Sir, – While reading Rosita Boland's piece "'An open secret' – Ireland's lunatic asylums" (January 29th), I couldn't help reflecting on what was to evolve in relation to the building in the main photograph by Eamon Ward illustrating the article. As is pointed out, the building functioned as Our Lady's Hospital in Ennis until it closed in 2002, just 20 years ago.
Over that 20-year period, particularly during the earlier years, a number of proposals to redevelop the building as a hotel or office accommodation were abandoned because it would be too costly to carry out the proposed works in compliance with standards pertaining to treatment of “protected” buildings, with more modern green-field development being a much more financially viable approach.
The photograph tells its own story in terms of what happens to such buildings if adequate incentives aren’t available to ensure that the “protected” status doesn’t result in the deterioration the former Our Lady’s Hospital has suffered.
How ironic.
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There are many, many “protected” buildings dotted all over the country which are deteriorating by the day because, sadly, the only means of viably redeveloping them is to demolish and replace them with modern buildings.
There is little point in designating a building as “protected” if that designation is ultimately going to result in its dereliction or demise. – Yours, etc,
TOM TIERNAN,
Ennis,
Co Clare.