Bulletin from the Office of Public Works Issue 22: June 2009 to June 2010

Transcription

1 OBAIR Bulletin from the Office of Public Works Issue 22: June 2009 to June 2010 OPW HeadQuarters Expo 2010 Shanghai China Report on the November 2009 Floods Botanic Gardens Congress

2 Welcome Contents Welcome 3 Criminal Courts of Justice 4 Aras Mhic Dhiarmada 6 Ballycroy Visitor Centre 7 Garda Memorial 9 EREP 12 New Office for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 14 OPW HQ 16 EPA Extension 19 Botanics Congress 21 Welcome to Issue 22 of Obair Magazine, the MID-year edition for 2010 You will have noticed that this edition is a particularly bulky volume of Obair magazine! The reason for this is that we did not publish our normal year-end edition last December, so this volume is effectively a doubleup bumper edition. So, a bumper edition gives us an opportunity to bring you 12 months worth of features and what a momentous year it has been for OPW. Construction was completed on our new HQ premises in Trim, County Meath and staff are now safely ensconced in this fine new building; read all about the new HQ in this edition. We also have interesting pieces on Ireland s pavilion at this year s EXPO in Shanghai, a feature on the 4th Global Botanic Gardens Congress at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin in June 2010 and details of a new memorial in Dublin Castle to members of the Garda Síochána who tragically lost their lives in the course of duty. November 2009 saw the country badly affected by flooding and this edition carries an interesting article outlining OPW s response and role during these difficult conditions. Flooding 24 Expo 2010 Shanghai China 32 Edward Cecil Guinness Exhibition 36 Playgrounds 40 Electric van 43 Bronnadh Dochtúireachta 44 Phoenix Park Motor Races 46 10k run 47 Staffing 48 Obair is produced on recycled paper. 75% Revive Matt. Images: Minister Mansergh with OPW Service Officers (above left). Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin (above right). For some time now we have been finding it a little more difficult to gather content for the magazine. This is understandable; there is less money available for capital works therefore we have less projects and as a result less to write about. We hope to continue to publish the magazine on a bi-annual basis but, obviously, this depends on our receiving the necessary amount of contributions from you, our colleagues. We appreciate every article sent our way: never fear that a piece is too short or too insignificant, this is simply not the case. Please continue to forward anything you feel could benefit from some publicity and remember, it doesn t have to be work related, we are always delighted to receive articles about social activities and sporting activities within the office. We also have details of the new Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government premises in Wexford town, the new Ballycroy National Park Visitor Centre in County Mayo, the new prestigious Criminal Courts Complex in Dublin 7 and the new Environmental Protection Agency building in County Wexford. This and much more in your bumper edition of Obair magazine. We hope you enjoy the magazine. Thanks as always to everyone who contributed and please, keep the content coming. Neil Ryan, Kevin Kennedy, Anthony Quinn Obair Editorial Team 2 Obair - June

3 CRIMINAL COURTS OF JUSTICE highly individual, were assessed by a team including The main structure is of reinforced concrete, which representatives of the Courts Service, the Judiciary, provides exceptional acoustic, fire and thermal OPW, and their advisors, Jacobs Engineering. The separation. At the heart of the building is The Great consortium led by Amber Infrastructure, with Henry J Hall, a 9 storey top lit space with a diameter of Background On the establishment of the Courts Service, one of the first actions was to request OPW to prepare a development plan for the Four Courts. One conclusion of the study was that it would be difficult to provide the level of facilities and segregation needed for criminal cases there. Accordingly, the concept of developing the Four Courts as a civil court campus, and constructing a new criminal court complex as nearby as possible in Dublin 7, the Legal Quarter was agreed. A brief was drawn up jointly by the Courts Service and OPW, which identified a requirement for 22 new courtrooms, and the necessary ancillary facilities. Following an extensive trawl of sites in the area, OPW identified the State owned site, then in use as a Garda pound, at the corner of Parkgate St and Infirmary Road as the most suitable. Site This site is set within the walls of the Phoenix Park, on the western edge of the city, but minutes from the Four Courts, on public transport routes, and continuing the tradition of locating prominent public buildings close to the river. The site had previously been selected for the HQ of the Department of Arts & Heritage. Part of the Department of Defence lands were also incorporated into the site. However, at less than a hectare, it still remained a very tight fit for the accommodation required. Process The business case was approved, with procurement to be by way of PPP, (Public Private Partnership) for design, build, finance, operate and maintain basis over 25 years. Expressions of interest were sought in 2005 from suitable consortia, and three were short-listed that year. The three proposals, all interesting and Images: View from Parkgate St. (above). The Great Hall (opposite left). Courtroom (opposite right). Lyons Architects and PJ Hegarty & Sons Contractors, was selected as preferred bidder, and after months of clarifications and negotiations, was awarded the contract. Work on site commenced in May 2007 and the building was handed over, three months early, in November Building The building takes the form of a circle, and sits well in the site, acting as a distinctive urban marker and a threshold between city and park. The courtrooms, all naturally lit, are arranged on 4 double height levels around a great hall. The winning design managed the segregation of the various users, public, judiciary, jury and defendant with clarity and efficiency. The facade is triple skin; the saw toothed 7 metres tall glass panels reducing the apparent scale of the building. A bronze perforated metal screen controls glare, provides privacy and acts as a thermal conductor, aiding energy efficiency by warming the cavity in winter, and cooling it in summer. 40 metres. Access to all courtrooms is from here, allowing easy orientation, and a great window connects the space with the Phoenix Park. As well as courtrooms, other facilities include judges chambers, jury, reception, dining and rooms, consultation rooms, Court offices, and space for Gardaí, Probation Service, Prosecution Service, solicitors, victims and witnesses, the Law Library, public restaurant and detention cells for 100 prisoners. These latter can be brought in and out of the building in privacy, by way of a van dock at the lower level, used to good effect in a recent high profile trial. The building has now been operational for six months, and appears to be functioning well and as intended, and is settling into its new role as city landmark. Michael Haugh Architectural Services 4 Obair - June

4 Aras Mhic Dhiarmada Ballycroy Visitor Centre Refurbishment of Reception at Department of Social & Family Affairs, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store St, Dublin 1. In 2006 Department of Social and Family Affairs requested the OPW look at options to refurbish the reception and Gerry Cahill Architects and Varming Consulting Engineers were appointed as consultants. Planning permission was sought by Property Maintenance Services who administered the project which was granted by Dublin City Council. Gerry Cahill Architects aim was to return the lobby to its original atmosphere of a cool, uncluttered, stylish reception space. They reopened the original door to the porters desk and the original features obscured during a previous refurbishment were uncovered. BALLYCROY NATIONAL PARK VISITOR CENTRE Ballycroy National Park in West Mayo was established in It comprises over 11,000 hectares of Atlantic blanket bog and mountainous terrain, covering a vast uninhabited and unspoilt wilderness dominated by the Nephin Beg mountain range. A key issue in the design of the Centre was reconciling the need to have the building visible to the passing The desk was redesigned to increase safety for staff Once a decision was made to provide visitor facilities in traffic on the N59 while not interfering with views of Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, the official name for Busáras was designed by Michael Scott who was awarded the Triennial Gold Medal for architecture for this building which was officially opened on 19th October Originally intended as a bus station and associated offices, the building, now a protected structure, was redesigned to incorporate a government Department (now the Department of Social Protection). The materials used in the lobby were of the highest quality, Italian Travertine on the walls and floor, Italian glass tiles for the columns and Swedish bronze windows and these materials have aged extremely well. A triptych of tapestries were installed on the large wall over reception originally intended to accommodate a mosaic by Patrick Scott but was omitted due to budgetary reasons. and also to provide access. Materials were chosen to match originals with anodised stainless steel chosen for the reception desk that will age over time to a burnished finish.the sliding doors made up of the original door leaves were demounted and incorporated into a new automatic opening doorway controlled from the desk and lighting was updated and improved. These works were carried out while the building was in use and liaison with the staff was necessary throughout the entire process. The reception is now a elegant space suitable for the ministry of any Department. Lorraine Counihan Property Maintenance Services Images: Áras Mhic Dhiarmada (above). Images: Ballycroy Visitor Centre (above left). Tearoom (above right). path leading to viewing point (bottom right). the village of Ballycroy rather than within the National Park, OPW was requested to identify and purchase a suitable site on behalf of the Parks and Wildlife Service. The site eventually chosen is located close to the centre of the village, is easily accessed and allows for excellent views in towards the Park and out over Blacksod Bay. Following receipt of the brief, a design team was appointed under the leadership of Des Byrne, Senior Architect, and planning permission for the Visitor Centre was obtained in Construction commenced on site in early 2007 and the completed building was handed over to the client in November The exhibition area of the building was subsequently fitted out by the NPWS and the Visitor Centre was formally opened by Minister John Gormley, TD on the 30th May of this year. the National Park. This was achieved by positioning the building halfway up a prominent hill on the site and by creating a series of pathways to a viewing point at the summit. Less able-bodied visitors can appreciate the seawards views from a landscaped roof terrace accessed by a lift. Internally, the reception area leads down to the black box exhibition area and up to the tearoom, education room, staff office and toilets. The bulk of the building is reduced by excavating the exhibition area into the hillside, banking the landscaping along the west and south elevations and by splaying the walls to the upper floor. Car and coach parking is located at a less visible corner of the site close to the village amenities. Liam Egan Architectural Services 6 Obair - June

5 Garda Memorial PROJECT TEAM OPW Project Management Services Maura O Leary OPW M&E Services Conor Clarke Garda Memorial Garden opening formalities were completed, the Garda Band played cheerful brass band music and light refreshments were served. The garden party atmosphere was enhanced by the fine and dry weather and everyone enjoyed the Una Cluxton Johanna O Sullivan sunshine in this historic setting. Ann Moran Noreen O Leary Edel Kirby M&E Consultant O Connor Pick Everard On Saturday the 15th May 2010, the Garda Memorial Garden, located in the corner of the Dubhlinn Garden in Dublin Castle, was officially opened by the Taoiseach, My involvement with the garden started in 1994 when I designed the original Dubhlinn garden as part of the OPW Architectural Services Liam Egan Des Byrne Heidi Riihela Klaudia Romanow-Sobiecka Emma Sharkey OPW Engineering Services Kieran Walsh Structural Consultant Tobin Consulting Engineers Main Contractor Mulhern Builders Brian Cowen TD. Also in attendance were the Garda Commissioner, Fachtna Murphy, the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, Minister Martin Mansergh as well as the OPW Chairman, Clare McGrath and Commissioner John Sydenham. The new garden commemorates the members of An Garda Síochána who have died in active service. It was a memorable occasion, attended by preparations for Ireland s 1996 Presidency of the EU. At that time, the space behind the castle was an open field where helicopters landed when the British Prime Minister attended meetings in Dublin Castle. The brief was to create a circular helicopter landing pad which had a circle of lights in the center to act as navigation guides. Two further circles of lights were required in Supervising Architect 1500 people seated in the Dubhlinn Garden with music the event of two helicopters landing together, one McGann Scahill provided by the Garda Band and the Garda Choir. with the VIP aboard and the other acting as a decoy. Quanity Surveyor Boyd Creed Sweett Images: Viewing Point (above top). Ballycroy Visitor Centre (above bottom). Images: Garda Memorial Garden: Official Opening Ceremony (above). During the solemn and dignified ceremony, wreaths were laid at the entrance to the garden and a relative of each of the 83 Gardaí who were killed in the line of duty received a commemorative medal. When the The Northern Ireland cease fire of August 1994 was still in the future when we were planning the security arrangements for the helicopter landing pad. As a designer, the challenge was to fulfil the strict technical 8 Obair - June

