This afternoon.

Baggott Street Hospital, Baggott Street, Dublin 2.

Ruadhan Mac Eoin writes:

A building that may be of architectural interest to your readers is the Royal City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street, which originally opened in 1832, but was later rebuilt – with the current edifice dating from 1893. Among people who worked there over the years was the noted Ulster born surgeon, John Houston.

A fine late Victorian red brick edifice with yellow terracotta details designed by another Ulsterman, Albert Edward Murray, it consists of 5 floors over basement and has 5,600 square metres of space inside, according to media reports. Hence the floor area equates to approximately the same space as that of about 50 houses.

It has been sitting completely idle since August 2019 and is attracting litter, while the state apparently ponders selling it off.

Maybe when readers next hear of the need for Covid restrictions so as to ensure capacity in the health system, they can think of this entire hospital sitting empty in Dublin 4.

Perhaps Broadsheet readers might know of other architecturally interesting hospitals or former hospitals that are sitting empty at a time of national health emergency?

Pics: Ruadhan Mac Eoin