Haughey and Architecture

Yeah he was certainly more cultured than the current incumbents. That said, he does not come out well in Destruction of Dublin. Equally and it must be noted that Raphael Burkes star rose under his tenure – with all the disasterous consequences that that had for planning in Ireland.

Restoration of govt buildings at a cost of IR

Indeed. In fact I don’t think there has been a single political figure since that has promoted the urban regeneration or architectural cause in such an active way, nor the restoration of state buildings.

Then again it is very easy to spend other people’s money (and not just taxpayers’) on grandiose projects that simply needed doing anyway. None all of the often touted projects were solely the result of Haughey’s work.

Dublin Castle’s State Apartments required an overhaul for the 1990 EU Presidency regardless of his aspirations, along with the Castle’s Conference Centre development.
Government Buildings equally needed refurbishment as a result of the final moving out of UCD in 1989 – a pleasant coincidence for Haughey moving in.
And IMMA also needed a new home, with the Royal Hospital being on the cards for such an exhibition space since the 70s.

Colm Tobin summed him up very well on radio today, noting that everything you say about him is true: his appreciation of heritage, of architecture and the wider arts scene – and yet isn’t true.
He was a crony of those who tore down 40% of Georgian Dublin. He had a hand in the demolition of one of the key buildings that formed part of a master stroke of 18th century urban planning in Ireland, and the construction of probably the single-most devastatingly impactful structures in the capital.
He lauded the urban ideal in the rejuvenation of Temple Bar, the instigation of the IFSC, and the restoration of many state buildings in Dublin, yet colluded with those developing some of the most shameful residential schemes on the outskirts of the city, on a par with the worst planning in Europe, committing hundreds of thousands of people to misery and social exclusion, and the country on a wider level to urban sprawl and car dependence.
And he splashed out on a Gandon mansion, extolling its virtues and filling it with fine art, while simultaneously his friends were demolishing a plethora of historic and architecturally significant buildings in the city he escaped from every evening.

It would seem difficult to like the man for all that he did and failed to do on an architectural level, and yet personally I’ve frustratingly have always liked the man. He was and still is one of the few people in Irish political life that could hold themselves with decorum and dignity, and that was articulate and a person one could be proud of representing Ireland on an international level.
Not that he wasn’t as full as much bluster of the best of Bertie – he most certainly was looking back on footage from the 70s and 80s: often using a strange 1950s-Ireland patronising type of language too – just he did it in a more pompous way 🙂

Above all, what he has done to Irish political life is unforgivable – he did such an injustice to his colleagues and the wider political life in Ireland.

I would have prefered to see this issue parked up for a week or two but must take issue that Haughey did any injustice to his colleagues; he was not the only one many like Flynn Lawlor Doherty Rambo were all fellow travellers with many who plead ignorance of what they were up to. To blame Haughey is to single him out and that would be unfair to both a dead man and over generous to many who are still with us.

As a youngster , i cannot agree. It is a politicians job to improve things. The fact that he did some of these things does not in anyway make up for grabbing a grand of here there and everywhere. Most ministers have done some good things. That is not enough to earn praise.

Charvet shirts do not make you cultured , they make you bourgeois.

Ps : some ministers have somehow managed to only do bad things . These were the really talented ones 😀

It may seem callous but it does not seem inappropriate to discuss his impact. The news will do it wall to wall all week and month. Every discussed CJ at work today.

It would be nice if we save some of the more cruel comments for tommorow or the next day. I can understand a certain decorum when someone dies unexpectly or in difficult circumstances. But when you spent your life in the spotlight and pass off in an entirely normal way , i don’t feel i should hold back in my analysis of such a person.

cruel comments… u cannot be too cruel. this person was a dishonest, corrupt gun runner. he stole money from the country when most paye people were paying 60% tax. he did up his own office with 17 mil when the country was on it’s knees… he should have been locked away on spike island years ago ( and yes i do know they closed down that prison ) and now his party are giving him a state funeral…this is a disgrace…

Its interesting to hear these posts that we should wait until next week to tear Charlie to shreds LOL. Whatever for? Why shouldn’t we be able to pass comment on someone who, for good or for bad, has had such a significant influence on the country in the last 40 years. I am personally appalled by his legacy to the political system and the planning system, although I do feel he deserves some kudos for the significant contribution he made some key projects in the 80s such as IMMA, Dublin Castle and Temple Bar. I think the ambigious relationship most people will have towards the man will be his most defining characteristic.

i think i would see him as having a overriding hunger for power and wealth that blotted out any dignity, leaving a rather unatractive pathetic invidual.