6 provide a memorial to the Gardaí killed in the line of Ana Dolan, duty including a roll of honour to which new names National Monuments. could be added in the future. The inspiration for this design comes from nature. In the event of a premature OPW team: death, the natural cycle of life, which all living creatures Ana Dolan. Senior Architect share, comes to an abrupt and sudden end. The normal Saskia O Connor, Architect. progression which is from birth to maturity to decline Kevin Comiskey, Graduate Architect. and death, does not happen. The garden is designed Nicola Heneghan, Structural Engineer. Grade 2 to reflect the way that the life which is cut short Aidan Quinn, Head of Quantity Surveying section leaves a trace or an imprint on the lives of those left Eimear O Brien, Quantity Surveyor, Grade 2 behind. We remember our loved ones by their absence James Hayde, M&E Engineer, Grade 2. at important occasions as we complete our own life Ken Moore, APO. cycle without them. Two images provided a physical Mary Lube, HEO. expression for the design of the garden the ripples in Angela Rolfe, APA, Art Committee. a pool following a disturbance of the surface, and the concentric rings on the trunk of a tree, representing each year of growth and life, felled before reaching maturity. Facilities Management The Official Opening of the Garda Memorial event was managed by the Facilities and Event Management Unit at Dublin Castle. With Garda Chief Superintendant Colm requirements and still make a garden which was an enjoyable place to visit. The solution was to use the difference in level, approx. 700mm, between the road side of the garden and the Coach House doorway to create a strongly defined circular lawn incorporating a network of paths based on a Celtic knot pattern. The inspiration for the knot design comes from the Iron Age Celtic Bann Disc, now in the Ulster Museum, which is decorated with swirling elegant La Téne style bird heads. The narrow paths were designed like intertwining snakes, incorporated the landing lights into the pattern and terminating in snakes head with specially made glass eyes. The lawn was created using golf green technology with grass turf sitting on sand, irrigated and fed at night with sprinklers. The pattern was inspired by Celtic patterns, knot gardens, mazes and parterre gardens which are designed to be seen from above. The idea was to make a clearly identifiable space for any helicopter pilot flying over central Dublin. In the corners of the main garden were four smaller gardens, each with a different character expressed in the materials, the sculptures and planting scheme. Over the years two of the smaller gardens close to the Chester Beatty Museum had been used as memorials, one for Veronica Guerin and the other for the volunteers for the Special Olympics. In the Autumn of 2007, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to redesign one of the corner gardens on behalf of the Garda Síochána. The brief was to Images: Garda Memorial Sculpture (above). The materials used in the garden, Dublin granite and Roscommon limestone, were selected for their solidity and endurance. The memorial wall to the rear of the garden is a seemingly solid stone structure cut through by a glass shard. This wall represents the fragility of our lives, the illusion that we are invincible and eternal. Two specially commissioned sculptures sit in the garden. one in glass made by Killian Schurmann, commemorates the sacrifice of the families left behind and another in stone by Jason Ellis is a tribute to all deceased members of An Garda Síochána. The design team were all OPW staff and the Contractor was G & T Cramptons. We were guided through the process by Chief Inspector Colm Rooney and Inspector David Kavanagh of the Garda Memorial Implementation Committee. The lettering and layout of the names was designed by Ann Hughes of Vermillion Design, who also wrote a handbook for how additional names are added in the future. Between the start of the project on site and completion, we had to include one additional name to the roll of honour when 24 year old Garda Gary McLoughlin was killed on duty in Donegal in December The project started on site in August 2009 and finished in February Rooney we worked on the event logistics from concept through to completion, to meet his requirements and provide both outdoor and indoor solutions to cope with whatever the weather might bring. We catered for 1,000 seated guests within the Dubh Linn garden with additional standing capacity for 500. Three tiered stages were constructed from in-house stocks to accommodate the Garda Band, Garda Choir and VIPs of the day. In addition to the audience we provided sound to the assembled press and film crews. As with all major days at the Castle the complex received a spring clean and along with the refurbished garden and new memorial, the venue looked well. When the cleanup was completed and all had left the Castle, the Events Unit headed to Murrisk in Co. Mayo. The following day, they managed the National Famine Memorial Day at the foot of Croagh Patrick. To meet the needs of this annual commemoration we installed power, stages, sound, crowd control barriers and numerous other facilities, working this time with The Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. Des Swords, Facilities and Event Management 10 Obair - June

7 physical form. Examples of capital works completed to date can be be seen on the Boyne, Moy, Robe, Maigue, Dee, Duff, Maine and Corrib catchments. EREP Enhanced Maintenance differs in that on-site materials are utilised and capital investment is not required. These works are carried out on channels scheduled for routine maintenance, and typically involve returning boulders from old spoil heaps, raking gravels and excavating pools. Examples of enhanced maintenance works completed under the programme to date include tributaries of the Boyne, Dee, Inny, Brosna, Boyle, Moy, Corrib, Robe, Killimor and Deel catchments. The Environmental River Enhancement Programme (EREP) channels, and in some cases the excavation of new channels. In most cases all bankside vegetation was removed. While the creation of these schemes brought much benefit to agricultural land and substantially reduced flooding in many areas, there were many negative impacts on the river corridor habitat. All enhancement designs are prepared by the Central Fisheries Board, in consultation with Regional Fisheries Boards and OPW. The enhancement works, both capital and enhanced maintenance, are implemented through the use of OPWs direct labour force and mechanical fleet. programme. This monitoring is carried out pre and post The Arterial Drainage Maintenance Service is carrying out a five year Environmental River Enhancement Programme (EREP) on a number of rivers across the country. The Programme, which commenced in 2008, is an OPW funded project, coordinated and managed jointly with the Central Fisheries Board (CFB). The annual budget for the project is 1.1 million which equates to a substantial environmental investment of over 6% of the Arterial Drainage Maintenance vote. This includes consultancy fees, materials, plant and labour. The initial five year cycle ( ) focuses primarily on the enhancement of selected drained salmonid channels, to improve biodiversity while maintaining their drainage function. The EREP has been set up to strategically align with the OPW s obligations under EU Water Framework Directive and the National Biodiversity Plan, and is a proactive approach to improve the ecology of drained rivers in Ireland. The original excavations of the Arterial Drainage Schemes completed under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act, required hard engineering works. Works generally involved both the widening and deepening of existing In the early nineties an Experimental Drainage Maintenance programme was developed in conjunction with the CFB. The programme examined OPW s river engineering and maintenance practices to alleviate the environmental impacts. A dedicated Environment Section was established in Since then, Environmental Management Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures have been put in place to improve the environmental friendly balance between maintenance works and river biodiversity. Natural recovery of channels is not always possible, as many rivers lack sufficient energy to reorganise bed materials into a natural series of riffles, glides and pools. The EREP assists this recovery using two different approaches, including Capital Enhancement and Enhanced Maintenance. Capital Enhancement typically involves the importation of materials such as gravels to increase spawning habitat, rock to create in-stream structures, and fencing to improve riparian habitat. This is combined with the excavation of pools to create a more natural Images: Capital Enhancement: Construction phase of rubble mat to recreate the natural riffle areas which were present predrainage (above left). Enhanced Maintenance Completed Job. Simple weirs constructed using available rocks from river bank (above right). Capital Enhancement: Completed job. Series of alternating stone deflector. Creates a more diverse bed profile and reduces excessive weed growth (opposite). Other Aspects of the Programme Another element of the EREP involves the development and delivery of a new environmental Training Programme for all staff. Training was rolled out to all staff in the Arterial Drainage Maintenance Service in Spring Auditing of environmental compliance is ongoing, internally by the Environment Section, and externally by the CFB. In recent years the OPW have commissioned a number of Ecological Impact Assessments on a selection of habitats and species protected under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. These assessments have been published under OPW s Series of Ecological Assessments on Arterial Drainage Maintenance, ISSN Leading on from this research, the EREP includes continued scientific studies of two particularly sensitive species: White-clawed Crayfish and Lamprey. The Measure of Success Research to date demonstrates river enhancement works can result in highly significant increases in fish populations. Scientific monitoring of changes will, over time, quantify the benefits of this enhancement works, at a representative sample of enhancement projects, for a number of aspects. These include: biodiversity which examines changes to plant communities; aquatic insects; fish communities and bird populations; and hydromorphology which examines the changes to the physical diversity of the channel. The results of this monitoring will be reported through the River Basin Management Plans ( ) under the Water Framework Directive, and through the framework of Ireland s imminent National Biodiversity Plan ( ) and Beyond With the fish spawning season coming to an end, EREP works have commenced in a number of catchments. This year we hope to enhance 100 km of channels across the country. With our newly trained workforce, and dedicated teams in all regions, it should be a very busy and exciting time for all involved. Denise Delaney Environment Section Engineering Services 12 Obair - June

