Built Heritage 1700 - Today

Architecture constitutes the art form most closely related to human needs. Whether formally shaped by sophisticated personal tastes, wealth and ambition or simply developed with local resources to suit the basic demands of life and work, buildings shape our countryside , and feature in landscapes, towns and cities. They are part of our identity.

Despite the evidence of a great Irish building tradition from antiquity, Ireland is today dominated by buildings constructed from 1700 onwards. These are represented by vernacular buildings in the countryside such as cottages, farmyards and churches , and often barely noticed structures like milestones, walls and gate piers , all blended features of the landscape and wholly unpretentious. They are also represented by formally designed country houses and gardens , and in our varied streetscapes, courthouses, market houses, cathedrals and institutions that form grander gestures . These buildings serve as critical references for elements of the social and historical development of the country and are a vital heritage transmitted to us from the past.