The Porterhouse

Detached single-storey trapezoidal-plan former garage, built c. 1930. Now in use as public house. Shallow pitched seamed zinc roof having raised central lantern with shallow pyramidal roof, glazed to sides. Parapet gutters to solid stepped rendered parapeting, metal downpipes, raised gables to east and west, stepped to latter. Replacement glazed tiled walling in black and white, painted smooth rendered walls to east and north, west elevation having feature rendered panel over entrance breaking into gable pediment and having three vertical stepped projections to stepped head, and similar rendered panel to south elevation breaking parapet with gabled profile and having three vertical stepped projections to apex. Square-headed full-height window openings with tiled reveals, and multiple-pane aluminium-framed windows. Square-headed glazed aluminium-framed doors inset into wider window openings to west and south.

Prominently located at Crossguns Bridge, this unusual building was erected about 1930 as a garage, but served as the headquarters of Ireland's first commercial airline, Iona Airways, which operated between 1931 and 1995. The enterprise was started here by the entrepreneur, Hugh Cahill, who initially had a motor company. Aircraft were serviced here, although the aerodrome was located three miles (5km) away at Kildonan House. The building was converted to a public house in 2004 and although it has undergone substantial changes with its new use, including replacement of the original banded render with glazed tiles, it retains its original form and massing, and linear detailing typical of its period. It is of interest as early infrastructure associated with air travel in Ireland.