Mullacurry Construction recently showcased its expertise in conservation works through the successful renovation of five derelict and vacant properties at the historic St Ita’s Campus in Portrane, Co. Dublin. This achievement marks the completion of a fourteen-house refurbishment project, delivered on behalf of Fingal County Council as part of its Vacant Homes Action Plan.
The award-winning Co. Louth-based building and civil engineering company was tasked with bringing the properties on Portrane Avenue, which were built in the early 20th century, back into use. The properties were acquired by Fingal County Council from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and were previously used to house workers from the nearby St Ita’s campus. Some had been vacant for up to 20 years and were in various states of dereliction.
As they are in an architectural conservation area, demolishing the houses wasn’t an option. They have been conserved and restored very much in line and in the spirit of how they were built. Mullacurry Construction have tastefully recreated the sash windows, preserved and reinstated the old roof tiles, and sourced matching reclaimed replacement roof tiles. The houses were also brought up to modern standards during the course of the works. Each property was replumbed, rewired and upgraded with modern heating systems and insulation, taking into account their architectural heritage.
Restored to their former glory, these properties will now form part of Fingal County Council’s social housing schemes, contributing to the regeneration of the area.
“Both ourselves and Fingal County Council were delighted with how they turned out,” enthuses Darren Byrne, director of Mullacurry Construction along with his brother David.
“The scope of works for this phase of the project involved renovating a row of five two-bed derelict and vacant cottages, and bringing them up to building regulation standards. There was also a big focus on the conservation aspect of the houses. They were built over 100 years ago as part of the wider St Ita’s Campus and a key part of the project was retaining their character.
“So, in collaboration with Fingal County Council and their conservation architect, we worked hard to retain the heritage doors, windows and other features of the buildings. The houses were also well insulated to make sure they’re as energy efficient and as sustainable as possible.”
Darren adds: “The project took nine months to complete and the newly-restored houses are now ready to welcome their new residents. We enjoy an excellent relationship with Fingal County Council, who were once again a pleasure to work with on this project.”
The project was nominated for a LAMA All-Ireland Community and Council Award, winning Best Housing Regeneration and Urban Planning Award. This marks the project’s huge success, and recognises how it provides high-quality homes in a high-demand location, promoting social equality, community cohesion, environmental sustainability, and successfully contributes to the local community.
“We have several other projects ongoing with Fingal County Council, including Sluagh Hall Boxing Club roof refurbishment, and numerous other housing renovations & extensions.”
Louth County Council is another valued client of Mullacurry Construction, for whom they are currently undertaking a number of projects for.
“We recently refurbished and repurposed the former Bank of Ireland building in Dunleer into a new library and community hub space. This project saw a landmark building given a new life and the community of Dunleer benefiting from a fantastic new modern facility.
“This project included building an open plan library, reading areas, meeting rooms, lift access, modern technology fit out, public toilets, car park & external civil works surrounding the building.”
The bandstand in St Helena’s Park in Dundalk has been refurbished recently by Mullacurrys skilled team. With an octagonal zinc roof replacement along with surrounding works, the project revitalised a traditional community amenity. This project was reopened by TD Dara Callery in July.
“Other notable projects we are currently working on with Louth County Council are a refurbishment and resurfacing of the tennis courts in Dundalk Sports Campus and carrying out civil works enhancing the surrounds of the football pitches, including a new spectator area at this facility in Dundalk,” Darren explains.
“Similar to Fingal County Council, we have a great relationship with Louth County Council and carry out housing renovations, extensions, disability adaptations and community amenity enhancement projects with them each year”.
Based in Dromin near Dunleer and established in 2016, Mullacurry Construction – which takes its name from the townland the Byrne brothers hail from – boasts an exceptional track record for delivering a wide range of projects across both the private and public sectors. As well as specialising in turnkey residential and commercial buildings, the company provides professional civil engineering services, having the inhouse capabilities and plant for doing so.
Priding themselves on completing construction projects safely, on time, within budget and to client specification, Mullacurry Construction invariably deliver innovative solutions, engineering ingenuity and professional construction management whilst adhering to the highest safety and quality standards.
Their innate versatility, professionalism, attention to detail and client-focussed approach has seen this outstanding family-run company emerge as a building and civil engineering contractor of choice, serving a who’s who of public and private clients on a diverse range of projects across the north east and Dublin area.
Ultimately, it is the unique combined specialist expertise of the founders / directors that defines Mullacurry Construction.
“David is a carpenter with over 20 years’ experience, and I am a chartered civil engineer with over 15 years’ experience. We put our heads together to set up our own construction company nearly 10 years ago,” says Darren
“We project manage every job right through to completion and, regardless of the size and nature of the project, we take a collaborative approach in planning the job, involving everybody in executing it. At the end of the day, it boils down to having the knowledge and expertise as well as being able to design, plan, carry out and project manage all the works ourselves.
“We are always directly involved in every project, and leave no stone unturned in making sure that the work is finished to the highest building and civil engineering standards, and to the client’s complete satisfaction.”
Mullacurry Construction boasts vast experience building residential homes. Their project portfolio includes new builds, extensions and renovations, with all residential construction projects adhering meticulously to customer requirements and build expectations. David, Darren and their highly-skilled team offer a complete turnkey service, providing project management of the build from concept stage, design and planning through to completion and handover, ensuring a transparent, seamless and stress-free service.
One of the great strengths of Mullacurry Construction is their ability to offer a comprehensive range of building and civil engineering solutions.
“We like to cover everything from private residential work including new builds, extensions and renovations to public sector work. We also complete commercial projects, including school and office refurbishments,” Darren adds.
“We have work ongoing in the public, private and commercial sectors – and we pride ourselves in the fact that they are all returning customers with whom we have built close relationships with and look forward to working with into the future”.
By employing highly-skilled people, working closely with their subcontractors, design teams, Mullacurry Construction are able to deliver the highest quality construction. The Co. Louth contractor employs 10 people directly who are supported and supplemented by the same tried and trusted subcontractors.
“Our company has grown in the last number of years, our direct team of skilled employees is growing and we are continuing to progress in terms of the scale of contracts & projects we are undertaking. We plan to continue this expansion journey, whilst staying committed to delivering the quality and excellence our customers know us for”
“We have several exciting projects in the pipeline, including new residential developments, a public park, industrial warehousing units, and the design, build and maintenance of a mixed-use apartment block with integrated commercial spaces. We’re looking forward to expanding both our portfolio and our customer base as we continue to grow and diversify our offerings in the near future”.
As Mullacurry Construction prepares to celebrate 10 years in business and continues to go from strength to strength, Darren and David would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients, suppliers and design teams for their continued support as well as their team of direct employees and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Mullacurry Construction
Dromin,
Dunleer,
Co. Louth.
Tel: 087 683 1598
Email: [email protected]
Web: mullacurry.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, November 2025, Vol 11 No 12
featured, Mullacurry Construction
