Dublin 2025: a city in crisis or a golden opportunity?

Dublin Civic Trust and the Irish Georgian Society are partnering to deliver a one-day conference focusing on the historic city of Dublin, its potential and its current challenges. Pressing themes including recognition and presentation of the built heritage, a shared vision for the future, housing and quality of life, public realm and citizen engagement. Our capital city has been the focus of intense public scrutiny in recent times. Its historic core, synonymous with trading streets, Georgian terraces and fine public buildings, is visibly deteriorating. In this conference a number of experts will discuss the legacy of built heritage the city has inherited and the challenges facing the city such as a lack of affordable and quality housing, civil unrest, pollution and litter etc. The conference will also look at new building developments, the reuse and repurposing of built heritage, and new local and national government initiatives.

Speakers and chairs include: Paul Arnold, RIAI; David Browne and Jim Coady, architects and editors of Irish Cities in Crisis; Donough Cahill, Executive Director, Irish Georgian Society; Dr Gavin Daly, European Spatial Planning Observatory Network; Alexander Downes, Chairperson, Dublin Civic Trust; Máire Henry, Director dhb Architects & contributor to Dublin City Taskforce report Dublin City (2024) ; Graham Hickey, CEO, Dublin Civic Trust; Dr Paul Kearns, Urban Planner; Olivia Kelly, Dublin Editor of The Irish Times; Nicola Matthews, Senior Architect, National Built Heritage Services at Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Valerie Mulvin, Director, McCullough Mulvin Architects (keynote speaker); Owen O'Doherty, Acting City Architect, Dublin City Council ; Peter Sagar, THRIVE, Allies & Morrison; Grainne Shaffrey, Director, Shaffrey Associates & author of ‘South Georgian Dublin Townhouse Re-use Guidance’; Charlotte Sheridan, FRIAI, MIPI, IGF board member & IGS Architectural Conservation & Planning committee member; Lorcan Sirr, TU Dublin; Michael Wall, Chairperson, Irish Georgian Foundation.