The number of dermot morgan qutoes that have run through my head in the last few days ….

@a boyle wrote:

As a youngster , i cannot agree.

As a younster you must have been very young in the days of Scrap Saturday

Stephen as he had lets say a mixed past it does no harm to leave it settle for few more days he was afterall Taoiseach and for me it is respect for the ideals of the office more than the individual that are tempering my comments at this time.

It will be interesting to hear his protege’s words at Sutton tomorrow

The Taoiseach’s office, located on the first floor of Government Buildings in the principal portico wing, looked better during Charlie’s ‘reign’ I think.

Here it is a while ago, pretty much as per Haughey’s impeccable vision 🙂

Most sophisticated, with subtle grey carpet and curtains complementing the beautiful solid oak panelling, and generating a contrasting contemporary air to a room that’s otherwise traditionally furnished with Irish Chippendales etc. Also elegant Edwardian-style light pendents perfectly suited to the architecture of Government Buildings. All very tastefully assembled.

Then fast-forward to the current arrangement:

http://www.barrymasonphoto.com

The blue carpet unfortunately doesn’t look nearly as good, and doesn’t match with the pink of the French chairs or the rather spare purple curtains, all of which lend the room a sombre tone.

And the lovely light fittings have also gone 🙁 – replaced them with models one would expect to find suspended over the counter in a building society.
Charlie’s famous 1990 built-in computer/television unit has at least thankfully been ditched 😀

Anyway, magnificent Coolattinin oak panelling surrounds the room, including an impressive curved apse somewhat reminiscent of the BoI Lords Chamber:

Stunning work, installed by Gem Construction who produce some very fine stuff – they also made the three vast oak doorcases for the entrance to Government Buildings, as well as the panelling of Dublin Castle’s main conference room.

Similarly in the Council Chamber/Cabinet Room we had a simple unpretentious Georgian revival table and matching chairs by Hicks by the looks of things, and all pretty much matching the 1925 Dáil chamber fittings.

Again in 2004 this was all replaced with a custom-made cabinet table studded with a host of salubrious veneers, and a set of what can only be described as druidic thrones:

http://www.barrymasonphoto.com

The previous scene had an unpretentious grace to it. Still, the ‘e-Cabinet’ data strip installed in the surface is a very cunning device 🙂

It’s farily common knowledge now that the Taoiseach’s Bossi fireplace isn’t original to the room, but brought from the old Taoiseach’s office in the northern wing of Govt Buildings. However, considering it’s a Bossi, where did it come from before then?! One of the demolished Merrion St townhouses? Didn’t think any were as grand as that…

Lots of info available on the Dept of the Taoiseach’s site, much taken word for word from the OPW’s ‘Building for Government’:

http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=184&docID=-1

Cullen backs idea of Haughey tunnel
Olivia Kelly and Liam Reid

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has said he would have “no problem” with the Dublin Port Tunnel being named in honour of Charles Haughey.

Two Fianna Fáil councillors, Tom Brabazon of Dublin City Council and Michael Kennedy of Fingal County Council, have called for the tunnel to be named the Charles Haughey Tunnel when it opens this year.

Mr Cullen said it was common, both in Ireland and internationally, to name major infrastructural projects after national leaders. “Many big projects, across the world as well as in Ireland, are named after people. I would have no problem with the tunnel being named after Mr Haughey.”

However, Mr Cullen said the naming of the tunnel was a matter for Dublin City Council.

Mr Brabazon said he would back any motion put before councillors to name the tunnel after Mr Haughey, although he was not optimistic councillors outside his party would support it.

However, Dublin City Council said yesterday that councillors do not have the right to decide on a name for the tunnel.

