Built on the site of the former Ormond Market – which shut its doors and was demolished in 1890 as a new market was designed for Mary’s Lane – Ormond Square in Smithfield in Dublin 7 consists of 128 houses dating from 1923.
Built for Dublin Corporation at a cost of €165 each, the project was one of numerous social housing schemes by architect Charles James McCarthy, who was Dublin City architect from 1892 until 1921. Besides a number of well-known churches and public buildings, including libraries and fire stations, he also designed Bolton Street Technical College and the markets at Mary’s Lane.
During his tenure, he also designed more than 1,700 dwellings under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts, most of which still stand today, including number 11 Ormond Square, which has just been listed to the market seeking €425,000 through Brock Delappe.
Originally, as with all houses in the scheme, it had just three rooms, but many have been purchased and redesigned for modern living.
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Extending to 73sq m (786sq ft), the open-plan midterrace home has undergone a recent upgrade. It has a new roof, sash windows, a new kitchen and a new bathroom, though its Ber is D2 which new owners may want to improve.
The ground floor encompasses an open-plan kitchen and living/dining area. A neutral palette makes the space feel bright and airy and a large roof light in the kitchen adds illumination during the day.
A door from the kitchen leads to a small south-facing patio that would happily accommodate some plants.
Upstairs are two bedrooms and the bathroom. The main bedroom has steps up to a loft space that now serves as a dressingroom, allowing the sage-green bedroom to be clutter-free.
Located in Smithfield close to a range of shops, eateries and bars, there’s a playground out front, where the property also has three parking permits, while Chancery Park is also on the doorstep. The TU campus in Grangegorman is within walking distance, as is the Four Courts and Phoenix Park.
The Red Line Luas stop is around the corner and the area is well served by buses, although you can walk to pretty much anywhere in the city centre. Temple Bar, for instance, is just seven minutes away.
