Preserving a Historic City Landmark

PMAC was proud to carry out a major cleaning and restoration project on behalf of Dublin City Council, bringing new life to over 6km of historic granite quay walls along the River Liffey. Stretching from The Custom House to Heuston Station, this extensive Liffey Quay Wall project formed part of a wider initiative to enhance and preserve Dublin’s iconic riverside.

Constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Liffey quay walls are a striking legacy of Georgian and Victorian Dublin. Built from locally sourced Leinster granite, they form a vital part of the city’s architectural character. However, years of exposure to traffic fumes, road splashback, and general urban wear had left many sections of the quay walls discoloured and grimy—particularly in high-traffic areas like Usher’s Quay, where the narrow road layout had allowed dirt to accumulate more heavily.

A City Wide Cleaning Effort

While certain central stretches of the Liffey quay walls such as Bachelors Walk had been maintained more regularly, this project marked the first time in many years that the entire length of the city’s quays received a full, coordinated clean. The goal was to restore a uniform appearance across the whole stretch and enhance the overall visual impression of the riverside.

Minimising Disruption Through Smart Planning

The work focused on the road-facing side of the walls and was carried out in phases during nighttime hours to minimise disruption to traffic, businesses, and pedestrians. This approach allowed the Liffey Quay wall project  to proceed efficiently while respecting the needs of a busy, urban environment.

A Cleaner, More Beautiful Dublin

The Liffey Quay Wall project was successfully completed by mid-March 2025, restoring a consistent, refreshed appearance to the entire riverside route. This initiative underlined Dublin City Council’s commitment to the care and conservation of the city’s historic infrastructure. By carefully cleaning and rejuvenating these granite quay walls, the project not only enhanced the visual appeal of the city centre but also ensured that this important piece of Dublin’s built heritage will continue to be appreciated by generations to come.

Heritage Contractors

Pmac projects are very varied. Our legacy is quality projects we can be proud of and the below projects are an example of them. We value the inputs of our customers, our team and our supply chain in reaching positive outcomes. Health and safety to our people and the public is a priority for us and without compromise.

If you are working on a similar project we would love to hear about it. Dont hesitate to call us or send in the details of your project through our contact page at  https://pmac.ie/contact-pmac/

PMAC is a registered Heritage Contractor and a link for the site can be found below. 

https://heritageregistration.ie/heritage-contractors-listing/

The majority of Pmac projects are based in Dublin but we also work all over Ireland. Our wide range of services are available to both residential and commercial clients.