List of tallest buildings in Ireland

Last updated

Obel Tower in Belfast Obel Tower Belfast.png
Obel Tower in Belfast
Belfast skyline with the tallest buildings in Northern Ireland Tallest Buildings in Northern Ireland.png
Belfast skyline with the tallest buildings in Northern Ireland

This is a list of the tallest habitable buildings on the island of Ireland (used for living and working in, as opposed to masts and churches). This includes both Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The island of Ireland has relatively few tall buildings. The island's first tall building was Liberty Hall, built in 1965, which stands at 59.4 metres (195 ft). The current tallest habitable building on the island of Ireland is the Obel Tower in Belfast, Northern Ireland at 85 metres (279 ft). [1] [2] [3] The tallest storied building in the Republic of Ireland is Capital Dock in Dublin, at about 79 metres (259 ft). [4] [5]

Contents

Tallest habitable buildings

Northern Ireland

RankNameLocationTypeYear
completed
Floors
(above ground)
HeightPicture
1 Obel Tower Belfast Residential20102885 m (279 ft) [2] [1] [3] Obel Tower Belfast.png
2 Grand Central Hotel BelfastHotel19752380 m (260 ft) The Grand Central Hotel, Belfast (Oct 2018).jpg
3 Belfast City Hospital BelfastHospital19861576 m (249 ft) Belfast City Hospital - geograph.org.uk - 935081.jpg
4City Quays 3BelfastOffice202216 [6] 73.8 m (242 ft) [7] City Quays 3 Belfast.jpg
5The Ewart BuildingBelfastOffice202217 [8] [9] 73 m (240 ft)
6Belfast Hilton HotelBelfastHotel19981663 m (207 ft) The "Hilton" hotel, Belfast (1) - geograph.org.uk - 1249088.jpg
7 BT Riverside Tower BelfastOffice19981462 m (203 ft) BT Riverside Tower, Belfast, April 2010 (01).JPG
8 Divis Tower BelfastResidential19662061 m (200 ft) Divis Tower, Belfast, May 2011 (02).JPG
9= Royal Victoria Hospital BelfastHospital20121257 m (187 ft) Royal Hospital Belfast 02.jpg
9=The BoatBelfastResidential, Office20101557 m (187 ft) The Boat, Belfast, April 2010 (06).JPG
11Ulster University CampusBelfastEducation2022 [10] 12 [11] 55.5 m (182 ft)
12=Linium SquareBelfastOffice20051355 m (180 ft) Bedford Square 18.08.12 029.jpg
12=Causeway TowerBelfastOffice20041355 m (180 ft) Causeway Tower 13.09.12.jpg
12=Great Northern TowerBelfastOffice19921355 m (180 ft) Great Northern Mall, Great Victoria Street, Belfast - geograph.org.uk - 1593903.jpg
15 Belfast City Hall BelfastGovernment building1906N/A53 m (174 ft) Belfast City Hall, October 2010 (02).JPG
16Grainne HouseBelfastResidential19681752 m (171 ft) Grainne House, North Queen Street (cropped from geograph 6218032).jpg
17 Europa Hotel BelfastHotel19711351 m (167 ft) Europa Hotel, Belfast 02.jpg
18Lanyon PlaceBelfastOffice20141250 m (160 ft) No 8 Lanyon Place, Belfast (14) - geograph.org.uk - 1716262.jpg

Republic of Ireland

RankNameLocationTypeYear
completed
Floors
(above ground)
HeightPicture
1 Capital Dock Dublin Mixed-use201822 [5] 79 m (259 ft) [12] Capital Dock, Dublin Docklands, June 2021.jpg
2 The Exo Building Dublin Office202117 [13] 73 m (240 ft) The Exo, Dublin Docklands, June 2021.jpg
3 The Elysian Cork Mixed-use200817 [14] 71 m (233 ft) [14] [15] Elysian tower Cork.JPG
4= Google Docks Dublin Office201015 [16] 67 m (220 ft) Google Docks view from Barrow Street.jpg
4= Cork County Hall CorkOffice19681767 m (220 ft) [17] County Hall, Cork City (2024).jpg
6 Millennium Tower DublinResidential19981663 m (207 ft) Millenium Tower, Dublin Docklands (2024).jpg
7 Liberty Hall DublinOffice19651759.4 m (195 ft) Liberty Hall in Dublin City Centre and the Dublin Spire-145862.jpg
8 One George's Quay Plaza DublinOffice20021359 m (194 ft) The Ulster Bank Group HQ, George's Quay Plaza - geograph.org.uk - 1743476.jpg
9 Riverpoint Limerick Mixed use20081558.5 m (192 ft) RiverPoint.JPG
10Crowne Plaza Dundalk Hotel200714 [18] 58 m (190 ft) Crowne Plaza, Dundalk (geograph 3627499).jpg
11Sandyford Central, Block DDublinResidential202317 [19] 57.1 m (187 ft) [19] [20] Sandyford apts 2.jpg
12 Clayton Hotel LimerickHotel20021757 m (187 ft) Clarion Hotel On Steamboat Quay.jpg
13 Boland's Quay DublinMixed use20201354 m (177 ft) Bolands Quay, Dublin Docklands (2023).jpg
14Metro Hotel, Ballymun DublinHotel200515 [21] 52.1 m (171 ft) [22] Days Hotel, Ballymun - geograph.org.uk - 518821.jpg
15 Alto Vetro DublinResidential20081651 m (167 ft) Alto Vetro.jpg