8 New Office for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Sustainable Office Accommodation for the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Wexford In 2005, the OPW commenced the project to provide accommodation for the staff of the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government with a clear objective that the new office should be a flagship of environmentally sustainable design and construction. The brief had to meet the criteria of the Sustainable Building Award, including Sustainable site development, Lifetime adaptable design, Green Materials and components, Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy Resources and Water conservation. Pierse Contracting Ltd., was awarded the 18.6 million contract in June Their Design Team consisted of Scott Tallon Walker Architects and Delap and Waller Mechanical & Electrical Consulting Engineers. OLM was appointed PSDP and Connor Sutton Cronin Consultant Engineers advised on the structural aspects of the project. The design concept of the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government building in Wexford is of a sustainable building addressing the Slaney estuary using two curved and sliding interlocked building forms to create a sheltering protective image while cutting into the hillside to integrate with its gently sloping green site. The 2.025ha site was acquired from Wexford County Council. Two wings each capable of expansion are interlocked by a glazed internal garden atrium space which is available for public performances, exhibitions and receptions, as well as acting as the assembly space for the conference rooms. The office areas are designed to maximise daylighting and contact between the interior and the exterior. The building has a narrow plan (13.5m at its widest) in order for all areas to receive natural daylight and provide the occupants with a view out. The environmental approach to the site s ecology and the building design integrates the external and internal areas and finishes of the building. EcoCem, locally produced GGBS cement in the concrete was estimated to save 644 tonnes of CO2 emissions during the construction phase, which is the equivalence of taking Images: (Above) Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government - Front Profile, (Opposite Left) Side Profile of building, (Opposite Right) Atrium - with Michael Warren Sculpture M7-23 in foreground. 153 cars off the road for one year. Local grey limestone is used with natural cedar externally. The south façade is protected by brise soleil to reduce the impact of solar gain and removes the necessity to air condition any of the rooms, except where specified in the brief. From early design stage, computer simulation software was used to model the performance of the building with respect to thermal comfort and energy efficiency. Exposed concrete soffits act as a heat sink during the day and are cooled by natural ventilation at night. Natural ventilation is provided through open-able windows and automated louvres. Mechanical ventilation provides fresh air to the rooms which face into the atrium (specified in the brief). The green roof provides insulating properties and prolongs the life expectancy of the roof materials, it also serves to attenuate rainfall on site by absorbing the rain and feeding it into a storage tank for use in toilet flushing and irrigation. Water saving systems have been used in all the wash rooms. Rainfall is further attenuated on site through the use of permeable paving in the carpark. The green roof visibly flags up the environmental credentials of the building. A wood chip boiler is installed to heat the building and a high efficiency gas boiler is also installed. Pierse Contracting Ltd were due to complete the building by end December 2008, unfortunately the building was not available for occupation until March The 6,586m2 building provides accommodation for approximately 280 staff. The furniture fit-out was carried out by OPW Furniture Branch. The Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government held their official opening on June 18th Project Team OPW Project Management Services Mr Enda Mulvihill Mr Eamon Brennan Ms Mairead O Donovan Ms Ann Bourke OPW Architectural Services Mr. Ciaran McGahon Mechanical & Electrical Mr. Tom Glynn Mr. PJ Bracken Engineering Services Mr. Tim McDonnell Mr. David Fitzpatrick Quantity Surveyor Mr. Tom Dooley OPW Property Management Services Ms. Marian O Dwyer Mairead O Donovan Project Management Services 14 Obair - June

9 OPW HQ Office of Public Works Landmark Headquarters Officially Opened The building is a four storey circular form with the entrance orientated towards the old town centre. The building is designed for an office working population of 333 and includes exhibition space, archive storage, library, canteen and support functions. The central atrium acts as an entrance focus and hub of activity. A suspended bridge crosses the atrium. furniture was sourced using draw-down contracts managed by OPW Furniture Branch. The atrium space has been used to host a number of local community launches, including the Trim Hay Making Festival and the Jonathan Swift Festival, further integrating the structure into the local community. The building is designed to be naturally ventilated and Our new headquarters building was officially opened on Thursday 15th April 2010 by Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey in the presence of our Minister of State, Dr. Martin Mansergh. The building is clad externally in glass curtain walling and granite. The façade has coloured panels and shading devices, while copper clad projections define the entrances. the structure has been used as much as is practical to provide passive cooling to minimise the amount of air conditioning. A fully automated high level window system, linked to the Building Management System, provides night cooling in order to pre-cool the building The building design, which was the winning entry from an in-house architectural competition, stands as an excellent example of the best in modern office design environments and sustainable building techniques. The rooftop garden allows for the future expansion of the building and provides a high quality outdoor social space. A separate car-park building accommodates car-parking, bicycle parking and waste management services. Water features have been incorporated and before occupancy during the summer months. Special solar controlling glass and shading systems reduce the solar gain as much as possible. High efficiency lighting and occupancy control has been A construction contract was awarded on a client led design build basis for the shell and core of the building based on the OPW design. A follow on fit-out contract was subsequently awarded. Images: Main entrance (above top). Rear of building (above middle). OPW running team at sculpture (bottom). Images: Construction Timeline (above). a large reflection pool in the centre of the main plaza contains an abstracted representation of Trim Castle. Internally each floor has a unique colour identifier. The ground floor contains reception, meeting rooms, canteen, library and atrium exhibition space. The installed throughout. The entire lighting system is controlled by an advanced lighting management system. A wood pellet boiler is installed to provide most of the heat to the building. A high efficiency boiler is also installed. Solar panels are installed on the rooftop for water heating. Heat exchangers are used on 16 Obair - June

10 EPA Extension ventilation air systems to reduce heating demand. Water saving systems have been used in all wash-rooms. At the official opening more than 30 local businesses took the opportunity to showcase their products and services. Guests at the official opening included members of the local community, current and former staff members. The guests were welcomed by Chairman, Clare McGrath, who said that, after 96 years based at St. Stephens Green, Dublin, the OPW headquarters had now moved to Trim. Local PP Fr. Sean Henry and Dean Robert Jones blessed the building before Minister Dempsey unveiled the plaque. EPA Extension, Co. Wexford The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested that the OPW design an extension to their existing headquarters in Wexford, providing accommodation for new stone-clad substation and bin stores, located underneath cantilevered gable ends of the existing building correspond with the character of the extension and create visual unity within the newly extended HQ. The main façade consists of granite with recessed aluminium cassette glazing system containing manual and automatic openings and external glazed shading elements. Minister Dempsey stated that he was honoured to open the OPW headquarters building in his home town and he thanked the OPW staff for the successful decentralisation project that would not have happened without the co-operation of staff at all levels. an additional 90 workspaces, as well as improvement works to the conference facilities and the existing building. Located within the estate of Johnstown Castle, a protected structure, the design intent is to enhance With a building depth of less than 15 meters, efficient cross ventilation can be achieved in open plan areas, with cellular offices clustered to minimize their impact. Automated Windows help to moderate environmental conditions, maintaining the required levels of ventilation Minister Mansergh said that the opening of the building officially marks the beginning of a new era for the OPW in Trim and that he was confident that he and the the architectural identity of the existing headquarters and to minimise visual impact of the extension on its surroundings. for good internal air quality. These, in combination with the thermal mass of the exposed concrete soffit, facilitate night cooling. staff will benefit from the amenities that Trim and the surrounding areas have to offer. Following the opening ceremony, OPW Architectural and Project Management staff brought groups of guests on a tour of the new headquarters building. All enjoyed the panoramic views of the town and were very impressed with the building. Mairead O Donovan Project Management Services Images: HQ and car park (Top). View of Atrium; opening day (Top right). Ministers Dempsey and Mansergh with Chairman Clare McGrath (Middle right). Staff in the canteen, official opening day (bottom right). Images: EPA Extension facing the new courtyard (above left). Naturally lit atrium space (above right). A new glazed atrium to the rear of the existing building was developed to connect the two-storey extension on the south to the existing structure, with the extension oriented at an angle to provide greater access to daylight, air and views and a sheltered landscaped courtyard. The existing single storey conference centre was re-clad with a new, 2-storey metal façade to enhance the civic character of the headquarters on its main western approach and to create concealed roof plant space with a small roof garden. The Generous floor to ceiling heights and large glazed areas allow greater daylight penetration into offices, while glare and excessive heat gains are minimized through the use of high performance glazing, blinds and external vertical glass shading fins. High performance, durable materials with a long life expectancy have been chosen to minimize replacements needed over time. GGBS cement and other sustainable materials have been selected to reduce the impact 18 Obair - June

11 Botanics Congress of the construction / fabrication process on the the fire fighting pond, new freestanding service block environment. Façade granite was sourced in Europe to and 57 additional car parking spaces of which 10 are minimise environmental impact of transport to site. The universally accessible. extension has been designed to performance levels 30% better than the area-averaged U Values required The design takes a holistic approach to sustainability, by the current Part L with thorough consideration utilizing and improving existing services and of details to minimize cold-bridging and maintain air- infrastructure, and providing a good building energy tightness. Active Sustainable Systems have been implemented to supplement these passive design features. These include use of a Biomass Boiler Plant (Woodchip), Heat Recovery from the Air-Conditioning, Energy Efficient Lighting Systems, Photovoltaic Panels, Rainwater Harvesting & Borehole, Automatic Controls and use of a Building Energy Management System. The new landscaping scheme was designed to integrate the EPA building into its surrounding rural landscape and to preserve the heritage and amenity of Johnstown Castle and its mid late 19th Century Pleasure Grounds. The design strategy involved both screening of building and permitting views out to the landscape with regular clumps of indigenous semi mature trees located in front of the building and substantial mound also planted with trees to the rear. The approach to new and existing planting areas was generally naturalistic using lower maintenance perennials and grasses and promoting greater bio diversity. Site re-development included enlargement of performance that will reduce the consumption of natural resources and provide a healthy, comfortable and safe environment for staff. OPW Design Team on the Project was: Tony Roxburgh OPW Project Management Division Klaus Unger Stephen Kane Lennart Sobiecki Kathleen Tierney Robert Carty OPW Architectural Services Kavanagh Tuite Architects Assisting Design Architects Noel Lawler Consulting Engineers M&E Consultant Malone O Regan Structural Consultant MacMinn O Reilly Mahon Partnership Quantity Surveyor Billings Design Associates Façade Consultants Lennart Sobiecki Architectural Services Images: South elevation in the existing landscape (above right). Images: An Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD with Dr Martin Mansergh TD and Dr Wyse Jackson walk to the Congress Hall through the Gardens (above). 4th Global Botanic Gardens Congress at the National Botanic Gardens June saw the arrival of the 4th Global Botanic Gardens Congress to the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin. Taking place every three years, this six day event, comprising plenary lectures, seminars, parallel sessions, symposia and workshops is the foremost event of its kind in the botanical world. Over 400 delegates from 75 countries travelled to Dublin to attend the event, 130 of whom spoke, on topics from all areas of plant conservation, climate change, sustainability, botanical research, botanic garden management and development and environmental education. The congress was held in collaboration with Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the world s global botanic garden networking body. The event was officially opened by An Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen TD with a speech which strongly reiterated Ireland s commitment to environmental conservation with the government currently in the midst of developing its 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy. An Taoiseach also took the time to inaugurate a new Wild Ireland area of the Gardens where a collection of native Irish plant habitats will be maintained for research, conservation and educational purposes. This Congress was designated a flagship event of the United Nations Year of Biodiversity, which was marked by the attendance of Dr Ahmed Djoglaf, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity. A key focus of Botanic Gardens in the modern world is increasing public awareness of issues relating to sustainable development and the impact that humans have on the natural world. Plants are found at the beginning of every food chain, they 20 Obair - June

