ONE DAY SEMINAR: Friday 28 August 2026
Time: 09:15 – 17:15
One-day seminar on Historic Irish Glasshouses taking place on site in the stunning surroundings of Newbridge House, Donabate, County Dublin.
Structured CPD Points: 6
Format: In-Person Event
Cost: €140
Seminar Content
Dublin Civic Trust is delighted to present this very special one-day seminar on Historic Irish Glasshouses taking place on-site in the stunning surroundings of Newbridge House, Donabate.
Hosted in conjunction with Fingal County Council and Newbridge House and Farm, this stimulating day of presentations and site visits will be led by expert speakers working on the history and active conservation of Irish glasshouses. A series of lectures and case studies will guide attendees through the use of glasshouses for productive gardening in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, as well as recent case studies of best practice conservation and restoration works in timber and iron from around Ireland.
The event includes a visit to the newly restored ranges of glasshouses on the Newbridge Demesne, as well as a coach visit (included) to nearby Brackenstown Demesne, with its 18th-century walled gardens. Brackenstown Demesne was the former country seat of Robert, First Viscount Molesworth, which retains extensive 18th-century water features, including a long canal, heated glasshouse and ornamental conservatory. The visit offers a unique opportunity to view these ruined structures, now owned by Fingal County Council, prior to imminent repair and restoration.
This unique seminar is not to be missed by anyone engaged or interested in the fields of horticulture, historic landscape design, architectural history and conservation.
Lunch and morning refreshments are included in the ticket, plus a return coach trip to Brackenstown Demesne from Newbridge House (attendees must make their own way to Newbridge House by train or by road).
This seminar will not be recorded. In-person event only.
Seminar Programme
- 09:15 – Introduction
- 09:30 – Irish Glasshouse Conservation – Keynote Address
Ciaran O’Connor, FRIAI, former State Architect, OPW - 10:00 – Historic Background to Glasshouses – The Irish Context
Cathal Dowd Smith, Curator & Collections Manager, Newbridge House - 10:30 – Glasshouse Technology
Katia Papkovskaia, MRIAI, John McLaughlin Architects, Conservation Grade IIQ&A - 11:10 Tea/Coffee Refreshments
- 11:40 – Glasshouse Revival at Newbridge House, Ardgillan Castle and Malahide Castle
Kevin Halpenny, Senior Parks and Landscape Officer, Fingal County Council - 12:10 – Mount Anville – The Earliest Iron Glasshouse in Ireland?
Hannah Loughnane, MRIAI, Five-Seven Architects, Conservation Grade I - 12:40 – Productive Gardens – Glasshouse Horticulture
John McCullen, author and former Chief Superintendent of Phoenix Park, OPWQ&A – 13:20
Lunch, informal walk around Newbridge glasshouses - 14:45 – Coach trip to Brackenstown Demesne
- 15:15 – Tour of Brackenstown Demesne
- 16:45 – Return coach trip to Newbridge House
- 17:15-20 – Close
Transport: A site visit to nearby Brackenstown Demesne will take place by coach, included in the ticket price. Attendees will be collected at and dropped back to Newbridge House by close of business at 17:15.
Accessibility: The seminar will take place in a marquee on the lawn of Newbridge House with a visit to the newly completed glasshouses – both are wheelchair accessible. The site visit to Brackenstown Demesne is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
Getting to Newbridge Demesne
By Train: We encourage attendees to take the train to Donabate and walk the delightful 15-minute route through old Donabate and the wooded demesne of Newbridge House. Exit the station on foot (cross the railway bridge westwards if needed) and take the immediate right-hand route at the fork in the road (along Turvey Avenue). After 100m, take the first left into The Square and admire St. Patrick’s Church (17th- 18th centuries and older) and graveyard. Walk through the square and follow the brown finger signs for Newbridge House. Pass through the estate gates and follow the wooded path. The view opens up with a charming vista to the house.
By Road: Enter Newbridge House and Park from the main Visitors Entrance on the R126. There is plentiful free parking a short walk from the house.
