Ely Place, Dublin
Encyclopedia
Ely Place is a street in central Dublin with Georgian architecture
. It is a continuation of Upper Merrion Street and the place where Lower Baggot Street
and Merrion Row meet. Both the latter and Hume Street link it to St. Stephen's Green
.
The first few houses on the street (2-4, the North end) are neo-Georgian and were built in the 1970s.
The first house to be built on the street was Ely House (now No. 7/8). Nos. 7, 9 and 10 now stand where its garden and carriage entrance used to be. Built in 1771 by Gustavus Hume, it was occupied in 1776 by John La Touche, of the banking family. The Dublin stuccadore Michael Stapleton
(1747–1801) worked this house - Stapleton's designs were for "Mrs. La Touche's Eating Parlour" and "Mrs. La Touche's Dining Parlour". It later became the residence of the Countess of Ely (Frances Monroe, wife of Lord Henry Loftus, both originally from Fermanagh). On the death of Henry Loftus, Lady Ely lived here for a further 40 years. At one time it belonged to Sir William Thornley Stoker, brother of Bram Stoker
, whom Oliver St. John Gogarty
used to visit when he lived on the street.
The Knights of Saint Columbanus
bought this house in 1922 and made it their headquarters.
Next door, at No.6, lived the Countess of Clare (Anne Whaley, wife of Lord Chancellor of Ireland John Fitzgibbon
(1749–1802), died at Ely Place), who also employed Stapleton. Both ladies were known for their grand houses and their lavish entertainments therein. Both houses are richly decorated with elaborate plasterwork. The two houses at Nos.5 and 6 were taken into Government service in 1859, when they became the Offices of the General Valuation and Boundary Survey of Ireland under Sir Richard Griffith, Bart. It was here that Sir Richard completed his magisterial work on the land and tenement valuation of Ireland, which over time became known as the "Griffith Valuation". These buildings retained their grandeur through the next century until in 1998, the Valuation Office moved away from Ely Place after a tenancy of 138 years.
A neighbour on this street was John Philpot Curran
(1750–1817), the lawyer and wit who defended the United Irishmen and whose daughter became enamoured of Robert Emmet
.
No. 3 Ely Place Upper was the residence in the 1890s of Frederick and Annie Dick, and it became the meeting place of the Theosophical Society
. W. B. Yeats, Maud Gonne
and George Russell
were visitors.
The writer George Moore
lived in No. 4 at the start of the 20th century. He got into a row with his neighbours over the colour of his hall door.
On the other side of the street lived the writer, surgeon and wit Oliver St. John Gogarty (1878–1957). The Royal Hibernian Academy
later took over the house.
, formerly Principal Architect with the OPW, would be ready for its first exhibition in 1975.
Matt Gallagher died unexpectedly in January 1974. His son Patrick Gallagher inherited the business, and within a few months all work on the site stopped. For many years the building site was used as a storage yard for various Gallagher projects around the city centre. Around 2002 the old building was renovated and assumed its present shape.
Many of the buildings on the street are used for offices and the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service department have their office in this street.
Georgian Dublin
Georgian Dublin is a phrase used in the History of Dublin that has two interwoven meanings,# to describe a historic period in the development of the city of Dublin, Ireland, from 1714 to the death in 1830 of King George IV...
. It is a continuation of Upper Merrion Street and the place where Lower Baggot Street
Baggot Street, Dublin
Baggot Street is a street in Dublin, Ireland. It is named after Baggotrath, the manor granted to Robert Bagod in the 13th century. It was called Baggot Street in 1773....
and Merrion Row meet. Both the latter and Hume Street link it to St. Stephen's Green
St. Stephen's Green
St Stephen's Green is a city centre public park in Dublin, Ireland. The park is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named for it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies and the city terminus of one of...
.
History
The street was laid out in 1768.The first few houses on the street (2-4, the North end) are neo-Georgian and were built in the 1970s.
The first house to be built on the street was Ely House (now No. 7/8). Nos. 7, 9 and 10 now stand where its garden and carriage entrance used to be. Built in 1771 by Gustavus Hume, it was occupied in 1776 by John La Touche, of the banking family. The Dublin stuccadore Michael Stapleton
Michael Stapleton
Michael Stapleton is regarded as having been the most skilled stuccodore working in the neoclassical or "Adam" style that dominated Dublin interior decoration in the final decades of the 18th century.-Life:Stapleton was born in Dublin, the son of George Stapleton, who may have been a plasterer by...
