The restoration and conservation of Kilmainham Courthouse won the Irish Building of the Year award at the Irish Building & Design Awards (IBDA) 2017.

A design attributed to William Farrell, this courthouse, built in 1820 to replace an older courthouse on the same site, and has a long involvement with Dublin’s legal history, having been used to trial inmates of Kilmainham Gaol, located immediately to the west. The formal and imposing north and east façades are appropriate to the function of this civic building, enhanced by a central pedimented gable. It is prominently situated at the corner of Inchicore Road and South Circular Road, and is set back from the street with a granite plinth wall and cast-iron railings. The fine cut stone detailing enhances the architectural design of the composition, and attests to the high quality of craftsmanship in Georgian Dublin. It retains its early form and much fabric, and remains an important part of the architectural heritage of this area. The courthouse, which was also once used by the Grand Jury, with a Grand Jury room on the first floor, was closed in 2008. It reopened in 2016 as a visitor centre and part of the overall Kilmainham Gaol Experience.

MWP were involved in all engineering aspects of the project, leading to completion on time for the centenary celebrations in 2016. The MWP input included detailed strengthening of the roof structures, strengthening of the suspended timber floors, lintol and timber beam replacement and the provision of a new access lift. All of the work carried out was sensitive to the historic fabric of the building.