Cromcastle Court flats

Cromcastle Court flats
Árasáin Cúirt Chaisleán na Croma
A flat complex in daytime
The Cromcastle Court flats in August 2026
Interactive map of the Cromcastle Court flats area
Alternative names
Kilmore flats
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential
LocationCromcastle Park, Kilmore, Dublin 5, Dublin, Ireland
Coordinates53°23′35″N 6°12′56″W / 53.3930°N 6.2156°W / 53.3930; -6.2156
Year built1971; 54–55 years ago
OwnerDublin City Council
Height
Height16 metres (52 ft)
Technical details
MaterialConcrete
References
[1]
Development on the Old Coalyard

The Cromcastle Court flats (Irish: Árasáin Cúirt Chaisleán na Croma), also known as the Kilmore flats, are a flat complex in the Kilmore area, and the suburbs of Coolock, in Dublin, Ireland. They are due to be demolished during 2026. The flats face the Northside Shopping Centre, which is on Oscar Traynor Road.[2] Built in 1971 by Dublin City Council in the same style as the Ballymun Flats, they are the last surviving building of that type in Dublin.

They are notorious for poor conditions over the years, with reports of mould, damp, leaks, and issues with the heating and water. These conditions have sparked several protests. In its earlier years, it was a high-profile area for murders and shootings. In May 2026, after several delays, demolition work started on the flats which were vacant of residents. According to the Dublin City Council, they expect the flats to be fully demolished by the end of 2026, with the construction of new homes starting in 2028.

Background and early history

Cromcastle Court was built by Dublin Corporation, now known as the Dublin City Council, in 1971 via the same pre-fabricated concrete method used in the Ballymun Flats. The flats consist of 128 homes in eight blocks.[3][4][5] In 1972, a protest in Cromcastle Court took place, and the Cromcastle Court flats were one of the main places where tenants protested.[6][7][8] The protest stemmed from An Garda Síochána attempting to evict a family for not paying their rent.[9] An urban renewal for the complex was granted planning permission in 2009, although it was not acted on.[5][10] In 2012 a "human barricade" was set up to prevent workers from coming into the flats; this was due to the level of noise they were making, and locals saw it as a disturbance.[11]

Throughout its history there have been two shootings. The first was on 29 April 2006, when 21-year-old James Egan was shot twice, once in the leg and once in the stomach, over a €200 debt. One man, Micheal Brennan, was ruled guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison.[12][13] In 2008, a 34-year-old convicted drug dealer known locally as Anthony Foster was shot to death with a single bullet in the staircase of his flat as he was going to collect his children.[14][15]

Living conditions and demolition

In June 2018, it was found that eight blocks of flats had heavy corrosion, such as a staircase, which was painted over; some flats were blocked off by the Dublin City Council (DCC).[16] They cost around €250,000 to repair.[17][18] In September 2018, a maintenance programme was put in place for the flats, and a project manager was assigned to the regeneration of the complex. They also allowed residents to discuss what needed to be fixed in the estate.[19]

From 2015 to 2019, DCC installed thermostats and added external wall insulation to the flats.[20][5] They stopped allocating new homes to tenants so they would empty out and regeneration could start on them.[3][21] On 16 August 2019, a fire broke out in one of the flat blocks.[22] While an Garda Síochána launched a criminal investigation, nobody was charged.[23][24] Other incidents involving fire and arson occurred in September 2015[25] and in October 2019.[26] In 2022, several residents moved out due to the fear of their safety, calling it a "deathtrap" and demanding "proper houses".[27]

Councillor John Lyons, backed by political parties Sinn Féin and Social Democrats, tabled a motion opposing regeneration through use of Section 179a of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022, which would allow DCC to neglect feedback from councillors the public. He claimed that this would undermine civic engagement and spur architectural flaws that would have been fixed in the consultation process. The next day, by phone, he said, "In a democratic society, you should have the right to engage in the planning process".[1]

From December 2024 to May 2025, a study was conducted by Maynooth University as part of their Just Housing research project which found that residents of the flats were living in dangerous and unhealthy conditions.[28] The study was in collaboration with Community Action Tenants Union,[29] and it was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.[30]

It found mould, damp, leaks, issues with heating and hot water, pest infestations, overcrowding, and poor water quality.[20][30][31] In February 2025, residents formed a protest march to DCC offices in Coolock, requiring priority transfers to more suitable housing.[29] The survey's author, Fiadh Tubridy, said that "urgent intervention is needed to address the problems tenants are facing".[29] In an RTÉ News interview, resident Amy Rooney stated that "My daughter saw a mouse run across the cooker", continuing that she had to put a sock in her door so it would close correctly. She also said that there were flats worse than hers.[4][32]

