We are featured in The Irish Times in the August Issue!

We are so proud to be featured in the August issue of The Irish Times discussing the history and new life of Keavan’s Port Hotel in Dublin.

“When UK chain JD Wetherspoon opens Keavan’s Port, its flagship pub and hotel on Dublin’s Camden Street, it will mark the completion of the company’s single largest investment in its 41-year history.

Bought for €6million, the three-year restoration on Camden Street Upper and Lower of eight Georgian townhouses and a chapel with the addition of a three-storey modern extension featuring a 12-metre- high glazed atrium, cost €27.4 million. According to Keith Paine of KDPA architects,

the UK company involved, well known for work in the hospitality area and with Wetherspoon, this project was the most challenging. “It’s the biggest we have ever done (for them) and cost more money and stress than any of the others,” he says.

At any one-time there were some150 people working on the building and the stop/start restrictions of the pandemic and coping with an outbreak of Covid added to the challenges.

What has been achieved has made a massive impact on the street. The former long line of run down,

derelict buildings that once included a convent, a chapel, a stained glass works and even a boxing gym has a new life and raison d’etre. The entire length of the front elevation has wig pointed brickwork (a highly specialised craft skill) by conservation specialists The Nolan Group. It features the spectacular bullseye rose window and stained-glass entrance doors to the hotel (restored by Joe Sheridan in Kilkenny) framed by an ironwork arch, railings and lanterns by Bushy Park Ironworks. Slattery also mentions the invaluable work of planning consultant Suzanne McClure of Brock McClure in the project.

The interior of the pub is vast and full of light thanks to the huge atrium which marks a clear definition between the old buildings and the new rear extension. It overlooks the beer garden below, an extensive area that would have originally been interlinked residential gardens. At the pub’s front entrance, the immediate focal point is the restored chapel dating from the 1890s, now a restaurant with confession box dining areas and mosaic floors restored by Laura O’Hagan. The domed ceiling in the apse that once overlooked Beau Jacks boxing ring has been returned to its former glory.

The 89-bedroom hotel which will open at the same time includes bedrooms designed especially for guests with disabilities. “You have to think about the people, the end users and the conversations people have in pubs, but everything has a playful nature as well,” says Gregg Elliott, director of kdpa who has taken a particular interest in the social history contained in the buildings.

“Great pubs evolve over hundreds of years – so we are trying to give this one a kickstart. It is bringing in history in a new way–a contemporary use of familiar qualities to make a real connection. We are giving this another layer.” “

Article by Deidre McQuillan

We are featured in The Independent July Issue!

We are delighted to have been featured in the Independent Ireland news for our new Hotel Keavan’s Port in Dublin.

The UK chain JD Wetherspoon is known for its rock-bottom prices and unpretentious stylings — you’ll often find the pubs in historic buildings, and that’s the case with Keavan’s Port, its second hotel in Ireland (Swords Old Borough being the first). The group has pumped €33m into the refurbishment and renovation of several buildings on Camden Street, and it’s the historical element of the reboot that really blew me away. The restoration of the Georgian façade is remarkable, considering how grotty these unused buildings were before the transformation.

The layout is pretty cool, too — the hotel is made up of eight Georgian townhouses, a courtyard and a chapel, all of which are linked by a modern, light-filled atrium.”

“As you walk to the desk, you pass some of the restored stained glass windows which, until the hotel was refurbished, were boxed off from view entirely. Behind the reception desk, there’s an even more impressive piece — a restored, circular, stained glass window crafted by the building’s former occupants, Earley and Company. Historical features like this simply wouldn’t exist for the public to enjoy were the hotel not here.

All around the reception area, there are neat little rooms decked out in antique furniture — one has a working fireplace, and will be the perfect cosy hideaway come winter. While most people flock to the main dining areas, these little alcoves are a peaceful reprieve. “

 

“The interior atrium is a bit of a masterpiece. The combination of giant steel beams and the restored brickwork gives the whole thing a uniquely stylish, industrial-chic vibe. And the walls are all adorned with pieces by Irish artists, including a giant wire sculpture by Emma Jane Rushworth, inspired by the Seamus Heaney poem St Kevin and the Blackbird.

Upon walking through the main pub entrance, you pass through the courtyard to be met with a full chapel. Formerly home to the Little Sisters of Assumption, and more recently used as a boxing club, the space now serves as a fairly nifty dining area. “

“The restoration of beautiful Georgian architecture and precious stained glass pieces in Dublin in this way is something that can only be celebrated.”

– Nicola Brady

We are back!

As we will ultimately begin transitioning back to our offices, it is wise to begin thinking about this procedure beforehand. How can we all return to work as pleasantly and safely as possible? The key issues are of course safety, hygiene, health, agreements, and protocols, as well as getting accustomed to new realities, being reunited with colleagues, and meeting new ones.

With a focus on employee journeys and happiness at work, here is an overview of what we can do as an employee, a team, and as management.

 

New project in Waterford

We are delighted to be involved in the design of this project for the Waterford.

The inspiration behind the design of this pub comes from both the distinctive building constructed in the late 90s and the two Georgian townhouses it will be housed in.

In the 90s, the prevailing art and design movement was Postmodernism, which borrows styles from other eras and rebels against the minimalist concepts of modern design. This will be the premise of the entire design. Georgian details will be prevalent throughout the pub, paired with bold colours, contemporary fabrics and marbles.