Courses + Seminars « Dublin Civic Trust

Courses + Seminars

Our series of courses and webinars provide training and technical skills in the repair and maintenance of historic and traditionally built structures. They are aimed at people wishing to upskill, train or develop practical knowledge in the field of the historic built environment, including architects, surveyors, planners, project managers and supervisors, and anyone with a general interest in historic buildings and materials.

Most courses and webinars take place over a half or full day, and consist of a mixture of lectures and practical demonstrations, sometimes including a site visit in Dublin city centre to inspect conservation works in progress. Seminars and lectures may take place in person or online via the Zoom platform, with video recordings released afterwards. Seminars and webinars are rated for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and The Society of Chartered Surveyors, and most events are considered applicable for CPD by other professional bodies. Participants are issued with a certificate of attendance upon request. Sign up to our Newsletter on the home page for regular updates on Courses, Seminars and Events.

Our full video library of past webinars, which can be purchased on a pay-per-view basis with CPD accreditation, can be viewed at the link below.

VIEW WEBINAR LIBRARY

Historic Glasshouses Seminar

Conservation, Technology and Use of Irish Glasshouses

Specialist Speakers | Site Visits | Unique Day Event

Newbridge House, Donabate, Co Dublin

Friday 28 August 2026 | 09:15 – 17:15

Tickets: €140 (includes refreshments, lunch and coach to site visit)

Structured CPD Points: 6

Location: Newbridge House, Donabate, Co Dublin, K36 VR90

In-Person Event: A recording will not be available afterwards

BOOKING CLOSED - EVENT CONCLUDED

SEMINAR FOCUS

Dublin Civic Trust is delighted to present this very special one-day seminar on Historic Irish Glasshouses taking place on site in the stunning demesne surroundings of Newbridge House, Donabate, Co. Dublin.

Hosted in conjunction with Fingal County Council and Newbridge House and Farm, this stimulating day of presentations and site visits will be led by expert speakers working on the history and active conservation of Irish glasshouses. A series of lectures and case studies will guide attendees through the use of glasshouses for productive gardening in the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries, as well as recent case studies of best practice conservation and restoration works in timber and iron from around Ireland.

The event includes a visit to the newly restored ranges of glasshouses on the Newbridge Demesne, as well as a coach visit (included) to nearby Brackenstown Demesne, with its 18th-century walled gardens. Brackenstown Demesne was the former country seat of Robert, First Viscount Molesworth, which retains 18th-century water features. The visit will allow access to the walled garden and the surviving Cistern House, now owned by Fingal County Council, prior to imminent repair and restoration.

This unique seminar is not to be missed by anyone engaged or interested in the fields of horticulture, historic landscape design, architectural history and conservation.

Lunch and morning refreshments are included in the price, plus a return coach trip to Brackenstown Demesne from Newbridge House (attendees must make their own way to Newbridge House by train or by road).

Lismore Castle glasshouse

SEMINAR PROGRAMME

09:15
Introduction
Dublin Civic Trust

09:30
Irish Glasshouse Conservation - Keynote Address
Ciaran O’Connor, FRIAI, former State Architect, OPW

10:00
Historic Background to Glasshouses – The Irish Context
Cathal Dowd Smith, Curator & Collections Manager, Newbridge House

10:30
Glasshouse Technology
Katia Papkovskaia, MRIAI, John McLaughlin Architects, Conservation Grade II

Q&A

11:10
Tea/Coffee Refreshments

11:40
Glasshouse Revival at Newbridge House, Ardgillan Castle and Malahide Castle
Kevin Halpenny, Senior Parks and Landscape Officer, Fingal County Council

12:10
Mount Anville - The Earliest Iron Glasshouse in Ireland?
Hannah Loughnane, MRIAI, Five-Seven Architects, Conservation Grade I

12:40
Productive Gardens - Glasshouse Horticulture
John McCullen, author and former Chief Superintendent of Phoenix Park, OPW

Q&A

13:20
Lunch, informal walk around Newbridge glasshouses

14:45
Coach trip to Brackenstown Demesne

15:15
Tour of Brackentown Demesne

16:45
Return coach trip to Newbridge House

17:15-20
Close

IRISH GLASSHOUSES

The earliest known Irish glasshouses date to the early 17^th century and were built in local timber. High tax on glass and the expense of importing exotic plants meant these glasshouses were only built in the gardens of the wealthy, as status symbols, and therefore in close proximity to the main house.

In the early 19^th century, it became common for the kitchen gardens to be positioned away from the house. They became highly productive year-round, with frames, pithouses, large vineries and orchards. Scientific advances in heating systems and horticulture soon changed how glasshouses were built and heated. Contemporary gardening journals describe heated (!) debates about the best form and materials, optimal sun angles, and means to reduce heat loss. At this time, Scottish botanist John Loudon patented the curved iron glazing bar which paved the way for Richard Turner’s weightless glasshouses. Loudon’s contemporary, Joseph Paxton, argued his timber framed, ridge-and-furrow glasshouses were far superior to iron framing. Irish examples of these kinds of glasshouses have been studied and restored in the recent decades.

Glasshouses became affordable from 1850s onwards with the abolition of glass and brick tax, and innovations in the manufacturing methods of cast iron and glass. Large-scale glasshouse manufacturers were established in the UK, readily supplying flat-packed structures from their catalogues to the Irish market. Hundreds of Irish country houses commissioned glasshouses between 1850 and 1910, following the Victorian fashion for gardening and the increased availability of exotic plant species shipped from the British colonies. Bananas were grown at Castle Leslie, Co. Monaghan, and pineapples in the walled gardens of the Kylemore Abbey. After WWI, exotic fruit and vegetables could be cheaply imported. Many big houses came into ruin after the Irish free state was formed, and glasshouses were no longer needed.

Today, remains of timber and iron glasshouses often survive in the kitchen gardens of old houses. In recent decades, many were repaired and restored. This unique one-day seminar will relay the conservation knowledge amassed during these restorations and describe the significance of historic glasshouses in Ireland.

Donard Lodge

PREVIOUS EVENTS

HIGH-LEVEL CONSERVATION -Repairing the Spire of ‘Findlater’s’ Abbey Presbyterian Church

Morning Webinar

With Sean Harrington Architects, CORA Consulting Engineers, Carrig Conservation and Classic Conservation & Restoration

Date: 24 April 2026

Time: 10.00 - 13.00

Price: €95

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live Webinar via Zoom

Recording: A recording of the webinar will be circulated the day after the event, available to view for a four-week period for all attendees and ticketholders who cannot attend on the day. This also allows attendees to view part of the live proceedings and watch the remainder afterwards. In all cases, please book a regular ticket and rest assured you will be included on the circular list after the event.

EVENT CONCLUDED - CLICK TO PURCHASE VIDEO

WEBINAR CONTENT

This stimulating morning webinar will focus on the recent multi-disciplinary conservation of the soaring 180-foot (55m) steeple of the Abbey Presbyterian Church on Dublin’s Parnell Square. Commonly known as ‘Findlater’s Church’ on account of its founding and funding by the Scottish-born Dublin merchant Alexander Findlater (1797–1873), this distinctive example of the French Gothic was designed by Scottish architect Andrew Heiton and completed in 1864, located on a highly prominent site bookending Palace Row at the junction with Cavendish Row. Its beautiful spire is one of the most graceful features of Dublin’s skyline, ambitious in construction and beautiful in scenographic effect.

High-level cement-based repairs carried out to the granite and Portland stone spire after 1960 accelerated decay of the original materials which, in addition to weathering, precipitated later falls of masonry. This resulted in protective scaffolding being erected around the spire which remained in place for 18 years until the recent works got underway, funded by grant assistance from the Historic Structures Fund and fundraising by the Abbey Church congregation.

