THE SENIOR COLLEGE IN DUN LAOGHAIRE
THIS WAS THE SENIOR COLLEGE DUN LAOGHAIRE [I HAD BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS THE DUN LAOGHAIRE COLLEGE OF ART]
The Educational Legacy: Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD)
The building shown in the photographs served for many years as the Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD). Established in 1982 under the statutory authority of the Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee (VEC), SCD played a vital role in providing further education. The college experienced significant growth, particularly in its Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. This trend was observed nationally in the 1980s, partly due to economic conditions and limited capacity in universities and regional technical colleges at the time.
SCD offered a diverse range of vocational and further education subjects, including Accounting, Marketing, Auctioneering, Business, Beauty Therapy, Creative Multimedia, Computing, and Interior Design, serving over 1,000 full-time and part-time students.
It's important to clarify that Senior College Dún Laoghaire was not an "Art College", a common misconception. The Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) is a distinct institution with a specialised focus on creative, cultural, and technological industries, and is located on Kill Avenue, not Eblana Avenue. SCD's curriculum was broader, encompassing various professional career courses, emphasising its role in vocational training rather than fine arts.
In June 2014, Senior College Dún Laoghaire officially relocated from its Eblana Avenue premises. The institution rebranded as Blackrock Further Education Institute (BFEI) and moved to a newly refurbished, state-of-the-art campus in Blackrock village. This new campus resulted from a meticulous restructuring and sympathetic refurbishment of three protected heritage buildings: Blackrock Town Hall, the Carnegie Library, and the Blackrock Technical School. This extensive redevelopment project in Blackrock received awards for its architectural preservation and integration, standing in stark contrast to the subsequent prolonged vacancy of the Eblana Avenue building.
The relocation of SCD to BFEI in Blackrock represents a strategic decision in the evolution of educational infrastructure. The investment in a new, modern, and consolidated campus elsewhere effectively rendered the Eblana Avenue building redundant for its original purpose. This illustrates a common pattern in urban development where older, potentially less adaptable, public buildings are left without a clear future when new, purpose-built facilities are strategically developed and funded. The contrast between the award-winning refurbishment in Blackrock and the subsequent state of the Eblana Avenue building highlights how public funds are directed towards new, modern facilities, often leaving older, centrally located assets without a clear future.
A Decade of Vacancy and Deterioration
Following the relocation of Senior College Dún Laoghaire in June 2014, the building on Eblana Avenue, as confirmed by my photographs, has remained largely vacant, marking a period of over nine years of significant underutilisation. This extended period of disuse has had a noticeable impact on the property.
In 2021, the Department of Education briefly considered using the Eblana Avenue premises as alternative interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean. However, this proposal faced considerable criticism. A Senator articulated concerns that the building was in "very poor condition" and that the move itself was "nonsensical" due to the anticipated disruption to students, teachers, and parents, citing a lack of suitable drop-off points and heavy construction traffic in the area. This assessment indicated that even for temporary educational use, the building was deemed unsuitable without substantial intervention and would impose significant burdens on the school community.
Chronology of the Former Senior College Dún Laoghaire Building:
1982: Established as Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD), opening under the Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee (VEC).
1984: SCD temporarily moved to Eblana Avenue due to dry rot discovered in its Blackrock building.
1996: Planning began to redevelop the Blackrock site, leading to the computer department's return to Dún Laoghaire.
June 2014: Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD) permanently relocated to Blackrock village, rebranded as Blackrock Further Education Institute (BFEI), and vacated the Eblana Avenue building.
2014-Present: The building has been largely unoccupied since 2014, leading to its current boarded-up and poor condition.
2021: The Department of Education considered using it as interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean, but the proposal faced criticism due to the building's poor condition and site unsuitability.
2023: Reports indicate the Government's plan to use the building for international protection applicants, noting the need for "significant works" to make it habitable.
Eblana Avenue's Other Transformation: The Niche Living Development
Eblana Avenue has witnessed another significant transformation on the opposite side of the street, distinct from the former Senior College building. This area is now home to the Niche Living development, which occupies the site of the former Christian Brothers School (CBS) Eblana. The CBS Eblana school had a long history, operating from 1856 until its closure in 1992, primarily due to a decline in pupil numbers, possibly influenced by population shifts to outlying areas. The school initially housed both primary and secondary departments, though the secondary section later moved to Monkstown Park in 1950, with a new secondary department reopening at Eblana in 1954.
A notable event in the building's later history was a fire in an empty gym room in 1989, after which a local fire chief reported that extensive work would be required to bring the school up to modern standards.
Ultimately, the former CBS school building on Eblana Avenue was demolished to make way for new development. On this cleared site, Ireland's largest co-living development, known as "Niche Living," has been constructed. Developers, Niche Living, received planning permission for this project in 2019, and works were completed by May 2023.
Niche Living offers over 200 co-living homes, designed primarily for young working professionals. The model provides private en-suite bedrooms, typically 16.5 sq m in size, which include a pull-down bed and kitchenette, alongside extensive shared communal living areas. The development boasts a range of amenities, such as a 24/7 gym and fitness club, communal kitchens, shared lounges, a games room, a cinema, co-working spaces, private meeting rooms, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Services like superfast internet, utilities, and room cleaning are included in the monthly membership fee. While presented as an innovative housing concept, the project has faced criticism regarding its density and the co-living model itself, with some local politicians expressing concern that it provides "bedspaces" rather than affordable homes.
