Sir, - There is a lovely building at the corner of Northumberland Road and the Grand Canal called St Stephen's School. The school is over 136 years old and it was built by Deane and Woodward: this firm is acclaimed for its museum at Trinity College (1852), University Museum, Oxford (1854), etc.
This summer I have seen Italian, French, German and American tourists stopping and admiring the building.
In comparison to other European capitals, Dublin has very little to offer by way of architecture old buildings (due to the vast destruction in the 1960s, 70s): Dublin Castle, Trinity College, Bank of Ireland, Hume House and that's more or less where we stop.
Now Dublin is going to lose even this little gem: the school is going to be "transformed" into yet another hotel. The main building probably will be kept, but a huge three storey elevation for 31 rooms will be built on the grounds, ruining completely the land scape of the building, losing all the magnificent trees, gardens, etc.
The gardens will be lost for the cap park (eleven spaces for 31 bedrooms). With the bar, restaurant and the guests, more cars will be coming down looking for parking spaces in this historical area, but there is no space to accommodate them, not in Northumberland Road (main road, bus lane, etc.) nor down the Canal bank, nor in the lane off Estate Cottages (residents' disc parking) nor in Percy Place (disc parking).
I understand that jobs have to be created or the Government will not get enough votes next time around, but surely not to the detriment of the few last important buildings that are left still standing in Dublin. European tourists certainly don't come to see new buildings when visiting Dublin: they are looking for history and buildings to refer to, and admire.
Could it not be better to turn this building to a visitor centre? It could accommodate the history of Sandymount, or Donnybrook with its old fair; or a Gothic Museum which Dublin is very much in need of.
I am Roman, and one day I will retire back in Rome where we do not turn our Colosseum and Forum into hotels. But you will be living in Dublin and how are you going to explain to your children the rampage and rape of architectural Dublin that took place in your time, when you could have done something about it? Why did you not leave Irish heritage for them and their own children to see and admire?
Money cannot always be the only answer in life; otherwise it becomes prostitution. This little gem needs help and respect. - Yours, etc.,
Estate Cottages
Northumberland Road, D 4.