Iconic Queens Hotel a step closer to return to former glory with works
GREAT to see the ugly metal structural supports coming down from the Queens Hotel in the centre of town.
The supports were obviously needed but they stayed in place far too long and as a result it was virtually impossible to enhance the appearance of the very heart of the town.
The building dates back over 300 years and when it fell into dereliction in the 1960’s work started in 1974 on the renovation.
It has taken that long, over 40 years to reach this stage.
There is no doubt however that the building is, and has always been a landmark in Dundalk - almost like Nelson’s Pillar in Dublin, and for that reason it is great to see it starting to look its best again.
Originally the hotel was no more than an inn, and the first real hotel on the site, known as the William and Mary was established in 1772.
The earliest reference to an hotel on the site was in the writings of Arthur Young, an English writer on agricultural topics who visited Dundalk in 1776.
He wrote ‘ to Dundalk I went and found the view down on this town very beautiful . . . I laid at the Clanbrassil Arms and found it a very good inn.’
In 1781, Gabriel Beranger, who lived in Dublin and was interested in Irish archaeology travelled to Dundalk and wrote ‘ the celerity of travelling by stage prevented me from seeing and examining the places through which I passed. Mr. Wrightson of Dundalk, one of my fellow travellers, conducted me to an inn kept by one Bailie, which I believe to be the handsomest in Ireland. He also presented me to Zacharius Maxwell Esq., to whom I was recommended.
‘We found him on The Parade (The Market Square) supervising the manoeuvres of the artillery of the Volunteer Corps, which he commended.’
William Makepiece Thackeray, the celebrated novelist came to Dundalk in 1842 and he wrote ‘ the coach stopped at the cheerful looking place (Dundalk) of which almost the only dilapidated mansion was the inn at which it discharged us, which did not hold out much prospect of comfort. But in justice to the King’s Arms it must be said that good beds and dinners are to be obtained there by travellers’.
In a list of local traders published in 1823 it is listed as ‘N. Arthur (King’s Arms), while in 1846 it was ‘Queens Arms’. In 1890 it carried the name Williams Hotel was three storeys above ground and at the turn of the century the additional storey and hansard roof was added’.
It was the half-way stage for the Dublin-Belfast mail coach and was the recognised place of call for the various other coach chaise lines catering for passengers.
A noted mail coach driver was a six -foot tall Dundalk man known as ‘ The Whip McCoy’ who is said to have entertained his passengers with lurid tales of the many encounters with Collier the Robber, the highway man who operated on the King’s Highway between Lurgangreen and Drogheda.
Of course in more recent times The Queens hosted a very famous visitor, US President, Bill Clinton who attended a reception in the building in 2000 after he addressed a massive crowd at the Market Square.
If walls could talk, the walls of the Queens could regale us all with some great stories of events that took place at the Market Square, particularly events surrounding prisoners being escorted into the courthouse.
The Queens is therefore part of our history and hopefully can be returned to its elegant best.