The Dublin Artisan Dwelling Company was established in 1876 by a group of investors who wanted to build good quality housing at reasonable rents. It was not a charity but was aimed at providing accomodation for labourers and professionals. Arthur Guinness, grandson of the original Arthur who founded the famous brewing company was a sponsor and maybe for that reason many Guinness workers got housing in the artisans dwellings. The houses were transferred to a company called Folio Homes in the 1950's and many of the tenants subsequently bought out their homes.
Though modest, the houses are well built and much sought after because of their proximity to the city centre and to the Phoenix Park. They originally had the luxury (for the time) of an outside toilet in a walled back yard. Most owners have now modernized their houses and extended them by building a modern kitchen (and) or extra bedroom in the back yard. They only had 2 bedrooms originally and it's quiet a mystery how they managed to rear up to 10 or 12 children in these cottages! The Artisan Company also built what were known as "two up two down" houses in the Oxmantown area which I will feature later.
