provision of a new lift and staircase in the south-west tower, new toilet facilities and upgrading of doors and floors for fire resistance, as well as provision of

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external ramps and steps to allow level access to a new entrance point. These works are intended to significantly address both fire safety issues and universal accessibility limitations of this National Monument.

An Archbishop’s Castle The original castle at Rathfarnham dates back to the Elizabethan period (1583) and was built for Archbishop Adam Loftus, a Yorkshire clergyman who came to Ireland as chaplain to the Lord Deputy and quickly rose to become Archbishop of Armagh and Dublin, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, First Provost and founder of Trinity College Dublin, and Queen Elizabeth’s chief envoy to Ireland.

Rathfarnham Castle was a new architectural typology in Ireland, an Elizabethan fortified house, rectangular in plan, with four angled bastion towers influenced by French and Italian military design.

In the 18th century, the Castle was remodelled as a classical country house: the battlements were infilled, new Georgian-style windows added and the floor level of the first floor changed. The interiors above basement level were remodelled by some of the finest architects of the day including Londonbased Sir William Chambers and James ‘Athenian’ Stuart.

In 1912, the Castle was bought by the Jesuit Order who installed a new stairs in the south west tower and constructed two large dormitory wings later demolished by the OPW.

Today, many of the visitors come to see the elaborate 18th century plasterwork and rooms from the Georgian phases of the building and to enjoy the demesne grounds, now a public park managed

by South Dublin County Council.

Gunloops and Garderobes Recent discoveries arising from the current phase of works have shed new light on the earlier phases of the castle and its occupants.

As the builders carefully demolished the 20th century stairs and stripped back modern plasterwork in the south west flanker, they uncovered extensive evidence relating to earlier building periods including blocked gun loops, garderobes (medieval toilets), fireplaces and fragments of doors and windows dating from the 16th, 17th, and both early and later 18th centuries.

Identifying these various features allows us to reconstruct the old floor levels to try to identify the use of the rooms and to start to tell the story of the people who built and lived in Rathfarnham Castle.

Buried treasure While the demolition works revealed important information about the sixteenth century castle, the most exciting discovery however, relates to a hundred years after the castle was constructed. Excavations for the new lift shaft in the southwest flanker uncovered a unique assemblage of artefacts, deposited inside a wash pit adjacent to a drain that exits this tower.

The waterlogged context and the presence of a stone floor (c.1700) that completely sealed the wash pit meant that the objects were perfectly preserved. The collection dates from 16501700 and includes personal possessions encompassing fashion and toiletries, entertainment and diet and reflecting trade links between the inhabitants of the castle and the wider 17th century world. Over 17,000 individual artefacts were recorded, as seen in the photographs on the following pages.

there for washing and never retrieved, or dumped; the analysis is ongoing. In any case, the archaeologists believe that the artefacts belonged to a specific household, most likely that of Lord Adam Loftus (16251691), a descendant of the original Archbishop Adam Loftus.

These artefacts give us a rare and intimate insight into the lavish lifestyle of the castle’s elite residents. What makes it even more exciting is that they can be traced back to their original owners. As a collection they give an insightful story of the castle in the late 17th century. In the wider context, the wars and rebellions raging in 17th century Ireland mean that archaeological evidence from the 17th century is rare and this gives the wide-ranging Rathfarnham collection a uniqueness of both national and international consequence.

How or why the items were discarded is still being established - they may have been hidden when the castle was attacked, or placed 1 Rathfarnham Castle.

2 Lead crystal drinking goblets.

3 Wax Seals.

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Next steps On the 30 October 2014, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys, and Simon Harris, Minister of State were joined at the Castle by Chairman Clare McGrath of the OPW and Raghnall Ó Floinn, the Director of the National Museum, to make a public announcement regarding the archaeological finds. Extensive coverage on RTÉ and the Irish Times, as well as Archaeology Ireland and other fora brought the discovery to a wider audience. The artefacts have now all been recorded, catalogued, cleaned and undergone preliminary conservation and stabilisation before being removed to various specialists for analysis and description. A symposium will be held at Rathfarnham Castle later this year, where the archaeologists will give a paper on the excavation and overall assemblage and each specialist will present their

OPW Project Team

findings. All of the papers will then be collected together to constitute the final published archaeological report on the site. Following this, the OPW will work closely with the National Museum of Ireland to fully conserve the remarkable assemblage for exhibition.

With the artefacts safely retrieved, works on the main contract have resumed and the lift shaft is now being constructed. The castle will re-open in 2015 and it is hoped that OPW in conjunction with the National Museum of Ireland will, at a future date curate an exhibition in Rathfarnham Castle of the archaeological finds that tell us so much about the history of the castle and its inhabitants.

Eithne Moran, Architectural Services.

Architectural Services Eithne Moran, Barbara Kenny Civil & Structural Engineering Services Ian Wolfe, Engineer Mechanical & Engineering Services Conor Byrne Quantity Surveying Services Finbar Murphy Project Management Services Gerard Kennedy, Barry Nangle, Sandra Moyles Archaeologist Antoine Giacometti, Alva Mac Gowan, Archaeology Plan Main Contractor Dunwoody and Dobson Ltd. Partial Services Planning and tender documents

by CODA Architects 2010-2012

4 Minister Simon Harris and Minister Heather Humphreys holding a Chinese porcelain plate.

5 Artefacts relating to 17th Century Costume.

6 Small jars which would have contained ointments and cosmetics.

7 Selection of complete late 17th century glass wine and spirit bottles (Maxwell Photograhy).

8 Glass Figurine.

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Flood Risk Management 6

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Flood Risk Management Conference Dublin Castle 10 April 2014 The severe storms which battered the country and particularly the west coast in late 2013 and early 2014 were some of the worst ever recorded, caused huge damage to public infrastructure, serious coastal flooding and severe disruption and hardship for many home-owners and businesses. In light of these events and the ongoing public discussion in relation to flooding issues, flood risk insurance and concerns over potential climate change, Engineering Services organised a Flood Risk Management Conference in Dublin Castle on Thursday 10th April 2014.

The aim of the Conference was to allow the public and interested stakeholders to participate in a public policy debate on flood risk management in Ireland; to examine the background to and impacts of the recent severe weather and flooding; to set out the role of the OPW and other organisations in the management of flood risk; to outline work undertaken to date and future plans; and to discuss national priorities and public funding in relation to this issue.

Stakeholders from other Government Departments, State Agencies, industry representatives and community and voluntary groups were invited to participate and an audience of over 200 attended and took part in a lively and productive discourse throughout the day.

The Conference was officially opened by Minister of State Brian Hayes TD who outlined some ongoing and forthcoming capital programme priorities for OPW Flood Risk Management and summarised funding allocated by Governments, past and present, highlighting also the likely future significant funding that will be required as the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme identifies possibly up to 250 additional necessary schemes. He stated that, should the existing funding time-line continue, the programme of works identified by CFRAM could take up to 30 years to complete at a cost of somewhere in the region of â‚Ź1.5bn.

The next two speakers were Gerald Fleming of Met Eireann, and climatologist Dr. Conor Murphy of NUI Maynooth. This segment addressed the issue of

whether the previous winter of 2013/2014 was worse than average, were the storms exceptional and what does the future hold in store from a climate change perspective. The morning session was completed with a presentation by Tony Smyth, OPW Director of Engineering Services, who gave an overview of flood risk management in Ireland and what are the roles and responsibilities of the OPW. Kicking off the next session was Enda O’Donovan representing the National Flood Forum, a voluntary organisation representing people who have been affected by flooding and that has worked closely with OPW around the country, in County Cork in particular. Enda delivered a hard-hitting presentation, describing the devastating effects that flooding has had on communities and property owners around the country, the difficulties that home owners have faced in obtaining flood risk insurance and finished with a plea for Government to continue to fund flood relief schemes. Ian Talbot of Chambers Ireland outlined the difficulties faced by its members and Tom Turley of the IFA presented the case for the farming community.

A recurring theme was that the flood relief schemes being designed and built

by OPW and partners are working, they are proving successful but there is more work needed and more schemes required.

Paul McDonnell spoke on behalf of Insurance Ireland and in the context of very significant flood claims in recent years outlined the concerns of his members in a presentation entitled “Flooding and Climate Risk: Towards Better Public Policy Outcomes”. The last speaker before lunch was Seán Hogan, National Director of Fire and Emergency Management, Department of the Environment Community and Local Government who described measures being taken by primary responders and some of the difficulties that they have encountered during recent flood events.

After lunch and some networking opportunities, the afternoon session started with Mark Adamson, OPW Assistant Chief Engineer, delivering a detailed presentation on the CFRAM programme, the OPW’s integrated plan for flood risk management. Donal Kiely of Laois County Council presented the perspective of Local Authorities with a particular focus on sustainable planning and cross-Government cooperation. OPW Principal Officer Liam Basquille then spoke about the OPW’s capital works programme, giving details of the schemes that defend communities and coasts around the country.

paper on dealing with the phenomenon of monster rain and how urban storm drainage systems are equipped to handle flash flooding. Fearghal Ó Coighligh of the Heritage Division of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht outlined some of the policy issues, environmental requirements and constraints that flood risk management agencies have to take into consideration.

The final speaker on the day was Michael Collins, OPW Assistant Chief Engineer, who gave details of the OPW’s ongoing arterial drainage maintenance programme, which extends to 11,500km of channels, 800km of embankments and 19,000 structures.

The conference was chaired expertly by the well known ex-RTÉ presenter John Bowman who conducted Q&A sessions after each segment, often leading to lively interchanges among delegates and speakers.

The event was live tweeted by the OPW Press Office and featured on national broadcast and online news, over the course of the day and in print media in the days after. The feedback among those who attended was positive and it was widely felt that raising the profile of flood risk management in this manner could only have a positive impact for all concerned.

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Kevin Kennedy, Flood Risk Management.

1 Gerald Fleming and Minister Brian Hayes.

2 Tony Smyth, Engineering Services.

3 (l-r) Michael Collins, Minister Hayes, Liam Basquille and Tom Bolger.

