Sir, - In front of me I have a photograph of the Bricklayers' Hall which stood in Cuffe Street, Dublin. Each of the granite blocks is clearly numbered for the purpose of re-erection on the road setback line.
The hall was the headquarters of the Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick and Stonelayers, as the union was called, for more than a century. It was built in 1812 for the short-lived St Peter's Savings Bank, which possibly explains why it had no windows on the ground floor.
Your correspondent Frank McDonald (The Irish Times, August 5th, 1985) outlined the fight by the union with the assistance of An Taisce to prevent the hall being simply demolished, as Dublin Corporation officials wished, and instead to become the first historic building in the city to be reconstructed on a road set-back line.
That was 15 years ago! So, before embarking on a major new edifice in O'Connell Street, would Dublin Corporation honour its obligations, rebuild the Bricklayers' Hall and give citizens and visitors alike one pleasing building between St Stephen's Green and Marsh's Library? - Yours, etc.,
Robert K. Gahan,
Kilgobbin Lawn,
Stepaside,
Co Dublin.