12 are the basis of all life on our planet, but population growth has brought many important species to the brink of extinction, weakening the delicate balance of the natural resources which support us. The theme of this year s congress Addressing global change: a new agenda for botanic gardens reflected these concerns. One of the most significant contributions to the Congress in this regard was the announcement of a worldwide Plant List, a working catalogue of all plant species to aid plant conservation on a global scale. This is the first time such an ambitious project has been undertaken and signals a significant leap forward in the consolidation of the many, diverse plant conservation initiatives working today. Founded by the Royal Dublin Society in 1795, the National Botanic Gardens has long served as an international centre of excellence in plant science and horticulture. Throughout the nineteenth century the Gardens were considered amongst the most prestigious in the world, having grown to house 20,000 living plants and a collection of over 750,000 dried plant specimens and making significant contributions to the use of plants in agriculture, medicine and industry. Recent years have seen the Gardens embrace a more public role. As an invaluable area of urban passive recreation, more than 600,000 visitors a year come to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere offered by the beautiful landscape of the Gardens. During a reception for the delegates in Dublin Castle, Dr Martin Mansergh, Minister of State with special responsibility for the OPW, announced that the Kilmacurragh Arboretum in Co. Wicklow, now under the management of the National Botanic Gardens would from now on be designated and known as the National Botanic Gardens Kilmacurragh. This was in recognition of the important collections, redevelopment and work of the Arboretum, as a sister garden of Glasnevin. From Flood Prevention works and river management programmes, to designing greener buildings, and the management of parks and gardens, the issues of environmental conservation and the maintenance of biodiversity are central to the day-to-day operations of the OPW. Many of the findings discussed throughout Images: The Congress Welcoming Ceremony: (l-r) Dr Peter Wyse Jackson; Sara Oldfield, Secretary General of BGCI; Baroness Joan Walmsley, Chair of BGCI; Dr David Bramwell, Gran Canaria Botanic Garden, Spain; Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Biodiversity Convention (above top left).dr Ahmed Djoghlaf greets a congress delegate, HRH Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan. (above bottom left). An Taoiseach Opens the Congress and addresses the delegates (above right). Images: Dr Peter Wyse Jackson welcomes delegates to the Congress (above left). Awaiting the arrival of An Taoiseach at the Gardens: (l-r) Dr Peter Wyse Jackson, Director, National Botanic Gardens; Mr Bertie Ahern, TD; OPW Minister, Dr Martin Mansergh, TD; Clare McGrath, Chairman OPW. (above top right). An Taoiseach arrives at the Congress (above bottom right). the week will impact directly on the work of the organisation and the contribution it makes to Irish society. This will be the last event overseen by Dr Peter Wyse Jackson, director of the National Botanic Gardens, who is moving on to a position as President and Director of the Missouri Botanic Garden in September in St Louis, USA. This will of course be a great loss to the organisation, but the resounding success of the Congress was fitting tribute to the trojan work he has done in rejuvenating the Gardens in every way during his tenure. No doubt he will bring a similar enthusiasm to his new role, with similar success. Anthony Quinn, Public Relations Department 22 Obair - June

13 FLOODING OPW Report on the November 2009 Floods Ensuring all critical OPW flood defence measures are operational. Collecting hydrological data sets. What did the OPW do during the November 2009 Floods? Defence measures Background This is a core function of the Regional Maintenance In 2004 OPW was assigned the role of Government s service and is carried out in the main by the OPW direct lead agency for flood risk management. The aim labour workforce. It is carried out where OPW have of the policy is to minimise the national level of flood risk to people, businesses, infrastructure and the environment, through the identification and management of existing, and particularly potential future, flood risks in an integrated, proactive and catchment-based manner. This policy is being delivered by OPW primarily through its Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Studies (CFRAMS) and its capital works programmes. OPW role in major flood events During major flood events OPW have a number of critical functions, which must in so far as possible be completed. We are not a front line response agency, but where possible provide on request support to local authorities and associated emergency response organisations. The resources of the OPW are made available to emergency services on request but the primary functions of the OPW during a flood event are as follows: completed an arterial drainage or flood relief scheme. It is an on-going activity but particular attention is given to known problematic areas within these schemes. Data collection During the period of the November 2009 floods OPW staff in the South West Region, the West Region and throughout the country gathered a substantial amount of flood data and information. As weather permitted, a number of helicopter flyovers were commissioned to photograph the flood affected areas. This information was supplied to flood affected local authorities, and much of this flood event information has now been processed and uploaded and can be accessed on the OPW flood hazard mapping website, OPW Hydrometric Section manages and maintains an extensive network of water level and flow gauges on rivers and lakes throughout Ireland. The data collected is of critical importance in the assessment of flood risk and the design of flood relief schemes and measures. Images: South Galway aerial shot (above). Images: Athlone flooding (above). Hydrometric data is collected at 360 gauging stations throughout the country. In addition, the Section collects rainfall data from 62 rain gauges in the Munster Blackwater and Suir catchments, which is required for the implementation of flood forecasting and warning systems for the towns of Mallow, Fermoy and Clonmel. During the November 2009 floods, the priority measures included: Recording water levels and measuring volumetric flows in rivers. This involved checking that gauges were operating, repairing gauges that were affected by floods, and measuring flows at various water levels as the floods rose, peaked and fell. OPW liased with the EPA, who monitor Local Authority gauges, during the flood event to coordinate the activities of operational staff. Information was provided daily to the National Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee and to relevant Local Authorities. The reports were also placed on the website. The data collated from the gauge network was used to prioritise aerial video and photography, which was collected for a range of catchments at or near peak water levels. This data will be invaluable in the development of Catchment Flood Risk Management Plans (CFRMP) and in validation of numerical models generated. The video datasets have been provided on request to the various local authorities and State agencies, for various responses to the impacts of the floods. Over the period 20th Nov to 26th Nov, OPW completed a number of aerial surveys on the Rivers Shannon, Lee, Bandon, Munster Blackwater, Suir, Nore and in the areas of Co. Galway affected by the flooding. In the course of the flooding OPW were contacted by SERTIT, an EU-funded rapid mapping service for emergency response. Satellite data was acquired from this organisation covering large areas of the 24 Obair - June

14 Shannon, South Galway and the Erne. The mapping Flood Relief Scheme under construction in Fermoy under the Programme and a further 3.9M in May provides an outline of the extent of flooding based had progressed sufficiently to allow the OPW to to a total of 24 Local Authorities. The application on the availability and resolution of the satellite invoke a clause in our contract to mobilise the assessment process is continuing, and OPW image, and the absence of cloud. contractor to temporarily fill gaps in the defences are liasing with a number of Local Authorities OPW has continued to collect and collate thus preventing flooding of a number of houses. regarding applications in respect of which available data sets from various bodies including Pumps were supplied at a number of locations and additional information is required. In addition, it Waterways Ireland, Local Authorities and the ESB in some instances manned around the clock by is still open to Local Authorities to make further for dissemination, once processed, through the OPW staff. applications under this Programme, which may be website. The information will be An emergency committee was put in place by Clare considered having regard to the overall resources used as baseline data for consultants who will be Co. Co., which also served Limerick. The local available. appointed to complete the Catchment Flood Risk authority were operating under their emergency 3. OPW is continuing a rigorous collection of data Assessment and Management (CFRAM) process powers and the OPW assisted them in works and information since the November 2009 floods, and will be available to inform other bodies such carried out in Ennis, Clareabbey, Rossmanagher and has already met with several local authorities as Planning and Development Authorities about (near Bunratty), Shannon Banks, Rathkeale, and to review the flood events of November 2009 and flood extents. Sixmilebridge. In Co. Mayo, emergency assistance was provided. identify actions required. A Feasibility Study for In order to prevent house flooding at various Bandon, Co Cork has already commenced and may Actions in support of Local Authorities West Region: - locations and to ensure that roadways were result in a full flood defence scheme for the town. This section sets out the activities and interventions In Connaught, the Rivers Shannon and Suck passable, the OPW supplied sandbags, pumps and OPW is also continuing to actively pursue potential by region undertaken by the OPW in support of the catchments, the River Clare catchment south of Tuam excavators. The Co. Council have been invited to mitigation measures in a number of other locations various local authorities during the November 2009 and South Co. Galway were the areas most affected submit applications to the OPW for funding to carry where it is envisaged the works would be carried floods. by the flooding and as in the South West Region, OPW out minor flood mitigation measures. out by OPW s own workforce on behalf of the provided support to the local authorities in the form relevant Local Authorities. All these works are In addition OPW put its web site at the of staff, equipment and expert technical assistance. In At local level contacts have been established with in addition to the major schemes already under disposal of the Emergency Response Committee and specific terms the OPW interventions included: Local Authorities and other emergency services. This construction in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Mallow Co this was used to provide flood information including In Galway, pumps and sandbags were supplied to arrangement worked well during the November flood Cork, Fermoy Co Cork, Ennis Co Clare, Mornington daily hydrometric updates. Prior to the set up of this Galway Co. Council. events. OPW provided assistance by way of staff, Co Meath and the River Dodder in Dublin, and the arrangement, the OPW provided information to local OPW tackled a number of local problems in the equipment, information, technical expertise and delivery schemes at various stages of development which authorities and the ESB through our local network and Galway area using OPW staff and machinery. of civil works. include Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Templemore, Co. internal communication systems. South West Region: - In a period of four days in flood conditions, an emergency embankment of length 550 metres, up to 1.5 metres in height and containing 6000 tonnes of material was constructed around a threatened housing estate at Shannon Banks, a suburb OPW and Galway Co. Council formed a Joint Working Committee to deal with flooding issues in the County in a focussed and co-ordinated manner. To date, over 90 separate flood locations have been brought to the attention of the Committee and a strategy has been devised to bring forward proposals to address the problems. On-going flood relief measures. 1. Joint Committee formed between OPW and Galway Co. Council to effect flood risk remedial actions continues to examine over 90 areas in Co. Galway. Galway Co. Council, with OPW funding, will undertake works to mitigate the flood risk in some areas. OPW will deal with other areas Tipperary, Bray and Arklow, Co. Wicklow amongst others. OPW is also in discussions with Dublin City Council with a view to undertaking its first major coastal flooding scheme in Clontarf, Dublin City. Strategic long-term response to Flood Risk Management of Limerick but located in Co Clare. Following assessment and consultation with residents, this embankment, which is bordering on a significant conservation area {SAC} is at present being realigned and landscaped and will continue to defend the area. Flooding in parts of the northern side was averted during a flood event in January 2010 when the In Co. Roscommon, the most severely affected areas were around the Shannon and Suck Rivers, parts of Roscommon town and South Roscommon. The county council officials did not seek emergency assistance, but mitigation measures to reduce flood risk in the future were discussed and the OPW are now funding a number of studies to identify practical mitigation works. Images: Cork City floods (above). directly, and in some cases resources will be combined 2. Minor Works: OPW minor works scheme which was initiated in mid 2009 with a budget of 2m, is continuing. Within the overall OPW allocation for Flood Risk Management, there has been an increase for Minor Flood and Coastal Protection Works to be undertaken by Local Authorities in OPW allocated 6.7M in March this year Introduction The key pieces of legislation under which OPW acts in relations to its flood risk management responsibilities are the Arterial Drainage Act of 1945 and 1995, and S.I 122/2010, which transposed the EU Floods Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks into national law. 26 Obair - June