On 5 May 2026, demolition works started on the flats, with plans to replace them and the former site of the Old Coalyard with 152 new houses as part of a larger development of 350 houses,[1] and the Dublin City Council expects the flats to be demolished by the end of 2026, with work starting on the 152 homes by 2028.[33][34][35] They are the last surviving prefabricated concrete buildings in Dublin.[4][30]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fast-track planning rules won't speed up regeneration of flat complex in Coolock, council officials say". Dublin InQuirer. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Housing and Community Services" (PDF). dublin.moderngov.co.uk. 18 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 Neylon, Laoise (22 January 2025). "As they await a regeneration, residents at Cromcastle Court call on council to fix up their complex". Dublin InQuirer. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Libreri, Samantha (6 May 2025). "Residents in Coolock flat complex living in unhealthy conditions - research". RTÉ News. Dublin: RTÉ. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Residents of flats blighted by mould march in protest: Regeneration plans granted permission in 2009 but never happened". The Irish Times. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026 – via ProQuest.
  6. ↑ "It's not much for your money". Irish Independent. 12 July 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Residents demand clean-up of estate". Evening Herald. 8 August 1996. p. 7. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Fifty Years On, a Tenants Union Is Putting Together a History of the 1972 Rent Strike". Dublin InQuirer. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Article clipped from Evening Herald". Evening Herald. 16 June 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Planning approval granted for regeneration of Cromcastle Court & Old Coalyard, D5 | Dublin City Council". Dublin City Council. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  11. ↑ O’Rourke, Pat (24 October 2012). "Human barricade | Pensioner stops council's refurbishment of flats complex" (PDF). Northside People.
  12. ↑ "Man guilty of attempted murder". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "'I was shot in stomach over €200 drug debt'". Irish Independent. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Drug dealer gunned down on way to collect children". Irish Independent. 19 July 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Man killed in north Dublin gangland shooting". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Hennessy, Michelle (3 July 2018). "Engineers say damage to cracking staircase in Dublin council block was painted over". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Kelly, Olivia. "Structural defects in Dublin council flat block due to excessive corrosion". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  18. ↑ Kelly, Olivia. "Cost of €250,000 to repair council flats ahead of demolition". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  19. ↑ McGlynn, Connell. "Cromcastle up date 17/09/18" (PDF).
  20. 1 2 Conlon, Padraig (24 March 2025). "Maynooth University survey finds residents in DCC flats in Cromcastle Court are living in 'dangerous and unhealthy conditions'". Dublin People. Dublin: Dublin People Group. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Glackin, Eoin (23 January 2026). "In Coolock, a long-awaited regeneration of social homes draws nearer". Dublin InQuirer. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Criminal investigation launched following fire in Dublin apartment complex". Kildare Nationalist. Newbridge, County Kildare: The Irish Times. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2026 – via ProQuest.
  23. ↑ staff, Digital Desk (16 August 2019). "Criminal investigation launched following fire in Dublin apartment complex". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  24. ↑ Berry, Darragh. "Gardai attend 'criminal damage' fire at apartments in Cromcastle Court Kilmore, Coolock in Dublin in August". Dublin live. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Hero who rescued woman from blaze in flat is homeless". Irish Independent. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Gardaí probe suspected arson attack on a flat in Coolock". Irish Independent. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  27. ↑ "Residents camp outside 'deathtrap' flat complex". Dublin Gazette. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  28. ↑ "Cromcastle Court protesters: 'We're being completely ignored'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  29. 1 2 3 Towey, Niamh (24 March 2025). "Residents in 'dangerous and unhealthy' Dublin flats to meet council". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 "'Just Housing' Research Project". Maynooth: Maynooth University. 7 May 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  31. ↑ Barrett, Rose (14 February 2025). "Disappointment for Cromcastle Court residents at DCC meeting". Dublin Gazette Newspapers - Dublin News, Sport and Lifestyle. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Residents of 'dangerous' Dublin flats get positive news as regeneration plans submitted". Irish Independent. 11 November 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "Regeneration of Cromcastle Court & the Old Coalyard". Dublin City Council. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Proposed Cromcastle Court and Old Coalyard Site Redevelopment, Coolock, Dublin 5" (PDF). Dublin City Council, Government of Ireland, Metropolitan Workshop. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  35. ↑ "Citizen engagement platform". Dublin City Council. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
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