Leinster House

Leinster House. Malton Trail. , Since 1924, Leinster House has been the seat of the two houses of the Oireachtas, Dail and Seanad (Irish Parliament and Senate), who meet here a total of 90 days a year., Designed in 1745 by the architect Richard Cassels, who also designed the Lying-In Hospital off Parnell Square, it was built as a town residence for the duke of Leinster on what was then known as Molesworth Fields, adding a character to the area that has remained to this day., This view is one of many superb quality aquatints by James Malton, showing Dublin city at the end of the eighteenth century. In his announcement of the work, Malton wrote that he was “struck with admiration at the beauty of the capital of Ireland and was anxious to make a display of it to the world.”, In 1814, the building was sold by the Duke of Leinster to the Dublin Society and for the next hundred years it was used as their headquarters., In 1877, the National Museum and National Library were built on the North and South sides of the forecourt. The two Houses of the Oireachtas, Dail and Seanad, first occupied the building in 1924., As you can see, it has hardly changed in appearance since 1792, the date of Malton's famous view.