Survey Data
Reg No
15310169
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Mullingar Constabulary Barrack
Original Use
RIC barracks
In Use As
Garda station/constabulary barracks
Date
1885 - 1895
Coordinates
243430, 253043
Date Recorded
20/07/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached five-bay three-storey former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks, built c.1891. Renovated for use as a Garda Station by the Office of Public Works in 1930. Modern five-bay two-storey block adjoining to the west gable end and extensions to the rear (south). Pitched artificial slate roof with moulded red brick eaves courses. Chimneystacks now removed. Cement rendered walls with extensive red brick trim, including brick quoins to the corners, brick dressings to the openings and a moulded brick string course at first floor level. Segmental-headed window openings with two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Central segmental-headed doorway to the front façade (north) having a timber door, a three-pane overlight and a red brick surround with Doric pilasters, cut stone cornice/lintel and a broken red brick pediment over. Garda lantern over doorway supported on a cast-iron bracket. Set slightly back from road to the south side of College Street
Appraisal
A substantial, well-proportioned and well-detailed late nineteenth-century former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks, which retains it early form, character and much of its early fabric despite alterations over the years. This building has quite an imposing character and it is distinguished by the good quality red brick trim and particularly by the pedimented doorcase, which lends an architectural character to this functional structure. The extensive red brick trim contrasts attractively with the now cement rendered walls. As a former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and later a Garda Station, this building has played an important role in the social history of Mullingar. This is an unusually large barrack building for a provincial town and this probably reflects the troubled and violent state of Westmeath during the late nineteenth-century. This building replaced an earlier RIC barracks in Mullingar, which was located on the south side of Pearse Street. The courthouse (15310099) on Mount Street was used as a Garda Station between 1922 and 1924, possibly indicating that this building was the victim of the War of Independence or the Civil War - as was the case with a number of rural RIC barracks in Westmeath. It was renovated to act as a Garda Barracks by the Office of Public Works and opened c.1930. This building has a strong presence in the streetscape and is a worthy addition to the built heritage of Mullingar.