Dublin’s landmark Clerys clock ticks back into action

The famous Clerys clock has been restored to its former glory, after being modernised as part of a restoration of the famous department store that closed eight years ago.

After being absent for years, the double-faced ornate clock ticked above people walking on O’Connell Street – a main thoroughfare of Dublin city – once again.

The Cork horologist who created the clock from scratch with his late father in 1990 said he hoped it would resume its place as a meeting point in the city centre.

The clock’s unveiling comes ahead of the opening of an exhibition on the Clerys department store, which has been at the O’Connell Street site since the 1850s.

The refurbished store is due to open this year, featuring a Flannels, H&M, and a Press Up-run rooftop bar.

Speaking before unveiling the clock on Tuesday, Philip Stokes, owner of Stokes Clocks, said they had given “the whole thing a serious face lift”.

“We made the clock originally 30 years ago, we made it from scratch. And now, it has had a very serious face lift and modernisation internally,” he said, speaking to the PA news agency.

“What we’ve done is, we’ve been involved in the restoration of it, bringing it back to looking as close to the way it did 30 years ago.

“We updated the mechanisms and things in it, re-gold leafed the hands and the (roman) numbers and given the whole thing a serious face lift, so now it should be good for another 30 years, hopefully.”

Visitors to the city, as well as locals, used the clock as a meeting point .

Mr Stokes said the clock was “a real iconic feature on the street”, and said he believed it would resume its status as the place to meet in Dublin.

“It’s such a beautiful building and then the clock draws your eye to the building because it sticks out if you’re walking down. To people from the country and from the city, it’s always been the place to meet.

He added: “I’ve had dealings with a couple who… met and got engaged under the clock. So a lot of history there, a lot of people would say they’ve good memories of it.”

Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy, who was at the launch, said it was “tremendous news for the city”.

“Particular credit is due to the skilled craftspeople who have worked so painstakingly to renovate the building and to the owners for their efforts in bringing new life to this important landmark which will bring new retail, hospitality, and employment opportunities to the area.”

There was controversy in June 2015 when the Clerys department store closed and more than 400 jobs were lost.

Labour Party workers’ rights spokeswoman Senator Marie Sherlock on Tuesday called on the developers to ensure good jobs are provided for workers from the local community and those formerly employed on the site.

The redevelopment includes the restoration of Clerys’ colonnaded facade, internal staircases, columns and ceilings, new office space and an events venue, as well as a refurbishment of Clerys’ original restaurant, The Tea Rooms.

The completion of the restoration is being marked by an exhibition called ‘Clerys: The Archives’, which will include documents, objects, and images, some dating back to 1847.

It runs from January 18-30, and will be open free to the public.