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Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Irish Independent
March 17, 2005
GEORGIAN building housing one of Dublin's favourite visitor attractions is to be demolished to make way for a new hotel owned by a Fianna Fail TD Donie Cassidy.
The building, which is home to the National Wax Museum at Granby Row, Parnell Square, Dublin, is owned by the TD and is due to be knocked down to make way for the new development. The famous museum replete with a giant Fionn MacCumhail climbing up the outside of the building will now begin the search for a new home for its many waxworks, which include dummies of all the Irish Presidents, former Taoisigh as well as a beaming Bertie Ahern, rock band U2 along with waxes of literary giants Brendan Behan, Patrick Kavanagh, Sean O'Casey and WB Yeats.
Paddy Dunning, who owns the wax exhibition, said he is actively looking for another premises in the north inner-city.
Manager Kay Murray said it was sad that at a time Parnell Square was to be redeveloped as a cultural hub north of the Liffey, the waxworks was being moved to accommodate a hotel.
Ms Murray said last year 138,000 people visited the museum, which is also home to a puppet theatre and a chamber of horrors for children, making 2004 a record year for attendance. "I just hope a suitable new home is found as soon as possible," she said.
While permission has been granted for the new hotel, the Irish Georgian Society has petitioned Dublin City Council to incorporate the original building into any new design. The current home to the wax museum was built as a chapel in 1789.
"Ideally the Society believes that any redevelopment of the site should incorporate the original chapel building.
"Such an approach could provide the basis for a striking design that would certainly act as a catalyst for regeneration and serve as an appropriate landmark for this approach to Parnell Square," the society said in a submission to the council.
Kathy Donaghy
March 17, 2005
GEORGIAN building housing one of Dublin's favourite visitor attractions is to be demolished to make way for a new hotel owned by a Fianna Fail TD Donie Cassidy.
The building, which is home to the National Wax Museum at Granby Row, Parnell Square, Dublin, is owned by the TD and is due to be knocked down to make way for the new development. The famous museum replete with a giant Fionn MacCumhail climbing up the outside of the building will now begin the search for a new home for its many waxworks, which include dummies of all the Irish Presidents, former Taoisigh as well as a beaming Bertie Ahern, rock band U2 along with waxes of literary giants Brendan Behan, Patrick Kavanagh, Sean O'Casey and WB Yeats.
Paddy Dunning, who owns the wax exhibition, said he is actively looking for another premises in the north inner-city.
Manager Kay Murray said it was sad that at a time Parnell Square was to be redeveloped as a cultural hub north of the Liffey, the waxworks was being moved to accommodate a hotel.
Ms Murray said last year 138,000 people visited the museum, which is also home to a puppet theatre and a chamber of horrors for children, making 2004 a record year for attendance. "I just hope a suitable new home is found as soon as possible," she said.
While permission has been granted for the new hotel, the Irish Georgian Society has petitioned Dublin City Council to incorporate the original building into any new design. The current home to the wax museum was built as a chapel in 1789.
"Ideally the Society believes that any redevelopment of the site should incorporate the original chapel building.
"Such an approach could provide the basis for a striking design that would certainly act as a catalyst for regeneration and serve as an appropriate landmark for this approach to Parnell Square," the society said in a submission to the council.
Kathy Donaghy
