Grangegorman Histories: Dublin Festival of History podcast launch

The architect of the original asylum building was Francis Johnston, most noted as the architect of the General Post Office on O’Connell Street and the Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle. He designed and constructed the building, which opened in 1814, in a spirit of optimism as a national solution to the shameful conditions in which people with mental illnesses were confined in prisons, bridewells and houses of industry all over Ireland.

Join architectural historian, Patrick Quinlan, as he explores the chequered career of this landmark building: a story of optimistic conception and utilitarian service, of neglect, decline and demise, culminating in the latest chapter of rebirth as a valued architectural and historical landmark.

The podcast will launch on Monday, 10 October at 11:00 to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Grangegorman Histories is a public history project of Dublin City Council, Grangegorman Development Agency, HSE, Local Communities, National Archives, Royal Irish Academy and TU Dublin.

Dublin Festival of History is brought to you by Dublin City Council and organised by Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with Dublin City Council Culture Company.

About the Podcaster

Patrick Quinlan holds a Masters in Urban and Building Conservation from UCD and is a practicing architect with professional experience spanning from modern healthcare to the conservation and reuse of a range of historic structures. His recently published Walls of Containment, the Architecture and Landscapes of Lunacy exploring the history of Ireland’s legacy asylum sites through the lens of architectural history. Patrick is a past recipient of the RIBA Dissertation Commendation and is currently undertaking a PhD at Birkbeck, University of London.

Article image courtesy of David Killeen.