The later afternoon session included presentations from Tom Bolger, OPW Assistant Chief Engineer, who outlined measures being taken in the area of hydrological research, data capture and dissemination. Gerry O’Connell of Dublin City Council gave an informative

4 Minister Brian Hayes and John Bowman (Maxwell Photography).

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The OPW has been involved in several projects throughout 2014:

Intreo Programme

Intreo is a new integrated employment and support service provided by the Department of Social Protection. The OPW was tasked with the provision of appropriate accommodation for the programme in early 2012. Intreo offices were completed at 10 locations in 2012 and a further 33 were completed in 2013.

Architectural Services Pat Boyle, Brian Casey, Fergal O’Connell M&E Services: Aidan McGovern, Conor Hayes, Tomas Moore Quantity Surveying Michael Barrett Partnership Structural Engineering Tim McDonnell (Advisory) Fire Engineering Michael Slattery Associates Project Management Brian Allen, Tim O Sullivan, Kathleen Hannon, Margaret McHugh

A selection of Intreo Offices completed in 2014 include the following: Abbeycourt House, Cork City This was the largest project within the overall programme providing an Intreo service for Cork City and consisted of a full retrofit and upgrade of a 1970s five storey office building of approx. 3,800m2 in a prominent city centre location with significant public services over 4 floors.

DESIGN TEAM

ProPERTY Management Paul Dolan, Mairead O’Donovan, Derek Devaney Main Contractor John Sisks & Sons Ltd. Project Duration: 24 weeks 1

The Guild Office Building, Cork Street, Dublin

DESIGN TEAM

A phased fit-out in a six storey over basement office development of approximately 4,300m2 built in 2006. Over 100 Intreo staff have been accommodated located on lower 4 floors with public services over 2 floors.

Architectural Services Pat Boyle, Aisling Kehoe, Fergal O’Connell M&E Services: Varmings Quantity Surveying JC Hogan & Sons 2

Structural Engineering DBFL Consulting Engineers Ltd. Fire Engineering Jeremy Gardner Associates Project Management Brian Allen, Mary Fitzsimons, Noreen O’ Leary, Jenny Dimond Property Management Marian O Dwyer, Brigid Cunningham, Derek Devaney Main Contractor Mythen Construction Ltd. Project Duration: 18 weeks

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Newbridge, Kildare

DESIGN TEAM

A phased fit-out in former premises of Newbridge Credit Union. Works took place in an occupied building with shared access and security issues.

Architectural Services Caroline Leaden, Brian Cashman M&E Services: Axis Engineering Quantity Surveying Scollard Doyle Project Management Brian Allen, Mary Fitzsimons, Noreen O’ Leary, Jenny Dimond Property Management Paul Dolan Main Contractor Mythen Construction Ltd. Project Duration: 6 weeks

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Castlebar, Mayo A fit-out at ground level of Michael Davitt House to provide a new Intreo public service area and changes associated with Revenue Commissioners accommodation.

The project piloted an open interview booth cluster located within the public area.

Edel Collins, Architectural Services.

DESIGN TEAM Architectural Services Caroline Leaden, Gosia Kudyba, Yvonne O’Driscoll M&E Services: Aidan McGovern, Tomas Moore Quantity Surveying TC Estimating Structural Engineering Kieran Walsh (Advisory) Clerk of Works: Tony Collins Project Management Brian Allen, Thomas Monaghan, Áine de Búrca, Ciara Glynn

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Property Management Derek Devaney

1 Abbeycourt House, Cork City.

Main Contractor Purcell Construction Ltd.

2 The Guild Office Building, Cork Street, Dublin.

3 The Guild Office interior.

4 Intreo Centre interior, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

Project Duration: 16 weeks

5 Michael Davitt House interior, Castlebar, Mayo.

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Casino Marino 1 10

The internationally renowned neoclassical Casino is a key heritage property for Irish and international visitors.

This beautiful miniature architectural masterpiece known as the Casino is all that remains of Lord Charlemont’s vast 18th century garden at Marino.

Appearing to be a one room temple from the outside, there are actually sixteen rooms over three levels on the inside, making this Georgian gem Dublin’s own Tardis. The Casino, meaning ‘small house’ surprises visitors as they discover the remarkable secrets of this architectural gem. Its lavishly decorated and compact exterior cleverly disguises an interior of intimate rooms displaying intricately ornate Georgian motifs. The richly patterned marquetry floors and beautifully executed plasterwork act as a historical backdrop to the Casino’s past, lovingly brought to life by our team of friendly and knowledgeable guides.

In 2014 Casino held three new exhibitions: Our first exhibition of the year was the most iconic image of the Battle of Clontarf – a painting by Hugh Frazer RHA which features in many books on Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf.

The painting travelled from Hawaii to Dublin courtesy of Kildare Partners who made the painting available for the one thousandth anniversary of this seminal battle in Irish and European history.

Casino hosted this very large painting depicting Brian Boru at his tent overlooking the battlefield stretching into the distance with Howth in the background. On public display in the Blue Salon of the building for six weeks from 15 March – 24 April, it attracted over 1600 visitors to the building in this short space of time. Many of these visitors were local people who had never visited Casino but because of the local nature of the exhibition made a special effort to come and

see this dramatic original painting and hear the story of its connection to the area and Lord Charlemont.

Our second exhibition this year was Paradise Lost: Lord Charlemont’s Garden at Marino. This was an innovative multimedia exhibition which brought the lost landscape surrounding the Casino back to life inside the walls of the last standing garden building. The exhibition, curated by Mary Heffernan of National Historic Properties and Dr. Rose Anne White, an independent researcher who had worked at Casino, brought together for the first time, evidence of the wonderful designed landscape of which Casino was once an integral part.

Chairman, Clare McGrath, said at the opening, “I’m very pleased to be here today in one of OPW’s premier sites to open this exhibition, which captures the spirit of the vanished gardens at the Casino wonderfully.

I’m particularly proud that the exhibition can be enjoyed on many levels, using your phone to access the trail map app, browsing the website and of course visiting the excellent exhibition here at the Casino.”

The unique interiors of the building have been chosen to showcase the work of artists and designers.

Our third exhibition of the year called Meditation on Plates: inspired by Lord Charlemont’s Casino.

A group of 38 esteemed Irish and international artists, designers and architects were invited to respond to the Casino building, some of its ornamental elements or surroundings in a personal drawing. The artists’ drawings have been transferred onto porcelain plates and reproduced in a limited edition of 16 plates per artist.

The resulting collection is astonishing in its variety of interpretations and the quality and beauty of the work.

Included in this exhibition are plates by Dorothy Cross, Barnabà Fornasetti, Richard Gorman, Eithne Jordan and Alessandro Mendini. Many of the participants are Italian,

living in Italy or have lived in Italy. This ties in with Lord Charlemont’s desire following his nine year long Grand Tour of Italy, Greece, Turkey and Egypt, to create an Italian arcadia at Marino inspired by his love of Italy. ‘Meditation on Plates, inspired by Lord Charlemont’s Casino’ pays homage to Lord Charlemont, to his love of art and his passion for Italy. Each plate is a covetable work of art collated in a memorable exhibition by artist and designer Nuala Goodman. www.meditationonplates.com The extensive Grand Tour embarked on by the young James Caulfield as a student, encouraged a lifelong passion for learning which culminated in Lord Charlemont later becoming a founding member and first President of the Royal Irish Academy. The Casino education programme continues this legacy through our Maths Trails, Science and Inventions Workshops, Historical Tours and other specialised educational events in association with schools and educational groups.

Pauline Kennedy, National Historic Properties.

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1 (l-r) Pauline Kennedy, Chairman Clare McGrath, Minister Hayes, Commissioner John McMahon and Mary Heffernan (John T. Ohle Photography).

2 Chairman Clare McGrath and Dr. Romilly Turton (Maxwell Photography).

3 Casino Lion.

4 Plate by Fornasetti.

5 Detail of Plate by Eithne Jordan.

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Schools Programme

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The OPW was engaged by the Department of Education and Skills in 2012, to undertake the design and delivery of a number of primary school buildings sited throughout the country. These schools form part of the Programme for Government, and the Government’s Capital Investment Programme.

In 2014, Architectural Services managed the construction of seven primary schools which were delivered on time and within budget. The success of the OPW Schools Programme was achieved through the development of a generic school design that could be manipulated to suit a variety of different briefs.

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Scoil Bhríde, Edenderry, Co. Offaly A new two storey primary school with a total internal floor area of 4876m2 which consists of 30 classrooms, including a 6 classroom special needs unit, a general purpose room, libraries, support accommodation and all ancillary works.

3 1 Gaelscoil Éadan Doire.

2 Scoil Brhíde Éadan Doire.

3 Scoil Naomh Eltin.

4 Scoil Bhríde Mionloch.

5 Gaelscoil Caladh an Treoigh.

6 Gaelscoil Caladh an Treoigh interior.

7 Scoil Náisiúnta na Scairte Leithe.

Gaelscoil Éadan Doire, Co. Offaly A new primary school single/ two storey building with a total internal floor area of 1363m2 which consists of 8 classrooms, a general purpose room, library, support accommodation and all ancillary works.

The overall site development for both schools included the provision of 89 on-site car parking spaces, vehicular access roads, set down area, pedestrian access pathways, ball courts, play areas and landscaping on a site area of circa. 3.3 hectares.

Gaelscoil Caladh an Treoigh, Castletroy, Co Limerick

Scoil Naomh Eltin, Kinsale, Co. Cork.

St. Andrew’s National School, Lucan, Co. Dublin

A new two storey school with a new total internal floor area of 2365m2 which consists of 8 classrooms, a general purpose room, library, support accommodation and all ancillary works.

The development included the demolition of the existing single storey primary school, the construction of a two storey primary school consisting of 16 classrooms, general purpose hall, library, support accommodation and all ancillary works.

The development consists of the construction of a new two storey primary school with a total internal floor area of 2632m2. This comprises 16 classrooms, 1 special needs unit, a general purpose room, library, support accommodation and all ancillary works.

Scoil Bhríde Mionloch, Menlo, Co. Galway

St. Andrew’s was the first project within OPW to be administered under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations S.I.9, as introduced in March 2014. This involved the Design Team and the Contractor’s team implementing a regime of documented site inspections supplemented by certification and testing procedures to ensure the building was constructed in full compliance with current building regulatory requirements.

Scoil Náisiúnta na Scairte Léithe, Midleton, Co. Cork A new single/two storey primary school building with a total internal floor area of 2302m2 consisting of 12 classrooms including 4 special needs units, a general purpose room, library, support accommodation and all ancillary site work on the site of the existing primary school.