15 Role of OPW. At national level, the need for a proactive approach to The CFRMP does not aim to provide solutions to all of the flooding problems that exist in a catchment; Context of EU Floods Directive The fundamental principles of the EU Floods Directive November 2009 Shannon Floods the management of flood risk was recognised by the Report of the Flood Policy Review Group. As the lead agency for flood risk management, the OPW s strategy for the management of flood risks is founded on that report, approved by the Government in September A primary element to deliver on this strategy is the Catchment Flood Risk Management and Assessment (CFRAM) programme. This programme has commenced with pilot studies on the River Lee (now completed), River Dodder, River Suir and in the Fingal East Meath that would be neither feasible nor sustainable. What it does is identify viable structural (e.g. flood walls and embankments) and non-structural (e.g. flood forecasting and development control) options for managing the significant flood risks within the catchment as a whole and for localised high-risk areas. The value of the CFRAM Studies is that they clearly identify all areas within the catchment at flood risk through detailed flood maps, and set out a framework of proactive and coordinated actions to address these flood risks across the entire catchment. This medium- require the State to put in place a system to assess and manage existing and future risk. The targets for the assessment phase are set out in the Directive, however each member state must develop their own approach to management By the transposition of the EU Floods Directive into national law, the OPW is the national Competent Authority with overall responsibility for all matters in relation to the assessment and management of flood risk in the State and provide a statutory basis to coordinate the management of flood risk across all the Description Met Eireann reports: November 2009 is notable for the high rainfall recorded and the consequent severe flooding experienced in many parts of the country. Atlantic depressions passing close to Ireland brought wet and windy conditions throughout almost all of November, continuing a pattern of very unsettled weather over Ireland which began in the middle of October. Rainfall totals for November were the highest on record at most stations... area. The objective is to complete the programme nationally to meet the requirements of the EU Floods Directive, which requires that the level of flood risk in each catchment in the country, including the Shannon, should be identified and that a prioritised plan of measures be drawn up to address the risk in areas where it is significant. The OPW will take the lead coordinating role in the carrying out of these Studies. The CFRAM studies are comprehensive catchment based studies, which focus on and identify areas at risk from flood events for a range of severities and to produce a prioritised plan of measures, including nonstructural, and actions for dealing with areas where the flood risk is significant. The objectives of the Studies are: To assess flood risk, through the identification of flood hazard areas and the associated impacts of flooding; To identify viable structural and non-structural measures and options for managing the flood risks for localised high-risk areas and within the catchment as a whole; and To prepare a strategic Catchment Flood Risk Management Plan (CFRMP) and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that sets out the measures and policies that should be pursued by the Local Authorities and the OPW to achieve the most cost effective and sustainable management of flood risk within the catchment. term framework, called a Flood Risk Management Plan, includes a detailed programme of measures, planned for various locations, along with an indicative expenditure budget for its implementation across the catchment. This enables the OPW, Local Authorities and other relevant Stakeholders to identify exactly what works and resources to implement and apply, in the areas where they are most needed, in an efficient, cost-effective and strategic manner. The measures included in the Flood Risk Management Plans are underpinned by robust technical and economic analyses. Once the Flood Risk Management Plan has been prepared, informed planning decisions can be made, and works (such as flood relief schemes, flood forecasting systems etc.) can be taken forward without the need for further justification or extensive additional analysis. Outputs from the CFRAMS can be utilised by emergency planners to improve their emergency response plans in line with the DoEHLG Major Emergency Management framework protocol and guidelines. CFRAMS Programme The Draft Plan for the River Lee Catchment study was almost complete when these devastating floods occurred in Cork. A further pilot study on the River Dodder due for completion in mid A framework contract for consultants to undertake the CFRAM Studies is in place and the programme is designed to meet the date requirements of the EU Floods Directive and be completed by bodies and agencies. Role of other State Bodies, Agencies and Stakeholders The SI is specific in relation to State Bodies, other bodies, agencies and stakeholders involved with flood or related work in that it sets out their duties and responsibilities in the area of flood risk management. The SI apprises these groups of the Competent Authority status of the OPW and requires them to liaise and co-operate, as appropriate, with the OPW in all issues concerned with the assessment and management of flood risks in the State including the preparation of flood risk management plans. On-going activities In addition to the work programme described above OPW are evaluating the feasibility of developing a national strategy for the establishment and operation of flood forecasting and warning systems. A strategic review is being commissioned and it will examine the costs and benefits of such a service as well as the institutional arrangements for proposed options. It is due to be completed by Feb Extreme meteorological events in the western part of the Shannon catchment resulted in record flood events occurring on a number of the Shannon tributaries. Significant flooding occurred through the western part of the catchment starting on the 20th November The satellite imagery identifies the vast tracts of agricultural land and bogland inundated. Flooding occurred in a number of urban areas along the Shannon and its tributaries including the Suck, Hind, Boyle and other western tributaries. The Shannon is a large catchment with a low gradient and with very significant lakes. The duration of the extreme flood was approximately 3 weeks. The flow measurements recorded and water levels reached give an indication of the scale of the event. The River Shannon recorded the highest water levels all along its length since OPW began continuous recording of water levels in the late 1940s. The previous highest floods that occurred include the winter 1999 / 2000 and December 1954 floods. Water levels recorded in November 2009 exceeded the previously recorded highest flood levels by 360mm at Boyle, by 350mm at Athlone, just downstream of Lough Ree, by 480mm at Shannonbridge and by 330mm at Banagher. Analysis of peak flow data for Banagher indicates the event having a return period of about 120 years. Flow measurements were taken at many of the gauging sites in the catchment. These included measured flows 28 Obair - June

16 to relevant Local Authorities. The reports were also placed on the flooding.ie website. The data collated from the gauge network was used to prioritise aerial video and photography, which was collected for a range of catchments at or near peak water levels. This data will be invaluable in the development of Catchment Flood Risk Management Plans (CFRMP) and in validation of numerical models generated. The data will be digitised and uploaded to the floodmaps.ie website. The video datasets have been provided on request to the various local authorities and state agencies, for various responses to the impacts of the floods. OPW completed aerial surveys on the Shannon on the 23rd and the 26th November. The survey on the 23rd covered Portumna to Athlone, Ballinasloe and Killaloe to Limerick. The survey on the 26th covered the area from Limerick to O Briensbridge, and the towns between Banagher and Leitrim on the Shannon and Boyle. of 78m3/s at Boyle (Boyle River), 61m3/s at Lough Allen (downstream), 96m3/s at Jamestown, 266m3/s to 423m3/s at Athlone, 419m3/s at Shannonbridge, 196m3/s at Ballinasloe (Suck), 643m3/s at Banagher, 701m3/s at Portumna. These measurements were close to peak water levels but may not represent peak discharges. The flow measurements above show a range of flows occurring at Athlone. This is due to the flood from the Suck backing up the Shannon and limiting the discharge from Lough Ree in the first week of the flood. The excess water entering Lough Ree caused its level to rise until the flood on the Suck began to subside. In line with the Met Eireann reports on rainfall intensity, the major eastern catchments, while experiencing some level of flooding did not experience the extraordinary events which occurred on the Shannon and its western tributaries. The return period of the events in the Shannon and its tributaries exceed the 100 year flood event in a number of areas. The estimation of return periods on flood events of this nature are based on the reliable continuous record available and in the case of the Shannon, the records available are approaching 60 years. This allows estimation of return periods up to approximately 120 years, which was exceeded in some locations. OPW Response OPW Hydrometric Section manages and maintains an extensive network of water level and flow gauges on rivers and lakes throughout Ireland. During the November 2009 floods, the primary priority of the Section was to record water levels and measure flows in rivers. This involved checking that gauges were operating, repairing gauges that were affected by floods, and measuring flows at various water levels as the floods rose, peaked and fell. The OPW liaised with the EPA, who monitor Local Authority gauges, during the flood event to co-ordinate the activities of operational staff. Information was provided daily to the National Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee and Images: South Galway aerial shot (above). OPW Arterial Drainage Maintenance responded to the flood event by providing support as requested by the Emergency Response Committees at a county level. All assets were at the disposal of the Local Authorities and were mobilised in Counties Galway, Clare, and Limerick. Local inspections were undertaken at various urban areas to identify flood mechanisms and flow routes for future analysis and interim works. OPW staff continue to liaise with local authorities in various areas in relation to the minor works programme and CFRAM process. Flood Risk Management Section 30 Obair - June

17 Expo 2010 Shanghai China Expo 2010, celebrating Better City, Better Living is taking place at Shanghai, China, from 1 May to 31 October 2010 Over 70 million people are expected to attend, visiting the pavilions of over 200 national participants, cities, shared and themed pavilions, together with a range of Chinese presentations. The overall theme of Expo 2010 is Better City, Better Living which in short means the synergy of urban and rural living, future policy making, urban strategies and sustainable development. The sub-themes of Expo 2010 comment on diverse cultures, economic prosperity and innovations in science and technology. The Chinese and local Shanghainese authorities have gone to great lengths to make Expo 2010 the biggest and most spectacular Expo daily visitor counts are high with nearly half a million visitors in one day in early June and 12.3m visitors in the first six weeks alone! Ireland s participation is being led by the Department of the Taoiseach. OPW was asked by Government to design and manage the construction of the Ireland Pavilion and oversee the procurement and installation of the exhibit within the pavilion based on a theme statement provided by the Department of the Taoiseach. The design for the Ireland Pavilion is intended to reflect the duality of the Irish experience and the interaction between urban and rural life, following the Expo theme of Better City, Better Life. Expo 2010 is divided into Continental Zones and the Ireland Pavilion is located in Zone C. Designed by Des Byrne, Senior Architect, with Michael Mescal, Images: Ireland Pavilion at night (above). Irish dancing performance in the courtyard (opposite left). LED lighting of façade (opposite right). Architectural Graduate, the Pavilion is receiving very positive reviews locally. It is listed second as a must see pavilion in the local newspaper China Daily as one of their suggestions to make the most of a once-in-alifetime experience of visiting Expo. In September the Pavilion was one of just four national pavilions designated as a Model Pavilion by the Expo Bureau on the basis of its design, exhibition, visitor service and cultural programme The Ireland Pavilion consists of a series of semitranslucent glazed volumes suspended over a plinth of grassed mounds and evokes the relationship between urban and rural, man-made and natural,building and landscape. It is intended that the pavilion should create a calm but stimulating and welcoming experience for the visitor to reflect the Irish experience, both urban and rural. The semi translucent facades are punctuated by four large gable windows, occurring at the four corners of the pavilion. This allows for interaction between the exhibition, the visitor (both inside and outside the pavilion) and the Expo plaza and buildings. Visitors can rest/sit in these areas and watch the movement on the plaza and conversely the public moving along the plaza can see and interact with the exhibition/ visitors inside. At night, the pavilion is lit by the internal lighting of the building/exhibition and by the continuous integrated LED lighting within the facade which creates a changing multi-layered effect. The translucent lantern-like building reflects the fact that the Irish imagination has been shaped by the mercurial light of an Atlantic climate. The Ireland Pavilion contains 13 galleries, a temporary exhibition centre, a courtyard performance plaza and a hospitality suite for business and promotional use. Mirroring the pavilion design, the exhibition at the Ireland Pavilion has been designed also to show the relationship between urban and rural, manmade and natural, by setting the creativity of the Irish, their ancient history, vibrant modern culture, crafts, and manufacturers, into the context of a small but surprisingly varied and beautiful island. Chinese 32 Obair - June

