Formerly Royal Hospital — Unknown Townland

Situated in grounds on the S bank of the Liffey at Kilmainham. This hospital was built to the design of William Robinson, Surveyor general and was completed in 1684; the steeple tower in 1701. It was laid out on a courtyard and piazza plan with an open ground floor, arcading on three sides and part of a fourth. The N front is built of calp stone withlimestone, granite and plaster dressing. The doorways at the centre of each range have tympana of carved wood. Over the main doors are the arms of the First Duke of Ormonde. In the N range are from W to E, the Master's Lodging, the Great Hall and the Chapel (Killannin, Lord & Duignan 1967, 233). According to Craig (1982, 153-6) this is the oldestsurviving fully Classical building in Ireland and the largest secularbuilding of it's period. It was designed to take 300 pensioners on its three floors. These were old soldiers who had fought in the wars. Kilmainham has been compared to Les Invalides, Paris, which was built byKing Louis, 1670-1676 (Craig 1982, 153-6). Archaeological excavations were carried out on the grounds in 1976, prior to restoration. The remains of cobbled paths were uncovered associated with late 18th-century pottery and clay pipes (Sweetman 1975-6, 32). This building is being restored by the OPW (Craig & Knight of Glin 1970, 50).