A jaw-dropping 1832 hospital designed by one of Ireland’s finest Victorian architects is officially on the market for €5.5 million+. While hotel chains and luxury developers circle, Dubliners are asking one simple question: in the middle of the worst housing emergency in living memory, why on earth is the State flogging a ready-made city-centre residential block instead of turning it into homes?
The Building Everyone Is Talking About
Known officially as the Royal City of Dublin Hospital and to generations simply as Baggot Street Hospital, this protected red-brick beauty on Upper Baggot Street was built in 1832 and dramatically rebuilt in 1893 by Albert Murray – the man behind some of Dublin’s most loved Victorian landmarks.
With its ornate terracotta detailing, five-storey height and almost 5,600 sq m of floorspace, it is one of the finest surviving examples of Murray’s signature “Mellow Mixture” style. It sits in the heart of “Baggotonia”, minutes from Grand Canal Dock, the Aviva and every tram, train and bus route you could want.
Why Is the HSE Selling It?
The hospital closed as an acute facility in 1987 and was used for community services until 2019. Since then it has sat empty – one of 234 vacant HSE properties nationwide.
In May 2025 the HSE quietly listed it on the State’s internal property register claiming no other agency wanted it. In October 2025 it went on the open market through Knight Frank. Crucially, the mandatory Section 53 notice to the Land Development Agency (LDA) – which is supposed to get first refusal on public land for housing – was only sent on 15 October, after the brochure was already circulating.
HSE chief Bernard Gloster told the Public Accounts Committee he’d be “more than happy” to hand it over to another state body… but he didn’t want to be “lumbered” with maintaining an empty building for another five years.
The Political Firestorm
Opposition TDs and councillors lost it:
- Ivana Bacik called it “disgraceful” and demanded it be used for affordable homes.
- James Geoghegan raised it directly with the Taoiseach.
- Cllr Dermot Lacey (who has been campaigning on this for years) said locals are “horrified”.
- Labour’s housing spokesperson called for new laws to force the HSE to transfer surplus sites instead of selling them.
What Could This Building Actually Become?
Almost anything the city desperately needs:
- 100–150 key-worker apartments for nurses, gardaí, teachers and junior doctors (perfect, given its medical history)
- City-centre student accommodation for UCD or Trinity (no more €1,200/month digs in Tallaght)
- Live-work artist studios run by the Department of Culture
- A new primary care centre plus community facilities (the Haddington Road section is already staying with the HSE)
- Even a Viking or medical-history museum – the wards would make stunning galleries
Timeline of a Slow-Motion Disaster
| Year | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1832 | Hospital opens for the poor of Dublin |
| 1893 | Albert Murray’s magnificent façade added |
| 1987 | Acute services close |
| 2019 | Last community services leave – building fully vacant |
| 2023 | Briefly considered for Ukrainian/refugee accommodation – deemed too expensive to refurbish |
| May 2025 | Listed internally for state transfer – no takers |
| Oct 2025 | Goes on open market for €5.5m+ |
Why This Keeps Happening in Dublin
Baggot Street Hospital is only the latest in a long line of protected public buildings allowed to rot and then sold off:
- Iveagh Markets – still a derelict shell after decades
- Aldborough House – regularly on the “most endangered” list
- Countless former convents, barracks and schools now luxury hotels
While the rest of Europe turns old hospitals into affordable housing or cultural centres, Ireland seems stuck in a loop of “sure sell it and be done with it”.
Quick Answers to the Questions Everyone Is Asking
Is the sale definitely going ahead?
As of 17 November 2025 the dataroom is open and bids are being accepted, but huge political pressure could still force a pause.
Who is likely to buy it?
International hotel groups and build-to-rent developers are already circling.
Could the government stop the sale?
Yes – the LDA could step in, or the Minister could direct the HSE to transfer it. It just needs political will.
How many homes could it actually provide?
Conservative estimates say 100–150 high-quality apartments if sensitively converted.
About the Author
I agree completely with this article, could a campaign be started by everyone emailing their local TD to protest about thus during a national housing crisis?