Our 20th Century Shopfront Heritage - Inchicore-Kilmainham

Shopfronts are a key component of Irish historic streetscapes, adding special interest and defining their special character. They play a key role in establishing and defining a street’s visual character and make a social contribution to our urban spaces. Shopfronts are by their nature colourful and unique and there can often be local trends in design and materials used.

Inchicore retains a wealth of shopfront styles, showcasing the wealth of skill employed in the creation of these, as examples of everyday architecture. Due to the prominent role shopfronts play in businesses, they are frequently subject to pressures for alteration or replacement to meet changing needs. As a result, many of our shopfronts have been lost, altered, overpainted or covered over. It is hoped that raising recognition of the importance of our heritage shopfronts and their aesthetic and artistic contribution to our streetscapes will safeguard those that survive.

From Monday, 17th August, The DCC Conservation Section (@dubconservation) on Instagram will commence a digital project highlighting these lovely shopfronts in Inchicore- Kilmainham.

In 2025, with support from the Historic Towns Initiative, Dublin City Council’s Conservation Section prepared a Conservation Management Plan, known as a CMP, for the Inchicore-Kilmainham area.

The Conservation Management Plan identifies potential future projects for the area. An element of the area’s special character identified as vulnerable and with potential for conservation works were the commercial buildings in Inchicore. In 2026 further funding was received through the HTI to carry out conservation works to some of these structures.