Trinity College is looking to re-open and extend Lincoln's Inn, one of Dublin's oldest bars and a favourite watering hole for students, lecturers and business people, which closed two years ago amid controversy.

Before opening as a bar in its own right in 1926, Lincoln's Inn was part of Finn's Hotel, where Nora Barnacle worked as a chamber maid.

Tim Cooper, director of buildings at TCD, said the pub was too small to be viable in its original state "and pretty grotty to say the least".

TCD has submitted a planning application to Dublin City Council to link the ground floor and basement of Lincoln's Inn at 18 Lincoln Place with the former Italian restaurant next door at number 19 and to revamp the exterior of the former restaurant to blend with the pub and make it appear as one building.

It is also looking to build a new kitchen, staff toilets, store rooms, and to extend the bar counter and put in a disabled toilet.

When Lincoln's Inn closed TCD said it was its intention to reopen the pub although some commentators were sceptical this would happen.

"Dublin City Council is very enthusiastic and want to get it into operation as quickly as possible, as we are," says Cooper.

However, both buildings are protected structures which may present "massive problems", he believes. "We are not certain we will get permission but we are hoping to because the pub is not viable on its own."

He says TCD is likely to find a tenant to operate the pub and "exactly how it will operate will depend on that tenant".