Survey Data
Reg No
20820091
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
Historical Use
Restaurant
Date
1860 - 1880
Coordinates
181370, 98408
Date Recorded
06/09/2006
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced two-bay three-storey former house and shop, built c. 1870, later in use as café, now disused. Pitched artificial slate roof with red brick chimneystack, cast-iron rainwater goods and timber eaves course. Painted rendered walls with square-headed recessed panels flanking openings, that to centre having inset render relief decoration. Square-headed openings with three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows, those to second floor having moulded render sills. Openings to each bay framed by moulded render detail and having moulded render panel between them. Shopfront comprising timber pilasters with decoratively-carved timber consoles, glazed timber fascia, with incised gold-leaf lettering 'CAFÉ', and moulded timber cornice. Square-headed plate-glass display window canted between paired square-headed doorways, one to shop and other serving upper floors, and having moulded timber surrounds and sills, with tiled stall riser with lettering 'O'LEARY HARDWARE MERCHANT'. Doorways have timber panelled doors, overlights, and mosaic patterned tiled thresholds with lettering 'O'Leary'.
Appraisal
The highly ornate façade of this building provides an unusual and notable feature on Patrick Street. The decorative scheme to the upper floors serves to unify the openings and adds to the symmetry of the façade. The shopfront is of a type very rare in towns of Ireland today, and continues the ornamental theme. The tiled riser and mosaic thresholds provide context to the site, which is no longer in use as a shop, and are also unusual features and add further artistic interest to the façade. The decorative consoles are very well executed and show skilled craftsmanship, as does the glazed fascia.