Ian Baird:THE SAD irony of the relatively early death from cancer at 63 of the prominent Dublin architect Ian Baird, FRIAI, was that what was arguably the crowning glory of his career is a set of buildings which has yet to be constructed. This is the new rehabilitation and education centre at Blanchardstown, Dublin, for Sr Consilio's renowned Cuan Mhuire drug, alcohol and gambling rehabilitation charity.
Despite being a very committed Presbyterian, who was associated both with the Adelaide Road congregation and his own native Howth congregation, and being from a Presbyterian family of very long standing in Dublin City, Ian Baird enjoyed a close and fruitful relationship with Sr Consilio.
At the time of his death, he had also completed a design for new premises of a Cuan Mhuire facility in Athy, Co Kildare.
Describing Baird as a “true and loyal friend of Cuan Mhuire”, Sr Agnes, of the nuns house at Bruree, Co Limerick, speaking for Sr Consilio, told The Irish Times that he was, in Sr Consilio’s words, “a very special person”. He “had stayed up late into the night with her discussing how things should be done”, both for the new Blanchardstown facility and that at Athy.
“Ian had a deep understanding of other people’s pain and he was always willing to go the extra mile to help them,” she added.
His long-time colleague and friend Ian McIlroy, a consultant engineer who had worked on many projects with him, laments the fact that the Blanchardstown project had run into “huge planning and funding problems”, but it was hoped these could be overcome and the centre built to Baird’s design.
Baird was educated at Mountjoy and Marine School (now Mount Temple Comprehensive) and at Bolton Street College of Technology (now part of the Dublin Institute of Technology).
A major client of Baird was the Shaws department store chain. A design of his for a huge redevelopment of its Wexford store in 2004 became a blueprint for the Shaws group nationwide.
During the Wexford project, work had to be stopped for 11 weeks when important archaeological remains dating from medieval times were found on site. A firm of archaeologists had to be employed to remove the artefacts. Despite this, the job was finished “exactly on time” as Mervyn Shaw, a director of the firm, recalled this week.
Baird was, he said, “a fine architect, with vision, and of the highest integrity”.
Baird was an excellent yachtsman from his teenage years onwards, and represented Ireland at the World Fireball Championships with his lifelong friend Tim Chillingworth.
He later sailed both the renowned Dublin Bay 17s (the vintage craft Gladys) and a Puppeteer-class 22-footer, Flycatcher, out of Howth Yacht Club.
Baird married Susie Arigho in 1974, and after their amicable divorce in the 1990s later enjoyed, a partnership with June Butler lasting several years.
He is survived by his daughters Jill and Jennifer; son-in-law Maksim; his brother David and sister- in-law Teresa (née Quinn) of Westport, Co Mayo; and by his sister Jane and her daughter Thea, Beaumont, Dublin.
Ian Baird: born August 28th, 1948; died July 16th, 2012 .