McKenna Distributors

Terraced three-bay four-storey over basement commercial and apartment building, built c.1940, having recent shopfront to front (north) elevation. Flat roof hidden behind cut granite parapet with shallow granite pediment. Carved granite cornice over red brick walls, laid in Flemish bond to upper floors having granite entablature and cornice to second floor, granite platband to first floor and brick pilasters dividing bays to first and second floors. Smooth rendered wall to rear (south) elevation. Square-headed window openings with continuous granite sill courses, granite sills to second floor, having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Recent timber shopfront to ground floor. Located on south side of Aston Quay.

Aston Quay was laid out in the late seventeenth century on land reclaimed from the River Liffey and was named after Henry Aston, a Dublin merchant. The original buildings have been replaced over time and little fabric of early date survives. The buildings in this block were demolished in the 1930s and were subsequently rebuilt in a restrained classical style to house a variety of manufacturing and retail uses. The fenestration pattern and continuous granite entablature, cornice and parapet create a strong horizontal emphasis and give the impression of a unified, cohesive composition. Carved granite is used to good effect to articulate and provide a visual contrast to the red brick of the façade. This building breaks forward slightly from the others giving it some prominence within the terrace. Despite having recent shopfronts inserted to the ground floor, the group makes a positive visual contribution to the quay-side.