Martello Tower 16 - Select Image To View Photographs

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SONY A1 II

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If you’ve been strolling along Strand Road recently, you might have noticed a "For Sale" sign on one of Dublin’s most iconic coastal silhouettes. Martello Tower No. 16, a 19th-century fortification with a colourful civilian history, is officially seeking a new owner with a guide price of €1.5 million.

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A Case of Mistaken Identity

Whin I photographed this structure on St Patrick’s Day 2026, many visitors were spotted at the Sandymount tower under the impression they had reached the famous James Joyce Tower. It’s an easy mistake to make—both are granite Martello towers overlooking Dublin Bay—but the literary landmark where Ulysses begins is actually tucked away in Sandycove, a few stops further south on the DART.

While the Sandymount tower (No. 16) has spent its life as a tramway office, a newsagent, and even a restaurant, the Sandycove tower (No. 11) is the one immortalised by Joyce.

The Opportunity

Tower No. 16 isn't just a relic; it’s a massive opportunity for the right investor. The property includes:
The Original Structure: Three levels of historic granite masonry.
The Modern Extension: A 20th-century addition on the seaward side, famous for its large windows and panoramic views of the bay.
Potential Uses: While it currently needs substantial refurbishment, it is being marketed for potential use as a boutique hospitality venue, a cultural space, or even a extraordinary private residence.
There is currently a public conversation led by local representatives urging the Office of Public Works (OPW) to acquire the tower for the state, ensuring it remains a heritage site for the community. For now, however, this piece of Dublin’s coastline remains a rare "fixer-upper" for anyone with a spare million and a love for the sea.

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The shift to battery-electric technology is a clever bit of engineering designed to bypass a historic hurdle. As you noted, the rail network across the island uses a unique "Irish Gauge" (1600 mm or 5 ft 3 in), which is wider than the standard 1435 mm used in Great Britain and most of Europe.

Because this bespoke network cannot simply "buy off the shelf" electrified trains, and because full overhead electrification of hundreds of miles of track is a multi-decade financial and logistical undertaking, these new carriages act as a technological bridge.

How the "Stop-Gap" Works

The new Alstom X'trapolis fleet (Class 90000) arriving for the DART+ programme uses a "hybrid" approach to power:
Under the Wires: When travelling through Pearse Station or the existing DART core, the trains draw power from the 1,500V DC overhead lines via a pantograph. While doing this, they also top up their massive roof-mounted lithium-ion batteries.
Off the Grid: Once the train reaches the end of the electrified wires (currently just north of Malahide), it doesn't have to stop. It simply drops the pantograph and switches to battery power, continuing for up to 80 km (50 miles) on a single charge.
Fast Charging: To keep the cycle going, "fast-charging" stations—like the one recently installed in Drogheda—can fully replenish a train's battery in minutes while it sits at the platform, allowing it to make the return trip to the city without any overhead wires at all.

Why This Matters for Pearse Station

This technology effectively "pre-electrifies" the route long before the actual wires are hung. For a commuter boarding at Pearse, the benefits are immediate:

Silence and Air Quality: These trains replace older diesel-powered commuter railcars. This means the deep, idling rumble of diesel engines under the station roof is replaced by a near-silent electric hum, significantly improving the environment for both passengers and the neighbouring Westland Row community.
Sustainability: It allows the network to reach the goal of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review—decarbonising the fleet—without waiting for the entire 30 billion euro infrastructure plan to be completed.
Cross-Border Potential: While the focus is currently on the Dublin commuter belt, this same "tri-mode" technology (Electricity/Battery/Diesel) is being planned for the Enterprise service to Belfast. This will allow trains to run silently and cleanly into both Dublin Connolly and the new Belfast Grand Central Station, regardless of which sections of the track have been modernised.
By using the batteries as a "stop-gap," the railway is essentially decoupling the service from the infrastructure, ensuring that your grandmother’s "Westland Row" remains at the cutting edge of global transport history.

James Joyce Martello Tower In Context - Select Image To View Photographs