'Liberty Hall' tells the story of one of Ireland’s most iconic yet underrated and often ignored buildings. In hearing from the architect and other parties, we discover how a few small changes had a hugely negative effect on a simple design.
I first decided to make this documentary in late 2006 after a visit to the building to the building during Open House Dublin, SIPTU who own the building had just announced they were to knock and replace the building and hundreds of people turned out to get what they thought might be a last chance to get inside it. I had always liked the building but I had thought I was in a minority until seeing the crowds that day. After a bit of research I found some photos and footage of the building how it was when originally built and this made me want to show its original design intentions to everyone.
I was very lucky to interview the buildings architect Desmond Rea O'Kelly for the documentary. For me his interview really makes the documentary and most audiences tend to agree. Sadly Desmond Rea O'Kelly died on the 17th of February 2011.
The documentary broadcast on RTÉ1 on May 11th 2009 at 20:30 picking up 189,000 viewers. It also screened at film festivals in Ireland and abroad.
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