In this fascinating webinar, a series of detailed visual and technical presentations by the multi-disciplinary design team will lead attendees through the staged approach taken to repairing the spire. Themes will include surveying with challenging access restrictions, design brief and tendering in the context of significant variables, complex scaffolding, structural assessment, materials defects, approaches to repair, cleaning and weatherproofing.

We wish to thank the Reverend Alan Boal, his congregation and the expert design team for facilitating this online event.

WEBINAR PROGRAMME

10.00
Welcome
Dublin Civic Trust

Introduction
Reverend Alan Boal, Abbey Presbyterian Church

10.15
An 18-year journey. The restoration of a prominent landmark in Dublin 1
History, context, survey, tender, grants, legacy scaffolding, specifications
Anna Reidy & Javier Huerta Perez, Seán Harrington Architects

10.50
Stone Assessment and Conservation Methodologies
Condition survey, specifications, stone decay, repairs, mortars, carving
Peter Cox & Gissella Renolfi, Carrig Conservation

11.20
Q&A

11.30
Break

11.40
All the bits that aren't stone - structural assessment & remediation
Hidden cramps, corroding ferrous metal, extraction, replacement, cross consolidation
Lisa Edden & Raymond Kelly, CORA Consulting Engineers

12.10
Q&A

12.15
Break

12.20
Stone Defects and Repair Methods
Stephen Snell, Classic Conservation & Restoration

12.50
Q&A

13.00
Close

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Anna Reidy
Anna is Director at Seán Harrington Architects. She graduated from the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2013 with a first class honours degree. Anna joined Seań Harrington Architects in the Summer of 2014 and achieved the RIAI Certificate of Professional Practice in 2017. Anna has since worked on several housing and urban design projects within the practice, including work on Social Housing Bundles 1&3; Housing Projects at Spring Lane, Cork; Jamestown Road, Inchicore, Dublin; and on Malahide Parish Centre and the Dodder Bridge and Boat Club. Most recently, Anna has led the delivery of a development of 46 apartments at St. Finbarr’s Court, Cabra for Dublin City Council. Anna holds a B.Arch. (Hons) from DIT (Dublin) and a P. Dip. AP from TU (Dublin). She is a member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and a HPI Accredited professional.

Javier Huerta Perez
Javier is an architect at Seán Harrington Architects. Javier moved to Ireland in 2013 after graduating from ETSAVA in Valladolid, Spain. He worked on both residential and commercial projects in award winning Dublin practices, including Ailtireacht and McCullough Mulvin Architects, before joining Seán Harrington Architects in 2023. As part of the SHA project design team, Javier carries out design and project management responsibilities for both public and private clients. Javier holds an MSc. in Architecture from ETSAVA (Valladolid) and a P. Grad. Dip. in Applied Building Repair and Conservation from TCD (Dublin). Javier is a member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and is RIAI Accredited in Conservation at Grade 3.

Peter Cox
Peter Cox, founding member of Carrig Conservation, brings over 35 years of expertise in the conservation of stone and the analysis of porous materials in historic structures. With academic training in chemical engineering and material science, he is widely recognised for his specialist knowledge in diagnosing masonry decay and developing appropriate conservation strategies for stone and mortar in heritage contexts.

He has played a significant leadership role within ICOMOS, serving as President of ICOMOS Ireland (2003–2006) and contributing extensively to international scientific committees focused on energy, sustainability, and climate change. Notably, he chaired ICOMOS’ International Scientific Committee on Energy, Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCES+CC) from 2013 to 2020, and has been actively involved in advancing policy and guidance at both national and international levels. His work includes contributing to the development of the European Standard EN 16883:2017, which provides guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings. An established author and educator, Peter has published on the retrofit of heritage buildings and has delivered lectures internationally across Europe, the United States, Asia, and Australasia. His teaching and research focus on material conservation, the energy performance of traditional buildings, and the impacts of climate change on cultural heritage.

Gissella Renolfi
Gissella Renolfi holds a Bachelor (Hons) degree in Architecture and Urbanism from the National University of Córdoba, Argentina, and a postgraduate qualification in Applied Building Repair and Conservation from Trinity College Dublin. She practised as a qualified architect in Argentina before relocating to Ireland, where she has specialised in conservation projects since 2016. This includes six years working with a specialist window conservation company. She has also contributed to architectural education as a tutor in the Design and Communication module at UCD School of Engineering (2018–2019). Gissella has been an active committee member of the Irish branch of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) since 2018, supporting the preservation and maintenance of Ireland’s built heritage through ongoing voluntary work.

Since moving to Ireland, she has developed a strong research interest in the work of Richard Turner, particularly his glasshouses, which formed the basis of her postgraduate thesis and continue to inform her professional and academic focus. She joined Carrig Conservation in November 2022 and is currently leading several large-scale projects, including Galway Ceannt Station - featuring Turner’s cast-iron colonnade - the Dublin City Fruit and Vegetable Market in Smithfield, and the Parnell Square Library Project.

Lisa Edden
Lisa is Associate Director at CORA Consulting Engineers and has over 35 years’ experience in designing solutions for the stabilisation and restoration of buildings grand and vernacular, both in the UK and Ireland, including historic masonry; timber; cast and wrought iron and early steel structures. Lisa has a thorough understanding of the repair processes resulting in practical, buildable yet sensitive solutions for the re-use of heritage buildings. After a decade engineering in London working with both Alan Baxter Associates and contractors she moved to Ireland to work in two large practices, before setting up on her own to specialise in repair of historic structures. Following collaboration on several projects she joined CORA at the end of 2017 as an Associate Director. With a team of colleagues, she manages the Structural Engineering inputs into a wide variety of conservation-orientated projects such as stabilisation of medieval castles and ruined churches, rejuvenation of wrought-iron bridges; modest and larger period homes, and some of Ireland’s more prominent public structures.

Raymond Kelly
Raymond studied Structural Engineering at DIT (TUD) graduating in 2012. He first worked for Duffy Engineering, Dundalk where work focused on the design of prefabricated timber frame houses in Ireland and the UK. He joined CORA Consulting Engineers in 2015 and has since been involved in a diverse range of projects, including large-scale private residential buildings to office fitouts, to whiskey distilleries. More recently, his focus has shifted toward conservation-oriented work, specifically the stabilisation of ruinous masonry National Monuments and some large iconic Victorian buildings such as Dublin’s Natural History Museum and the Iveagh Markets. His inspection, design and detailing and site inspection work on the structural issues associated with the Abbey Spire has drawn from all this experience.

Stephen Snell
Stephen Snell (5 Qualified Stone Masons / PSCS) of Classic Conservation & Restoration Ltd. is a stonemason with extensive experience in building conservation involving structures of local, regional and national importance. Classic Conservation is a renowned building restoration and conservation company with a rich legacy of expertise, knowledge and experience. The company’s core mission is to preserve and safeguard Ireland’s architectural heritage by delivering exceptional craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of its work. Recent projects have included The Justice Arch, Cork Gate, Dublin Castle (Hegarty/OPW), Saint Patricks Cathedral, Dublin (Clancy Construction), Record Tower, Dublin Castle (Hegarty/OPW), Bantry House, Bantry, Co. Cork, and The Garda Memorial, Garda HQ, Dublin.

