GOING FORWARD PHOTONIQUE WILL BE ADVERTISMENT FREE
GOING FORWARD PHOTONIQUE WILL BE ADVERTISMENT FREE
Originally Photographed August 2009
THE SALVATION ARMY LIKES TO PARTY - WHO KNEW?
We have all heard about the strict teetotal stance of the Salvation Army. Founded with a fierce opposition to the evils of alcohol, their traditional public image doesn't exactly scream "happy hour."
Which is precisely what makes a photograph from February 2009 so wonderfully amusing. Stacked up right at the back entrance of Lefroy House on Eden Quay—a beautiful Edwardian-style building operated by the Salvation Army—sat a sprawling collection of roughly twenty commercial beer kegs.
Naturally, the explanation is entirely structural rather than spiritual. Lefroy House backs onto Harbour Court, a tight city laneway shared with the bustling pubs and bars feeding off the Eden Quay and Lower O'Connell Street thoroughfares. The local delivery drivers simply used the Salvation Army’s rear gates as a convenient drop-off point. But for anyone passing by with a camera and a sense of irony, the visual gag was perfect: the ultimate temperance movement apparently stocking up for a massive weekend session.
** A Century of Changing Hands**
For those of us who have watched the architecture of the Dublin quays evolve over the decades, Lefroy House holds deep historical resonance.
Back in the 1960s, the building was widely known as the Seamen’s Institute. The current structure at 12-14 Eden Quay was built between 1919 and 1920 by the renowned construction firm G. & T. Crampton, replacing previous footprints affected by the turbulence of the 1916 Rising.
Designed by architects William Mitchell & Son, it is a striking five-bay, four-storey over raised basement building. Its red-brick Flemish bond walls, channel-rusticated granite, and the distinct "SEAMEN’S INSTITUTE" lettering carved into the stone pediment make it an architectural anchor on the River Liffey.
The building eventually transitioned into Lefroy House, named in honour of the historic philanthropic legacy of Lady Lefroy. For over twenty years, the Salvation Army operated it as a vital emergency night-shelter and hostel for at-risk teenagers and minors navigating homelessness.
From Closure to Occupation
Unfortunately, the building's recent history has been defined by vacancy and political friction. In early 2021, amidst the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Salvation Army made the difficult decision to close the teen hostel service, stating a need to reallocate resources to adult and family facilities.
The building sat empty, leading to a high-profile flashpoint in May 2022. Activists from the Revolutionary Workers Union forcefully occupied the property, declaring it an "autonomous zone" to house the homeless during a brutal housing crisis. They defied High Court injunctions and a 10:00 AM Garda eviction deadline, arguing that leaving a central, fully equipped facility empty was a social failure, especially after the Salvation Army paused plans to temporarily use the building for Ukrainian refugees.
Current Status: Up for Sale
If you walk past Eden Quay today, the doors remain firmly shut. Following years of legal battles, structural stagnancy, and local campaigns calling for the state to step in and buy it back for social use, the building has officially hit the open market.
Lefroy House is currently listed for sale through North’s Property with an asking price of €3,500,000.
North's Property
The property has been completely refurbished internally, offering 36 rooms, 11 shower rooms, self-contained apartments, and office spaces. Because it is a protected structure (Ref: 2485 under the Dublin City Development Plan), its classic exterior cannot be demolished or aggressively altered.
According to the selling agents, the Salvation Army intends to use the capital released from the €3.5 million sale to fund their six other active "Lifehouse" residential centres across Dublin, which provide over 120,000 bed-nights a year. While housing activists and local boards have argued that selling it off to the highest commercial bidder betrays the philanthropic spirit of Lady Lefroy, the reality of modern Dublin real estate means this historic landmark will likely soon pivot toward private residential investment, tourism, or commercial offices.
But no matter what it becomes next, the historical record will always hold the memory of its days serving Dublin's vulnerable—and that one hilarious morning in 2009 when it looked like the Salvation Army was running the tightest speakeasy on the Liffey.
Note: I managed to indicate that I was using the Sigma Dp1 Quattro back in 2009. The Sigma dp1 Quattro wasn't introduced until late 2014 (announced in September and hitting shelves in October/November 2014). Back in August 2009, the original Sigma DP1 was very much current gear. To map out the timeline of that specific wide-angle (28mm equivalent) pocket Foveon line: Sigma DP1 (Original): Released in Spring 2008 (and was still the flagship wide compact in August 2009, just before the minor DP1s refresh in late November 2009). Sigma DP1 Merrill: Released in September 2012. Sigma dp1 Quattro: Released in October 2014.
* January 2026: High Resolution Images * February 2026: High Resolution Images * April 2026: High Resolution Images