In 1742 Fishamble Street was a fashionable part of Dublin. The city had a vibrant music culture. In the previous Autumn a new Musick Hall had opened in Fishamble Street. The famous composer Mr. Handel had arrived from London to give a series of concerts. He decided to hold the premier of his new work, the Oratorio Messiah, at the new concert Hall. The performance was attended by the Lord Lieutenant and fashionable society and was received with acclaim. Having opened in 1741 the Musick Hall later became a theatre. Following its decline the site was acquired in 1866 by Kennans as an extension to their ironworks.
Two hundred and fifty years later at the site the concert hall had long disappeared, and very few 18th century buildings remained in the street. One of these was the almost derelict Kennan’s building. To mark the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the first performance of Messiah, members of our Lady’s Choral Society performed extracts from the work on the street at the site of the original concert hall. Thus began a tradition which has continued on 13th April each year at noon. The performance has become a popular event with hundreds of people attending every year. We now have a small orchestra and soloists and sometimes drama. One year the anniversary fell on Good Friday and a Christ like figure carrying a heavy cross made his way slowly up the hill from the river during the Passion Music.
Since the foundation of the choir in 1945 performances of Messiah have been a central part of the repertoire of the choir. In 2002 it was decided to make a CD of the work. The Fishamble Street connection having been well established it was decided to incorporate this image on the CD design.
Since 1992 I had made drawings and watercolour paintings at the site. The almost derelict old Kennan’s building and the crumbling 20th Century archway which enclosed the original site made good sketching material. During the 1990’s the building beside Kennan’s became The Handel Hotel. The old archway was dismantled during the building of an apartment complex on the site of the Musick Hall. All that remains is part of the wall of the original building. When asked to make an image of the Original Musick Hall I had the assistance of staff at the National Library who provided a most interesting and detailed map of the Musick Hall plan, the Kennan’s building and a contemporary drawing and lithograph.
There were other clues at the site. Remains of old steps beside the Kennan’s building indicated the building next door, (now the Handel Hotel). The Archway echoed the design of the Musick Hall in the curve of the arch and the small window feature at its centre. Another old building on the corner of Essex Street provided other detail. I also observed other old buildings in the Temple Bar area. The recently restored Kennan’s building (now the Contemporary Music Centre) has the third upper storey, which was in the 18th century drawing, reinstated.
The famous composer Mr. Handel had arrived from London to give a series of concerts. He decided to hold the premier of his new work, the Oratorio Messiah, at the new concert Hall. The performance was attended by the Lord Lieutenant and fashionable society and was received with acclaim. Having opened in 1741 the Musick Hall later became a theatre. Following its decline the site was acquired in 1866 by Kennans as an extension to their ironworks. 
The almost derelict old Kennan’s building and the crumbling 20th Century archway which enclosed the original site made good sketching material. During the 1990’s the building beside Kennan’s became The Handel Hotel. The old archway was dismantled during the building of an apartment complex on the site of the Musick Hall. All that remains is part of the wall of the original building. When asked to make an image of the Original Musick Hall I had the assistance of staff at the National Library who provided a most interesting and detailed map of the Musick Hall plan, the Kennan’s building and a contemporary drawing and lithograph. 