An Taisce objects to apartments on the set of James Joyce's 'The Dead'

An Taisce has told Dublin City Council that the building where James Joyce’s 'The Dead' was set “is of too great a cultural heritage importance for conversion to multiple apartments”.

That is according to An Taisce's Dublin city planning officer Kevin Duff as part of its objection concerning plans by Brimwood UC to convert the property at 15 Usher's Island, in Dublin 8, into a row of apartments.

In An Taisce's submission, Mr Duff told the council that the return of this "nationally-important house” to functioning use, and “the arresting of any further deterioration in its fabric, is urgently needed”.

But he commented that the current proposal, which would change the property from a dormant public use to residential use as 10 apartments, is wholly uncalled for.

“Refusal is therefore recommended in order to find a way forward and secure the future of this key cultural building of Dublin, bearing in mind, for example, the successful and award-winning museum and cultural attraction developed by the city council at large Georgian townhouse, 14 Henrietta Street," he said.

“No 15 Usher’s Island is one of the most significant townhouses to survive on the Dublin quays, both because of its location and context. It is like a Merrion Square-quality house on the quays, and is one of the few surviving quayside houses to retain its front-door and basement arrangement.”

No. 15 Usher's Island. Copyright RrBurke

He asserted that the proposal for conversion to a high number of apartments would be "wholly inappropriate and destructive to its architectural and cultural character", and that it "is in serious conflict with established policy and provisions for the maintenance of the special character of protected structures".

A report lodged by planning consultant Kevin Hughes, for Brimwood, says use of the building as residential is more appropriate than as a tourist hostel, for which previous permission was granted.

Mr Hughes noted that No. 15 Usher's Island was originally used as a place of residence, as well in the iconic Joyce story, and will be returned to its former use as such. While it served as the model for "the dark gaunt house on Usher's Island", it's upper two floors were rented by Joyce's great aunts.

The applicant and design team “are aware of the significance of the building and have gone to great lengths to protect and improve the historic fabric of the building”, he said.

The proposal comes amid the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland and one of Europe's worst shortages of affordable homes in years. At present, over 12,000 homes and commercial properties remain vacant in Dublin, according to figures obtained by An Post and Tailte Éireann's GeoDirectory in late 2023.

Brimwood UC submitted the proposal in late July. A decision is due on the application in September.