Dublin City Archaeological Archive/Temple Bar Redevelopment Collection

Context

Creator(s): Margaret Gowen and Co Ltd

• Administrative History ↴

  Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. (2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin. Formerly 27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2) is a professional archaeological company founded in the early 1980s. The company has carried out a number of archaeological excavations and development-led investigations arising from the requirements of development control and planning process, in line with legal provisions of the Planning and Development Acts (2000) and the National Monuments Acts (1930-2004). This collection encompasses a number of archaeological assessments and investigations carried out by Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. in the Temple Bar area between 1987 and 1996. These were implemented as part of the large scale redevelopment in the area from the late 1980s onwards. Prior to this an ambitious plan to construct a vast central bus station had been in place. To this end Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE) began to purchase properties in the area in the 1970s and renting them out cheaply. This brought a vibrant community of artists and musicians to Temple Bar and a popular movement against the proposed central station began to emerge, backed by politicians such as Charles Haughey. By the late 1980s/early 1990s the plans were scrapped and the Temple Bar Area Renewal and Development Act was enacted in 1991. This led to the founding of Temple Bar Renewal Ltd. and Temple Bar Properties Ltd. in 1991, which were tasked with overseeing the urban renewal of the area. A Tax Incentive Scheme, under the Finance Act 1991, was also implemented to encourage the regeneration of the area. This collection reflects some of the archaeological investigations which were carried out in advance of the redevelopment of Temple Bar. These include Excavation Licence Nos. 92E0090; 92E0155; 92E0156; 92E0157; 92E0158; 92E0196; 93E0037; 93E0170 and sites at Fownes Street Lower, Fownes Street Upper, Parliament Street, Essex Street East, Essex Street West, Wellington Quay, Dame Street, Fleet Street, Essex Gate and Exchange Street Lower. Also included is an investigation of seven sites, called the "West End", or Western Sector, Temple Bar. These sites are as follows: Site 1: Corporation car park, fronting onto Exchange Street Upper Site 2: Corporation car park, bounded by the western end of Essex Street West and Fishamble Street Site 3: 8-10 Exchange Street Lower Site 4: Mobile Library park on Essex Street West. Site 5: Kennan's Engineering Works on Fishamble Street Site 6: Corporation car park bounded by Fishamble Street and the western end of Exchange Street Lower Site 7: Corporation car park, 18-24 Exchange Street Lower. References: Douglas Bennet The encyclopaedia of Dublin (Dublin 2005) Neil Hegarty Dublin, a view from the ground (London 2007) Online references: http://www.templebar.ie/docs/urbanframeworkplan.pdf http://archiseek.com/2012/1977-central-bus-station-temple-bar-dublin/ http://www.fiannafail.ie/content/pages/charles-haughey/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/charles-haughey-482309.html

• Archival History ↴

  Transferred to DCAA from the Dept. of Environment 2010

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Official Transfer