Abbey Church on Parnell Square finally sheds its scaffolding after 18 years

Irish Independent

27-05-2025

The 180-foot spire of the Abbey Presbyterian Church, which featured in James Joyce's Ulysses and Dubliners, is now displayed in all its glory after a restoration project finished.
The church is 160 years old this year and was constructed under the guidance of Scottish architect Andrew Heiton. Dublin merchant Alexander Findlater bankrolled the £14,000 project which took two years to build.
The scaffolding on the tower face and spire was installed to protect people on the ground in case any remnants of the structural damage fell onto the street below.
The restoration – partly funded by the historic structures fund – involved extensive stone repairs, the installation of stainless steel components, as well as cleaning, repointing and decorative work.
According to Reverend Alan Boal, the church fell into disrepair after the wrong building materials were used on a restoration project in the 1960s.
Concrete was used instead of the original materials of lime mortar.
'The concrete eventually cracked which let water in and eroded the iron work which held the thing together,' Reverend Boal said.
'It's called a cantilever scaffold and it was there purely to protect people on the ground in case something fell off the building.'
Reverand Boal said it was difficult to fundraise for the restoration of the abbey.
'We really struggled to raise the money, so we sold a building that we originally had. The heritage grant has been a really big support for us,' he said.
Despite the tower being marred by scaffolding for 18 years, the actual building took just over a year.
'Ironically, the work we had to do actually hasn't taken long. It was redoing a restoration job that wasn't particularly well done in the 1960s and 70s,' he said.
'Because the Abbey is a protected structure, we had to ensure that all of the facing stone came from the exact same quarry in Devon.'
Green Party local councillor Janet Horner said scaffolding on a building can impact the way people view our city.
'Unfortunately, in Dublin, we have a problem with timelines. These maintenance projects tend to bloat very quickly,' she said.
'It does impact how people see the city, construction sites everywhere and scaffolding on display can lead to a hostile environment.'
Cllr Horner says the redevelopment of the Abbey Church has come just at the right time
'That whole area is up for redevelopment when the Parnell Library comes in. Having that building on display really helps to add to that cultural quarter,' she said.
'Between the library, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Poetry Museum which is coming around, having the square looking its best will be incredible.
'I really want to see those projects delivered as soon as possible,' she added.