Despite banks rationalising their business through closure or reuse of branches, architectural patronage has recently been boosted by the Central Bank’s imminent move from Dame Street to North Wall Quay, writes Frank McDonald
The Central Bank of Ireland’s imminent move to North Wall Quay will finally remove the long tradition of banks having their headquarters in and around College Green. Apart from the Bank of Ireland occupying the old Parliament House as a prestigious branch office, nearly all of the former bank buildings in the area have now been turned over to other, more prosaic uses. The Munster and Leinster Bank on Dame Street is also merely a branch of AIB, the Hibernian Bank of Ireland on the corner of Church Lane is now occupied by H&M, the Provincial Bank of Ireland on College Street is part of the Westin Hotel, the Royal Bank of Ireland in Foster Place has been taken over by Trinity College and and the adjoining former Central Bank is to be subsumed into the Irish Stock Exchange.
Peter Murray recalls the independent spirit Edith Blake, diarist and artist and one-time occupant of Myrtle Grove, Youghal, County Cork
While working as an intern at the NPA Mike Bors gained access to a remarkable collection created by talented amatuer, Sir Robert Ball, astromoner and scientific adviser to the Commissioners of Irish Lights
Peter Pearson welcomes a new chapter in the management of Johnstown Castle, County Wexford