house

End-of-terrace two-bay three-storey house, built c.1795, with entrance to gable. Pitched slate roof with rendered eaves course, chimneystack and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered walls throughout with brass plaque to front (north) elevation. Diminishing square-headed window openings with rendered sills to front elevation, having six-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows to second floor and uPVC casement windows elsewhere. Recessed round-headed door opening within timber doorcase to side (east) elevation, comprising panelled reveals and capped pilasters on rendered plinths surmounted by open bedded pediment. Replacement glazed timber door with spoked fanlight having limestone stepped approach.

This elegantly proportioned house retains much of its original form and character together with important original features and materials including its fine timber doorcase with substantial limestone stepped approach. Its side entrance is an unusual aspect of its design and sets it apart from the other houses on the square. It is one of a long terrace of houses located on the south side of Emmet Square, formerly known as Shannon Square after the Earls of Shannon, which was laid out between 1785 and 1810 to accommodate the wealthy merchants of the town. The house was formerly the home of Patrick and Margaret O'Driscoll. Margaret was an older sister of Michael Collins who resided at the house from 1904 to 1905 while studying for the post office exams.