Council outlines plans for heritage museum

CABINTEELY House in south Co Dublin, the former home of the McGrath family who controlled the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes, is to be developed as a heritage museum by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Included in the plans are a vintage car museum, an arts centre and a pilot project for the "green management" of public parks.

One wing of the house, which was acquired by the State in the early 1980s, has already been refurbished by the council. Reinstatement of the plaster cornices, ceilings and woodwork is faithful to the original design and classical music recitals are regularly held there.

The council now plans to develop the rest of the house as a heritage museum, with exhibits reflecting the life of different generations of its inhabitants. Furniture, originally designed by Hicks of Dublin, has been traced and owners are to be asked to lend examples to the museum. Outside, the 100-acre public garden is to become a pilot project for the green management of the council's parks. No artificial weedkillers or fertilisers will be used.

In a report to this week's environment and parks committee meeting, plans were also outlined to allocate a grain store at the rear of the house to Cabinteely Youth Project, for conversion to an arts centre.

Detailed plans for this work have been drawn up by architects Patrick Rooney and Associates and envisage the upper storey of the building being converted to an art project/teaching space. The ground floor is to become a display/performance area. An extension would accommodate foyer space, stairs and toilets.

The external training arm of South Dublin and Wicklow FAS, which is already involved in a horticulture project in the walled garden of the house, is to sponsor work on the grain store.

Additional outbuildings are to be developed as a transport museum in connection with the Dublin Veteran and Vintage Car Club.

Mr Donal O'Neill, a principal officer with the council, said he was particularly pleased that the restoration work on the house "which is very fine, has been carried out by our own operatives."

Mr O'Neill described the house and its surrounds as "a real goldmine". "There are so many links to the foundation of the State, through the McGrath family as well as others, that I am sure it is bound to become a major tourist attraction", he said. The original Sweepstakes drum would be on display in the museum, he added.