The Educational Legacy: Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD)
The building shown in the photographs served for many years as the Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD). Established in 1982 under the statutory authority of the Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee (VEC), SCD played a vital role in providing further education. The college experienced significant growth, particularly in its Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. This trend was observed nationally in the 1980s, partly due to economic conditions and limited capacity in universities and regional technical colleges at the time.
SCD offered a diverse range of vocational and further education subjects, including Accounting, Marketing, Auctioneering, Business, Beauty Therapy, Creative Multimedia, Computing, and Interior Design, serving over 1,000 full-time and part-time students.
It's important to clarify that Senior College Dún Laoghaire was not an "Art College", a common misconception. The Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) is a distinct institution with a specialised focus on creative, cultural, and technological industries, and is located on Kill Avenue, not Eblana Avenue. SCD's curriculum was broader, encompassing various professional career courses, emphasising its role in vocational training rather than fine arts.
In June 2014, Senior College Dún Laoghaire officially relocated from its Eblana Avenue premises. The institution rebranded as Blackrock Further Education Institute (BFEI) and moved to a newly refurbished, state-of-the-art campus in Blackrock village. This new campus resulted from a meticulous restructuring and sympathetic refurbishment of three protected heritage buildings: Blackrock Town Hall, the Carnegie Library, and the Blackrock Technical School. This extensive redevelopment project in Blackrock received awards for its architectural preservation and integration, standing in stark contrast to the subsequent prolonged vacancy of the Eblana Avenue building.
The relocation of SCD to BFEI in Blackrock represents a strategic decision in the evolution of educational infrastructure. The investment in a new, modern, and consolidated campus elsewhere effectively rendered the Eblana Avenue building redundant for its original purpose. This illustrates a common pattern in urban development where older, potentially less adaptable, public buildings are left without a clear future when new, purpose-built facilities are strategically developed and funded. The contrast between the award-winning refurbishment in Blackrock and the subsequent state of the Eblana Avenue building highlights how public funds are directed towards new, modern facilities, often leaving older, centrally located assets without a clear future.
A Decade of Vacancy and Deterioration
Following the relocation of Senior College Dún Laoghaire in June 2014, the building on Eblana Avenue, as confirmed by my photographs, has remained largely vacant, marking a period of over nine years of significant underutilisation. This extended period of disuse has had a noticeable impact on the property.
In 2021, the Department of Education briefly considered using the Eblana Avenue premises as alternative interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean. However, this proposal faced considerable criticism. A Senator articulated concerns that the building was in "very poor condition" and that the move itself was "nonsensical" due to the anticipated disruption to students, teachers, and parents, citing a lack of suitable drop-off points and heavy construction traffic in the area. This assessment indicated that even for temporary educational use, the building was deemed unsuitable without substantial intervention and would impose significant burdens on the school community.
Chronology of the Former Senior College Dún Laoghaire Building:
1982: Established as Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD), opening under the Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee (VEC).
1984: SCD temporarily moved to Eblana Avenue due to dry rot discovered in its Blackrock building.
1996: Planning began to redevelop the Blackrock site, leading to the computer department's return to Dún Laoghaire.
June 2014: Senior College Dún Laoghaire (SCD) permanently relocated to Blackrock village, rebranded as Blackrock Further Education Institute (BFEI), and vacated the Eblana Avenue building.
2014-Present: The building has been largely unoccupied since 2014, leading to its current boarded-up and poor condition.
2021: The Department of Education considered using it as interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean, but the proposal faced criticism due to the building's poor condition and site unsuitability.
2023: Reports indicate the Government's plan to use the building for international protection applicants, noting the need for "significant works" to make it habitable.
Eblana Avenue's Other Transformation: The Niche Living Development
Eblana Avenue has witnessed another significant transformation on the opposite side of the street, distinct from the former Senior College building. This area is now home to the Niche Living development, which occupies the site of the former Christian Brothers School (CBS) Eblana. The CBS Eblana school had a long history, operating from 1856 until its closure in 1992, primarily due to a decline in pupil numbers, possibly influenced by population shifts to outlying areas. The school initially housed both primary and secondary departments, though the secondary section later moved to Monkstown Park in 1950, with a new secondary department reopening at Eblana in 1954.
A notable event in the building's later history was a fire in an empty gym room in 1989, after which a local fire chief reported that extensive work would be required to bring the school up to modern standards.
Ultimately, the former CBS school building on Eblana Avenue was demolished to make way for new development. On this cleared site, Ireland's largest co-living development, known as "Niche Living," has been constructed. Developers, Niche Living, received planning permission for this project in 2019, and works were completed by May 2023.
Niche Living offers over 200 co-living homes, designed primarily for young working professionals. The model provides private en-suite bedrooms, typically 16.5 sq m in size, which include a pull-down bed and kitchenette, alongside extensive shared communal living areas. The development boasts a range of amenities, such as a 24/7 gym and fitness club, communal kitchens, shared lounges, a games room, a cinema, co-working spaces, private meeting rooms, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Services like superfast internet, utilities, and room cleaning are included in the monthly membership fee. While presented as an innovative housing concept, the project has faced criticism regarding its density and the co-living model itself, with some local politicians expressing concern that it provides "bedspaces" rather than affordable homes.