A spokeswoman for the port tunnel project said it was standard practice on the European road network to name tunnels after the regions they were in, and at present there were no plans to change the name of the tunnel.

She said while the naming of bridges in Dublin was a matter for city councillors, the naming of any tunnels in the city was a matter for the executive management of Dublin City Council.

However she added that the council management would consider any suggestions made through resolution by councillors.

A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said the local authority had “absolutely no involvement” in the naming of the tunnel because it was outside its local authority area.

© The Irish Times

The revisionism goes on unabated. After Sean Haughey’s “Daddy was a patriot true and true with the needs of the country foremost in his mind (- so much so that he wouldn’t pay his taxes)” speech, we have this. I can see the logic though: both promised a lot more than they delivered, both cost the country a small fortune, both made a tidy profit for certain interested parties in the country….

Yeah, not a man of much taste is our Bertie. Still at least we wont have to pay for Charvet shirts. In fairness to the cabinet table, the original does not look very suitable for those terminals.

Sorry Graham but you have got it wrong . The only differences in the taoseachs office are the carpets and curtains.

The lighting makes the older picture look better.

The chairs have not changed , the lighting has not changed , simply turned off . The plants have moved . That is about it !

Yes the removal of the table is a pity. Put then this board would howl if some 20 holes were drilled through the original table to allow for cables for the computers.! That is most likely the reason for it’s removal.

Charles Haughey never struck me as someone who had taste, but as someone who wished to be seen to have taste. There is a world of a difference.

@Thomond Park wrote:

As a younster you must have been very young in the days of Scrap Saturday

Indeed but who wouldn’t find the adventures of the spuk art of love making hilarious, whatever the age!
@Thomond Park wrote:

Stephen as he had lets say a mixed past it does no harm to leave it settle for few more days he was afterall Taoiseach and for me it is respect for the ideals of the office more than the individual that are tempering my comments at this time.

I find the idea of respecting someone because they hold office rather distateful. To argue that people deserve such respect purelly on the basis of the position is simply foolish.

Irrespective of the war on iraq , Bush was treated with a comical amount of respect as a result of his position. A french diplomat was sacked early in Bush’s first term for reffering to him as a retard after meeting him. Ever since magazines like TIme/Newsweek have repeated ad nauseum that Bush is “people smart” making up for a lack of academic ability. When the plain truth is that he is a gobshite!

Similarly haughey was a thug. nothing more nothing less.

The Mr Burns caricature often performed on radio couldn’t be more suited to the man – it’s hilariously apt.
And to think he even got his domed Burns Manor in the form of Government Buildings 😀

a boyle, I ddn’t say there were any other differences to the office other than what you outline – merely that the changes that have been made have transformed it into a rather dank space. And it was noted the chairs were there before, only now they don’t quite fit in with the new scheme, in contrast to the previous subtle look to which they were suited.

As for the cabinet table, to play devil’s advocate, over 166 holes were drilled into the Dáil fittings in the 1980s to permit all of those desk-mounted microphones to be installed 😉

A lovely coloured drawing of Government Buildings, so typical of architects’ work at the time:

© OPW

@StephenC wrote:

I can see the logic though: both promised a lot more than they delivered, both cost the country a small fortune, both made a tidy profit for certain interested parties in the country….

😀 Spot on, Stephen.

But surely you could have put in something about both their profiles being damaged by leaks…

Im not sure if this is the appropriate forum to announce the death of CJH’s close friend and architect Sam Stephenson RIP.
The webmaster might oblige by moving this post if a more appropriate forum is available

I always think Stormont Castle is more of a “Mr Bryne’s Mannor” type of a building:

It seems to be almost purposely built to look imposing and scary.

There’s a 1 mile driveway, it’s not in the city centre and the building itself is on a mound!

@MrX wrote:

I always think Stormont Castle is more of a “Mr Bryne’s Mannor” type of a building:

It seems to be almost purposely built to look imposing and scary.

There’s a 1 mile driveway, it’s not in the city centre and the building itself is on a mound!

Thats actually Parliament Buildings – not Stormont Castle!