shop/retail outlet

Terraced pair of three-bay three-storey houses, built c. 1820, having cast-iron shopfront, c. 1900, to ground floor. Pitched slate roofs with rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls. Square-headed openings having painted sills and two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Shopfront to north comprising fluted Ionic style cast-iron engaged columns with limestone plinths, supporting timber fascia and cornice having cast-iron ridge crestings. Square-headed display windows with cast-iron engaged column mullions. Square-headed opening having glazed overlight over half-glazed timber panelled door with flanking engaged columns having ornate capitals. Square-headed opening with glazed overlight over timber panelled door. Shopfront to south comprising fluted Ionic style cast-iron engaged columns having limestone plinths, supporting timber fascia and cornice with cast-iron ridge crestings. Square-headed display windows having cast-iron engaged column mullions. Square-headed opening with glazed overlight over half-glazed timber panelled door.

This regular form of these houses are in keeping with those of the streetscape. They are further distinguished, however, by the shopfront, which is of high quality design and execution. Skilfull craftsmanship is apparent in the casting of the fluted Ionic pilasters and carved limestone plinths. It is an excellent example of prefabricated cast-iron shopfronts. The shopfront lettering (now gone), which was Art Nouveau in style, was cast in the fascia. The delicate centrepiece, half of which is missing, with the shamrock frills, was a common device on the larger shops of country towns. Ornate shopfronts such as these are becoming increasingly rare in Ireland. These buildings present a unified and ornate façade, which makes a positive contribution to the streetscape.