Abbey Presbyterian Church
Abbey Church is a congregation affiliated to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland through the Dublin and Munster Presbytery. They have been meeting at the present site in Parnell Square in the heart of the city for 150 years, although its history can be traced back much further. Abbey Church, led by Reverend Alan Boal, aims for a vibrant congregation of cross-generational, cross-cultural, self-replicating cells radiating from Parnell Square and spreading throughout the city of Dublin, Ireland and beyond. Preaching, teaching, social involvement and ecumenical interaction have characterised the church’s worship and mission. Previously, it has been responsible in whole or in part for establishing Lindsay Road National School, St. Andrew’s College, Abbey Day Nursery, Dolebusters Project, and the Horticultural Workshop.

Aerial view from drone survey
Portland stone repairs
Decayed Portland stone

Thermal and Moisture Performance of Traditional Irish Walls - Key Findings of the FabTrads Project

Morning Webinar

With UCD’s FabTrads Research Team

Date: Monday 8 December 2025

Time: 10:00-13:00 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €95

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom platform

Recording: A recording of the webinar will be circulated the day after the event, available to view for a two-week period for all attendees and ticketholders who cannot attend on the day. This also allows attendees to view part of the live proceedings and watch the remainder afterwards. In all cases, please book a regular ticket and rest assured you will be included on the circular list after the event.

EVENT CONCLUDED - CLICK TO PURCHASE VIDEO

WEBINAR CONTENT

This stimulating morning webinar will focus on the key findings of a pioneering Irish research project assessing the hygrothermal performance of walls in traditional buildings in Ireland. One in six Irish buildings is classified as traditionally constructed, amounting to over one quarter of a million structures - only a small fraction of which are Protected Structures or located in conservation areas. All such buildings require a technical understanding of the existing materials and construction methodology prior to the specification of thermal and energy performance upgrading. Yet, the performance of solid wall construction is currently poorly understood and quantified in the national DEAP calculation methodology, and hence evaluation of traditional building performance is inaccurate.

UCD’s FabTrads research project has evaluated the thermal and moisture properties of a wide range of historic and traditional construction types in Ireland. Through testing and analysis of building fabrics, much of which has been conducted in-situ, the project aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the operational performance of Ireland’s traditional and historic buildings. In particular, how the thermal properties of building fabric is affected by moisture – i.e. hygrothermal performance – in the temperate Irish climate is central to the research.

This morning webinar, consisting of five presentations followed by Q&A, plus breaks, is led by three members of the wider FabTrads project team: Dr Oliver Kinnane, Dr Anna Hofheinz and Dr Rosanne Walker. The collective vast experience of the team will lead attendees through accessible and engaging presentations outlining the key findings of the research project and how they may be applied to real-world refurbishment and conservation projects involving Irish buildings and local materials.

WEBINAR PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome & Introduction

10:05 – 13.00 (10-minute breaks at 11.05 and 12.05)

With Dr Oliver Kinnane, Dr Anna Hofheinz, Dr Rosanne Walker

The carbon case for conservation over construction and an introduction to the FabTrads project
In-situ U-values of traditional Irish solid walls and the importance of their measurement
Moisture in buildings - material properties and how water moves through building materials
Moisture and thermal properties of traditional Irish buildings materials – brick, stone, and lime-based mortars, plasters and renders
Thermal upgrading of traditional walls using hygrothermal modelling (WUFI)

13.00
Close

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Dr Oliver Kinnane is head of the School of School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy in UCD. He is also lead academic at the Building in a Climate Emergency Research Group of which the FabTrad-TradFabs group is part. He regularly reports research findings to key government departments, has completed consultancy work for the Department of Foreign Affairs, and has contributed to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action.

Dr. Anna Hofheinz (dipl.ing. M.RIAI) is a practicing architect and assistant professor / lecturer at the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. She is teaching Building Technology and Design in the architecture degree, with a focus on conservation and retrofit. Her research investigates the hygrothermal performance of traditional solid masonry construction, and appropriate measures to make such buildings adaptable for continued use.

Dr Rosanne Walker (BA, BAI, Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Building Conservation, PhD, MIEI) is a Postdoctoral Researcher on the FabTrads–TradFab project at University College Dublin (UCD). Her work focuses on traditional building materials and strategies for their thermal upgrading, and she has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications in this field. Rosanne also has extensive practical experience in the sympathetic thermal improvement of traditional buildings, including preparing thermal-upgrade reports, conducting in-situ U-value measurements, and carrying out quantitative energy assessments using DEAP calculation methods.

Francis Johnston: Life, Work and Conserving an Architectural Legacy

Half-Day Webinar

Led by Michael Kavanagh, MRIAI, MVK Architects

Date: Tuesday 8th July 2025

Time: 10:00-13:10 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €95

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom platform

Recording: A recording of the webinar will be circulated the day after the event, available to view for a two-week period for all attendees and ticketholders who cannot attend on the day. This also allows attendees to view part of the live proceedings and watch the remainder afterwards. In all cases, please book a regular ticket and rest assured you will be included on the circular list after the event.

EVENT CONCLUDED - CLICK TO PURCHASE VIDEO

General Post Office, Dublin - extract from Jones & Havell view, 1818

WEBINAR CONTENT

This stimulating morning webinar will focus on the life, work and active conservation of the legacy of the Irish architect Francis Johnston, one of the leading architectural and design minds of the 18^th and early 19^th centuries. His eclectic hand produced buildings countrywide in the neoclassical, Greek Revival and Gothic styles, manifesting as country houses, courthouses, churches, asylums and viceregal residences.

Born in Armagh in 1760, Johnston rose to prominence under the tutelage of architect Thomas Cooley and the patronage of Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh, who provided him with multiple commissions and introductions to other influential clients. His later appointments as architect to the Board of Works and architect to the Commissioners for the Erection of Lunatic Asylums further widened his oeuvre, collaborating with his architect cousin William Murray on many projects. Johnston’s collection of paintings, sculpture, books, objets d'art and curiosities, housed in his home and in a purpose-built gallery on Dublin’s Eccles Street has drawn many parallels with Britain’s leading contemporary architect of the same period, often leading to the appellation 'Ireland’s John Soane'.

This morning webinar, consisting of three presentations followed by Q&A, is led by Michael Kavanagh, FRIAI, an authority on the work of Francis Johnston. As co-director of MVK Architects with Victoria Kavanagh, Michael has extensive experience in documenting, conserving and adapting one of Johnston’s most important works at Townley Hall, Drogheda, Co. Louth, where a complete measured drawing survey has been undertaken. The survey is the basis for current and future conservation work, as well as for informing a wider audience about this important piece of cultural heritage. MVK architects have led the restoration of the former Kitchen Wing to the rear of the house and its refurbishment as a large meeting room. A recent publication by the practice has also documented the breadth of Johnston’s wider work and his remarkable contribution to the field of architecture in Ireland.

WEBINAR PROGRAMME

Led by Michael Kavanagh, FRIAI

10:00
Welcome & Introduction

10:05
Francis Johnston - The Architect & His Times
History, Profile, Personal Life, Early Works

Q&A

11:00
Break

11:10
Private Practice to Architect of State and Institutions
Major commissions, St. George’s Church, Chapel Royal, GPO, Dublin Castle, Royal Hospital, regional asylums, villas, advisory on gaols, etc.

Q&A

12:00
Break

12:10
Conserving a Legacy – learning from Johnston’s Work
MVK Architects' conservation at Townley Hall and related work

Q&A

13:00
Close

Francis Johnston and Townley Hall, Co. Louth

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Michael Kavanagh is a practicing architect and fellow of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI). After graduating from Dublin Institute of Technology in 1990 he moved to Berlin and worked with Muller Riemann Architekten. He returned to Dublin in 1995 and joined Gerry Cahill Architects before establishing MVK Architects in 2000 with Victoria Kavanagh. He is a RIAI Grade II conservation architect. In tandem with his work in the practice, Michael has been a part-time tutor at UCD School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy.