Development consisted of demolition of an existing single storey school with the construction of a new two storey 1200m2 primary school building, accommodation included 8 classrooms, reception, principal’s office, staff room, library, multipurpose room and support accommodation.

Saskia O’Connor, Architectural Services.

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Exhibitions at Dublin Castle 1

Dublin Castle was delighted and proud to present a number of exhibitions in the State Apartments and in the Coach House. The exhibitions comprised of historic painting collections and VIP invitations, drawings on glass, unique jewellery and body ornaments, photography, a stunning collection of paintings, fine French furniture and clocks. These unique and magnificent exhibitions enhanced our visitors/tourists experience of Dublin Castle.

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The Morpeth Roll: State Apartments, 26 February – 4 April In 1841 Irish people responded to a call from Daniel O’Connell and others to sign a testimonial to present George Howard, Lord Morpeth on the occasion of his stepping down as Chief Secretary of Ireland. The result was the Morpeth Roll, a collection of 160,000 signatures on 652 sheets of paper. These were joined together to make a roll 420 metres in length.

This remarkable historic artefact, now being seen in public for the first time in 170 years, is a unique record of a significant proportion of the Irish population at the time. The Morpeth Roll was exhibited in various locations including Kilkenny Castle, NUI Maynooth and Queen’s University Belfast.

Minister Brian Hayes formally unveiled this famous roll on 26 February 2014 in the State Apartments, Dublin Castle.

Alec Cobbe: State Apartments, 6 June – 24 September For over 40 years Alec Cobbe has been a key figure in the understanding and presentation of historic painting collections and interiors. Born in Dublin in 1945, he began his career as a creative artist making paintings concerned with light and architectural spaces; he trained as a painting conservator and his artistic interests also led him towards the redecoration and arrangement of historic interiors. Over his career he has produced some hundreds of designs, which are now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Archive of Art and Design. In addition, Alec Cobbe has transformed and enhanced great interiors in houses both in the UK and Ireland, such as Petworth, Kenwood, Harewood, Castletown Cox, and his family home Newbridge House, Co. Dublin. His work relies on detailed historical knowledge, together with his skill in combining paintings, furnishings and architecture into a rich ensemble.

He has also enlivened the display of museum collections in historic houses and palaces, with imaginative and historically informed exhibition furniture – at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scotland. The exhibition was formally opened by His Excellency, Dominic Chilcott, British Ambassador on 5th June.

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Ulysses Cylinders by Dale Chihuly and Seaver Leslie: Coach House, 19 June – 23 August 1 Mr Dale Chihuly and Chairman Clare McGrath with the gift donated to the State Art Collection ‘Resdea Green Basket Set with Black Water Lip Wrap’ (Maxwell Photography).

2 (l-r) Julius Bryant, Victoria and Albert Museum, Mary Heffernan, OPW and Alec Cobbe at the launch of the Alec Cobbe Exhibition (Maxwell Photography).

alchemic artistry of Dale Chihuly with painter Seaver Leslie’s pen and ink drawings to create a unique collection of golden glass cylinders.

Dale Chihuly’s vibrant coloured glass installations and opulent chandeliers hang in many of the world’s most prestigious museums and public spaces including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre in Paris and the Corning Museum of Glass, New York.

Chihuly and Leslie’s love of Ireland and Irish literature inspired an earlier series, Irish Cylinders, over forty years ago. The series was completed in anticipation of a lecture tour in England and Ireland focusing on the artwork’s literary connections.

In the summer of 2013, Chihuly and Leslie, together with Flora C. Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick decided to revisit this body of work focusing on Joyce’s Ulysses as the sole inspiration. Working with Leslie’s drawings on paper, artists Mace and Kirkpatrick constructed fragile glass drawings, which Chihuly’s team studio amalgamated into individual cylinders of glass wrapped in gold leaf. Each drawing offers a visual trigger into selected narratives of Ulysses as recounted by Joyce.

Dale Chihuly donated a gift to the State Art Collection a piece of his artwork Reseda Green Basket Set with Black Water Lip Wrap, which was accepted by Chairman, Clare McGrath. The exhibition was opened by Senator David Norris.

The Irish public had a unique opportunity to see the work of one of the world’s most renowned artists when ‘Ulysses Cylinders’ opened in the Coach House, Dublin Castle. This collaborative exhibition combines the 15

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Desire - Jewellery & Body Ornaments, A Retrospective

by Sonja Landweer: Coach House, 10 October – 31 October Sonja Landweer, the internationally celebrated Dutch artist, was born in Amsterdam in 1933. In 1952, she studied ceramics at the Amsterdam School of Industrial Design, the Rietveld Acadamie. In the early 1960s, Sonja moved to Ireland where she has lived for over fifty years. She first came to teach at the Kilkenny Design Workshops where she was artist-in-residence.

The unique Irish landscape has magical resonance for her and became her home, offering endless inspiration.

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Widely known as a ceramic artist, this comprehensive survey of her jewellery explores her imaginative use of materials working with paper, stone, slate and bone in combination with other materials. She has represented Ireland in numerous exhibitions abroad with her autonomous forms of adornment, turning everyday materials into beautiful body sculptures.

The exhibition was curated by Bryan Murphy, Peppercanister Gallery, Dublin and was formally opened by Professor Alex Milton, Programme Director of Irish Design 2015 on 9 October 2014.

‘Silent Exposure’ the photography of William Despard Hemphill: State Apartments, 24 October – 31 December An exhibition of the photography of William Despard Hemphill (18161902). Dr. Hemphill was a native of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary and this wonderful exhibition opened in the Main Guard, Clonmel last July and proved very popular for its duration there. The exhibition in the State Apartments, Dublin Castle was officially opened by David Davison of Davison & Associates Ltd., one of Ireland’s best known commercial photographic companies. Hemphill’s images – portraits, still-life, architecture and scenery – are records of immense historical value. They are also sublime works of art, inviting us to reflect on temporal beauty, artistic rendering

and photography as interpretation. He was among the first to photograph in detail antiquities such as the Rock of Cashel, Holycross Abbey and Cahir Castle.

Visitors to the exhibition in Dublin Castle had the opportunity to view some of Hemphill’s 3D photography - experiencing them as the Victorians would have through special 3D viewers known as stereoscopes.

Alongside the exhibition, the OPW has produced an illustrated publication: William Despard Hemphill, Irish Victorian Photographer edited by Dr Karol MullaneyDignam, depicting the life and times of this almost forgotten photographer.

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The Granard Bequest: State Apartments, permanent exhibition on view from 28 October Minister Simon Harris, formally unveiled The Granard Bequest in the State Apartments, Dublin Castle on 28 October. Jane Beatrice (nee Mills, 1882-1972), Countess of Granard and wife of Sir Bernard Forbes, the 8th Earl requested that some of her art works be donated to the Irish State after her death. The Granard Bequest comprises a collection of paintings, fine French furniture and clocks, oriental porcelain and other items from the original collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Granard residences in Paris and Longford. This rare and valuable collection includes a portrait ‘Countess of Southhampton’ by Sir Anthony Van Dyck which is on display in the Drawing Room, Dublin Castle. Since 1973 several generous additions have been made to the bequest by Lord and Lady Granard’s son, Sir Arthur Forbes, 9th Earl of Granard, who continued to donate items to Dublin Castle until his death in 1992.

Eye of the Beholder, Czech and Slovak photographic exhibition: Coach House, 8 November – 7 December The photographic exhibition was prepared by professional and amateur Czech and Slovak photographers living in Ireland. The photos were taken of some of the most beautiful locations in Ireland from Kerry to the Giant’s Causeway.

Angela Cassidy, National Historic Properties.

5 3 (l-r) Eric WDH Earle, William Despard Hemphill’s grandson, Dr Karol MullaneyDignam, Editor of Irish Victorian Photographer and David Davison, Davison and Associates Ltd at the launch of the ‘Silent Exposure’ Exhibition (Lensmen Photographic Agency).

4 (l-r) Ann Mulrooney, CEO, Carlow Visual Arts Centre, Sonja Landweer, Artist and Mary Heffernan, OPW at the launch of ‘Desire’.

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5 Beatrice nee Mills, Countess of Granard (National Portrait Gallery, London).

6 (l-r) Joanne Bannon, OPW, Martin Hennessy, Antique Time, Dr. Jane Fenlon, Art Historian and Minister Simon Harris at the launch of the Granard Exhibition (Lensmen Photographic Agency).

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Building Control Regulations

1 1 Construction of St. Andrew’s National School, Lucan, Co. Dublin.

2 Inspection of cavity wall.

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Building Control (Amendment) Regulations or (BCAR) New Building Control Regulations came into operation from 1 March 2014.

The new regulations apply to building works for which Certificates of Compliance under the Building Control Regulations are required.

The areas covered include: Certification Lodgement of plans and documentation Inspections during construction Roles and duties The OPW Architectural Practice made a major contribution to the successful implementation of these new regulations including; getting industry agreement

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to standard compliance certificates; presenting at training seminars; and inputting into the Building Control Management System.

In reaction to the change in both process and legal requirements associated with the introduction of the new legislation, the OPW Architectural Practice have developed a series of procedures which are being integrated into ISO systems.

These new procedures and supporting documents were trailed on a number of live construction projects.

On completion of these projects the procedures and documents will be reviewed, assessed and updated if required. Lessons learned from these projects will form part of future CPD training during 2015.

A series of training seminars have taken place in Dublin Castle over the course of 2014 for all the OPW Architectural Practice staff to both explain the changes brought about by the legislation and to train staff in the implementation of the new procedures.

Presentations were also made to OPW colleagues; Civil and Structural Engineering Services; Mechanical and Electrical Services; Quantity Surveying Section; Property Management Services and to technical staff in the Department of Education.

Edel Collins, Architectural Services.

Newgrange – An Inspiring Monument

Newgrange

In the summer of 1897, the Irish author and artist AE (George Russell) visited Newgrange. Later he wrote that as he lay in front of the monument in the sunshine, he fell into a sort of a dreamy meditation that produced a vision. This ‘vision’ led to his well known poem ‘Dream Of Angus Oge’.

‘This was my palace. In days past many a one plucked here the purple flower of magic and the fruit of the tree of life…but look: you will see it is the palace of a god.