18 visitors will be surprised to discover a cultural Suzhong Construction Co., while the exhibition was During the course of Expo 2010, each country is continuity that goes back to the Stone Age, whilst designed by Martello Media, Sandycove, Co. Dublin. allocated a National Day on which the Expo site and enjoying a whole range of contemporary audiovisuals, exhibits, displays, readings, music and performances. Successive galleries present the climate, landscape, settlement patterns, people, lifestyle, urbanism, architecture, art, literature, economy and produce of Ireland. These threads are woven together in the climactic Celtic Dreams immersive audiovisual gallery. All aspects of the construction and exhibition have been co-ordinated and directed by OPW Project Management Services and Architectural Services with a local Design Team in place ensuring all ran smoothly on site. The pavilion was constructed by Jiangsu New innovations at the Ireland Pavilion include a mobile phone app which visitors can download to their phone while on the tour, together with an e-card facility so visitors can send e-postcard. A popular attraction at all pavilions is the Expo Passport stamp which many visitors collect on their way out. The mascot of Expo 2010, Haibao, is also a popular sight around the Expo site and in Shanghai itself Haibao is based on a Chinese language character translating to treasure of the sea and is a typical lucky name in Chinese tradition. Images: Roof terrace and courtyard (above top). Corner gable window (above left). Irish Imagination gallery (above right). Ireland Pavilion (opposite page top). Model Pavilion award being unveiled by Minister of State Dr. Martin Mansergh and Pavilion Director Jim Blighe (opposite page bottom left). SE View (opposite page bottom right). media will focus on that country. Ireland s national day was on 17 June and President Mary McAleese and Dr. Martin McAleese attended on the day. The special programme for the day included performances in the larger Expo performance areas by a group from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The Ireland Pavilion has its own dedicated website which has a virtual tour of the pavilion and details of all upcoming events over the course of the six months. Colette Davis Project Management Services 34 Obair - June

19 Edward Cecil Guinness Exhibition Farmleigh, Edward Cecil Guinness retreat in the Phoenix Park is host to an exhibition of artworks that illustrates his patronage and devotion to the city of his birth On 9 September, 1909 at a special meeting of Dublin Corporation the following Address of Thanks was made to Lord Iveagh: As representing the citizens,we are most sensible of the many beneficient and philanthropic works carried out by Your Lordship, such as the erection of Guinness Trust Buildings, the clearance of Bull Alley area, the provision of lodging houses and other dwellings for the poor, the erection of swimming baths, etc., the clearance of the site for the Iveagh Market, and the provision of the market as a gift to the citizens; the presentation of four most valuable pictures to the Municipal Art Gallery. All of these works constitute themselves the noblest monuments of your generosity and civic patriotism which, not confining itself to their construction, has lavished benefactions upon the charities of the city, and particularly its hospitals. 1 A century later, it is doubtful if the extraordinary contributions of Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh ( ) to his birthplace are widely known. A new exhibition Iveagh Pictures opens this autumn jointly marking the 250th anniversary of Guinness Breweries and the 10th anniversary of the loan of artworks to Farmleigh by the Guinness family.the exhibition focuses on paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints collected by the 1st Earl and lent now from public and private collections. In addition to loans from the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane and the State Art Collection, the 4th Earl of Iveagh and his siblings have loaned additional pictures, photographs and personal objects for the exhibition. Pictures by William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds, Augustus Burke, Rose Barton and James Latham amongst others will be on display with highlights including Stag at Bay by Edwin Landseer, Lilacs by John Everett Millais and The Idle Girl by William Orpen. Iveagh Pictures, the highlight of Farmleigh s autumn-winter season, will shed light on the 1st Earl s art patronage both here and in Images: (Above) SIR EDWIN HENRY LANDSEER STAG AT BAY oil on canvas 155 x 275 Collection, On loan from the Guinness Family. (Opposite Left) WILLIAM ORPEN ( ) THE IDLE GIRL 1907 oil on Canvas 74 x 61cm Collection, on loan from the Guinness Family at Farmleigh. (Opposite Right) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN ( ) PORTRAIT OF EDWARD CECIL GUINNESS, 1ST EARL OF IVEAGH [ ] 1904 oil on canvas 66 x 51 cm. Collection, On loan from the Guinness Family at Farmleigh. Edward C Guinness, great grandson of the original Arthur Guinness, was the youngest of four children born to Benjamin Lee Guinness ( ) and Elizabeth Guinness ( ). At twenty-one years of age, he inherited Guinness Breweries jointly with his brother, Arthur Edward, following the death of their father. Marriage to his second cousin, Adelaide Maria Guinness, followed in Of the many portraits commissioned by him, his own portrait by Orpen and that of Adelaide Guinness by George Elgar Hicks ( ) are on display. While No. 80 St Stephen s Green was their first home, Farmleigh, bought on their return from honeymoon, was their rustic retreat. They both loved walking and St James Gate was within walking or riding distance from Farmleigh and close to the Vice-Regal, Chief Secretary and Under-Secretary s Phoenix Park dwellings. Some of the royal party stayed at Farmleigh on the occasion of Queen Victoria s visit to Dublin in April, Providing the buildings for the 1872 National Exhibition and Portrait Exhibition at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin was Edward s first significant act of art patronage. Amongst the artworks Edward loaned was a collection of mid 19th-century Italian sculpture and works by Giovanni Battista Lombardi, Pietro Magni, Quintillio Corbellini, amongst others many of which had been exhibited at the 1865 Dublin Exhibition. These collections are now dispersed, however, a very fine Magni sculpture Andromeda is on display in the Exhibition. The Address from the Council of the Dublin Exhibition of 1874 thanking Edward for underwriting the 1872 Exhibition is also on display. It was around this time, while still in his twenties, that Edward made his most important purchase in Rembrandt s Judas Returning the Thirty Pieces of Silver.The painting had been exhibited in the 1872 exhibition while then in the ownership of the Earl of Charlemont. The National and Historical Portrait Gallery now in the National Gallery of Ireland owed its inception to the 1872 Exhibition. In 1887, Edward gave money to the National Gallery of Ireland for the purchase of a number of old engravings, principally mezzotints by Ryland and Bartolizzi from the Chaloner- Smith Collection. He also presented portraits in 1891 ofthe Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus of Ely ( ), painter unknown and Charles Tottenham, MP ( ), by James Latham ( ) - both of which are on display at Farmleigh. A further portrait John Philpot Curran ( ) by Thomas Lawrence ( ) followed in While he gave substantial sums of money to assist in the purchase of paintings to the National Gallery, London, he never presented any paintings as gifts during his lifetime other than in Dublin. Following the public flotation of Guinness Breweries in 1886 Edward became a multimillionaire and at thirtyeight was in a position to retire as sole proprietor of the company remaining on as chairman a position he held until His biographer, George Martelli, 36 the UK. Obair - June

