The Athenaeum, Castle Street, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford was constructed in 1892 as a Town Hall, containing a theatre, reading rooms and billiard rooms.
The works to this Protected Structure included: provision of access for disabled persons to the ground floor; the provision of a lift to the auditorium, which also gives access to the auditorium for disabled persons; and the provision of toilet facilities at that level for wheelchair users. The works necessary to provide those facilities had the effect of reducing the capacity of the auditorium and therefore the works included the addition of a gallery to the auditorium to restore its overall capacity.
David Kelly Partnership examined the existing timber roof structure, identified deteriorations in the structures, designed structural repairs that minimised impact on the historic fabric. We designed new steel structures to support the new gallery to the auditorium and to supplement the existing timber beams.
The completed works have preserved the overall character of the building and ensure its continuance as a community facility.
The Athenaeum is one of the nine capital projects developed as Permanent Reminders under the 1916 Centenary Programme.