And even as he spoke, a light began to glow and to pervade the cave, and to obliterate the stone walls and the antique hieroglyphics engraved thereon, and to melt the earthen floor into itself like a fiery sun suddenly uprisen within the world, and there was everywhere a wandering ecstasy of sound: Light and sound

were one; light had a voice, and the music hung glittering in the air…’

His poem describes sunlight flooding into the ancient chamber some 70 years before it was actually witnessed for the first time in modern times by Professor O’Kelly during his excavations in the 1960s.

In September 1898, Maud Gonne wrote to WB Yeats: ‘I am sending you a parcel containing...a little box of earth from New Grange, from the very centre of that wonderful Irish pyramid... try some experiments with it. I am doing so and I will write and tell you more when I have time’. Being of such central importance to Irish mythology and mystery was irresistible to Yeats and his circle.

Newgrange was rediscovered in 1699 and has inspired, fascinated and impressed visitors ever since.

Today’s tourists write to us and tell us that their visit to the ancient site has had a deep impact on them, that the memory of their visit has stayed with them and that they feel drawn back. When asked how they feel about the monuments, visitors say that they experienced astonishment, reverence, a connection with the past and, for many, that they had felt a definite sense of something ‘sacred’ about the place.

Newgrange remains a profoundly inspiring monument, one that easily transcends age, culture, language in the same way that all truly great and ageless works of art do.

This is why Newgrange is so important to us all and why it is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Everyone has a theory as to the how and why of the site and no one can but be impressed by its engineering and its art.

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Northeast of the city of Flagstaff in northern Arizona is the Roden Crater, probably the largest art project ever.

In the mid 1970’s, the artist James Turrell bought the land where the 400,000-yearold, 4.8km-wide crater is situated and has since been transforming the inner cone of the crater into a massive observatory, designed specifically for viewing and experiencing sky-light, solar and celestial phenomena. He was inspired by Newgrange, the Temple of Karnak in Egypt and Maes Howe in Scotland.

Joseph Beuys, the co-founder of the German Green Party, and an artist who is now regarded as one of the most influential creative forces of the second half of the 20th century, visited Newgrange in 1974. He was very moved by his visit and in his drawing entitled “The Three Energies of Newgrange”, he sought to interpret and draw meaning from the spirals and lozenges on the Entrance stone.

He later incorporated the tri-spiral into his artwork, just as countless others have done.

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In Ireland, Newgrange has influenced and motivated many well known artists in recent years such as Bea Orpen, Nano Reid, Louis le Brocquy, Sean Hillen and Richard Moore.

Seamus Heaney was, of course, a regular visitor to the site and his poem ‘A Dream of Solstice’ celebrates the rising sun at the turn of the Millennium on 21 December 1999. His words convey wonderfully a sense that the 5,000 year monument is central to a Cosmic order – ‘Dawn light began stealing Through the cold universe to County Meath, Over weirs where the Boyne water, fulgent, darkling, Turns its thick axle, over rick-sized stones Millennia deep in their own unmoving And unmoved alignment’.

Richard Murphy writes about the roof box through which the sun shines at mid winter dawn in his 1985 poem

‘Newgrange’ ‘One cairn eye stayed open to feed the dead A ray of wintry hope, fixed on rebirth’ Poet Paul Durcan’s ‘A Snail in my Prime’ also celebrates the monument and this poem in turn was set to music

by Irish composer Michael Holohan (who also worked as a Newgrange Guide in the 1980’s). Michael has also composed music celebrating Dowth, Knowth, and the Winter Solstice. Other music associated with Newgrange includes songs by Clannad and the Wolfe Tones.

In recent years, Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre has hosted many different art exhibitions.

Artists, both professional and amateur, old and young are invited to display their work. The only proviso is that the art must “in some way reflect, explore or illuminate some aspect of the meaning or archaeology of Brú na Bóinne”.

When we began to host exhibitions in the late 1990’s we thought that the supply of new work would dry up very quickly. To the contrary, the number of people and groups applying to have their art on display has increased and already we have several exhibitions booked in for 2015. These exhibitions give visitors a different view and are an extension to the regular interpretation of the monuments.

We have hosted works by exhibitors using many different materials including paintings, sculptures, embroidery, lace work, felting, photography, metal work

and ceramics. The youngest exhibitors have been primary school students and the oldest were local artists celebrating their creativity during the Bealtaine festival.

For the past three years, the OPW has organised the Winter Solstice Art Competition, the prize being a place in the chamber at dawn on 21 December. The standard of work received shows that Newgrange continues to inspire and fascinate not just artists, authors and musicians, but all visitors with awe and wonder.

Clare Tuffy, National Monuments.

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1 Newgrange.

2 Crowd gathers for Winter Solstice.

3 Winners of Children’s Art Competition with Minister Harris (Maxwell Photography).

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Art Management

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Annual Touring Exhibition In 2014, the OPW Art Management Office in co-operation with the Department of Finance and Personnel of Northern Ireland toured the exhibition entitled Unfold to four venues nationwide. A selection of 30 artworks from the two collections managed by the OPW and Department of Finance and Personnel was made by 9 young curators from the Digital Media course, Institute of Technology in Tallaght and was facilitated by the Tallaght based arts

centre RUA RED. The student curators chose the artworks according to their own tastes and they themselves provided the links between the artworks. The exhibition evolved and unfolded from their discussions and debates about the selections. They selected the title of the exhibition to explain the process - to unfold something is to discover, reveal, open it out.

Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry in September, Parliament Buildings, Belfast in October and finishing in the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, Co. Clare from December to January 2015.

The exhibition was launched in RUA RED, South Dublin Arts Centre in August 2014, touring to the Sean

Marian O’Brien, Art Management.

Irish TV featured the exhibition on Clare Matters.

In 2015 it is the turn of students from Ulster University to curate the artworks from both collections.

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1 Young Curators.

2 Martin Kennedy.

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3 ‘Luxembourg Rose’

by Jason Ellis (Denis Mortell Photography).

Business Transformation Unit

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A Capacity Capability Review of the Estate Portfolio Management function of the Office of Public Works was completed in April 2014.

The Review affirmed that the OPW should retain the property functions, expertise, design and intelligent client capabilities that are essential for the efficient delivery of our mandated services to client Departments and to the Government.

The Review also contained 12 recommendations, showing us the direction that OPW needs to take to adapt to the new challenges as a leader of Property Asset Management Reform in the public service and ways that we can improve our current working arrangements to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

The Report represents a significant opportunity for the OPW and its staff and strengthens the OPW’s role as a strategic leader in the area of Property Asset Management Reform.

In May, the Chairman undertook a series of 10 open meetings with staff in relation to the outcome of the Review. These meetings took place in a number of locations including Claremorris, Dublin, Kilkenny, Templemungret and Trim, and were attended by over 220 people from all parts of the country. She met with very positive, constructive and open engagement on all the issues concerned with the Capacity & Capability Review.

Sanction was sought from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to establish a Business Transformation Unit (BTU) in accordance with the recommendations contained in the Capacity & Capability Review and in September 2014, the BTU was established. Staff assignments to the Team followed and the Unit is now fully operational.

The BTU project seeks to better integrate the people, processes, systems and information technology, to best suit our common purpose in Estate Portfolio Management and encompassing the property elements of the Heritage Services. We will identify new ways of working that connect people better with each other and give them the tools to improve outcomes for our clients.

Eilís O’Connell, Director, Business Transformation Unit.

1 (L-R) Eilís O’ Connell, Lorraine Crawford, Michael Duffy, Caroline McCombs, Suzanne Reeves, Mairead O’ Donovan & Chris Mullen.

Absent from photo John Gallagher and Jerry O’ Shea.

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Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir 1

Cartlann Grianghraif Ionaid an Bhlascaoid Thóg Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir i 1992/3 agus ó shin i leith táthar tar éis cnuasach an-luachmhar de phictiúir a tógadh de lucht an Bhlascaoid a chur le chéile i Leabharlann an Ionaid agus is ann anois atá an cnuasach is mó ar domhan de phictiúir den mBlascaod agus a mhuintir.

Bronnadh roinnt mhaith pictiúir orainn le fiche bliain anuas agus níl aon bhiaiste nach dtagann tuilleadh pictiúir ón mBlascaod in ár

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dtreo. Táimid thar a bheith buíoch dóibh seo ar fad a bhronn pictiúir orainn i rith na mblianta sin, agus táimid go mór fé chomaoin acu siúd de mhuintir an oileáin a cabhraigh linn na daoine sna grianghraif a aithint. Tá leagan dhigiteach de gach pictiúr atá againn ar fáil anois agus catalóg ina dteannta, agus fáilte roimh an bpobal tamall a chaitheamh ag gabháil tríothu i gCartlann OPW Ionad an Bhlascaoid.

Is é Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, Francach, a thóg an chéad ghrianghraf buan riamh, éacht a rinne sé

timpeall 1826 nó ‘27 agus is é Louis Daguerre, sa bhliain 1838, a thóg an chéad ghrianghraf riamh a raibh daoine ann. Bheadh tamall maith eile ann sula mbeadh aon ghrianghraf tógtha ar an mBlascaod Mór, ar fhíor imeall thiar na hÉireann.

Mar tuigtear dúinn gur sa bhliain 1892 a tógadh an chéad phictiúr sin agus atá ar marthain fós, ar an oileán iargúlta seo agus b’í an Meiriceánach Alma Curtin a rinne an obair sin. Sé bliana ina dhiaidh sin a tógadh an chéad phictiúr de dhaoine ar an oileán agus ba é Charles R. Browne a thóg iad sin.

1 Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir.

2 Baile an Bhlascaoid Mhóir.

3 Naomh Óg.

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Go deimhin, is cúramaí eile, seachas an ghrianghrafadóireacht, a bhí ar na chéad daoine a thóg pictiúir ar an mBlascaod – béaloideasaithe ba ea na Curtins agus antraipeolaí ba ea Browne. Ach is maith an earra gur thugadar a gceamaraí leo, cé gur obair dhuaisiúil go maith ba ea bheith i mbun ghrianghrafadóireachta ag deireadh na naoú haoise déag, ach go háirithe ar oileán beag a raibh gaoth láidir agus farraigí fiáine an Atlantaigh Thuaidh ag gabhail de shíor dó. Pobal a chonaic a leor ndóthain den challshaoth is den chiapadh ba ea pobal an Bhlascaoid Mhóir san chuid is mó den naoú haois déag.

