Irish Architectural Archive

25/08/2026

We received so many comments and suggestions on our video about this mystery photograph.

This photograph came to us unidentified, but with your help we now think that the building shown is Silke’s grocery and pub which stood on the site now occupied by the Grange Pub, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin.

Thanks for all the help on this one. We’ve may more unidentified images, so we’ll definitely be asking for your assistance again soon.

20/08/2026

The view down New Church Street to Bow Street has changed quite a bit since Paddy Healy captured this photograph.

However, some familiar landmarks remain. On the left, you can still see the wall of the Jameson Distillery, and in the distance the top of the tower of St Michan’s Church.

Discover more of Dublin’s architectural stories in Paddy Healy’s Dublin exhibition at the Irish Architectural Archive.

The exhibition runs until 28 August, is free to visit, and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, D02 VY60.

18/08/2026

Donations come to the Irish Architectural Archive from all kinds of places, and each item can bring a new story to uncover.

Of these three photographs, two have been easily identified, but the third remains a mystery. Eve, an archivist at the IAA, shares what we have discovered so far and the clues that may help us identify this unknown location.

Can you help us figure out where this photograph was taken?

15/08/2026

Some streets change dramatically, while others hold on to traces of the past.

Paddy Healy’s photograph shows the west side of Anglesea Street in Temple Bar. The three houses closest to the camera have since been demolished, making way for a telephone exchange, but the remaining houses in this view still survive today.

Explore more of Paddy Healy’s photographs and discover the stories behind Dublin’s changing streetscapes in the Irish Architectural Archive’s Dublin exhibition.

The exhibition runs until 28 August, is free to visit, and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, D02 VY60.

13/08/2026

Do you ever notice staircases that seem to float in space?

Colum explains how the staircase at number 45 Merrion Square stays in place, revealing the design and construction details behind this striking feature of the building that houses the Irish Architectural Archive.

Next time you visit us at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, you’ll know the story behind the stairs. Explore more architectural details and stories from the building and our collections at the Irish Architectural Archive.

11/08/2026

Some buildings disappear, but photographs can preserve the stories of the places that came before.

Paddy Healy captures the courtyard of the 1796-9 Commercial Buildings, designed by Edward Parke. The building was demolished in 1973 to make way for the Central Bank development by Stephenson Gibney & Partners, though a copy of its facade was constructed along the east side of Central Bank plaza.

Discover more stories behind Dublin’s architectural history in Paddy Healy’s Dublin exhibition at the Irish Architectural Archive.

The exhibition runs until 28 August, is free to visit, and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, D02 VY60.

09/08/2026

Lots of people are talking about a certain corner of St Stephen’s Green in Dublin at the moment. But how did it look before the shopping centre?

Explore more photographs of Dublin’s changing streets and the stories behind them in Paddy Healy’s Dublin exhibition at the Irish Architectural Archive.

The exhibition runs until 28 August, is free to visit, and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, D02 VY60.

09/08/2026

Many thanks to Rosita Boland for this lovely piece in the The Irish Timess marking the 50th anniversary of the Irish Architectural Archive. It was such a pleasure to show her around 45 Merrion Square and explain a bit about what it is we try to do.

From Georgian Dublin to the 20th century, the headquarters on Merrion Square boasts a staggering collection of photographs and drawings

08/08/2026

The Irish Architectural Archive collections hold a fascinating selection of Baxendales catalogues, showcasing the wide range of bathroom fittings and suites available to customers, from individual taps to complete bathroom designs.

Founded in 1863, Baxendales produced beautifully illustrated catalogues from the late Victorian period through to the post-war decades

Want to explore the Baxendales catalogues for yourself? Call into the Irish Architectural Archive at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2

04/08/2026

Paddy Healy's photograph captures a pair of shops between Clarendon Row and the Gaiety Theatre.

Since this photograph was taken, the buildings have been demolished and rebuilt more than once, with the latest redevelopment completed only last year. Swipe to compare the view then and now, and explore more in the exhibition, now on display at the Irish Architectural Archive.

The exhibition runs until 28 August, is free to visit, and is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, at 45 Merrion Square East, Dublin 2, D02 VY60.