Survey Data
Reg No
40826003
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Original Use
Hotel
In Use As
Office
Date
1895 - 1900
Coordinates
216900, 411500
Date Recorded
01/12/2008
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Attached end-of-terrace two-bay three-storey structure originally forming part of hotel with structures to the south (see 40826001 and 40826002), built c. 1899. Now subdivided and in use as offices with modern shopfront. Pitched natural slate roof slate roof with rendered chimneystacks to either end (north and south), and with some surviving sections of cast-iron rainwater goods. Painted smooth rendered ruled-and-lined walls to upper floors, channelled smooth rendered walls at ground floor level over projecting smooth rendered plinth. Square-headed window openings to upper floors with one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows, concrete sills, render architraved surrounds to second floor openings, and with moulded render stringcourse at first floor level forming hoodmouldings over window openings. Continuous render cornice over shopfront. Modern shopfront having square-headed window and door openings, and with modern timber fascia over supported on timber console brackets. Square-headed doorway to the south end of the front elevation (east) having timber panelled door and overlight. Road-fronted to the centre of Letterkenny.
Appraisal
Despite some alterations, particularly at ground floor level, this attractive and well-detailed three-storey building retains much of its original character and form. It originally formed the north section of the seven-bay three-storey former Temperance hotel with the structures adjoining to the south (see 40826001 and 40826002), later subdivided to form three separate properties. The front elevation is enlivened by the continuous render stringcourse at first floor level forming hoodmouldings over the window openings, the pronounced continuous cornice at ground floor level, and the architraved surrounds to the second floor openings; these features help to unify the three buildings that formed the hotel, and give these structures a strong presence in the streetscape. This is the best surviving section of the former hotel. Its visual expression and integrity are enhanced by the retention of salient fabric such as the natural slate roof and the timber sliding sash windows. This building is an interesting element of the social history of Letterkenny forming part of a former Temperance hotel, and makers a positive contribution to the streetscape to the centre of the town. The Catholic Temperance movement was started in Ireland in 1838 by Father Theobald Mathew (1790–1856) promoting abstinence from alcohol. It appears to have been particularly popular around 1900 when many Temperance halls were established throughout the country. This was one of a number of Temperance hotels established around Ireland c. 1900.