Díreach roimh aimsir an Ghorta Mhóir do rinne gníomhairí díocasacha de chuid na hEaglaise Protastúnaí iarracht thréan ar na hoileánaigh a d’iompú ón gcreideamh Caitliceach go dtí an gcreideamh Protastúnach. Ar dhuine acu siúd ba ghníomhaí a bhí sa bhfeachtas sin tá Mrs. D. P. Thompson a scrígh mar gheall ar na Blascaodaigh i leabhar léi a foilsíodh in 1846: “These people are in a state of extreme ignorance, not a single individual in the island could read, write or speak a word of English....” Rud amháin a rinne na misinéirí Protastúnacha, áfach, ba ea muintir an Bhlascaoid a chur ar chonair na léitheoireachta agus na scríbhneoireachta, sular thosaigh aon dream eile ar a dhéanta. Mar is eol don saol mór, do chruthaigh na Blascaodaigh ina dhiaidh sin go raibh scileanna litearthachta agus seanchais den scoth acu.

Mar gheall ar gur thosaigh na hoileánaigh ag baint

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earraíochta as na naomhóga ó thús na n-ochtóidí de chuid na naoú haoise déag, b’fhusa dóibh talamh tirim na míntíre a bhaint amach agus b’fhusa do chuairteoirí an t-oileán a bhaint amach, dá réir sin, mar go mbíodh níos mó geábhanna á dtabhairt amach ag muintir an oileáin.

Deirtear, áfach, nár chuir na hoileánaigh fáilte ró-mhór roimh mhuintir Curtin – agus ba é sin an fáth, is dócha, nach bhfuil aon daoine le feiscint sna grianghraif a thógadar agus atá ar fail fós.

Fé thús na fichiú haoise do bhí feabhas nach beag ag teacht ar an saol a bhí acu ar an mBlascaod agus, i gcomparáid leis ‘An Drochshaol’ in éis an Ghorta Mhóir, do bhí speilp éigin ar na daoine. Do rug an ‘Drochshaol’ greim an uafáis orthu agus do chonaiceadar a ndóthain de dhearóile an tsaoil ó aimsir an Ghorta Mhóir gur tháinig na maicréil chun fóirithinte orthu faoi dheireadh na naoú haoise déag.

Dá réir sin is uile, do tháinig méadú ar an ndaonra agus feabhas ar an saol, sa tslí is go bhfuair na chéad grianghrafadóirí a tháinig chucu pobal beo bríomhar rompu, pobal fáilteach a thál saíocht agus seanchas orthu go rábach. Pobal é seo ná raibh aon doicheall acu roimh an gceamara ná lucht a oibrithe.

Tháinig scoláirí mór le rá, maille le scríbhneoirí agus intleachtaigh eile chun an oileáin sa chéad tríocha bliain den bhfichiú haois chun an ‘saol Gaelach’ agus an teanga dhúchais a bhlaiseadh agus chun cuntais a scríobh faoin bpobal agus a gcultúr. De réir a chéile do spreag na cuairteoirí seo na hoileánaigh féin chun pinn a chur ar pháir.

Is é an scríbhneoir J. M. Synge an chéad scríbhneoir mór le rá a thóg grianghraif chomh maith le linn a chuairte i 1905 – grianghraif thar a bheith tábhachtach. Orthu seo eile a thóg grianghraif idir tús an chéid agus tús tríochaidí an chéid bhí leithéidí Carl Von Sydow, George Thomson, Robin Flower, Thomas Waddicor, Placido Castro del Rio, Thomas Mason agus tuilleadh.

Thosnaigh an saol mór ag cur aithne ar scríbhneoirí an Bhlascaoid ó dheireadh na bhfichidí den bhfichiú haois agus tharraing sé seo tuilleadh cuairteoirí chun an oileáin, maille lena gceamaraí.

Tógadh cuid mhaith pictiúir de Pheig Sayers agus do Thomás Dhomhnaill Criomhthain, ach go hairithe ach tógadh pictiúir, de réir a chéile, de údair eile, de sheanchaithe, de leanaí scoile agus de fhormhór gach n-aon a bhí ina gcónaí ar an stocán mara seo.

De dheasca na himirce do bhí cuid mhaith de mhuintir an Bhlascaoid socraithe fútha sna Stáit Aontaithe faoi dhaichidí na fichiú aoise, tógadh pictiúir díobh seo chomh maith. D’fhan cuid de na pictiúir sin thall agus cuireadh cuid acu abhaile chomh maith.

Do lean cuairteoirí, ar nós Thomás Ó Muircheartaigh, Risteard Ó Glaisne agus muintir MacMonagle, ag tógaint phictiúir ar an mBlascaod go dtí gur ‘tréigeadh’ an t-oileán i 1953 agus tá grianghraif den scoth den ‘dtréigean’ féin againn a thóg Louis MacMonagle ón Cork Examiner ar an 17 Samhain, 2013, dáta ‘oifigiúil’ an eachtra thruamhéalaigh sin.

Fiú agus an Blascaod ‘tréigthe’ do chuaigh daoine ar cuairt ann leithéidí Ned Fitzgerald, ó Thrá Lí, a bhailíodh leis isteach aon uair a bhíodh na hoileánaigh ar ath-chuairt ann ar ghnó amháin nó gnó eile. Ar ndóigh, níor dhearmad an Gearaltach a cheamara a bhreith leis agus ba mhaith an earra é chun pictiúir a thógaint. Ar na grianghrafadóirí mór le rá a thóg pictiúir ar an oileán in éis a ‘thréigin’ do bhí Colman Doyle agus Pat Langan.

Ní stadfar go deo ag tógaint phictiúir ar an mBlascaod, mar go minic a chuireann ciúnas agus áille an bhaill seo grianghrafadóirí agus ealaíontóirí faoi gheasa.

Le teacht an cheamara dhigiteach agus an idirlín is féidir pictiúir a thógaint ar an mBlascaod agus é a bheith san Astráil taobh istigh de chúpla soicind.

Ní caillfear an Blascaod Mór go deo fad is atá taifid mar seo againn.

Micheál de Mórdha, Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir.

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4 Neilí agus Máirín.

5 Muintir an oileain.

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National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme Floods are a natural and inevitable part of life in Ireland that pose a risk to human life and wellbeing, property and the environment. It is likely that the effects of climate change will make flooding more frequent and severe in the future.

CFRAM

The National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works to meet the needs of national flood policy and the requirements of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive.

It involves a comprehensive flood risk assessment focused on 300 areas of potentially significant flood risk across the country and the development of longterm, sustainable flood risk management plans. These areas are known within the Programme as the Areas for Further Assessment or the ‘AFAs’. The designated AFAs were selected following a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment which was carried out in 2011. The purpose of the CFRAM Programme is to:

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assess and map the existing and potential significant flood hazard and risk within the study areas,

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build the strategic information base necessary for making informed decisions in relation to managing flood risk, and

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identify viable structural and non-structural measures and options for managing the flood risks for localised highrisk areas and within each river catchment as a whole.

There are three main stages in the Programme, each involving public consultation: •

Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (2011) completed

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Flood Hazard Mapping (2013 - 2014)

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Catchment Flood Risk Management Plans (2015).

The CFRAM Programme will produce a comprehensive suite of flood maps for each AFA which will identify the risk in those areas for flooding events of varying severity, ranging from frequent events, such as those that might be seen every couple of years, up

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to very extreme events that might not be seen for generations. The Programme will then look at all possible options to address flood risk in each AFA and, where possible, will identify viable flood risk management measures. The identified measures will form the basis of a series of Flood Risk Management Plans which will set out the medium to long term strategy and programme of work to achieve the effective and sustainable management of flood risk in Ireland.

More information on the Programme is available on www.cfram.ie.

The Programme is being progressed through six engineering consultancy projects commissioned by the OPW and in partnership with local authorities. The projects cover the main river catchments in the East, South East, West, South West, the Shannon and the North West/Neagh Bann which is a combined study. Good progress is being made on the six studies.

Flood Mapping Phase The Programme is now at the production of draft flood mapping stage and the OPW and its consultants are currently rolling out a series of Public Consultation Days on the draft flood maps in the AFAs. These are being advertised locally.

The draft maps will be on display on the day and will also be accessible on the each individual Study websites, these can be accessed through www. cfram.ie. While the maps have been developed using state-of-the-art technology and make use of all available information, local residents may have some information or knowledge that can further improve the flood maps. Members of the CFRAM project teams will be available to discuss and explain the maps to all attending on the day and to collate any local flooding information. A list of upcoming confirmed Public Consultation Days can be accessed on the OPW website www.opw.ie under Flood Risk Management. A further statutory consultation on the maps will take place early in 2015 when all the draft maps are completed.

The flood maps will contribute directly to the better management of flood risk. These maps are being produced for 300 communities around the country covering 90 coastal areas and nearly 7,000 kms of river. The maps can: •

Inform sustainable planning, to help ensure that we avoid building in flood prone areas into the future

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Inform the emergency response authorities to help ensure an effective response to reduce damage during flood events

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Help make local residents and businesses aware of the risk from flooding, and to be able to prepare for flood events.

Eileen Hughes, Flood Risk Management.

3 1 Fermoy Scheme Completed Embankment.

2 Clonmel Flood Defence Scheme.

3 Lacken Weir, Kilkenny.

4 Mallow Flood Defence Works.

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Dún Aonghasa 1

Inis Mór Ceapann roinnt daoine mar go bhfuil Dún Aonghasa feiceadh acu, go bhfuil Árainn fhéinn feiceadh acu; ach ní fíor é! Tá daoine ag maireachtáil in Árainn le 5000 bliain ar a laghad agus tá bailiúchán íontach suíomhanna stairiúla ann le haghaidh áit chomh beag leis.

Ní thugann moireán daoine cuairt ar na láithir seo ach tugann siad léargas iantach ar stair na hÉireann.

