The Dublin Barber Shop

Terraced three-bay four-storey over basement commercial and apartment building, built c.1940, having recessed recent attic storey and recent shopfront to front (north) elevation. Flat roof hidden behind parapet with ashlar granite coping. Carved granite cornice over red brick walls, laid in Flemish bond to upper floors, having granite entablature and carved granite cornice to second floor and brick pilasters dividing bays to first and second floors, granite platbands to first and third floors. Smooth rendered wall to ground floor. Square-headed window openings with continuous granite sill courses, granite sills to second floor, six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Sill course forming continuous cornice over recent timber shopfront to east and square-headed door opening, with fluted marble surround and recent fittings, to west. Located on south side of Aston Quay.

Aston Quay was laid out c.1680 on land reclaimed from the River Liffey and was named after Henry Aston, a Dublin merchant. The original buildings were 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. Built as a pair with the adjoining building, it shares form, fabric and detailing with a neighbouring terrace to the west, lending a sense of continuity to the streetscape. A continuous granite entablature, cornice and parapet contribute to the horizontal emphasis of the composition, creating the impression of a single cohesive unit, while adding textural and tonal variation to the façade.