PRACTICE BIOGRAPHY

Established in 2000, MVK Architects have completed a range of residential, institutional and ecclesiastical projects. The practice is concerned primarily with the conservation, refurbishment and adaptive re-use of built heritage.

Conserving a Dublin Town House: 30 Parnell Square

Saturday Morning On-Site Seminar and Tour

Led by DMVF Architects

Date: Saturday 17^th May 2025

Time: 10:00-13:15

Location: 30 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1, D01 X682

Price: €95

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Site visit with seated presentations and tour. Mid-morning refreshments included.

Recording: No recording will be made of this event. Attendance is required.

Access & Attire: PPE is not required as the building is fully operational. Wheelchair access is possible to the basement and ground floor only. Lift access is provided through the upper floor of the building but cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

BOOKING CLOSED - EVENT CONCLUDED

Newly conserved facade of 30 Parnell Square, Dublin 1

SEMINAR CONTENT

This stimulating Saturday morning seminar will provide a unique opportunity to inspect a newly refurbished mid-18^th century Georgian building in Dublin city centre. Led by the architectural design team and conservation contractors who delivered the project over five years, the event will showcase this beautifully conserved town house which has been adapted to office use for the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO).

30 Parnell Square is a four-storey over basement Georgian house constructed in the 1760s. It forms part of the longest surviving mid-18^th century terrace in Dublin that encloses the western side of Parnell Square. Much of the significance of this and adjacent houses stems from their notable large scale and the high quality of their decorative interiors, but also their coordinated urban setting, originally designed to overlook and frame the former Pleasure Gardens of the 18^th-century Rotunda Hospital. Number 30 has the added advantage of embracing Palace Row on the north side of Parnell Square, the site of the planned Dublin City Library due to break ground shortly.

Over recent years, DMVF Architects has led the refurbishment of the building to provide design-focused office accommodation while respecting and conserving the historic fabric of this Georgian building. Aspects of the project have included structural repair, façade conservation, floor strengthening, repair of lime plaster – both decorative stucco and flatwork – extensive joinery conservation, integration of mechanical and electrical services, and providing additional floor area in a rear extension. This has included all necessary certifications for planning and building regulations compliance – including conservation oversight by David Slattery Conservation Architects.

This seminar will guide attendees through the planning and design stages of the project, and the detailed implementation of repair methodologies and new interventions at construction stage. Speakers from DMVF Architects, Nolans Group and Lambstongue will showcase the works from the perspectives of design specifiers, and masonry and joinery conservation contractors respectively, with a blend of lectures and tours through the whole building.

Early booking is advised as places are strictly limited.

PROGRAMME

09:45-10:00
Registration
Entrance at front door on Parnell Square West

10:00
Welcome and Introduction
Graham Hickey, CEO, Dublin Civic Trust

10:10
Project Overview
Lisa McVeigh, Director, DMVF Architects

10:35
Synergising Conservation & Design
Ethna Mc Dermott, Architect, DMVF Architects

Q&A

11:10
Break

11:30
Brick & Stone Repairs
Shane Nolan, Director, Nolan’s Group Conservation Contractors
Q&A

11:55
Window, Door & Joinery Repairs
Alexander Downes, Director, Lambstongue
Q&A

12:20
Building Tours
2x groups in parallel

13:15
Close

Interiors of 30 Parnell Square during and after conservation works

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Lisa McVeigh is Director at DMVF Architects. Lisa studied Architecture at Queen’s University, Belfast from 1993–1999. Upon graduating, Lisa worked for Campbell Conroy Hickey Architects (CCH) from 1999 to 2005 in Dublin. Lisa has extensive experience leading design teams on projects in the residential, commercial, leisure and hospitality sectors both in Ireland and internationally.

Ethna Mc Dermott is an architect at DMVF Architects. Ethna has a specialist interest in conservation, working through all eight RIAI workstages from inception to completion & hand-over, with responsibility for project & design management, planning and Protected Structures, contract administration, design team and consultant coordination. Ethna has over 10 years professional experience working closely with clients and stakeholders across projects ranging from restoration and refurbishment of domestic, commercial and cultural buildings, masterplanning, educational and recreational buildings, bespoke interiors, timber & sustainable construction & exhibitions.

Shane Nolan is Director of Nolan’s Group Conservation & Restoration, a specialist Irish conservation firm working in building conservation for almost 30 years. The firm employs a team of highly skilled employees, offering a combination of traditional skills and innovative repair techniques to cater for the conservation and sustainability demands presented by historic buildings. Nolan’s Group has worked on some of Ireland’s largest and most significant conservation projects, ranging from the Victorian McKee Barracks for the Department of Defence to one of the largest Georgian mansions in Dublin, at 3 Henrietta Street. In recent years, Nolan’s Group has developed a specialism producing and repairing fired clay products for the Irish market including terracotta, faience and brick specials, supplying a diverse array of bespoke conservation and architectural products that are made in Ireland for the first time in decades. Shane also maintains a keen interest in the use, development and promotion of building limes, sensitive masonry repair and cleaning techniques.

Alexander Downes is a founding Director of Lambstongue, a Dublin-based company with a strong design and conservation sensibility that specialises in the repair, manufacture and thermal upgrading of traditional timber and metal windows, rooflights, screens and, most recently, the restoration of historic Irish glasshouses. Heritage projects have included the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed Glasgow School of Art, Dublin’s Four Courts and Leinster House, 18 Ormond Quay Upper, City Assembly House and Newbridge House glasshouses. Alexander is also Chairperson of Dublin Civic Trust.

Dublin 2025 Conference: a city in crisis or a golden opportunity?

Date: Wednesday 7th May

Time: 9am to 5.30pm

Location: City Assembly House, 58 South William Street, Dublin 2.

Price: €75

Dublin Civic Trust and the Irish Georgian Society are partnering to deliver a one-day conference focusing on the historic city of Dublin, its potential and its current challenges. Pressing themes including recognition and presentation of the built heritage, a shared vision for the future, housing and quality of life, public realm and citizen engagement. Our capital city has been the focus of intense public scrutiny in recent times. Its historic core, synonymous with trading streets, Georgian terraces and fine public buildings, is visibly deteriorating. In this conference a number of experts will discuss the legacy of built heritage the city has inherited and the challenges facing the city such as a lack of affordable and quality housing, civil unrest, pollution and litter etc. The conference will also look at new building developments, the reuse and repurposing of built heritage, and new local and national government initiatives.

Speakers and chairs include: Paul Arnold, RIAI; David Browne and Jim Coady, architects and editors of Irish Cities in Crisis; Donough Cahill, Executive Director, Irish Georgian Society; Dr Gavin Daly, European Spatial Planning Observatory Network; Alexander Downes, Chairperson, Dublin Civic Trust; Máire Henry, Director dhb Architects & contributor to Dublin City Taskforce report Dublin City (2024) ; Graham Hickey, CEO, Dublin Civic Trust; Dr Paul Kearns, Urban Planner; Olivia Kelly, Dublin Editor of The Irish Times; Nicola Matthews, Senior Architect, National Built Heritage Services at Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Valerie Mulvin, Director, McCullough Mulvin Architects (keynote speaker); Owen O'Doherty, Acting City Architect, Dublin City Council ; Peter Sagar, THRIVE, Allies & Morrison; Grainne Shaffrey, Director, Shaffrey Associates & author of ‘South Georgian Dublin Townhouse Re-use Guidance’; Charlotte Sheridan, FRIAI, MIPI, IGF board member & IGS Architectural Conservation & Planning committee member; Lorcan Sirr, TU Dublin; Michael Wall, Chairperson, Irish Georgian Foundation.