20 the Guinness Trust to build housing for the Dublin and London working classes in 1890 the year he stood down as Chairman of Guinness Breweries. In 1895 Edward was conferred with the honour of Knight of the Illustrious Order of St Patrick.The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII had been made a Knight of the Order in On display is The Installation of the Prince of Wales as a Knight of St Patrick by Michael Angelo Hayes ( ) which was acquired by Edward from the Royal Hibernian Academy in Shortly before he died in 1927, Edward Cecil Guinness bought the Robert Adam designed Kenwood House on the edge of Hampstead Heath in London as a home for one of richness, refined elegance and warmth. In a his art collection. This Iveagh Bequest turned out to be letter dated 13 November 2003, Bryant wrote: the finest collection of old masters to be given to the British nation in the 20th century. In the introduction Farmleigh felt like a magic place when I visited Lord to Pictures from the Iveagh Bequest (1928) Holmes Iveagh there in 1999.That special quality now seems quoted a personal recollection of Edward written even richer, as the house and grounds are in such reasons that From 1886 onwards the disposal of his wealth, rather than the creation of it, became more and more his chief preoccupation. 3 From he failed in his attempts to enter Parliament and he reluctantly had to stand aside for the nomination for Co Dublin in 1883.The wealth of the Guinness family of this generation was exceptional even by British standards. He had built up the largest organization of its kind in the world and one which was bringing great benefits to Ireland. His wealth, social and political benefactions, artistic patronage, donations and lavish hospitality at his many homes, in particular at Elveden his shooting estate in Suffolk, led to him entering and rising in the Peerage, wielding political influence through his membership of the House of Lords and ultimately being awarded an earldom in He took his place among the plutocracy in British society including the Rothschilds, Liptons, Cassels and Sassoons. By the time of his death in 1927, St James Gate Brewery was the largest exporter of goods from Ireland after the agricultural sector as a whole, and was paying half the tax revenue of the Irish Free State. Despite his decades of philanthropy and the creation of several family trusts, his death duties still amounted to some 11 million sterling. In the years , Edward Cecil Guinness became a serious collector of art on the London market acquiring over 200 paintings through Thomas Agnew & Sons, the Bond Street art dealers. His collection was divided broadly between English 18th-century portraitists and the earlier continental masterpieces. The former category include such outstanding portraits as Gainsborough s Mary Countess Howe (1764) Reynolds Miss Cox and her Niece (1789) and Romney s Mrs Master (1780). His continental masters include a fine self-portrait by Rembrandt and Vermeer s The Player. Agnew s were buying from the great aristocratic English collections that were broken up as part of the economic struggle of the landed gentry in the late 19th century.agnew s other clients at the time J Pierpont Morgan and Henry Clay Frick, Alfred Beit, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, Hugh Lane, and the Louvre in Paris, benefited from this struggle. Edward had many houses to furnish with paintings, in particular his Mayfair mansion, No. 5 Grosnevor Place, with its 145 rooms. But he also furnished his 20,000 acre estate Elveden in Norfolk with assorted treasures. At the same time however a deeper interest in philanthropy was vying for his attention. He created Images: (Above) PIETRO MAGNI ( ) ANDROMEDA carrera marble 80 x 80 x 170 Collection, Office of Public Works at Farmleigh. (Opposite) SIR JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS ( ) LILACS 1908 Oil on Canvas x 72.4 Collection, Dublin City Gallery, the Hugh Lane Photograph Dublin City Gallery, the Hugh Lane. by one of his close associates: From early days he began to purchase things of beauty, here a piece of tapestry, there a piece of sculpture, or old furniture, an occasional picture or engraving, a jewel, a piece of old embroidery, a fine carpet. He built extensively, and under sound advice as far as the outside of his houses were concerned, but he dealt with the interiors from his own knowledge and taste. His interests took him to London in the early eighties, and there the acquisition of a town house necessitated the purchase of more furniture, and above all pictures and tapestries, and it was in the eighties and nineties that he made his collection part of which forms the Iveagh Bequest for Kenwood. 4 Of the homes that he furnished or lived in, No. 5 Grosvenor Place and St Anne s are now gone and the contents in the main at Elveden and Iveagh House have been dissipated through auctions. Kenwood displays the prize part of his painting collection but few examples of his taste in historic textiles, rugs and ceramics. According to Julius Bryant, the former director at Kenwood, it is Farmleigh that best displayed Edward s taste with the overall effect of the wonderful 17th-century silk embroideries, Brussels tapestries and 18th century furniture being good hands and being enjoyed by so many more people. 5 That Farmleigh is now open to scholars and the public, allows for a new appreciation to be given to Edward Cecil Guinness as a significant social reformer, philanthropist, businessman and patron of the arts.this exhibition and accompanying catalogue is a fitting first step in providing a more informed assessment of his legacy. Mary Heffernan, Historic Properties 1 Martelli, G., Man of his Time: a life of the first Earl of Iveagh, K.P., G.V.C.O.,London, 1957, privately published, p Martelli, p.229/ Martelli, p Bryant, Julius, Kenwood, Paintings in the Iveagh Bequest, London and New Haven, 2003, p.6. The Bequest was made through the Guinness and Iveagh Trusts p OPW filea507/3/36 Vol. II, p Obair - June

21 Playgrounds Doneraile Playground The magnificent new playground facilities at Doneraile Playground at St Stephens Green, Dublin Park were officially opened by Minister Martin Mansergh on the 15th May The refurbished playground in St Stephen s Green was re-opened by Minister of State Dr. Martin Mansergh TD The success of this project is due to the collaboration on 23rd June of several groups: OPW which provided the site and undertook the installation, ground preparation and The playground is designed specifically for St landscaping works, Ballyhoura Development Ltd, a local Stephen s Green, the materials and colours were community group which held many fund-raising events selected to be appropriate to blend into the setting. in order to purchase the playground equipment, and The play equipment is designed to be inclusive for Cork County Council which provided grant-aid and will all children s needs and abilities, and a few elements maintain the facility. Park as a whole. So successful has this initiative been are particularly designed for special needs. The floor that an overflow car-park was needed to cater for the surface of the playground is wetpour safety surfacing, The play equipment caters for children up to 12 years increased numbers of visitors. incorporating various colours coloured graphics and of age and includes the usual swings and slides in games. This wetpour rubber safety surfacing uses a specially constructed child-friendly environment. A key to the high standards achieved was the 100% recycled tyre rubber in the base layer. Some 20 However, the inclusion of novel items like the railway successful interpretation of the development with the tonnes of recycled material was used in the surfacing carriage, a summit slide, and playhouses, makes this facility second-to-none in the Cork area. As a result children and parents come from far and wide to enjoy the new playground and the environs of Doneraile sensitive historic landscape of the demesne. Grace Marshall, Historic Properties Images: Donerail Playground (above top and bottom. Images: Children enjoying the new facilities in St Stephen s Green playground. at St. Stephen s Green, which would otherwise have gone into landfill. The entire surface can in itself be recycled when it reaches the end of its life span. A number of items from the old playground were 40 Obair - June

22 ELECTRIC VAN recycled by the main contractor Sports Surfaces Ireland Ltd. The new playground, which contains 18 play elements, is arranged in two clearly defined areas for junior [2 to 6 years] and seniors [from 6 to 12 years]. Uniquely the medium multi units is specifically designed for St Stephens Green to span these areas, to provide play opportunities for the 4 to 7 age groups. There are a number of new units that are original to this playground in Ireland, the Rope Nest Tree and the Pod nest Swing are particularly popular. The playground includes a chessboard, as there is a strong tradition in the local schools of playing chess. NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE FOR FURNITURE DIVISION The Office of Public Works has purchased a new fullyelectric vehicle to form part of this office s Dublin fleet. The truck is a Smith Newton 7.5 tonne vehicle that will be used by OPW Furniture Division for deliveries and transport of furniture in and around the Dublin area. The new electric vehicle has a zero emission, 120 Kw motor, powered by Lithium-Ion phosphate batteries, and will be charged from a specially installed electric charging point at OPW s Furniture Division in charge, and, as such, is seen as ideal for the wide range of delivery and transport functions carried out by Furniture Division in the Greater Dublin area. OPW is grateful to Sustainable Energy Ireland for part-funding almost 50% of the cost of this vehicle. This new carbon-neutral truck is an example of the Government s stated intention to transform the Irish energy and transport sector. The target of the Government is that, by 2020, 10% of vehicles on Irish roads will be powered by electricity. The net gains to be derived by the use of electric vehicles, in terms of both air and noise pollution, will prove highly beneficial to the operation of the Office of Public Works. OPW is aiming towards the gradual replacement of our older petrol and diesel fleet with electric vehicles, where appropriate, over the years to come. Mountshannon Road, Kilmainham. The vehicle will be Angela Rolfe Kevin McKenna Architectural Services Images: The new playground is proving a popular attraction (above). visible travelling around the city in the OPW colours, with The Electric Vehicle printed on all sides. The vehicle is capable of travelling up to 100km from one Robert Guihen Furniture Division 42 Obair - June

23 Bronnadh Dochtúireachta cuid de na foirgnimh i reachtaibh titim agus gur dóiche go mbeidís baolach do chuairteoirí agus do fhoireann Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí. Is í Áine Ní Dhubháin, Príomh Threoraí, Ionad An Bhlascaoid (ar chlé sa phictiúr) agus Muireann Ní Oifigigh Eolais i mbun dualgais ar an mblascaod Mór i mbliana Ar an ndéardaoin, 10 Meitheamh, i mbliana, do thionscain Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí seirbhís eolais teoranta ar an mblascaod Mór, amach ó chósta Chiarraí. Ó thús na bliana seo do bhí bearta ar bun ag Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí a chur ar an gcumas an tseirbhís seo a thionscnamh. Is ó Ionad An Bhlascaoid, Sealúchas Stairiúil de chuid Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí, atá an tseirbhís á riaradh. De réir gach tuairisce tá ag éirí go hiontach leis an tseirbhís nua seo agus í á mholadh go hard na spéire ag na cuairteoirí ar fad a bhfuil turas tugtha acu i mbliana go dtí an oileán stairiúil seo. I dtús na bliana seo caite do cheannaigh an Stát, tríd an OPW, cuid mhaith den dtalamh agus den mhaoin a bhí ag an gcomhlacht Blascaod Mór Teoranta (BMT) ar an Oileán Tiar (mar a tugtar ar an mblascaod ar uairibh). Fágann sin go bhfuil formhór na dtailte agus na maoine eile ar an mblascaod i seilbh an Stáit anois. Is ar Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí atá an cúram aire a thabhairt don maoin seo agus í a chothabháil. Faoi láthair tá plean cuimsitheach á chur le chéile ag rannóg na Sealúchais Stairiúla de chuid Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí chun caomhnú a dhéanamh ar bhaile tréigthe an Bhlascaoid, nó An Baile, mar a ghlaodh na hoileánaigh féin air. Tá géar ghá lena leithéid de phlean mar go bhfuil an baile tréigthe, nó a fhormhór, ach go hairithe, i ndroch-chaoi ceart agus, ó tréigeadh an Blascaod Mór i 1953, ina fhothrach folamh gan aird. Níos túisce i mbliana do bheartaigh Oifig na noibreacha Poiblí go gcuirfí fál cosanta timpeall ar chuid de na fothraigh atá ina seilbh toisc gur ceapadh go bhfuil Chearna, Treoraí, Ionad An Bhlascaoid, an chéad bheirt a cuireadh i mbun seirbhís eolais ar an oileán. Ba ar an mblascaod Mór a saolaíodh sean-mháthair agus sean-athair Mhuirinn Céit Sheáin Team Ó Cearna agus Peaidí Sheáisí Ó Cearna. Ó thús an Mheithimh tá dhá thigh ar an oileán tigh Jerry Uí Shé agus tigh Pheig Sayers, tógtha ar cíos ag an OPW agus tá na leithris a bhaineann leis an dá thigh seo ar cíos chomh maith, ionas go bhféadfadh cuairteoirí tairbhe a bhaint astu agus toisc nach bhfuil aon leithris poiblí eile ar an oileán. Tá sé i gceist leanúint leis an tseirbhís go tús Mheán Fómhair agus, má bhíonn cúrsaí airgeadais ina gceart, tá sé i gceist an tseirbhís a chur ar fáil arís an bhliain seo chugainn. Ceapaim go bhfuil an tseirbhís ag cur go mór leis an dtaitneamh agus leis an dtairbhe a bhaineann cuairteoirí as a dturas ar an Oileán Tiar. Tá an-éileamh ag cuairteoirí ar bhualadh isteach go Tigh Pheig agus cuireann ár dtreoraithe fáilte rompu. Is minic a shuíonn na cuairteoirí ag an dtinteán i dtigh Pheig agus bíonn na ceamaraí ag cliceáil is ag tógaint na bpictiúr le seoladh go cian is cóngar. Is féidir a rá go bhfuil tigh Pheigh lán de bheocht arís a deir Mícheál de Mórdha, Bainisteoir, Ionad An Bhlascaoid Mhóir. Sa phictiúr eile tá Áine Ní Dhubháin agus Muireann Ní Chearna suite ag tinteán Pheig. Is aoibhinn beatha an oifigigh eolais ar an mblascaod Mór! Mícheál de Mórdha Seirbhísí Oidhreachta 44 Obair - June

