ONE of Dublin's newest cultural outlets, the Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar, has reopened to the public following a six week renovation programme.
After the official opening last October, the flat roof of the £750,000 building in Meeting, House Square was discovered to be leaking and, with dampness spreading, it was decided to dose for repairs.
One theory for the leak is that the combined weight of guests gathered on the terrace for a reception to mark the opening together with the thickness of flagstones laid on the root, had punctured a damp proof membrane underneath.
Like any new building, the gallery had to be "snagged". This is a standard procedure by which any snags, or defects, are put right by the main contractors before the building is occupied.
A spokeswoman for Temple Bar Properties (TBP), the company overseeing the development of Dublin's cultural quarter, accepted the gallery had opened for business before the snags had been put right.
After Christmas it was decided to close the gallery for two weeks to allow the roof problem to be sorted out.
But it emerged this was more extensive than at first assumed and the closure was extended to six weeks.
This enabled the director, Ms Christine Redmond, to have other problems dealt with, such as the fact that the elaborate counter in the reception area (which doubles as the gallery's shop) was at an awkward angle to the entrance.
The gallery's problems have been compounded by its relative inaccessibility. Although located in one of Temple Bar's showpiece squares, its only access is via the Irish Film Centre because the square is still a building site.
Work on the entry and the building of which it forms part has been proceeding since Christmas and, according to the TBP spokeswoman, Meeting House Square is now due for completion at the end of April, nearly a year behind schedule.