Tallest buildings by city

This list only includes cities with buildings taller than 50m. Cities in light blue are in Northern Ireland.

CityBuildingHeightFloor countCompleted
Belfast Obel Tower 85 m (279 ft)282010
Dublin Capital Dock 79 m (259 ft)22 [5] 2018
Cork The Elysian 71 m (233 ft)172008
Limerick Riverpoint 58.5 m (192 ft)152008

Under construction

East Wharf, Dublin City (2024) East Wharf, Dublin City (2024).jpg
East Wharf, Dublin City (2024)
College Square as seen from Rosie Hacket Bridge, Dublin City (2024) College Square as seen from Rosie Hacket Bridge, Dublin City (2024).jpg
College Square as seen from Rosie Hacket Bridge, Dublin City (2024)
NameLocationTypeFloors
(above ground)
HeightNotes
College Square DublinResidential and office22 [23] 82.1m [24] [25] Construction commenced in 2022.
LoftlinesBelfastResidential1757mConstruction commenced in 2023. [26]
East WharfDublinHotel and residential1552.7mConstruction commenced in 2022. [27] Topped out in 2023.[ citation needed ]

Cancelled

The below list contains details of buildings with a planned height of over 50m which were under construction when the project was stopped or cancelled.

NameLocationTypeFloors
(above ground)
HeightYear cancelledNotes
U2 Tower DublinMixed-Use36130m [28] 20083 basement floors were completed at the time of cessation of the project. The site was later used to house Capital Dock.
The Watchtower DublinHotel40120m [29] 2013Site was sold to Nama in 2013 and is now partially used as the site of the Exo Building.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower block</span> Tall building; as opposed to a low-rise building

A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, residential tower, apartment block, block of flats, or office tower is a tall building, as opposed to a low-rise building and is defined differently in terms of height depending on the jurisdiction. It is used as a residential, office building, or other functions including hotel, retail, or with multiple purposes combined. Residential high-rise buildings are also known in some varieties of English, such as British English, as tower blocks and may be referred to as MDUs, standing for multi-dwelling units. A very tall high-rise building is referred to as a skyscraper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Hall</span> Building on Dublins northside, formerly tallest structure in Dublin

Liberty Hall, in Dublin, Ireland, is the headquarters of the Services, Industrial, Professional, and Technical Union (SIPTU). Designed by Desmond Rea O'Kelly, it was completed in 1965. It was for a time the tallest building in the country, at 59.4 meters, (195 feet) high until it was superseded by the County Hall in Cork city, which was itself superseded by The Elysian in Cork. Liberty Hall is now the fifth tallest building in Dublin, after Capital Dock, the Exo Building, Montevetro and the Millennium Tower in Grand Canal Dock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverpoint</span> Residential and Office in Limerick, Ireland

Riverpoint is a two-tower mixed-use building complex located in Limerick, Ireland. Standing at 58.52 metres it is currently the eighth-tallest storeyed building in the nation, the sixteenth-tallest on the island of Ireland and the third-tallest in Munster after the Cork County Hall and The Elysian, both in Cork. The Riverpoint tower is 5.52 m (18.1 ft) taller than the nearby Clarion Hotel Limerick, which at 53.0 m (173.9 ft) is the tallest hotel in Ireland. The Riverpoint development as a whole forms most of the block surrounded by Henry Street (N20), Lower Mallow Street, Russell's Quay and Mill Lane. The only other buildings on the site are an apartment building on the corner of Lower Mallow Street and Henry Street, and the Eircom building on Henry Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor House (Belfast)</span>

Windsor House was a 23-story, 80 m high-rise building on Bedford Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The building was the tallest storeyed building in Northern Ireland before being surpassed by Obel Tower and stands at 85 metres (279 feet) tall, with 28 floors. The total structural height is actually taller than the Obel, if you include the two plant floors and radio mast it stands at 93m(305ft) tall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin Docklands</span> Area of the city of Dublin, Ireland

