Monaghan Model School

Client; Department of Education and Science / Board of Monaghan Model School
Stage: Pre-planning

The original Monaghan Model School was constructed in 1862 as part of an educational experiment that produced a group of impressive national school buildings with integrated master’s accommodation to facilitate both education and teacher training.  Standing on a hill to the north of Monaghan Town. Monaghan Model School presents a striking form with tall steeply sloping gables, Gothic and mullioned windows and stone chimney stacks.  Having served continuously as a school over the past 140 years, the building has now become difficult to use.
We were appointed to prepare conservation guidelines and design proposals for the renovation and extension of the existing school to restore the valuable historic fabric and facilitate the current Department of Education requirements for a five-classroom school.  Following a careful fabric survey of the structure and an appraisal of the site, we have prepared conservation proposals for the historic school building along with three new classrooms built into the hill behind the existing school linked by a new central circulation spine.

Project team:
Seán Harrington, Gavin Smyth, Tom McGimsey, Grade 1 Conservation Consultant.

*project commenced under Howley Harrington Architects (Partner in charge Seán Harrington)