BOOKING CLOSED-EVENT CONCLUDED

Living Spaces: Heritage-Led Public Realm Enhancement

Half-Day Webinar

Date: Thursday 21st November 2024

Time: 10:00-13:10 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

BOOKING CLOSED-EVENT CONCLUDED

SEMINAR CONTENT

This morning webinar will explore how heritage-led regeneration of the public realm in urban places can be successfully delivered, showcasing the positive benefits of investing in built heritage assets for social, environmental and economic enhancement. A guiding policy initiative is the Creative Europe-funded ‘Living Spaces’ programme, involving “cities and regions shaping the built environment for everyone”, where sustainable urban living is promoted through regeneration of shared public realm and historic buildings.

Across Ireland, historic towns and cities have the capacity to reinvent their urban centres through heritage-conscious planning of their public realm and streetscapes. This holistic approach can be extended to include underutilised historic buildings in both public and private ownership, as well as investment in new residential housing in brownfield and backlands locations. Such investment can promote more sustainable ways of living, bringing homes, workplaces and essential services closer together in vibrant, attractive centres.

This morning webinar will explore these themes through successful examples of public authority-led initiatives that place built heritage at the centre of the design process. Case studies from design practices, and a national and European overview of policy and projects, will chart the incorporation of heritage assets at both micro and macro levels: from preserving historic railings and heritage assets as part of major new transport infrastructure, to master-planning historic market squares.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:05
Living Spaces: Investing in our Historic Urban Centres
Nicki Matthews, Senior Architect, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Q&A

10:45
Incorporating Heritage Assets into Public Infrastructure
Desmond Byrne, Lotts Architecture + Urbanism
Q&A

11:15
Break

11:25
Fort Protector Enhancement Scheme, Fitzmaurice Place, Portlaoise
Richard McLoughlin, Lotts Architecture + Urbanism
Q&A

12:00
Break

12:05
Town Centre First, Urban Design Analysis and Tactical Urbanism
Sharon O’Gara, Architect, Urban Designer and Project Lead, National Town Centre First Project

12.30
Space for People – Kildare Market Square
Denise Murray, Director, Metropolitan Workshop Dublin Studio
Q&A

13:10 Close

Kildare Market Square proposals by Metropolitan Workshop

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Nicola Matthews is a Senior Architect in National Built Heritage Service, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage (D/HLGH) and has a diverse and busy role that includes guiding best conservation practice, adaptation and reuse of built heritage assets and technical input into a range of progressive national policies for cultural heritage. Nicola represented D/HLGH on the EU OMC working group developing the first EU architectural policy - Towards a shared culture of Architecture, providing expert feedback on architectural policy, awareness of best practice case studies, research and innovations undertaken in other member states. Continuing EU interaction on the implementation of architectural policy work under the EU Cultural Plan 2024 – 2027, has provided invaluable experience and access to a network of practitioners and policy makers with peer-learning opportunities ensuring alignment with EU funding programmes and initiatives and the transfer of research and best practices. As the National Contact Point for the New European Bauhaus, Nicola is a member of the steering group for the ERDF THRIVE funding programme for heritage-led regeneration in historic urban centres, providing engagement with Local Authorities on cultural heritage and policy themes throughout the country.

Richard McLoughlin is a Grade 1 Conservation Architect with over 35 years’ professional experience. He is a graduate of UCD and holds a master’s degree in built heritage conservation from the Technical University Berlin. He has worked in Germany, Britain and the US, and as co-founder and director of Lotts Architecture has overseen conservation works to historic buildings and sites across Ireland. In 2022 the practice received the Irish Georgian Society Conservation Award for the refurbishment of Riverstown House, a mid-eighteenth century country house in Co Kildare. Richard is a member and former chair of the RIAI Historic Buildings Committee.

Desmond Byrne graduated from UCD School of Architecture in 1986 and worked in Berlin for fourteen years. He established Lotts Architecture in Dublin in 2005 in partnership with conservation architect Richard McLoughlin. Desmond was Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at UCD until 2024, and is a past director of the Masters of Landscape Architecture (MLA). In addition to architecture and public realm projects, he has overseen historic garden and designed landscape surveys for the NIAH for counties Waterford, Kilkenny, Offaly, Galway and Kerry.

Sharon O’Gara is the Project Lead in the National Town Centre Office. Sharon worked in private practice for almost ten years in Ireland and Australia and joined Kildare County Council late 2006. where she worked in the Architectural Services Department and a multidisciplinary public realm team as a Senior Executive Architect, before being seconded to the National Town Centre First Office (in November 2023). Sharon has extensive experience working on architectural and urban design projects both in the public and private sectors.

Denise Murray is Director of Metropolitan Workshop’s Dublin Studio. She previously held the role of Associate in O’Donnell and Tuomey Architects and Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios in London. She has over 20 years’ experience working in Ireland, France and the UK on all project stages with specialist knowledge of urban design, regeneration and housing. She is a Design Fellow at UCD School of Architecture, a member of the RIAI Housing Task Force and a member of CoLab research group who advocate for the transformation of historic sites of social care in Ireland as part of transitional justice for survivors.

Fort Protector Enhancement Scheme, Portlaoise, by Lotts Architecture + Urbanism

History, Repair and Cleaning of Historic Interior Plasterwork

Half-day Seminar
In-Person Event at 18 Ormond Quay Upper, Dublin 7

Date: Wednesday 24th July 2024

Time: 10:00 – 13:00
(registration from 09:45 – seminar includes tea/coffee refreshments mid-morning. Lunch is not included)

Location: Dublin Civic Trust premises, 18 Ormond Quay Upper, Dublin 7

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Indoor lectures with indoor demonstrations

Recording: This event will not be recorded – in-person attendance is required

BOOKING CLOSED-EVENT CONCLUDED

SEMINAR CONTENT

Join us for this in-person seminar that includes practical demonstration and site inspection of historic plasterwork in 18 Ormond Quay Upper, central Dublin.

Previously run in 2019 to a full audience, this half-day seminar on July 24th will focus on the history and repair of interior plasterwork, both decorative work and flatwork. Many historic interiors in Ireland are finished in plain lime plaster, composed of two- and three-coat work on walls and lath-and-plaster on ceilings. Such plaster comprises the essential fabric of our commonplace buildings – especially domestic, commercial, institutional and religious structures. Understanding correct approaches to its repair and retention, when much plaster is often lost during renovation, is vital to protect special character. Additionally, Ireland has a fine tradition of decorative plasterwork, ranging from modest ceiling roses and cornices, to elaborate ceiling and wall stuccowork, which requires specialist knowledge and skill to undertake cleaning, repair and restoration.

This morning event will be led by two leading experts in plaster specification, defect diagnostics, cleaning and virtuoso modelling: Andrew Smith, Smith & Henderson Stuccodores and Frank Keohane, Chartered Building Surveyor, SCSI Grade I Conservation Surveyor. A blend of lectures, live decorative plaster casting, and tying/restraining of a mid-18^th century ceiling demonstration, will provide attendees with a unique opportunity to learn about the composition of historic plaster and to quiz experts on the logistics and specification for repair.

Please Note: Full PPE is not required but sturdy shoes are advised for using stairs in the unrefurbished part of the building.