24 Phoenix Park Motor Races 10k run The Phoenix Park Motor Racing Aug 8th and 9th 2009 generation will remember cars like the Avenger, Ford Capri, MG Midget and then there were the super fast Porsche 911RS 3.2litre to the Grand Prix type Lola ,000 cc. Edward Cecil Guinness First Earl of Iveagh was a 2009 saw the 80th Anniversary of the first ever holding of the Irish Grand Prix in the Phoenix Park and it is entirely appropriate that the venue has remained very much the same since those early Grand Prix days, albeit with a shorter version of the track. The Park has indeed enjoyed many historic sporting events down through the years but the Motor Racing is the one, which to this very day attracts enthusiasts from all over the country and even from abroad. This year however there was a revamp to the circuit build pioneer motorist who toured Ireland in 1899 by car, unfortunately no photograph of his car is available. Algeron and Kenelm Lee Guinness were two brothers who I believe lived in Farmleigh. Both were distinguished racing drivers and both held the World Land Speed Record in the 1910s/20s.As famous Irish Racing Drivers of their day they were both consulted regarding a suitable circuit in the Phoenix Park for the 1929 Irish International Grand Prix. Motorsport has been the cause of various OPW TEAM PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT IRELAND RUN IN AID OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND with the Paddock being moved to the wonderful surroundings of Farmleigh.It was a great occasion and to see all the cars from bygone days to the Formula One Ferrari which Michael Schumacher raced in was very exiting, even down to the Trans Am v6-6.6 litre replica car from the film Smokey and the Bandit. The Racing in the Park over the two days attracted 150,000 spectators with Farmleigh attracting over 8,500 spectators. On the day itself people came to Farmleigh from far and wide, young and old to view the cars in the Paddocks and to listen to some of the veterans modifications to the Phoenix Monument down the years and led to its movement from the centre of the main road in 1929.The monument made its first move when it was dismantled and re - erected outside the gates of Aras An Uachtarain to enable the first Irish International Grand Prix to take place in the Park. As the monument sat bang in the middle of the race circuit it was decided to move it. It is now back in its first home on Chesterfield Avenue. The Motor Car Racing in the Phoeno is a tradition that On Sunday 18th April 46 OPW staff ran, jogged, & walked in the Great Ireland run in the Phoenix Park to raise funds for Special Olympics Ireland. The 46 staff came from all locations around the country including Dublin, Meath, Kilkenny, Waterford, Donegal & Sligo and the goal was to raise 5000 for Special Olympics Ireland, however this figure was well exceeded and together with Brightside the total raised was 8, ,000 of this amount was given to the Midway Centre in Trim Co Meath who had a number of athletes participating in the Special Olympic Games in Limerick and the remainder went into the general Special Olympic Games Fund. Thanks to everyone who participated in the race and helped in anyway to make this day memorable and to Margaret Gormley and her staff in the Phoenix Park for providing parking on the day. from the good old days talk about their not so reliable machines was quite amazing. There were over 130 cars of all shapes and size competing in various races goes back 80 years,it is a part of Dublin that was the rare aul times and hopefully it can be re-established soon. Images: The David Byers Trophy (above). Images: OPW Charity Runners (above). Derry McVeigh, Head Service Officer and over 30 Classic Motor Bikes. Some of the older 46 Obair - June

25 Staffing Staff Movement (July December 2009) Noelle McManus Architect career Break 06/07/2009 Sean Fitzgerald co career Break 27/07/2009 Simon Russell co career Break 31/08/2009 Ray Harli architect career Break 01/09/2009 Ciaran Moloney co career Break 18/09/2009 Emma Stevens Asst. Librarian Career Break 23/12/2009 David Logan co career Break 30/12/2009 Irene Kelly architect career Break 31/12/2009 Susan Gore services Officer Commenced 14/12/2009 Clare McGrath Commissioner Promoted to Chairman 05/09/2009 John Sydenham PO Promoted to Commissioner 20/11/2009 Sheila Dooley co resigned 13/10/2009 John Crimmins APo resigned 30/11/2009 Hugh Rochford co resigned 24/12/2009 Fergus O Neill Engineer Technician Retired 25/07/2009 Tom Prendergast APo retired 14/08/2009 Mary O Reilly APo retired 28/08/2009 John Gilmore Engineer Technician Retired 29/08/2009 Sean Benton Chairman retired 05/09/2009 Brian O Neill engineer Technician Retired 05/09/2009 Pat Murphy art Advisor retired 05/09/2009 Kevin Fleming APo retired 05/09/2009 Sean McGlynn District Inspector Retired 12/09/2009 Helen Blair senior Architect Retired 16/09/2009 Robert Lyons heo retired 19/09/2009 Maura O Leary APo retired 29/09/2009 Phyllis McGovern eo retired 01/10/2009 Joe Pat O Donnell APo retired 02/10/2009 John Joe Geraghty District Inspector Retired 09/10/2009 Kevin Connolly Po retired 17/10/2009 Dominic McNevin APo retired 29/10/2009 Nicholas Bell Engineer Technician Retired 31/10/2009 Thomas Whelton Arch. Asst. Grade 1 Retired 07/11/2009 Martin Galvin Prin. Eng. Draughtsman Retired 21/11/2009 Sheila Campbell so retired 28/11/2009 George Croke District Inspector Retired 28/11/2009 Marie T. Ryan co retired 01/12/2009 Frank Fingleton APo retired 01/12/2009 Jim Berrigan APo retired 01/12/2009 Con O Callaghan District Inspector Retired 01/12/2009 Una Cluxton heo retired 01/12/2009 Frank Coffey APo retired 01/12/2009 Michael Cooney APo retired 01/12/2009 Jack Brennan heo retired 01/12/2009 Ronán Ó Dúnáin APo retired 01/12/2009 Anthony Kane Telephonist retired 01/12/2009 Alex McAllister Engineer Grade I Retired 05/12/2009 Eamon Gargan Technical Officer Retired 05/12/2009 Brian O Connell APo retired 05/12/2009 John Cullen admin. Asst. retired 05/12/2009 Sharon Slattery so return from CB 27/07/2009 Joan McGlynn co return from CB 14/09/2009 Aimee Carey co return from CB 28/09/2009 Conor McDermott co return from CB 05/10/2009 Adrienne O Driscoll heo return from CB 07/12/2009 Cathriona Cooney heo return from CB 07/12/2009 Jackie Portland eo transfer In 27/07/2009 Geraldine Parker co transfer In 10/08/2009 Andrew Bogie heo transfer In 07/09/2009 Martin Bourke Po transfer In 07/09/2009 Margaret Stafford co transfer In 21/08/2009 Angela Malone co transfer In 28/09/2009 Elizabeth Deady co transfer In 05/10/2009 Tom O Brien apo transfer In 19/10/2009 Ruth Flanagan co transfer In 26/10/2009 Michael Byrne eo transfer In 26/10/2009 Martina Cordial co transfer In 09/11/2009 Maria Kelly co transfer In 09/11/2009 Brid Coffey co transfer In 09/11/2009 Siobhan Weldon co transfer In 23/11/ Obair - June

26 Sandra Doyle so transfer In 30/11/2009 Kieran Clince eo transfer In 30/11/2009 Bernard Garry heo transfer In 14/12/2009 Jackie Stewart heo transfer In 14/12/2009 Ide De Burca heo transfer In 21/12/2009 Brian Dorman Services Officer Transfer In 21/12/2009 Sheila Doherty co transfer Out 20/07/2009 Ronan O Scolai eo transfer Out 22/07/2009 Barry Hayes eo transfer Out 04/08/2009 Catherine Reilly co transfer Out 07/08/2009 Tony Cranitch co transfer Out 28/09/2009 Adam Doyle co transfer Out 05/10/2009 Naomi Duggan co transfer Out 05/10/2009 Mary O Sullivan eo transfer Out 26/10/2009 Louise Kenny co transfer Out 06/11/2009 Peter Dockrell co transfer Out 06/11/2009 Eileen Scanlan APo transfer Out 13/11/2009 Jacqueline Fahy co transfer Out 20/11/2009 Laurence Kelly co transfer Out 20/11/2009 Eddie Brady eo transfer Out 04/12/2009 Kate Fleming so transfer Out 14/12/2009 Staff Movement (January June 2010) Maureen Kelly eo retired 01/01/2010 Denis Glavin heo retired 01/01/2010 Margo Wiseman co retired 01/01/2010 Bernie Mannion heo retired 01/01/2010 Mary Furlong heo retired 26/01/2010 Eileen Dunne co retired 26/02/2010 Elizabeth Lynn co retired 06/03/2010 PJ Coffey District Inspector Retired 14/03/2010 Greg Hastings Arch Asst Grade 1 Retired 27/03/2010 Maura Brennan Arch Asst Grade 1 Retired 16/04/2010 Anthony McCourt Arch Asst Grade 1 Retired 24/04/2010 Patrick Dunphy so retired 01/05/2010 Frank Hughes Senior Architect Retired 22/05/2010 Mary Murphy APo retired 28/05/2010 Marina Marlborough heo transfer In 18/01/2010 Barry Moyles heo transfer In 01/02/2010 Peter Dockrell co transfer In 08/02/2010 Seamus Harmon co transfer In 15/02/2010 Gerard Kennedy APo transfer In 22/02/2010 Sean Boland heo transfer In 26/04/2010 Tanya Crowley eo transfer In 26/04/2010 Christine McCann eo transfer In 24/05/2010 Kevin Kelly heo transfer In 31/05/2010 Edel Hennessey APo transfer In 08/06/2010 Bridget Purcell so transfer In 14/06/2010 Ann Keegan heo transfer Out 16/01/2010 Jackie Byrne heo transfer Out 30/01/2010 Marion Wallace co transfer Out 13/02/2010 Mary Moroney eo transfer Out 24/04/2010 John Kerrisk heo transfer Out 24/04/2010 John Powell eo transfer Out 07/05/2010 Anthony Murray Services Officer Transfer Out 22/05/2010 Denis Marke Services Officer Transfer Out 22/05/2010 Nessa Foley eo transfer Out 22/05/2010 Jeff Mooney heo transfer Out 30/05/2010 Derek McCormack heo transfer Out 08/06/2010 Helen Flanagan so transfer Out 19/06/2010 Sharon Hetherington co return from CB 21/04/2010 Mary Broderick so return from CB 10/05/2010 Vincent Rhatigan Engineer Grade 2 Return from CB 31/05/2010 Eilis O Connell Po transfer In 04/01/2010 Bernadette Mangan eo transfer In 04/01/ Obair - June

27 Published by Office of Public works, 51 St.Stephen s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland Tel: / info@opw.ie /