Completion of Clerys Quarter restoration to be marked by new exhibition, Clerys: The Archives
Tuesday, 17th January 2023: Dublin’s O’Connell Street has been home to the historic Clerys department store since the 1850s. Now, after several years of careful planning, the landmark destination has gone through a masterful restoration under the Clerys Quarter redevelopment, which will breathe new life into O’Connell Street.
Key to the development is the sympathetic transformation of the listed Clerys building into a world-class retail, office and leisure destination. This includes the restoration of Clerys’ iconic features, including the colonnaded façade, internal staircases, columns, ceilings and the famous Clerys clock. Clerys’ original restaurant and bar, The Tea Rooms, has also been fully refurbished.
The completion of the restoration will be marked by a new exhibition, Clerys: The Archives, which will include documents, objects, and images to tell the story of a Dublin landmark. It will present rescued artefacts dating back to 1847, images and tales of Clerys throughout the years, personal stories from the documentary ‘Under the Clock’ along with details of the dedicated skill and artistry that lay the foundations for the future of the building. It will run from the 18th – 30th of January, and it will be open to the public for free.
Commenting on the Exhibition the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Caroline Conroy said: “The Clerys building is an iconic Dublin landmark, and it is tremendous news for the city to see it restored to its full glory. The Clerys Exhibition, which opens today, charts the exceptional history of this building and its role in the centre of Dublin life for generations. Particular credit is due to the skilled craftspeople who have worked so painstakingly to renovate the building and to the owners for their efforts in bringing new life to this important landmark which will bring new retail, hospitality, and employment opportunities to the area.”
Historian Caitlin White added: “I am delighted that Clerys: The Archives is now on display at Clerys Quarter. It’s a brilliant opportunity for people to come and visit the different artefacts and documents that are on display, some dating back to 1847. It’s an accessible, free exhibition for visitors in one of Dublin’s iconic landmarks and I’d encourage everyone to come to Clerys Quarter, whether it’s to learn something new or share your memories of Clerys. I’m really proud to be part of the story of Clerys and to continue to tell the stories of Clerys for the next phase of its history.”
Philip Stokes, Horologist, owner of Stokes Clocks said: “The Clerys Clock is part of Stokes Clocks’ history since my late father, and I made the original in 1990. It is an iconic clock that is very much the heart and the soul of Dublin, and the history of Dublin is very much part of us at Stokes Clocks. When commissioned to restore it our brief was to bring it back to the original. We restored the hands and the roman numerals with gold leaf, and we modernised the mechanical system to keep it going for the next 100 years. We are delighted to be associated with and proud of our continued work on the Clerys Clock. I think the Clerys link will reform and rekindle as the place to meet in Dublin.”
The overall Clerys Quarter scheme, which is being delivered by Europa Capital in partnership with Core Capital and Oakmount, will also comprise 8,600sq m (92,600sq ft) of new grade-A office space across two buildings, a 1,670sq m (18,000sq ft) panoramic rooftop restaurant, bar, and events venue, five new food-and-beverage units, including the newly refurbished tea rooms. The scheme is on track to achieve a LEED Gold certification and has already been awarded a WiredScore Platinum certification.
Commenting on the reopening, Derek McGrath, CEO of Core Capital said: “As one of the world’s first purpose-built department stores, Clerys became an Irish institution – we, as developers feel privileged to be instrumental in the restoration of this iconic building breathing new life into O’Connell Street. Uniquely located on Dublin’s premier thoroughfare and centred around the restoration of the historic former Clerys department store, Clerys Quarter will combine both traditional elements and modern concepts to create a new city centre destination that will regenerate Dublin’s landmark street.”
McGrath added, “As destination retailers, anchor tenants Flannels and H&M will attract significant footfall to both the development and the wider area. Tenants of this calibre combined with the exciting panoramic roof-top food and beverage offering from Press-Up group will provide consumers with a unique shopping experience in the city centre. We look forward to opening our doors to the public later this year.”
To learn more, visit www.clerysquarter.ie