Tóg Dún Dúchathair mar shampla. Tugtar Dúchathair ar an dún seo mar gheall ar dhath dorcha na haolchloiche 30

sa cheantar. Tá sé suite i gceann de na láithreacha is fiáine ar an oileán. Ceaptar gur tógadh go lua sna meanaoiseanna é, c.A.D. 700 agus tá an balla déanta as aol-chloch tirim. Is dócha go raibh doras ag taobh amháin nó taobh eile den bhalla, ach tá sé leagtha ag cumhacht na farraige anois. Lasmuigh den bhalla tá cheveaux-defrise, sé sin, sraith de chlocha géara seasta le bac a chur ar ionsathóirí. Níl ach cúpla cheveaux-de-frise in Éirinn; tá cuid mhór de shamplaí na hEorpa sa Spáinn agus sa Phortingéil.

Taobh istigh den dún, tá foscadh maith ann an cuid is mó den am. Tá bunsraith ghrúpa bothán in aice leis an mballa; i gceann amháin acu tá an bealach isteach ag tolán beag, a théann síos faoin mballa. D’fhéadfadh gur áit stórála a bhí anseo, nó b’fhéidir bealach éalaithe.

Tá rian cúpla teach eile le feiscint níos faide ó dheas.

Is dócha gurb é Leaba Dhiarmaid is Ghráinne an séadchomhartha is sinne in Árainn. Suite ar droim intíre ag breathnú amach ar talamh torthúil Chill Mhuirbhigh, is

1 Dún Aonghasa.

tuama dingeach ón luathaois Cré-Umha, c.2000 R.C. í.

Tá na tuamaí seo coitianta in iar-thuaisceart na tíre. De ghnáth tugann siad aghaidh ar an iarthar, i dtreo dul faoi na gréine. Go hiondúil bíonn luaithreach créamtha cúpla duine curtha iontu. Is leanáin finscéalach iad Diarmuid agus Gráinne. Theith siad ar fud na tíre ó Fhionn, a bhí geallta le Gráinne. Is minic go mbíonn a nainmneacha ar thuamaí dingeacha, toisc gur creideadh sa bhéaloideas gur chodail siad sna spotaí seo.

Bhí cáil ar Árainn sna meanaoiseanna mar áit naofa.

Dúirt Easpag Chaisil Cormac Ó Cuilleanán san 9ú aois ‘Tá ceithre chuan idir neamh agus talamh ina nglantar anamacha: Parthas Adhaimh, an Róimh, Árainn agus Iarúsailéim.... Dá dtuigfeadh daoine an oiread grá a bhí ag an Tiarna d’Árainn, ghabhfaidís ann le glacadh lena bheannacht.’

Bhí an iorad oilithrigh ag teacht go hÁrainn san 17ú aois gur bhronn an Pápa Pól V logha iomlán ar dhaoine

a thug cuairt ar séipéil an oileán ar fhéilte áirithe.

Bhí cáil áirithe air Teampall Bhreacáin. Tugtar ‘Na Seacht dTeampaill’ ar an láithir san lá atá inniu ann, cé nach bhfuil ach dhá séipéal ann go fírinneach; is dócha gur tithe stór agus lóistíní le haghaidh oilithrí a bhí sna foirgnimh eile. Is é Teampall Bhreacáin an foirgneamh is mó ar an láithir. Deirtear gur mhair Breacáin san 6ú aois, agus gurb é Bresal an t-ainm ar tugadh dó nuair a rugadh é. Dár le dán ón 15ú aois,

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dhíbear sé deamhán d’arbh ainm Breacán Cláiringneach as Árainn, gur ghlac sé seilbh ar an tsuíomh agus ghlac sé an t-ainm Breacán dhó fhéin.

D’fhéadfadh gur meafar atá sa scéal, a dhéanann cuir síos ar chríostú suíomh a bhí in úsáid mar ionad págánach.

Siar ón séipéal, faoin áirse, tá dhá ‘leaba’ go bhfuil sé ráite futhu gur uaigh naoimh iad. Tugtar Leaba Bhreacáin ar an gceann ba mhó, agus in aice leis tá leac cloiche le cros agus ainm an naoimh greanta air. Leaba an Spiorad Naomh atá ar an gceann eile.

Bhí nós ann, a mhair go dtí an aois seo caite, an oíche a chaitheamh sna leapacha seo, le buíochas a ghabháil le Dhia nuair a thug sé freagra ar phaidir. I cúinne amháin tá an chuid íochtar de chros in a sheasamh. Tá painéil pátrúin crossfhite ar thaobh amhain agus tá cuid íochtar de chéasadh Chríost ar an taobh eile dhe. Bhíodh sé i bhfad níos mó, ach faroar tá an chuid eile dhe in easnamh anois.

Tá Clochán na Cairrige suite tuaraim is kileaméadar ó Teampall Bheannáin.

Ciallaíonn ‘clochán’ foirgneamh ar bith déanta go hiomlán as cloch.

Tá roinnt de na structúir seo in Árainn, ach is é Clochán na Carraige an t’aon cheann atá ina iomláne.

Tá cuma ubh-chruthach air ón taobh amuigh, ach ar an taobh istigh tá seomra dronuilleogach ann, 6m fá 2.3m. Tá dhá dhoras ann, ceann ós comhair ceann eile. Is sonra coitianta é seo i dtithe dúchasach an cheantar; an buntáiste atá leis ná gur féidir ceachtar don dhá doras a úsáid, ag brath ar treo na gaoithe. Tá an díon coirbéalta, sé sin, tá gach sraith clocha beagaínín níos lárnaí ná an ceann thíos faoi, agus faoi dheireadh buaileann na taiobhanna le chéile sa

32

lár chun díon a chruthú. Bhí an modh tógála simplí seo in úsáid ar feadh na mílte bliain, rud a chiallaíonn go bhfuil sé an-deacair dáta a chuir ar Chlochán na Carraige. Scaití, déanann seandálaithe nasc idir clocháin agus láthair oilithreachta; d’fhéadfadh gur tithíocht sealadach a bhí anseo le haghaidh oilithrí meanaoiseach a bhí ag tabhairt cuairt ar Theampall Bhreacáin. B’fhéidir gurb é Clochán na Carraige an chéad B&B in Árainn!

Ar chósta thoir an oileán, ag breathnú amach ar Inis Meán, tá Túr Mhairtín suite. Túr faire atá sa struchtúr seo; ní fios caithin a tógadh é, nó cé hé Máirtín. Deir an béaloideas gur cuireadh aincire as Inis Méain d’arbh ainm Grióir Béal an Óir ann. Bhraith Grióir nach raibh sé tuilte aige a bheith curtha leis na naoimh i gCill Éinne, agus d’iarr sé ar mhanaigh Árann a chorp a chur i mbairrile nó damhach nuair a fuair sé bás, agus é a chaitheamh isteach sa bhfarraige. Lean na manaigh na treoracha seo, ach nuair a d’fhill siad ar Árainn chonaic siad go raibh an dabhach tagtha i dtír rompu. Chuir siad Grióir san áit ina bhfuil Túr Mhártan inniu, agus tugtar Port Daibhche ar an gcuan thíos faoi.

Tá Caisleán Aircín suite in aice le céibh Chill Éinne.

Ciallaíonn ‘aircín’ cuan beag nádúrtha, agus is dócha gurb é seo an logainm a bhí ar an áit seo tráth. Roimh an 19ú aois ba é an cuan seo príomh chalaphort an oileáin, agus is cosúil gur thóg muintir Uí Bhrian caisléan éigin anseo nuair a ghalc siad seilbh ar an oileán sa 14ú aois. Tógadh an caisleáin atá ann anois sna 1650í nuair a ghlac fórsaí Chromwell seilbh ar chuan na Gaillimhe, agus cuireadh fórsa 100 fear anseo chun an chathair a chosaint. Go deimhin, an leasainm a bhí

ag muintir na háite ar an gcaisleán ná Ballaí Chromwell.

Is cinnte gur bhain saighdiúirí fhrith-Caitliocacha Chromwell sásamh as mainistir Cill Éinne a scrios le hábhar tógála a chur ar fáil don chaisléain. Úsáideadh an caisleáin mar phríosún le haghaidh sagairt Chaitliceacha, a bhí faoi chosc ag an am, ach is ar éigin gur úsáideadh é i ndiadh 1700. Tá sceitse garbh ann ón 18ú aois a thaispeáineann go raibh 4 thúr air, péire ciorcalach agus péire cearnógach nach bhfuil ach ceann ina sheasamh inniu. Tá doras ar thaobh thiar an bhalla cuirtín, a thug bealach isteach ón bhfarraige.

Níl anseo ach cúpla de na suíomhanna suimiúla atá againn anseo in Árainn, agus tógann sé i bhfad níos mó na cúpla uair a chloig le n-iad a fheiceál. So an chéad uair eile atá tú ar an chósta thiar, tabhair brontannas duit fhéin agus tóg sos cúpla lá ar Árainn Glan na Naomh!

Cillian de Grás, Dún Aonghasa.

2

3

2 Dún Aonghasa.

3 Teampall Bhreacáin, Inis Mór (Photo by Con Brogan).

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Elizabeth Fort

1

The Handover of Elizabeth Fort to Cork City Council There was an exciting start to 2014, when on 8 January, the OPW handed over Elizabeth Fort to Cork City Council.

Cork City Council will develop the Fort with assistance from Fáilte Ireland.

2 1 Elizabeth Fort.

2 Elizabeth Fort.

The Fort dates back to the early 17th Century and has borne witness to a multitude of significant historical events including the Reformation, Cromwellian era, the Jacobite Wars, the War of Independence and the Civil War. In recent times, it was used as a Garda station and an Education Centre for An Garda Síochána.

The OPW carefully restored, maintained and managed the Fort which remains one of the finest examples of an Elizabethan Star Fort.

Minister Brian Hayes officially handed over the Fort to Cork City Council. The on-going development of the Fort is an integral part of the Council’s tourism strategy 2012-2015.

Mary Leech, Property Management.

3 Queen Elizabeth I.

3 34

Castletown House

Castletown House, Courtyard Café, Parklands, Events and Conference Centre 2014 was another incredible year at Castletown; Ireland’s first, finest and largest 18th century Palladian style mansion. We were thrilled to welcome over 250,000 visitors to the estate and we aim to reach above and beyond this number in the years ahead.

This year visitors to the house were delighted to have the opportunity to view the wonderful Berkeley 18th century Costume and Toy collection on loan to the OPW from Countess Ann Griffin Bernstorff. To accompany this exhibition, which is on display throughout the museum rooms, we arranged a number of lectures on 18th century costumes and fashions, which were very well received.

