Molesworth Street, Dublin


Molesworth Street is a street in Dublin, Ireland named after Richard Molesworth, 3rd Viscount Molesworth and links the more notable Dawson Street with Kildare Street and lies just over 200 m to the north of St. Stephens Green in Dublin's central business district.

History and environs

Molesworth Street is named after Richard Molesworth, 3rd Viscount Molesworth. and was originally known as "Molesworth Fields". Acknowledged as the first adaption of Early English style to street architecture in the city of Dublin
One of the most important building is Freemasons' Hall, home of the Grand Lodge of Ireland designed by the architect Edward Holmes of Birmingham and completed in 1866 on the site of the townhouse of the first grandmaster, the Earl of Rosse.
In 1857, numbers 38-44 of the street were the site of the building of the St Anne's Schools, replacing what had previously been a terrace of Queen Anne houses. The building's foundation stone was laid on 1857-03-07. Designed by architects Deane and Woodward, it was a freestanding building that was separated from number 45, comprising the earliest adaptation of Early English architectural style in Dublin. Built of Portland, Calp, and Caen stone, with red brick, the building had horizontal bands of contrasting materials, which was very much the architectural fashion of the time. It was later demolished in 1978.
Buswells Hotel, which comprises three adjoining Georgian buildings, is frequented by politicians due to its proximity to Irish government buildings.
10 Molesworth Street was re-constructed around 2017 as a building and was the first to achieve a platinum LEED sustainability accreditation.
Both houses of the Oireachtas are located in Leinster House, Kildare Street.