electricity substation

Attached four-bay single-storey electricity sub-station, built c.1895. Now disused. Roof concealed by brick parapet having terracotta coping, with gablets to east and west ends, and cast-iron downpipes with hoppers. Flemish bonded brickwork walling, painted, and having gauged brick cornice and projecting plinth. Segmental-arch window openings having voussoirs with dropped key block and flush bull-nose sills. Windows with elliptical arch, brick voussoirs and keystone, rounded brick lintel and brick jambs, those to north infilled with concrete block. East elevation openings infilled with brick to lower portion, having cast-iron grilles inset to upper over brick transom. Round opening to east end. Square-headed entrance opening to north and west, each with stop-end chamfered jambs, with concrete lintel to wider opening at west end. North entrance has modern doors, west entrance infilled with brick, iron ventilation grilles over. Street fronted, with stone wheel-guard to northwest corner. Attached to boundary wall of former Phoenix Iron Works at southwest by painted rendered wall, with steel railings bounding vacant plot to east, planted with trees.

A neatly proportioned electricity sub-station located along the boundary wall of the former Phoenix Iron Works on Parkgate Street. It is likely to have been associated with the Dublin United Tramways Company which began electrification of their tram network from 1896, and was regarded as technically innovative. Despite its utilitarian function, the sub-station is embellished by fine detailing executed in gauged brick, characteristic of the favoured architectural style and materials of the time, and representative of the confidence placed in the new technology.