SEMINAR PROGRAMME

09:45 – 10:00
Registration

10:00
Composition and Repair of Historic Plaster and Flatwork
Frank Keohane, Chartered Building Surveyor

Topics: Two and three-coat work, masonry substrates, embedded timbers, lath-and-plaster studwork and ceilings, plaster mixes, thermal plasters and general upgrading, plaster specification

Q&A

11:10 Tea/Coffee refreshments

11:30
History of Decorative Plaster and Approaches to Repair and Conservation
Andrew Smith, Stuccodore, Smith & Henderson

Topics: Rococo and neoclassical styles, integrated decorative interiors, composition of decorative plaster, paint specification, paint removal and plaster cleaning, casting and freehand work

Demonstration: Bench casting of plaster elements, paint removal from 1750s rococo cornice and restraining historic ceilings in 68 Arran Street East

Interactive Q&A

13:10
Close

Andrew Smith, Smith & Henderson Stuccodores

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Frank Keohane is a Chartered Building Surveyor and Architectural Historian who has specialised in surveying, recording, repair, refurbishment and conservation of historic buildings in Ireland for almost 30 years. Frank is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Having completed the RICS Building Conservation Accreditation Scheme (BCAS), he is one of only four chartered surveyors in Ireland fully accredited in building conservation.

Frank’s extensive experience includes the inspection, repair and refurbishment of town and country houses, commercial and public buildings and churches of various denominations. He is Chair of the SCSI Conservation Committee, a member of the SCSI Building Surveying Committee and the RICS Conservation Forum Board – and is author of the leading Dublin Civic Trust publication: Irish Period Houses – A Conservation Guidance Manual.

Andrew Smith is co-owner with Sean Henderson of Smith & Henderson Stuccodores, a specialist practice that has conserved some of the finest and most significant decorative plasterwork in Ireland. Established in 1991, the firm’s work has included repair, cleaning and consolidation of historic stuccowork in Farmleigh House, Aras an Uachtaráin, Leinster House, Kilmainham Courthouse, Dublin Castle and more recently the Tenement Museum on Dublin's Henrietta Street.

With over 30 years’ experience as a conservator and skilled sculptural artist, Andrew undertakes both the conservation of existing plasterwork as well as commissions for original new work designed within the strong decorative stucco tradition in Ireland. Andrew is passionate about traditional plasterworking skills, retaining historic fabric and upholding the wider Irish building tradition and its associated decorative arts.

Architectural Stoneware & Terracotta Webinar:
History, Application and Approaches to Conservation

Half-Day Webinar

With Chilstone and Nolan's Group

Date: Tuesday 21st May 2024

Time: 10:00-13:10 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

Recording: A recording of the webinar will be circulated the day after the event, available to view for a two-week period for all attendees and ticketholders who cannot attend on the day. This also allows attendees to view part of the live proceedings and watch the remainder afterwards. In all cases, please book as normal and rest assured you will be included on the circular list after the event.

BOOKING CLOSED-EVENT CONCLUDED

Newly conserved balustrading at Westport House

WEBINAR CONTENT

This three-hour webinar will provide a detailed overview of two distinctive types of cast architectural products, their applications and approaches to conservation: artificial stoneware and terracotta, which were used for architectural enrichment primarily during the 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

These useful materials were the product of innovation with centuries-old techniques that reached a peak of refinement in the late Georgian and Victorian periods. Industrial processes developed by London’s Coade manufactory in the case of stoneware, and Irish, Welsh and English clay and brick manufacturers like Ruabon and Portmarnock in the case of terracotta, created product lines that influenced not only decorative styles and architecture, but also the very methods by which buildings were constructed.

Three expert speakers, historian Patrick Pilkington, Chilstone Irish agent Caroline Pilkington, and terracotta/faience manufacturer Shane Nolan, Nolan’s Group conservation contractors, will guide attendees through the history, characteristics, applications and conservation approaches to cast architectural elements including Chilstone architectural and garden products, terracotta, faience and decorative brick - charted through processes and case studies. This is a unique opportunity to learn about this diverse and interrelated arena of architectural casting and how the principles of repair, conservation and accurate reproduction can be achieved by leading suppliers and practitioners working today.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome & Introduction

10:05
History and Uses of Artificial/Cast Stone
Patrick Pilkington, historian and consultant on decorative arts and historic interiors

Q&A

Break

10:50
Artificial/Cast Stone: History, Conservation, Restoration and Design
Caroline Pilkington, Simonstown Architectural and Chilstone Irish agent

Q&A

Break

11:55
Manufacturing Terracotta/Faience/Clay Products and Approaches to Conservation
Shane Nolan, Nolan’s Group conservation contractors

Q&A

13:10
Close

Top: New terracotta by Nolan's Group | Bottom: Chilstone workshop

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Patrick Pilkington is a decorative arts historian and consultant on decorative arts and historic interiors. He studied at the Chateau de Versailles and the Victoria & Albert Museum Diploma Course in English Furniture & Silver while at Partridge (Fine Arts) in Bond Street, 1978-1983, considered one of the greatest dealers of decorative arts in the world. He has received an M.A. in Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors 1660-1830 from Birkbeck College, University of London, and worked at Phillips Son and Neil as a freelance consultant until 1985; later with Bernard Steinitz, London and Paris (French Furniture) 1985-1988. Patrick operated the Westland Pilkington partnership,1988-1993, dealing in architectural items such as chimneypieces and some composition stone in Shoreditch, East London, before moving to Ireland where he operates as a sole trader and consultant.

Caroline Pilkington is owner and manager of Simonstown Architectural, based in Coole, Co. Westmeath. This specialist practice has been the Irish Agent for Chilstone ornamental cast stone since 2003, as well as a supplier of other decorative and architectural garden products including statuary, plinths and planters. Prior to that, from 1997, Caroline was owner and director of The Osborne Studio Gallery, Motcomb Street, London, dealing in contemporary artwork and specialising in sporting art.

Chilstone was founded in 1953 by Michael Dibben at Great Linford Manor, Buckinghamshire, England, where he conducted extensive research into formulating a product that closely resembled natural antique stone. Since that date the company has moved to its present location near Tunbridge Wells in Kent where they have an extensive show garden, workshop and offices. Over the years Chilstone has restored and copied items from many historic gardens including Kensington Gardens, Hever Castle, Kew Gardens and Westport House to name a few. Everything produced is handmade using hand tools, not factory machinery, just as it was in the 1950s.

Shane Nolan is Director of Nolan’s Group Conservation & Restoration, a specialist Irish conservation firm working in building conservation for almost 30 years.

The firm employs a team of highly skilled employees, offering a combination of traditional skills and innovative repair techniques to cater for the conservation and sustainability demands presented by historic buildings. Nolan’s Group has worked on some of Ireland’s largest and most significant conservation projects, ranging from the Victorian McKee Barracks for the Department of Defence, to one of the largest Georgian mansions in Dublin, at 3 Henrietta Street. In recent years, Nolan’s Group has developed a specialism producing and repairing fired clay products for the Irish market including terracotta, faience and brick specials, supplying a diverse array of bespoke conservation and architectural products that are made in Ireland for the first time in decades.

Shane Nolan also maintains a keen interest in the use, development and promotion of building limes, sensitive masonry repair and cleaning techniques, and serves on the board of the Building Limes Forum Ireland.

Stone and Traditional Masonry Webinar: From Quarry to Quoin

Conservation, Specification and Traditional Skills

Half-Day Webinar

With O’Flaherty Stone and INStone – Irish Natural Stone

Date: Wednesday 27^th March 2024

Time: 10:00 – 13:10 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

Recording: A recording of the webinar will be circulated the day after the event, available to view for a two-week period for all attendees and ticket-holders who cannot attend on the day. This also allows attendees to view part of the live proceedings and watch the remainder afterwards. In all cases, please book as normal and rest assured you will be included on the circular list after the event.