Dublin Docklands is an area of the city of Dublin, Ireland, on both sides of the River Liffey, roughly from Talbot Memorial Bridge eastwards to the 3Arena. It mainly falls within the city's D01 and D02 postal districts but includes some of the urban fringes of the D04 district on its southernmost side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Hall, Cork</span> Municipal building in County Cork, Ireland

The County Hall is a 17-storey office block, owned by Cork County Council and housing its administrative headquarters. The building is located on Carrigrohane Road in the City of Cork. Although the building is owned by Cork County Council, it is located in a separate administrative area from the County - Cork City. At 67 metres (220 ft) tall, the building was the tallest storied building in the country upon completion. However, it has since been surpassed by three other buildings. It is now a protected building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obel Tower</span> Highrise building in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Obel Tower is a highrise building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, located on Donegall Quay on the River Lagan beside the Lagan Weir. Measuring 85 metres (279 ft) in height, the tower is the tallest storeyed building in Ireland, dominating the Belfast skyline. On completion it overtook the previous tallest building in Belfast and Northern Ireland, Windsor House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U2 Tower</span> Proposed, unbuilt skyscraper in Dublin, Ireland

The U2 Tower was a cancelled skyscraper which was proposed to be constructed in Dublin, Ireland. The site proposed was in the South Docklands (SODO) campshires, at the corner of Sir John Rogerson's Quay and Britain Quay, by the confluence of the River Liffey, the River Dodder, and the Grand Canal. The design announced on 12 October 2007 was by Foster and Partners. Reports suggested a building height of 120 metres, "well over 120 metres", and 180 metres, any of which would have made it the tallest building on the island of Ireland. The building was planned to be an apartment building, with a recording studio owned by the rock group U2 in a "pod" at the top. Construction was to begin in 2008 and end in 2011, at a cost of €200m. In October 2008, the project was cancelled because of the economic downturn at the time. Proposals to revive the plan were reported in July 2013. However, they did not come to fruition and the 79-metre, 22-storey Capital Dock development has since been built on the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canal Dock</span> Docklands area east of Dublin city centre, Ireland

Grand Canal Dock is a Southside area near the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the border of eastern Dublin 2 and the westernmost part of Ringsend in Dublin 4, surrounding the Grand Canal Docks, an enclosed harbour where the Grand Canal comes to the River Liffey. The area has undergone significant redevelopment since 2000, as part of the Dublin Docklands area redevelopment project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Elysian</span> Office, residence in Cork, Ireland

The Elysian is a mixed-use Celtic Tiger-era building at Eglinton Street in Cork, Ireland. Construction of the building was completed in early September 2008. When built it was the tallest building in the Republic of Ireland. It was overtaken by Capital Dock in the Dublin Docklands in 2018. It now stands as the third tallest building in the Republic of Ireland and tallest in Cork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Ronan</span> Irish businessman and property developer (born 1953)

John Ronan is an Irish businessman and property developer known for establishing Treasury Holdings in 1989 along with Richard Barrett.

The Docklands Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) (known officially as the North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock SDZ Planning Scheme) is a controversial strategic planning area in Dublin, Ireland located east of the city centre on both sides of the River Liffey in the North Wall and Grand Canal Dock areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Dock</span> Office and apartment development in the Dublin Docklands, Ireland

Capital Dock is a 22-storey mixed-use development at the junction of Sir John Rogerson's Quay and Britain Quay in the Dublin docklands. Developed by Kennedy Wilson, the site was acquired in 2012 and construction finished in 2018. Upon completion, the 79-metre tower became the tallest storeyed building in the Republic of Ireland, and the third tallest on the island of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Exo Building</span> Office development in the Dublin Docklands, Ireland

The Exo Building is a 17-storey office building located at the corner of North Wall Quay and East Wall Road in Dublin 1, Ireland. The building is adjacent to the Point Depot fronting on to the river Liffey and Dublin port. As of 2021, it was the tallest office building in the Republic of Ireland at 73 metres tall. The name Exo is in reference to its exoskeleton which reflects the traditional industrial crane and gantry landscape of the port area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College Square (Dublin)</span> Mixed-use building in Dublin

College Square is a mixed-use building development, under construction as of April 2024, in Dublin, Ireland. The building is located between Townsend Street, Hawkins Street, Poolbeg Street and Tara Street in the Dublin 2 postal district. Once finished, it is due to become the tallest habitable building in the Republic of Ireland, with a height of 82 metres, surpassing the current tallest building, Capital Dock.

References

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