A merchant's building dating back to 1700 with a slipway allowing its occupants easy access to the River Liffey has been made available for public viewing all this week as part of Dublin City Council's Heritage Week.
No 9 Merchant's Quay has undergone a €2.5 million, two-year refurbishment, which was completed in 2003.
The building, which began its existence as two separate buildings - one dating from 1700 and the other from before 1716 - also contains decorative plasterwork on its first floor which is believed to be the work of the celebrated stuccodore Michael Stapleton or someone from his studio.
The top floors of the building are currently used as city council offices, but the basement and slipway have been on view this week to members of the public by prior appointment with the council. Other individuals or groups interested in viewing the house can make appointments at a later date.
A major renovation of the building was carried out by the council as part of the "Historic Heart of Dublin" project when it was discovered that the floor level had been raised at least twice over the years. Following an archaeological excavation, part of a 16th-century slipway was discovered.
The slipway is believed to have been in existence since at least 1610 in a "derelict state", indicating that it was in use for some time before that year.