Architectural Design

Transforming Dublin Castle from defensive fortress to welcoming citizens’ centre

A project is under way to rectify the disjointed nature of the castle campus and create an inviting, accessible and welcoming civic space at the heart of the city and country

Dublin Castle is located in the heart of the city, on an elevated site in an otherwise level area

“We are lucky to be born now so that we can experience the freedom to walk through Dublin Castle . . . at another time we couldn’t. The gates were closed to us and we were ‘other’.”

So said Yvonne Farrell, who with her business partner Shelley McNamara, architects and co-founders of multi-award-winning Dublin practice Grafton Architects, is sitting with colleagues and a team from the Office of Public Works to talk me through the ...