St Dominic’s Hall ‘holds a special place in people’s hearts’
Firefighters work for hours to prevent the fire from spreading to the main Hall at the back of the building and to the adjacent, Dragon pub

St Dominic’s Hall ‘holds a special place in people’s hearts’

“IT’S incredible the great affection such a modest, little building can be held in”, were the words of a local historian after a fire at St Dominic’s Hall united the community in sadness and memory.

On Sunday afternoon, five units of Dublin Fire Brigade descended on Tallaght Village, after Tidy Towns volunteers carrying out a clean-up smelt smoke and called 999.

No injuries were reported during the blaze, which firefighters prevented from spreading from St Dominic’s Hall to nearby buildings – including the adjacent, Dragon pub.

Believed to be well over 100-years-old, the cottage was originally a residence before evolving into a space that would grow with its community when extended by the Dominicans.

St Dominic’s Youth Club, a Post Office, Tallaght Centre for the Unemployed and numerous groups, clubs and support services have all called this little building home.

Tallaght Credit Union and Tallaght Welfare Society (now known as Trustus) also started life in St Dominic’s Hall in the late sixties.

There’s been plays staged, dances danced, and music played over the years.

Letters posted, CVs written, and friendship and support all offered within its walls.

Some remember a boxing club in the hall in the early seventies and many a movie night held, at a time when the arrival of a cinema in Tallaght was decades-away.

Most recently, the building, which is still owned by the Dominicans, was home to AA and Narcotics Anonymous.

Speaking with The Echo on Tuesday, Father Donal Roche, Prior of St Mary’s in Tallaght, expressed his sadness over the damage caused to St Dominic’s Hall.

“It’s a terrible tragedy for the community and for the groups who used it, especially AA and Narcotics Anonymous.

The St Dominic’s Hall premises destroyed by fire on Sunday afternoon

“It’s a huge loss.”

When asked about the building being re-instated, Father Donal said that it was still early days.

“At the moment we just have to wait and see where we’re at,” he said.

“Works are underway to get the building secure and safe.”

Looking back over the years and recounting its varied use, Fr Donal believes that the hall came into the ownership of the Dominicans in the early forties.

After which, the original cottage was extended, and St Dominic’s Hall came into community use.

Since the fire on Sunday, people of all ages from right across the community have been sharing their memories of this unassuming, century-old building.

Growing up in Seskin View, local historian Albert Perris has his own memories of the building, which he first visited in the early nineties to attend a computer course.

Speaking with The Echo this week, Albert expressed the same sense of loss many in the community have been feeling.

“It’s incredible the great affection such a modest, little building can be held in and it’s only in its loss that we see its value and importance in the community,” Albert said.

“So many people have been through that little hall, and it was there at a time when there was no other hall, this was the community hall.”

Looking back at the many activities and uses the hall has been home to, Albert said: “That little building has been reborn every decade as it responded to the changing needs, the evolving needs of the people of Tallaght.

“It’s probably one of the most modest buildings in Tallaght but holds a special place in people’s hearts… and that’s why there’s been such an emotional response [in recent days].”

Albert believes that St Dominic’s Hall should continue to respond to the community’s needs into the future.

“It’s an amazing, invaluable resource,” he said.

“It should be re-instated, it would be an awful shame to see it lost.”

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