Authored by: Leo Rowell

At BSS, we love to keep up to date with what’s going on in the Irish construction industry. Every day, we look for the latest news on upcoming developments in the construction industry and if you follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, we share these with you, our followers. There’s a lot of upcoming construction projects to really be excited about, and today, we share with you 5 exciting developments.

  1. Bolands Quay, Dublin – Started construction in 2015.

Located right next to the site of the Bolands Mills, this €120million site already got Google’s attention in 2018, when they bought the proposed site for €300million to be the centre of their EMEA operations.The development will include three new landmark buildings, one rising to 53 metres (173 ft), another to 49 metres (161 ft), and a third to 47.8 metres (157 ft). The site was meant for completion for May 2020, but subsequently has been delayed due to the pandemic. The Quay which is described by it’s developers as a ‘campus in the city’, the development will be made up of approximately 36,851 sq m of office, residential, retail and cultural space. The Grand Canal Docks which is also known as the ‘Silicon Docks’, is already home to Google, Facebook, Etsy and many more tech giants. We’re excited by this development as it’s putting Dublin on the map as the digital capital in the EU. The Grand Canal Docks which used to be one of the most impoverished parts of the city, has dramatically changed in looks and fortune, comparable to that of Canary Wharf in London. We’re also excited about this development as it will change the whole aesthetic of the city.


2. Louth County Board Dundalk GAA Stadium Development, Louth. – Plans just approved, expected construction commencement, 2021.

Plans have been granted on a €12m Louth County Board Dundalk GAA Stadium Development. The 14,000-capacity arena will be made up of over 4 thousand seated stand will include two kiosks, four dressing rooms, physio room with changing facilities. On completion this development will be available for Louth’s County Football and Hurling Matches as well as for DkIT GAA matches. When sport will be allowed to be spectated again, this is sure to be one of the best stadiums to watch sporting events in Ireland. It’s admirable that the plans of this have been approved in a time where we are unsure when we will be able to watch live sport again, due to the pandemic. In terms of what this will do for the local community of the Louth region, it will improve their presence of sporting excellence, and will provide the region with sport facilities for the foreseeable future.


3. National Surf Centre, Sligo.

A main contractor is expected to be appointed in September 2020 for the development of the National Surf Centre of Excellence in Strandtill, Co. Sligo. Works are expected to take in the region of 12 months to complete. The Government announced in November 2018 that the new national surf centre would be located in Strandhill and would be the national centre for visitors looking to capitalise on some of Europe’s best waves while touring along the Wild Atlantic Way. The National Surf Centre of Excellence would also feature an interpretive experience that would tell the story of surfing in Sligo and along the Atlantic coast, an area that, pre-Covid-19, had become increasingly popular with domestic and international surfers. Initial costs were at €1million, but have since gone up to around €1.6million due to the pandemic. A main contractor is expected to be appointed within the next few weeks, and construction expected to begin 2021. Investing in Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way will mean that in the hopefully post-pandemic world, tourists from all over the world will be able to come and experience the sometimes 50ft waves! Furthermore, it will mean that it will help grow the Irish surfing stars of tomorrow, especially as it is now a sport at the Olympic Games!

4. Trinity College Library, Dublin – Planning permission granted. Project expected to begin 2021.

Although not a main construction project, the restoration of the Trinity Library is a project we’re really excited about. The library is home to 350,000 early printed books, and 20,000 manuscript and archive collections which have been collected over the course of 400 years. However, external pollution and dust accumulation are taking their toll on the collections and the fabric of the Old Library building, which called for a need to modernise environmental control and fire protection measures. Costing €669,000, you could argue that this is a small project, but future proofing one of our greatest tourist attractions in the city is incredibly important. The project will be completed in three phases, and is expected to take up to 2 years to complete. It’s exciting as it will help preserve our greatest library in the city. A popular stop on the Dublin tourist trail, preserving it now means that it will hopefully be around for generations to come.


5. Horgan’s Quay, Cork – Construction commenced in November 2011 and expected to finish 2021.

Horgan’s Quay is a major rejuvenation scheme for Cork City and includes the development of three LEED Gold Standard office blocks. Providing unrivalled and modern accommodation for up to 3,600 employees across a Net Internal Area of 28,696.5 sq m. Costing €160 million, it’s one of the most expensive development projects that Cork has ever seen, and will be home to an exciting new hotel called ‘The Dean’. The project was delayed due to the pandemic, but when completed, it will be a part of one of the largest redevelopment projects in Europe. Furthermore, it will become a neighbour to Ireland’s tallest building which just had it’s planning permission approved – a 34 storey building, 140metres in height. The redevelopment of the Cork docklands is one of the largest construction projects in Europe. The extensive investment into the future of Cork, as well as adding an interactive site for visitors to learn all about the history of this beautiful city will mean that Cork will attract more visitors in the hopefully post pandemic world.

BSS are constantly on the lookout for new talent to join us. If you’re looking for work in the construction industry, please send your CV to cv@buildstaff.ie or give us a call on 017071012 and one of our recruiters will be in touch with you. Remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to see our latest job openings available.