WEBINAR CONTENT

This three-hour webinar provided a detailed overview of traditional stone masonry, from its source at quarry, to specification for its use in building conservation and new work. Led by leading stone masons and stone suppliers, O’Flaherty Stone of Co. Wicklow and INStone of Co. Clare, expert speakers guided attendees through the sources of Irish granite and limestone and the tradition that binds the craft and trade of stone masonry in Ireland.

Case studies both large and small, and project analysis from around the country, provided insights into native stone specification, in-situ stone repairs, conservation and restoration practices, and the essential principles and logistics of stone extraction and working. Featured projects included St. Mel’s Cathedral, Longford; Four Courts capitals, Dublin; St. John’s Cathedral, Limerick; O’Connell Monument, Ennis.

As skilled educators and trainers, the speakers also explored sustaining the tradition in Ireland by developing knowledge at specification stage, to ensuring apprenticeships and training are advanced at local and national levels. Regular opportunities for questions and answers allowed for audience engagement.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:05
Ballyknockan, 200 years of a Living Tradition
History, Apprenticeships and Responsibility of Contractors, Future of Stone Masonry
Killian and Petra O’Flaherty, O’Flaherty Stone

10:45
Traditional Mortars & Local Aggregates: A Sustainable Approach
Eoin Madigan, Madigan Traditional Masonry

11:05
Q&A

11:15
Break

11:25
Creativity in Stone and Stone Heritage go Hand in Hand
Quarrying and stone selection, specification, conservation, repair, and case studies
Frank McCormack, FRSA

12:00
Q&A

12:10
Break

12:20
Conserving our Built Heritage through Education
Training at INStone, Traditional Skills, Case Study Projects with Educational Aspects
Jamie Forde, MCIOB

13:10

Q&A and Close

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

O’Flaherty Stone are eighth-generation stone masons/stone cutters based in Ballyknockan, “The Granite Village”. Nestled in the Wicklow mountains, the O’Flahertys continue to sustain their historical family stone-masonry/cutting practices, keeping The Granite Village traditions alive.

Killian and Petra O’Flaherty have developed a wide range of stone cutting and masonry services that includes architectural work, conservation and repair, sculpture and letter-cutting – executed in many parts of Ireland.

Awards and nominations since 2022 include

Nominated craftsperson of the year SPAB Heritage Award 2022 for England, Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland
World Skills finalist 2023
Design Craft Council - Future Makers Award Winner 2023
Heritage Council - National Heritage Week - Living Heritage Award nominee 2023
Heritage Council - National Heritage Week - County Award Winner for Wicklow 2023

INStone - Irish Natural Stone is a family-managed business which was established in 1991 in Boston, Tubber, Co. Clare by Directors Frank & Mary McCormack. Since then, INStone has grown to be one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of Irish Limestone materials, bespoke stone sculptures, and specialists in heritage preservation. In addition to its on-site and studio work, the firm also operates the Burren INStone Academy, providing essential training and education in the stone masonry field.

Frank McCormack is Managing Director of INStone. With over 50 years of expertise in the stone industry and honoured as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Frank McCormack embodies the visionary drive behind INStone’s (Irish Natural Stone’s) pursuit of excellence in all facets of the company. From the meticulous craftsmanship within stone masonry, to the innovative design of bespoke stone sculptures and architectural detailing, Frank's unwavering commitment sets the standard for INStone’s dedication to quality and innovation. Guided by his passion and expertise, INStone continues to push boundaries, elevate standards, and redefine the possibilities within the stone industry.

Conserving Dublin Street Buildings: 18 Ormond Quay Upper & 68 Arran Street East

Half-Day Webinar

With Graham Hickey of Dublin Civic Trust

Date: Wednesday 21^st February 2024

Time: 10:00 – 13:00 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

BOOKING CLOSED

WEBINAR CONTENT

This three-hour webinar will provide a detailed overview and analysis of the conservation approaches applied by Dublin Civic Trust in the refurbishment, restoration and conservation of its two adjacent historic street buildings in Dublin city centre. For the first time since the completion of 18 Ormond Quay Upper and the beginning of works at 68 Arran Street East, this prominent city centre project will be holistically disseminated for public and professional education – focusing on themes covering the earliest stages of historic analysis right through to technical upgrades and internal finishes.

Sited on the north bank of the River Liffey, 18 Ormond Quay Upper is an excellent example of a traditional merchant premises that characterises the essential built form of Dublin city. Constructed in 1842-43, the building comprises three storeys of residential accommodation over a commercial shop and basement. Appended to the rear is 68 Arran Street East, a significantly older structure of c.1755-60 that originally served as an extension to an earlier river-fronting house. Both premises host later layers of alteration from the 1840s and the early 1900s.

Three lectures led by Graham Hickey will chart the process of restoration, including research sources and historic analysis, design strategy and phasing, conservation and repair methodologies, thermal upgrading and decorative approaches. The current restoration of 68 Arran Street East will provide an opportunity to assess the layers of modification to that building and the design response currently being formulated for its sensitive repair and reuse.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:10
Unpeeling the Layers: History of 18 Ormond Quay Upper and 68 Arran Street East
Early history, construction phases, occupants and associated features

10:50
Q&A

11:00
Break

11:10
18 Ormond Quay Upper Conservation Strategy
Structural Consolidation, brick and masonry repair, windows and architectural joinery, thermal upgrading

11:50
Q&A

12:00
Break

12:10
Decorative Finishes and Conserving 68 Arran Street East
Surviving finishes, wallpapers, joinery treatment, dissection of Number 68

12:50

Q&A

13:00
Close

18 Ormond Quay Upper + 68 Arran Street East

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Graham Hickey

Graham Hickey, FRIBA, is Chief Executive Officer of Dublin Civic Trust, having joined as Conservation Director in 2008. During this time he has contributed to the editing and publishing of books, policy and research studies by the Trust, and has overseen the research, design, specification and project management of live conservation works.

Graham is a broadcasting graduate from TU Dublin, a graduate of applied building repair and conservation from Trinity College Dublin, and is an Honorary Fellow of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects). He is a regular writer on architectural heritage, the built environment and the development of Dublin in academic publications, journals and national print media.

www.dublincivictrust.ie

The Chimneypiece in Ireland 1660-1830

Half Day Webinar

With Patrick Pilkington, chimneypiece specialist and decorative arts historian.

Date: Wednesday 15^th November 2023

Time: 10:00 – 13:10 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

BOOKING CLOSED

WEBINAR CONTENT

This compelling morning webinar, the first of its kind on the topic in Ireland, will explore the history, design and use of chimneypieces in Ireland through an important and varied period from the second half of the 17th century to the introduction of mass production by the early Victorian period. Led by leading expert Patrick Pilkington, chimneypiece specialist and decorative arts historian, attendees will gain a rare insight into the Irish chimneypiece trade in an international context, from stone suppliers and grate installations, to the evolution of fashion and architectural taste. Themes explored will include integrated interiors; clients, stonecutters and architects as agents of taste; prized stones and inlay; logistics of material supply and more. This is a must attend event for anyone engaged in the field of conservation, architecture, interiors, history and the decorative arts.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:05
The Chimneypiece Taken Apart and its Component Materials

10:50
Q&A

11:00
Break

11:10
Architecture, Design, Interiors, Patronage and Iconography

11:50
Q&A

12:00
Break

12:10
Scagliola: Pietro Bossi and Bartolommeo & Richter.
Pietra Dura: The Darley Drawings in the Royal Irish Academy

13:00

Q&A

13:10
Close

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Patrick Pilkington

Patrick Pilkington is a decorative arts historian and a specialist on the subject of chimneypieces. He studied at the Chateau de Versailles and the Victoria & Albert Museum, and has received an M.A. in Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors 1660-1830 from Birkbeck College, University of London. For more than 15 years he worked for renowned decorative arts and furniture dealers, as well as dealing in chimneypieces in London.