(1747–1801) worked this house - Stapleton's designs were for "Mrs. La Touche's Eating Parlour" and "Mrs. La Touche's Dining Parlour". It later became the residence of the Countess of Ely (Frances Monroe, wife of Lord Henry Loftus, both originally from Fermanagh). On the death of Henry Loftus, Lady Ely lived here for a further 40 years. At one time it belonged to Sir William Thornley Stoker, brother of Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
, whom Oliver St. John Gogarty
Oliver St. John Gogarty
Oliver Joseph St John Gogarty was an Irish poet, author, otolaryngologist, athlete, politician, and well-known conversationalist, who served as the inspiration for Buck Mulligan in James Joyce's novel Ulysses....
used to visit when he lived on the street.
The Knights of Saint Columbanus
Knights of Saint Columbanus
The Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus is an Irish Catholic fraternal and service organization for lay men over twenty-one years of age.- Organisation :...
bought this house in 1922 and made it their headquarters.
Next door, at No.6, lived the Countess of Clare (Anne Whaley, wife of Lord Chancellor of Ireland John Fitzgibbon
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare PC , later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1789, in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage.He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described...
(1749–1802), died at Ely Place), who also employed Stapleton. Both ladies were known for their grand houses and their lavish entertainments therein. Both houses are richly decorated with elaborate plasterwork. The two houses at Nos.5 and 6 were taken into Government service in 1859, when they became the Offices of the General Valuation and Boundary Survey of Ireland under Sir Richard Griffith, Bart. It was here that Sir Richard completed his magisterial work on the land and tenement valuation of Ireland, which over time became known as the "Griffith Valuation". These buildings retained their grandeur through the next century until in 1998, the Valuation Office moved away from Ely Place after a tenancy of 138 years.
A neighbour on this street was John Philpot Curran
John Philpot Curran
John Philpot Curran was an Irish orator, politician and wit, born in Newmarket, County Cork. He was the son of James and Sarah Curran.-Career:...
(1750–1817), the lawyer and wit who defended the United Irishmen and whose daughter became enamoured of Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
.
Ely Place Upper
Ely Place Upper is a continuation on the south end of Ely Place. It consists of a terrace of five houses built in 1828.No. 3 Ely Place Upper was the residence in the 1890s of Frederick and Annie Dick, and it became the meeting place of the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
. W. B. Yeats, Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne MacBride was an English-born Irish revolutionary, feminist and actress, best remembered for her turbulent relationship with William Butler Yeats. Of Anglo-Irish stock and birth, she was won over to Irish nationalism by the plight of evicted people in the Land Wars...
and George Russell
George Russell
George Allen Russell was an American jazz pianist, composer and theorist. He is considered one of the first jazz musicians to contribute to general music theory with a theory of harmony based on Jazz rather than European music, in his book, The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization...
were visitors.
The writer George Moore
George Moore (novelist)
George Augustus Moore was an Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family who lived at Moore Hall in Carra, County Mayo. He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s...
lived in No. 4 at the start of the 20th century. He got into a row with his neighbours over the colour of his hall door.
On the other side of the street lived the writer, surgeon and wit Oliver St. John Gogarty (1878–1957). The Royal Hibernian Academy
Royal Hibernian Academy
The Royal Hibernian Academy is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823.-History:The RHA was founded as the result of 30 Irish artists petitioning the government for a charter of incorporation...
later took over the house.
Developments
Around 1970 the property developer Matt Gallagher intended to build a grand new gallery, to be called the "Gallagher Gallery", for the Royal Hibernian Academy. His offer was accepted with gratitude by the RHA, and work started in 1972. The academy's old headquarters, a Victorian house which had once been the property of Oliver St. John Gogarty was demolished and it was expected that the modern building, designed by Raymond McGrathRaymond McGrath
Raymond McGrath was an Australian-born architect and interior designer who for the greater part of his career was Principal Architect for the Office of Public Works in Ireland.-Life:...
, formerly Principal Architect with the OPW, would be ready for its first exhibition in 1975.
Matt Gallagher died unexpectedly in January 1974. His son Patrick Gallagher inherited the business, and within a few months all work on the site stopped. For many years the building site was used as a storage yard for various Gallagher projects around the city centre. Around 2002 the old building was renovated and assumed its present shape.
Many of the buildings on the street are used for offices and the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service department have their office in this street.