Consider being in the middle of a housing crunch and having ready-to-occupy properties accessible, complete with essential facilities such as shops, medical centres, education institutions, community hubs, sports arenas and green open spaces. These properties are nestled around some of Europe’s most picturesque squares, peppered with architectural gems housing quaint gardens and courtyards; a hidden world within Ireland’s smaller towns, undervalued yet ripe for rejuvenation. The question arises – why are these rural towns still languishing?
Architect Valerie Mulvin from McCullough Mulvin asserts these rustic towns could potentially accommodate 90,000 households. Through her exhibition, ‘The Reason of Towns’, she expounds on possible revitalization strategies.
The challenges are evident. Chronic neglect, developers’ predilection for extensive housing projects and shopping complexes on repurposed industrial areas and bypasses that divert footfall away from heart of the communities have all contributed to the stagnation. These issues stem from prioritising immediate gains over sustainable social stability, effectively squandering opportunities.
Despite all this, one can see a silver lining. Mulvin’s 2021 publication, ‘Approximate Formality: Morphology of Irish Towns’, celebrates the charm of rural Irish towns. She underscores the renewed attention on rural living, enhanced by Covid-19 and the shift to remote work. She argues that reviving and sustainably developing Irish towns to accommodate more people could be Ireland’s pivotal role in global cultural curation in the coming years.
This vision might seem overly ambitious, but taking Templemore in Co Tipperary as an example, gives us a glimpse of the potential. Its central square, which is prominently featured on the cover of ‘Approximate Formality’ and mostly features closed commercial spaces and homes, is hardly inhabited. Yet, envisioning it as a minus vehicular space that fosters communal interactions, kid-friendly play areas, walking school routes, shared green areas, does make it seem attractive. The neglected properties could be repurposed for habitation, eventually becoming coveted spaces.
The film, The Space is the Thing, presented at the exhibition, centres around the potential of several Irish towns, namely Templemore, Clones in County Monaghan, Youghal and Dungarvan in County Cork. Over 100 deserted shops were noted by Mulvin in the appealing and traditionally walled town of Youghal, located on the Copper Coast, at the mouth of the River Blackwater. Out of these towns, solely Dungarvan, which also boasts an attractive square, has a population today that surpasses its pre-Famine numbers.
The second film, Of Pride and Place, uncovers more hopeful narratives. Conservation Architect Duncan McLaren speaks about the renovation works carried out in Ramelton, County Donegal, including the amalgamation of smaller homes, the transformation of roof collapses into internal winter gardens, and the reconstruction of facades to promote future utilisation. The film delves into projects in other towns such as Westport in County Mayo, Roscommon, Corofin in County Clare, and Bantry and Cobh in County Cork.
The reuse of pre-existing buildings forms part of the sustainability agenda which prioritises embodied carbon. Architects McCullough Mulvin possess skills in this area. As previously mentioned, Mulvin’s late husband and professional partner, Niall McCullough, organised the remodelling of my own residence.
Schemes like the Croí Cónaithe initiative offer grants for vacant and derelict properties, making such projects increasingly feasible although there remain multiple obstacles.
Mulvin puts forward five essential factors to unleashing the potential of our underappreciated towns and dwellings. The paramount factor is for people to desire to live there.
The prevalent view is that a suburban lifestyle is necessary, complete with a car parked in the front yard. But cars, at least in the near future, will be a fact of life. Nonetheless, as illustrated by her film The Space is the Thing, numerous buildings in Ireland’s rural towns originate from a time when people depended on a yard for their horse and cart. These overlooked rear lots could be transformed into off-street parking, liberating the streets and squares for communal use. Additionally, if enough desire is elicited, it could trigger beneficial change as housing prices are also reasonably affordable.
Mulvin suggests purchasing an entire building, or perhaps two adjacent ones, and reconstructing them to create expansive apartments that can accommodate two or three families. However, she acknowledges the challenges in insuring such properties.
Additionally, Mulvin highlights the need for improved accessibility to information and assistance, as individuals often find themselves overwhelmed by the processes involved in liaising with local councils for such projects and unsure about the array of available schemes.
She recommends that local councils establish advice centres where individuals can seek counsel and support from vital town stakeholders like the town and conservation architects, as well as the planning and fire departments. “This is a cost-effective project that generates ample space for loft-style living,” says Mulvin. She feels that the populaces who undertake these ventures could contribute to revitalising their towns.
One of the pivotal changes that Mulvin advocates for is the addition of a county architect to each county, a position which many still lack. She further suggests that each local council should enlist the services of a conservation architect and heritage officer. This would ensure that every segment of a town is valued accordingly.
In her fourth proposition, Mulvin calls on local governments and authorities to collaborate with financial and insurance institutions, to facilitate such refurbishments and instil confidence in their feasibility. Lastly, she underscores the necessity of investing in the cultivation of skills that are fading or have been lost over time. This includes trades such as masonry, window-making, and repairs.
Mulvin emphasises the importance of moving away from the idea that only degree-level education provides value, and instead focusing more on the relevance of various trades and manual skills. The Reason of Towns exhibition showcases items beautifully crafted, reminders of the skilful trades lost to demolition and neglect, and amplifies the need for the upskilling of trades people.
Mulvin holds an optimistic view about the potential of Irish towns, asserting that they stand on par with some of the finest towns in Europe. He is confident that with an increasing population, these towns could be truly remarkable. He notes an encouraging growth in visionary individuals now as compared to two decades ago.
‘The Reason of Towns’, part of the Reimagine initiative by the Irish Architecture Foundation, is exhibiting at John’s Hall, Birr till August 11th. This forms part of the activities during the Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival, which includes a town walk, discussions, and a workshop scheduled for August 10th. Subsequently, the exhibition will be displayed in Belmullet from August 16th -30th and then in Trim from September 12th-26th. ‘Approximate Formality’, priced at €35, is published by Anne Street Press and is available on mcculloughmulvin.com.
Reimagine series is a concentrated effort in addressing and offering sustainable solutions to the housing issues. ‘Reimagine Place’ provides online resources and guides to solve localised issues like giving fresh lease of life to old structures, inclusivity and accessibility and shared spaces.
‘Hometown Architect’ serves to connect architects with local community groups to present new solutions to persistent problems. Five issues were tackled in 2023, including vacancy and decay in Tuam and Tipperary Town, ensuring accessibility in Aughrim, improving community spaces in Belmullet, and promoting wellbeing in Lisdoonvarna. The current year’s focus is the unused town centre site in Bailieborough, reestablishing the connection of Mountrath with the Whitehorse River, and breathing new life into the heritage town of Moville.
‘Housing Unlocked’, scheduled to run from October 2022 to February 2023, is an exhibition of eight architectural propositions, such as transforming vacant bank buildings, shops and churches into homes, and introducing modular living cubes. Housing Unlocked also proposed a hundred small changes to rejuvenate a town and is viewable online at housingunlocked.ie.
Additionally, the new programme ‘gaplab’ offers internships to recent graduate architects to generate fresh ideas in their communities. These projects received support from several organisations, including the Arts Council, Creative Ireland, the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.