His M.A. lectures took place at the Wallace Collection in London in 2004-2005, and since then he has worked as a private researcher and consultant for dealers in French furniture and has written for the Georgian Group Journal. Patrick is particularly proud of his heritage, being a direct descendant of the last of the electing Princes of the Kingdom of Ulster, Prince Edmund O’Reilly of East Breffni.

Heritage and Climate Change – Conserving The Rubrics, Trinity College Dublin

Half Day Webinar

With Carrig Conservation

Date: Tuesday 17^th October 2023

Time: 10:00 – 13:00 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

BOOKING CLOSED

WEBINAR CONTENT

This stimulating morning webinar will explore themes of sustainable building practice and energy efficiency in the context of built heritage preservation. Led by Peter Cox, FRSA, principal at Carrig Conservation, one of Ireland’s leading specialist building and heritage consultancies, the series of lectures will provide a global scientific context to the challenges of climate change, sustainable resource management, international research and the application of these principles in the Irish context through a major building case study.

Since the recognition of our changing climate, the introduction of the SDGs (sustainable development goals) in 2015 and the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016, there has been much movement in international research in the effects of Climate Change on the built environment. ICOMOS took this very seriously and developed a number of Works Groups, mainly the Climate Change & Heritage Work Group, The International Scientific Committee on Energy Sustainability & Climate Change (ISCES+CC) and the SDG Work Group. The climate change & heritage work group produced a landmark document titled “The Future of our Past”. This group also developed the highly successful Climate Heritage Network. Carrig has written the Climate Change Adaptation Sectoral Plan on Built & Archaeological Heritage for the Irish Government which is now part of our National Climate Action Plan.

Three morning lectures will provide a current backdrop to Irish and international policies and how these must translate in the built heritage sector. A detailed case study will showcase major renovation works recently overseen by Carrig Conservation in Trinity College Dublin in the refurbishment of one of the country’s oldest residential buildings, The Rubrics, dating to 1698-1702, with a major intervention in 1894. The brief from the client was to undertake a full conservation and energy retrofit and that would not only be best practice, but should also be an exemplar project.

Carrig were appointed both conservation and energy consultants to a full design team. Peter Cox will take attendees through the process, the findings, the decisions and the implementation to achieve a B2 energy rating.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:05
Heritage and Climate Change

10:50
Q&A

11:00
Break

11:10
International Research

11:50
Q&A

12:00
Break

12:10
Case Study – Applying Sustainable Principles: The Rubrics, Trinity College Dublin

12:50
Q&A

13:00
Close

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Peter Cox

Peter Cox FRSA, founding member of Carrig Conservation, has gained over thirty-five years’ experience of stone conservation in historic structures and all porous building materials. With a primary degree in chemical engineering and masters in material science, he is an authority on the analysis of masonry decay and on treating stone and mortar in historic structures. As an active member of ICOMOS, and as ICOMOS Ireland President from 2003-2006, Peter sits on a number of international committees, working with Governments to improve legislation and policies on conservation, and in particular on energy efficiency in heritage building stock.

He was President of ICOMOS’ International Scientific Committee on Energy, Sustainability & Climate Change (ISCES+CC), 2013 – 2020; is chair of ICOMOS Ireland’s National Scientific Committee on Energy, Sustainability & Climate Change (NSCES+CC) which published on the Effects of Climate Change on World Heritage Sites; and an active member of the Sustainable Traditional Building Alliance (STBA). Peter represented ICOMOS International on the CEN (Central European Standards Committee) Expert Technical Committee that produced European standard, EN 16883:2017 Conservation of Cultural Heritage – Guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings.

Peter has authored ‘Retrofitting Heritage Buildings’ as part of RIBA’s Sustainable Building Conservation: Theory and Practice of Responsive Design in the Heritage Environment, published in 2015. As guest and visiting lecturer to universities nationally and throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, Peter has completed lecture tours of China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, South and North America lecturing on ‘Material Conservation of 20th Century Buildings; the ‘Energy Efficiency of Heritage & Traditional Buildings’ and on the effects of ‘Climate Change on our World Heritage Sites’.

Carrig Conservation

Carrig was established in 1994 as a specialist building and heritage consultancy, which employs a multi-disciplinary team of building and material experts, architects, engineers, materials’ scientists, chemists and geologists capable of handling all types of conservation projects.

Ireland has very significant commitments to the protection of heritage under Irish legislation and international conventions, such as the Venice and Burra Charters. This must be taken on board when devising integrated heritage and cultural management, climate change adaptation or mitigation measures, or setting priorities in terms of building protection and intervention.

Carrig offers independent professional services relating to the conservation of built heritage, fabric research and specification of treatments, governmental policy development on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for the historic built environment, and low carbon retrofit strategies for historic and traditional buildings. With a scientific ethos and background, it offers a service to architects, engineers, building owners, state parties, local authorities and NGOs.

www.carrig.ie

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Katia Papkovskaia
Katia Papkovskaia is a practicing Grade II conservation architect. For the past 12 years, she has led many conservation projects in the UK and Ireland, ranging from conservation masterplans and public realm works to repairs and alterations to private houses. Katia was the project architect on the recent restoration of the Ardgillan Castle glasshouses for Fingal County Council. She has a particular interest in conservation technology, glasshouse conservation and horticulture.

Alexander Downes
Alexander Downes is Director of Lambstongue Ltd. Lambstongue is a Dublin-based Irish company that specialises in the repair and manufacture of traditional timber and metal windows, rooflights and glazed screens with a strong design and conservation sensibility. In addition to the firm’s experience in traditional joinery, it has pioneered expertise in the conservation and thermal upgrading of metal doors and windows, working with steel, cast-iron, bronze and leadwork, including extensive glasshouse works.

Geospatial Surveying and the Digitalisation of Historic Buildings

Half Day Webinar

With Murphy Geospatial

Date: Wednesday 21^st June 2023

Time: 10:00 – 13:00 (webinar open for admittance from 09:45)

Price: €90

Structured CPD Points: 3

Format: Live webinar via Zoom

BOOKING CLOSED

This webinar event is CPD-approved by both The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and Engineers Ireland.

WEBINAR CONTENT

This stimulating morning webinar is led by one of the leading geospatial survey firms in Ireland, focusing on the methods and applications of modern surveying techniques and data collection for analysing historic buildings and structures. Techniques such as laser scanning, drone-enabled aerial surveys and 3D modelling can provide invaluable information on the condition, material make-up and historic evolution of heritage assets, enabling design teams, building owners/occupiers and managers to better understand often complex structures and sites, and to accurately specify works. Applying this data to modelling and additional video/media content can also communicate vital information to a wider audience for cultural interpretation.

The expert speakers from Murphy Geospatial will bring a wealth of experience from a variety of interconnected disciplines including digital engineering, subsurface engineering, property measurement and legal mapping. All of these themes are essential ingredients in the analysis of existing environments, urban and rural, including Ireland’s 40,000 Protected Structures and an estimated 300,000 traditionally built homes. Approaches to determining structure and property boundaries and the application of historic mapping will also be explored.

PROGRAMME

10:00
Welcome and Introduction

10:05
Survey and UAV, laser scanning and point clouds
Ger Cowman, Senior Geospatial Consultant

10:45
Utility surveying
David Graham, Director & Head Subsurface Engineering Division

Q&A