Irish Distillers revive historic Powers John’s Lane distillery stills at NCAD
John’s Lane distillery had a production of almost 900,000 gallons of Irish whiskey a year
Irish Distillers has supported the refurbishment and preservation of three antique pot stills from the former Powers John’s Lane distillery. The pot stills are now owned by the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and are located in the heart of the NCAD campus on Thomas Street.
The project required specialist contractors from EML construction ltd to carry out the work, taking eight months to complete. The restoration involved abrasive blast cleaning, painting, copper cleaning, and lacquering the copper stills. Additionally, the restoration covered the steps, valves, platforms, and ovens utilised for heating the stills to highlight the production process intricacies.
The three copper pot stills are the only remaining pot stills still in-situ on the former site of Powers John’s Lane distillery in the Liberties area of Dublin. The former distillery had a production of almost 900,000 gallons of Irish whiskey a year, exporting across the world to markets such as Canada, the US, Australia, Uruguay and Egypt.
Joao Rozario, global marketing director, Irish Distillers, said: “Powers John’s Lane distillery was once a thriving distillery and played a significant role in the history of Irish whiskey. We are honoured to have been able to respectfully restore these iconic pot stills and preserve the heritage of John’s Lane distillery.”
Carol Quinn, head of archives, Irish Distillers, said: “These pot stills are landmarks of Irish Whiskey and it’s truly wonderful to have been able to honour their heritage, and that of the Powers family, through this restoration project. We hope the staff and students of NCAD will be able to enjoy the magnificent view of the newly restored pot stills for many years to come.”
Professor Sarah Glennie, director, NCAD, said: “The National College of Art and Design campus occupies a unique position in Art and Design Education in Ireland, and for over 200 years it was the location of Powers John’s Lane distillery. The heritage of the building is evident throughout and forms part of the fabric of the college, but none more so than the iconic pot stills in the heart of the campus. We are incredibly grateful to Irish Distillers for their continued support in the maintenance of the iconic landmarks. The refurbishment work that has been completed has truly transformed the college campus and will continue to serve as a beautiful reminder of our past to our students.”
