I PREVIOUS POSTS I REFERRED TO THIS AS CANAL PLACE
The first thing that caught my attention is a large construction project underway near the Garda station on Leinster Street. According to planning documents from Kildare County Council, Maynooth University is developing a mixed-use building on the site of Buckley House and adjacent land. The project includes student accommodation, two restaurant/café units, and other amenities. The construction site encompasses the area behind and beside the Garda station, explaining why it appears surrounded on two sides. This development is part of the university's ongoing efforts to expand and improve its facilities.
The Garda station, a converted pair of 18th-century houses, anchors the corner of Leinster Street and Main Street. Its domestic scale and architectural details, like the cut stone doorcases and large Wyatt windows, contribute to the street's historic character. A pair of smaller 18th-century houses further south reinforces the residential feel.
The east side of Leinster Street features commercial and retail units at its northern end, including The Roost Bar, an 18th-century public house. Harbour House, a substantial five-bay house built in the 1760s, is one of the earliest surviving residential buildings in the area. While some of its original features have been altered, its high-quality architectural details and intact carriage house highlight its historical significance.
Further south on the east side are modern detached houses, Geraldine Hall (a former schoolhouse now used as a scout hall), and Harbour Field, a public park. Mature trees line the southern end of Leinster Street, leading to the green corrugated iron walls of a detached early-20th-century building.
The west side of Leinster Street includes vacant sites, a large car park, and a cluster of modern public buildings like the fire station, a medical centre, and a community centre. These buildings have a minimal visual impact on the approach to the canal harbour. Surviving wrought iron gates and railings add to the street's visual character and historic interest.
The Garda station, a converted pair of 18th-century houses, anchors the corner of Leinster Street and Main Street. Its domestic scale and architectural details, like the cut stone doorcases and large Wyatt windows, contribute to the street's historic character. A pair of smaller 18th-century houses further south reinforces the residential feel.
The east side of Leinster Street features commercial and retail units at its northern end, including The Roost Bar, an 18th-century public house. Harbour House, a substantial five-bay house built in the 1760s, is one of the earliest surviving residential buildings in the area. While some of its original features have been altered, its high-quality architectural details and intact carriage house highlight its historical significance.
Further south on the east side are modern detached houses, Geraldine Hall (a former schoolhouse now used as a scout hall), and Harbour Field, a public park. Mature trees line the southern end of Leinster Street, leading to the green corrugated iron walls of a detached early-20th-century building.
The west side of Leinster Street includes vacant sites, a large car park, and a cluster of modern public buildings like the fire station, a medical centre, and a community centre. These buildings have a minimal visual impact on the approach to the canal harbour. Surviving wrought iron gates and railings add to the street's visual character and historic interest.
I PREVIOUS POSTS I REFERRED TO THIS AS CANAL PLACE