Kildare Street Club, Victorian gentlemen's club near Trinity College, Ireland
The Kildare Street Club is an L-shaped building with arched windows and slender columns positioned along both Kildare and Leinster Streets. Its marble portico marks the corner, and the structure now houses a genealogy museum and a French cultural center.
The club was founded in 1782 for the Anglo-Irish gentry as a social gathering place for their circle. In 1860 it moved into a newly designed building created by architects Benjamin Woodward and Thomas Deane, marking its transformation into a more prominent institution.
Stone carvings of monkeys engaged in sports decorate the building's exterior, created by the O'Shea brothers as a playful architectural choice. This whimsical detail gives the structure a more lively character than typical formal buildings.
The location is within walking distance of Trinity College in central Dublin with easy street access. Visitors can explore the genealogy collection and French cultural center inside, with traditional interiors arranged across multiple rooms.
The building was once renowned for exclusive facilities including cricket grounds and billiard rooms available only to wealthy members. It was notably the sole location in Ireland where quality caviar was served, adding to its legendary status.
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