Other highlights for the season included: Celebrating National Tree Week with a walk of the parklands with Thomas Pakenham; the Summer Sunday music series – our free weekly music recitals between June and September; the Family Fun Day in June; our monthly Country Markets and Craft Fairs along with National Heritage Week and Culture Night events. Also, the presentation of the archive of the late Desmond FitzGerald, Knight of Glin, to the OPW/ NUI Maynooth Research and Archive Centre at Castletown House.

The recent restoration works of the parklands has given a new lease of life to the estate.

By re-creating Lady Louisa’s 18th century parkland walks, pond and historic garden buildings, Castletown has quickly become a family

destination and we currently rank as the Number 1 Visitor Attraction in County Kildare on Trip Advisor and in 2014 we were awarded a 5/5 for Customer Excellence.

During a visit to the estate, families get the chance to come and view not only the beautiful and important interior rooms of the main house on their tour, they can relax and have lunch in the original Kitchen Wing and Courtyard and explore the hidden features of the parklands. Our new Visitor Reception in the Coach House of the restored Stable Wing, allows visitors time to view the 18th century Stables and browse through our bespoke range of Castletown products in our gift shop.

Claire Hickey, National Historic Properties.

1 Castletown House.

2 (l-r) Archivist Nicola Kelly, Dame Olga Fitzgerald, Chairman Clare McGrath and Professor Terry Dooley, Maynooth University at Knight of Glin Archive Donation (Keith Arkins Photography).

1

2 35

Teagasc Horticultural College, National Botanic Gardens

Teagasc

The building designed

by Architectural Services facilitated a new extension and the refurbishment of an existing stone building in the National Botanic Gardens.

The stone building provides offices at ground level and a classroom / studio space at first floor. The extension provides 3 new classrooms and allows for disabled access to the existing building. The new facility both enhances the status of the student training course and also accommodates the increase in student capacity.

DESIGN TEAM Architectural Services Architectural Services, Trim M&E Services: Varmings Quantity Surveying George Lynch Project Management SERVICES Edel Kirby, Sandra Moyles and Barry Nangle

Ger Harvey, Architectural Services.

1

1 New Extension at Teagasc Horticultural College, National Botanic Gardens.

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Health and Safety Services

1

2

Determinants of Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposure among Stoneworkers involved in Stone Restoration work in the OPW Crystalline silica occurs as a significant component of many traditional materials used in restoration stonework in National Monuments and indeed in the built Heritage across the Estate Portfolio in the OPW. Stoneworkers who work with these materials are potentially exposed to stone dust containing respirable crystalline silica (RCS).

Exposure to RCS can result in the development of a range of adverse health effects, including silicosis and lung cancer. An understanding of the determinants of RCS exposure is important for selecting appropriate exposure controls and in preventing occupational diseases. Hence, in collaboration with the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), Health and Safety Services (H&SS) carry out a study on Stonemasons exposure to RCS in OPW to determine safe systems of work and the selection Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in controlling the risk of exposure to RCS.

1

The study population consisted of 35 restoration stoneworkers employed in National Monuments involved in maintaining and restoring over 740 of Ireland’s National Monuments. Worker participation was voluntary, and subjects were recruited in coordination with Health and Safety Services and District Works managers at the various National Monuments depots. During the study, stonemasons worked on sandstone, limestone, lime mortar and granite. The tasks carried out and the materials used in a depot at any one time were dependent on the materials and type of restoration required for the monument under restoration.

The stoneworkers worked in a stone cutting workshop located in the depots or on site at the monument under restoration depending on the task they were carrying out.

Samples were collected using an air sampling pump, cyclone and filters. The sampling pump was attached to a belt around the waist or to a harness. The cyclone was attached to the stonemason’s lapel within 30cm of the breathing zone, ensuring the cyclone inlet was in a downward vertical position.

Stonemasons were asked to preform their work task as normal to ensure that the dust levels measured were

representative of normal work activity. The respirable dust samples were analysed gravimetrically according to the relevant occupational hygiene standards and the RCS content on the filter was quantified by X-ray diffraction. All laboratory analytical analysis was carried out by the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh.

The results from this study indicated that restoration stoneworkers grinding and cutting sandstone are regularly overexposed to RCS dust. The study findings were used as a design basis for technical intervention in reducing stonemasons exposure to RCS. Hence, greatly reducing the development of adverse health effects.

Health and Safety Services are greatly indebted to National Monuments, especially the Stonemasons who participated in this important research project.

This was the first of its type carried out in Europe where the results are assisting other countries within Europe doing similar work in providing technical intervention for the protection of the health of stonemasons.

Padraic McGowan, Health and Safety Services.

Field methodology.

2 Air sampling, pump and cyclone.

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Civil Ceremonies at OPW Sites

1

2

3

Minister Brian Hayes offered a Valentine’s Day invitation to couples intending to hold a civil ceremony to consider “tying the knot” at some of our idyllic heritage sites.

A number of ceremonies have already taken place at sites such as Castletown House and the Casino at Marino.

OPW is looking to increase the number of its sites that are available for weddings.

There are regulations regarding the suitability of locations as venues for civil wedding ceremonies, subject to the approval of the HSE.

4

Initially, the OPW identified seven heritage sites as venues to hold a civil ceremony including:

Since then, a further five heritage sites have been approved, namely: •

Dungarvan Castle, Waterford

Castletown House, Kildare

•

•

Barryscourt Castle, Carrigtwohill, Cork

Charles Fort, Kinsale, Cork

•

•

Desmond Hall, Newcastle West, Limerick

The Main Guard, Clonmel, Tipperary

•

Corlea Trackway Centre, Kenagh, Longford

•

Emo Court, Laois

•

Casino Marino, Dublin

•

•

Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny

•

Blasket Island Visitor Centre, Kerry

•

Céide Fields Visitor Centre, Mayo

Noreen Finnegan, National Monuments & Visitor Services.

The first civil ceremony to be held at a National Monument site was at Charles Fort, Cork in July.

1 The Hunting Room, Castletown House.

2 Ciera and Simon Eakin.

3 Ciera and Simon Eakin.

4 King John’s Castle, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

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Farewell to Hatch Street

1

The end of an era came in August 2014, when we vacated 17-19 Lower Hatch Street. This building had been the home of most of our Dublin-based civil engineers for 36 years.

This 5-storey building, on the corner of Hatch Street and Earlsfort Terrace, opened in 1978 when about 100 of us moved in. It replaced an earlier OPW building on the same site. Many of us had previously been in Marine House, Clanwilliam Place.

The longest-standing occupants of Hatch Street were the Engineers, Technicians, Draughtsmen and Valuers working with arterial drainage design (predecessor to flood risk management) and structural engineering.

Then in the 1980s, as we became thinner on the ground because of recruitment bans, we started sharing the building with other sections of the OPW. These included the Architects of New Works 3 (now AS3) and the administrative staff of Engineering Services. Outside organisations also shared the

2

building with us, such as the box office of the National Concert Hall and the Irish Film and Television Awards.

Two other organisational shifts left their mark on Hatch Street in the 1990s. Most of our heritage functions were transferred to Dúchas and Inland Waterways became Waterways Ireland, a crossborder body.

We lived much of the time in the shadow of plans to vacate the building. These started at an early date, possibly about 1993. They intensified after decentralisation was announced in 2003. For several years people talked of “the last Hatch Street Christmas lunch!”

In 2014 the possibility of a move looked more serious.

Then the end came rather suddenly. A date was set in August: everything would have to be packed by a certain date. The new owner has wasted no time in demolishing our former office in Hatch Street, leaving nothing but memories.

Hatch Street Moving Out Party On Friday, 12th September 2014 Hatch Street staff past and present gathered to mark the closing of the building and to celebrate and remember the good times shared in 17-19 Lower Hatch Street. There was a great turn out including an impressive number of retired staff. The organisers would like to thank the Hatch Street Canteen committee for providing financial support which covered food, refreshments, raffle prizes and cake. Most importantly, a sincere thanks to everyone who made the special effort to be there to share the fantastic and fun night. A fitting tribute to a special place.

Clare Butler, Richael Duffy and Rachel Woodward, Engineering Services.

Alan French, Engineering Services.

1 Farewell cake.

2 Farewell mug.

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Inaugural 5k Trail Race

1

OPW/Business House Athletic Association (BHAA) The Inaugural OPW run as part of the BHAA/5k Trail Race series was held on Saturday the 13 September 2014 in Trim. The race was the brainchild of Andrew Davies and he was ably assisted by the OPW Brightside Committee, Trim Athletics Club and BHAA throughout.

The race was open to runners, joggers and walkers of all levels of ability. The course followed the most scenic, but gruelling 21/2 lap route around the Porchfields and offered spectacular views of Trim Castle and the scenic River Boyne, with the OPW Headquarters framed as a backdrop. The race route was organised and marshalled by Trim Athletics members. Business House Athletic Association took responsibility for the race timing.

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Refreshments were provided in the OPW after the race and the prize-giving was awarded by the Chairman, Clare Mc Grath.

The race generated positive publicity, goodwill and recognition for the OPW/ BHAA within both the local community of Trim, Co. Meath and within the wider running community.

It also provided a great opportunity for OPW staff, their families and friends to get involved on the day as either athletes or volunteers on behalf of the OPW Brightside Staff Benevolent Fund.

The race committee wish to offer sincere thanks to the runners who took part and acquitted themselves most ably and acknowledge the support of the OPW, Meath County Council, Meath Civil Defence, BHAA and all the volunteers who assisted with registration on the day.

Many thanks are also due to the OPW staff at Trim Castle for hosting complimentary visits to the castle after the race for all race participants and their families.

Due to the success of the race it is hoped to organise the OPW BHAA/5k Trail Race again next year as a continuing part of the Business Houses Race series and the hope for even more volunteers and athletes to take part on the day!

Andrew Davies, Architectural Services.

2

4

3

1 The Participants.

2 ‘And they’re off!’.

3 Eilís O’Connell and Chairman Clare McGrath.

4 Barry Moyles and Chairman Clare McGrath.

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CIE Tours Awards of Excellence

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, presented plaques to 80 winners at the 24th CIE Tours International Awards of Awards of Excellence, Dublin Castle. Winners were chosen according to feedback from 28,000 customers in 2013 on more than 450 providers of accommodation, dining, tours and attractions. Merit awards were presented to those achieving over 90% in the surveys.

