An introduction to 2014 from the Chairman of the Irish Architectural Archive

At the start of another year I would like to bring you up to date on recent developments at the Irish Architectural Archive.

At the end of 2013, David Griffin retired as Director after 28 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Archive. David’s encyclopaedic knowledge particularly of Georgian architecture has been made available to so many people over the years. We are sorry to lose him but are pleased that he has agreed to make his expertise available to the Archive and its members in a voluntary capacity.

The Board has decided to combine the roles of Director and Administrator in the Archive and replace them with a new role of General Manager. Colum O’Riordan, who started his twentieth year with the Archive on 2 January 2014, has been appointed to that post. His dedication and expertise will be invaluable in that role. We look forward to working with him in the years ahead to build and develop the work of the Archive.

Thanks to the closure of the Archive in July and August (or, more bluntly, to not having to pay our loyal staff for two months), together with the great success of our fund raising efforts particularly from our members, we finished 2013 with a small cash surplus. Our sincere thanks to all involved.

We have been informed  that our grant for 2014 from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has been reduced by a further 6% or €15, 000. This will have to be replaced by fund raising before we can balance our budget for 2014.

We are very grateful to all those supporters who pledged financial support for 2014 and 2015 as well as last year. We would ask those who contributed for one year and those who were not able to support us last year to consider making a small commitment for 2014. Forms are available here.

Despite the lack of resources 2013 was a good year for exhibitions and lectures, with five shows in the Architecture Gallery and two in the first floor rooms. The number of readers and other visitors continued to increase. The number of visits to the Dictionary of Irish Architects website now stands at over 361,500 and more than 1.3 million pages have been viewed, as clear an example as any of the growing demand for access to the services only the Archive can provide.

We look forward to some exciting exhibitions and other events in the year ahead as we continue to grow and develop the Archive to serve all our members and users.

I would like to place on record my thanks to our members, supporters and Board members for their support in what was a very difficult year for the Archive. I would particularly like to thank our loyal staff who despite all the problems continues to serve our users in their usual friendly efficient and professional way.

 

Michael Webb,
Chairman,
Irish Architectural Archive.
January 2014

IAA Funding Appeal

For nearly 40 years the Irish Architectural Archive, Ireland’s buildings record, has been collecting and preserving material of every kind relating to the architecture of the entire island of Ireland, and making it available to the public. Now the Archive is facing a grave situation and we are seeking your support.

From a worsening but workable financial position up to mid- 2012, when grant support was cut again, we ended 2012 with a substantial cash deficit and now face a potential cumulative deficit in excess of €100,000 by the end of 2013. Quite simply, the Archive does not have the resources to operate normally for the whole of the year. The board of the Archive has had to act to protect this vital cultural resource and so we now find ourselves facing the prospect of having to close the Archive for July, August and September 2013. We recognise that this will be a significant disruption for Archive users, especially those working on long term research and publication projects. The closure will also harm our loyal and hard-working staff all of whom will be made temporarily redundant. We are therefore asking for support to sustain the organisation, not only for the balance of 2013 but into the future. You can donate by cheque (payable to the Irish Architectural Archive and sent to the Archive at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2), by standing order, or by credit card via PayPal.

The Archive is a charity (CHY 6240) and so donations above €250 are tax deductable by self-assessed tax payers. Donations from PAYE taxpayers are additionally beneficial to the Archive.

Michael Webb, Chairman.