Our Story

Our Team

Core Values

Policies

Awards

Careers

1972 – 1990

Following employment as foreman, most recently on the construction of the RTE Radio Centre, for O’Connor and Bailey Builders, Mel Columb in partnership with his wife Nora, founded Lissadell Construction Limited with encouragement from some leading lights in Irish Design of the time. Lissadell began working from a small office in Dundrum, Dublin. Mainly working with the same design team from Scott Tallon Walker Architects and Ove Arup Engineers, Lissadell embarked on a body of work within the RTE campus in Donnybrook. Work subsequently developed beyond the RTE campus in the eighties with significant contracts in the Central Remedial Clinic and construction of the Ronnie Tallon designed St Laurence O’Toole Church in Baldoyle.

Always comfortable at the forefront of new technologies, Lissadell has consistently adapted to new methods and old, and were at the forefront of heritage construction as a deeper appreciation of Ireland’s built heritage emerged in Irish Society during the 1970s and 1980s and particularly following the Granada Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe of 1985. In the heritage sector Lissadell completed work in the Royal College of Physicians (1982), Kildare Street and the Pro Cathedral on Marlborough Street.

1990 – 2000

After successfully completing a Bachelor of Commerce at University College Dublin; Conor Columb joined Lissadell. Over the next 10 years Conor was central to ensuring that Lissadell engaged with and remains up to date with the demands of our rapidly developing legislation introduced over the ensuing period and with the huge technological advances over the same time frame.

Also joining the Lissadell ranks in the late nineties was Quantity Surveyor, Dave Keegan. Having learned his trade in London Dave returned home and quickly established himself as a key member of the Lissadell project management team.

During this period, as Ireland emerged from the recession of the 1980s toward a more confident Irish economy of the 1990s, Lissadell took on several significant projects under an ever-expanding selection of clients and design teams. Projects such as Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin’s Fruit and Veg Market and the RTE Canteen Extension, allowed Lissadell to further evolve its workforce into a talented team of tried and trusted carpenters, supervisors and general operatives, all with the ability to adapt to the wide variety construction challenges we were involved with.

2000 – 2010

In tandem with the booming Irish construction sector, Lissadell grew to take on larger projects whilst remaining within the commercial and public sectors. The extension and part refurbishment of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and the redevelopment of the Royal College of Physicians into a premium city centre conference venue initiated a period of further growth for the company.

Other projects brought recognition to Lissadell for the quality of work produced. The Mews at Raglan Lane attracted an OPUS award for successful collaboration with Mahoney Architecture on a construction project. In 2010 the Niall McLaughlin Architect designed Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Blackrock received peer recognition through nomination in the RIAI awards and an AAI award. The Bishops Palace, Kilkenny was nominated for the 2009 RIAI Architecture Awards in the Conservation Category and was highly commended.  Other projects demonstrating enduring quality to this day, include the Mews and Apartment complex at Cranmer Lane, Dublin 4 and St Pauls Community Centre, Glenageary, also an RIAI Architecture Award nomination.

2010 – Present

Steering successfully through the economically turbulent times of the late noughties and early years of this decade, Lissadell remained busy and expanded on our portfolio of heritage work for clients such as the OPW (State Apartments, Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Court House, Killarney House); St Pauls Select Vestry, Glenageary (conservation and restoration works to the Church and Bell Tower);  and The Dublin Arch Diocese (upgrade works to University Church, St Stephens Green); while also engaging in work for The Ski Club of Ireland (new nursery Slope, new pavilion building). More recently we were the main contractor for work to the national monument at 14-17 Moore Street for the Department of Arts Heritage and Gaeltacht.

We are currently engaged with the OPW on upgrade works to facilities at the Knowth prehistoric monument within the Bru Na Boinne world Heritage site and a refurbishment at Kilmainham Gaol, North Wing.