The following OPW sites received Awards of Excellence: 1. Glendalough 2. Clonmacnoise 3. Boyle Abbey 4. DĂşn Aonghasa 5. Dublin Castle 6. Kilmainham Gaol 7. Newgrange 1

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2

6

3

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4

7

Partnership

So What Does Partnership Do Anyway?

Partnership is about representatives of management, staff and unions actively participating in the development and implementation of modernisation action programmes and identifying and implementing the consultation and communication processes necessary to encourage common ownership within OPW. We have three Partnership Committees in OPW. The Southern Regional Partnership Committee covers staff based in counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. The Western Regional Partnership Committee covers staff based in counties Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo. All other staff are covered by the central Partnership Committee. Three new working groups were established In 2014, joining the existing Heritage Working Group: •

Charter Review Working Group

•

ICT Working Group

•

Strategy Statement Working Group

Achievements in 2014

•

ICT

2014 was a very busy year for Partnership. Each committee meets 5 times a year (with one of these being a joint session). The secretariat is provided by the Policy Unit.

The ICT Working Group had a site visit to the ICT Unit in Trim and were given a tour of the ICT facilities there. It is intended that some members will be trained by the ICT Unit to become ICT First Aiders to help resolve local ICT problems on regional sites.

•

Action Plan on Public Service Reform 2014-2016 and Civil Service Renewal

•

Staff Mobility (at CO and EO levels)

•

The External Service Delivery Plan

•

The Charter Review Working Group reviewed and revised the Partnership Charter.

•

The Strategy Statement Working Group had a significant input into the development of OPW’s 2015-2017 Statement of Strategy.

•

Some Issues dealt with during the year included:

•

Accommodation

The moves of staff from Hatch Street and Harcourt Road in Dublin into 52 St. Stephen’s Green, the re-opening of the canteen in 51/52 St. Stephen’s Green

•

Health Screening

•

The Capacity and Capability Review of the Estate Portfolio Management and the Business Transformation Unit

•

The Christmas/New Year Office Closure

•

PeoplePoint

•

Garda Vetting

•

The bin-less office schemes in Dublin

•

PMDS

The introduction of ePMDS and the PMDS calibration exercise.

Liam S. Kelly, Policy Unit.

1

1 Chairman Clare Mc Grath and Minister Brian Hayes.

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Long Service Awards Dublin 44

Recipients of Long Service Awards Dublin March 2014

Front Row L to R:

Christopher Harold, Dermot Swaine, Marie O’Gallagher, George Reilly, Clare McGrath (Chairman), Thomas McPartlan, Sally Corcoran and Brian Hamilton.

2nd Row L to R:

Eilís O’Connell (Director of Corporate Services), Michael Butler, Vincent Nulty, Bríd Gaynard, John Butler, Marian O’Dwyer, Eileen Foley, David Tisdall, Frank O’Neill, Frank Kavanagh and Tommie Bane.

3rd Row L to R:

Frank O’Neill, Michael Byrne, Bernard Malone, Commissioner John Sydenham, Pat Woods, Timothy Pasley, Christopher Mullen, John O’Sullivan, Brian Gallagher, Mary McLoughlin, Grellan Rourke, Johnny Keane and Dominic Thomas Kiely.

Back Row L to R:

Michael O’Rourke, Patricia Ryan, Commissioner John McMahon, Gerard Milton, Michael Gallagher, Tony Smyth, Fergus Connolly, Sean Moloney, Joe Barry and Sean Hyland.

Front Row L to R:

Clare McGrath (Chairman), Kieran Rogers, Brendan Connolly, Paul McMahon, Rosaleen McBride, John Gallagher, Patrick J. Donovan, Declan Murphy, Patrick Stafford and Eileen Leahy (Head of Personnel).

Back Row L to R:

Eilís O’Connell (Director of Corporate Services), Alan French, Anne Rooney, Anne Woods, Nigel O’Mahoney, Tom Hemp, Paul Doran, Colm Higgins, Adrian Kennedy, Pat Granahan and Commissioner John Sydenham.

Long Service Awards Trim

Recipients of Long Service Awards Trim March 2014

1

Front Row L to R:

John Melia, Geraldine Murtagh, Clare McGrath (Chairman), Joseph Cassidy and Joe Smith.

Back Row L to R:

Eilís O’Connell (Director of Corporate Services), Larry Cullen, Patsy Gallagher, John Rooney, Kevin Melia, Minister of State Brian Hayes, Michael Dempsey, Sean Healy, John O’Brien and Robert Guihen.

Front Row L to R:

Anthony Cullen, Angela Malone, Oliver Conlan, John Judge, Brendan Nugent and Clare McGrath.

Back Row L to R:

Eilís O’Connell (Director of Corporate Services), Padraic Campbell, Martin Connolly, William Kenny, John Kelly, Mary Fallon, Minister of State Brian Hayes, Phelim Murphy, Tom Moore and Pat Quinlan.

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Staff Movement

2014 Andrew Bogie

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Barry Brennan

Executive Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Patrick Butler

Buyer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Bill Byrne

Clerical Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

James Casey

Clerical Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Ide de Burca

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Fiona Denton

Buyer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Ann Devine

Procurement Manager

Transfer out

01/01/14

Gerard Dooley

Buyer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Michael Dunne

Technical Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Rachel Emmett

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Róisín Killeen

Procurement Manager

Transfer out

01/01/14

Denis Mackin

Inspector of Textiles

Transfer out

01/01/14

Howard Maguire

Procurement Manager

Transfer out

01/01/14

Aidan Murphy

Asst Chief Technical Officer Transfer out

01/01/14

Tom O’Brien

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Martin O’Gorman

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Mary O’Halloran

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Jacqueline Stewart

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Mary Whelan

Executive Officer

Transfer out

01/01/14

Eric White

Procurement Manager

Transfer out

01/01/14

Conor McDermott

Clerical Officer

Transfer out

04/04/14

Kathleen O’Neill

Executive Officer

Transfer out

23/05/14

Michael Fennelly

Principal Officer

Retired

15/01/14

Pat McKenna

Executive Officer

Retired

21/03/14

Tom Monagan

Assistant Principal Officer

Retired

31/03/14

Jimmy Carroll

Services Officer

Retired

05/04/14

Anthony Roxburgh

Higher Executive Officer

Retired

30/04/14

Bernard Egan

Executive Officer

Retired

16/05/14

Philomena Sheehan

Executive Officer

Retired

30/05/14

Paul McMahon

Senior Architect

Retired

28/06/14

Ger O’Sullivan

Senior Architect

Retired

30/06/14

Margot Healy

Architectural Assistant Grade I

Retired

30/06/14

Matthew Jebb

Acting Director of the Botanic Gardens

Mary Fitzsimons Higher Executive Officer

Promotion to Director Botanic Gardens

17/02/14

Promotion to Assistant Principal Officer

24/03/14

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Martin Bourke

Principal Officer

Transfer in

24/02/14

Tim O’Sullivan

Assistant Principal Officer

Transfer in

06/05/14

David Cloney

Engineer Grade II

Commenced

24/02/14

Fredericka Denton

Clerical Officer

Retired

01/07/14

Mary Lube

Higher Executive Officer

Retired

25/07/14

Kevin Doyle

Packer & Porter

Retired

26/08/14

Anthoney Burke

Clerical Officer

Retired

27/08/14

Barbara Broni-Kenny

Senior Architect

Retired

29/08/14

John Cheasty

Higher Executive Officer

Retired

31/08/14

Martin Cleary

Architectural Assistant Grade I

Retired

26/09/14

Terry Murphy

District Works Manager

Retired

20/10/14

Mary Heffernan

Cleaner

Retired

28/10/14

David Logan

Clerical Officer

Return from career break

01/07/14

Noelle McManus

Architect

Resigned

06/07/14

Eleanor Ryan

Clerical Officer

Transfer-out

08/08/14

Heather Connolly

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer-out

12/09/14

Denis Ryan

Executive Officer

Transfer-out

24/10/14

Audrey Jennings

Executive Officer

Transfer-out

24/10/14

Jennifer McCord

Executive Officer

Transfer-out

24/10/14

Sandra Doyle

Executive Officer

Transfer-out

24/10/14

Brendan Mulvey

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer-in

01/09/14

Michael Fahey

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer-in

28/09/14

Ita Cully

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer-in

13/10/14

Victoria Hegarty Grehan

Clerical Officer

Transfer-in

28/10/14

Ann Marie Walsh

Higher Executive Officer

Transfer-in

03/11/14

Jennifer McCord

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

12/08/14

Sandra Doyle

Staff Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

08/09/14

John Curtin Assistant Chief Engineer

Promoted to Director of Corporate Services

22/09/14

Niamh Cullen

Engineering Technican Grade II

Promoted to Executive Officer

28/10/14

Michael Duffy

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

29/10/14

Maria Kelly

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

30/10/14

Joan Murphy

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

24/11/14

Cathleen Carolan

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

08/12/14

Joan Murphy

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

24/11/14

Cathleen Carolan

Clerical Officer

Promoted to Executive Officer

08/12/14

We especially remember our colleagues Tom Griffin and Michael Collier who passed away in 2014 “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dilse”.

48

Contents

1 Introduction

30 D煤n Aonghasa

2 Rathfarnham Castle

34 Elizabeth Fort

6 Flood Risk Management

35 Castletown House

8 Intreo Programme 10 Casino Marino

37 Health and Safety Services

12 Schools Programme

38 Civil Ceremonies

14 Dublin Castle

39 Farewell to

Hatch Street

18 Building Control Regulations

36 Teagasc

40 Trim 5k Run

19 Newgrange

42 CIE Tours Awards

22 Art Management

43 Partnership

23 Business

Transformation Unit

44 Long Service Awards 46 Staff Changes

24 Ionad an

Bhlascaoid Mh贸ir 28 CFRAM Cover Image: Archaeology Plan/Alva Mac Gowan late 17th century Chinese porcelain plate excavated from Rathfarnham Castle.

Design: Bennis Design

BULLETIN FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS

OBAIR

OBAIR 2014 BULLETIN FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS

Published by: The Office of Public Works Head Office Jonathan Swift Street Trim Co. Meath email: info@opw.ie www.opw.ie

2014