Publications
A selective list
Richard Ireland, 'Investigation and conservation of historic suspended fibrous plaster ceilings', Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal & Valuation, Vol.11, No.3, 2022, Henry Stewart Publications, London, pp.227-249
Richard Ireland, 'Investigation and assessment of decorative plaster ceilings', Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal & Valuation, Vol.9, No.3, 2021, Henry Stewart Publications, London, pp.228-245
Brookes, S., Clark, K., Frostick, R., Ireland, R., Randall, L., 'The Plaster Ceilings of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle: Their Construction, Condition And Conservation' International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, (SAHC) Barcelona, 2021
Richard Ireland, 'Apollo Theatre Auditorium Ceiling, Fibrous Plaster Ceiling Investigation', (December 2014) for Westminster City Council. Investigation has been completed and the presently redacted report awaits full publication once legal restrictions are lifted.
Richard Ireland 'Decorative lime plaster - conservation and repair', The Journal Of The Building Limes Forum, Vol.21, 2014 Building Limes Forum, Edinburgh, (August 2014) pp.24-39
Richard Ireland, ‘English Heritage Practical Building Conservation: Mortars Renders & Plasters’, Principle contributor with Eds. John Stewart & Alison Henry (Ashgate Publishing & English Heritage, 2012)
Richard Ireland 'Peculiar Plaster: Recent Conservation of Irish Eighteenth-Century Modelled Plaster', Decorative Plasterwork in Ireland and Europe: Ornament and the Early Modern Interior, Eds. Christine Casey & Conor Lucey (Four Courts Press Ltd, Dublin, 2012) pp.178-193
Richard Ireland 'Methods And Materials', Decorative Plasterwork In Great Britain, Geoffrey Beard (Donhead Publishing, Dorset, 2011)
Richard Ireland & David Gundry 'Headfort: A Robert Adam Designed House Interior Rediscovered', Journal of Architectural Conservation, Vol 17, No.1 (March 2011) pp.59-80
Richard Ireland, 'Plaster Conservation', Heritage and Conservation Magazine, Autumn 2011, pp.25-26
Richard Ireland, 'Headfort Regained', Irish Georgian Society Newsletter, Vol 1 Autumn 2009, pp.16-17
Lectures
A selective list
Redecoration of the Grand Staircase, Buckingham Palace
with Louis Randall, Royal Household Property Section
ICON Historic Interiors, 2023
Decorative Plasterwork In The Country House
Attingham Summer School, 2023
Conservation of Decorative Plaster - Design Development, Methods & Materials
Birmingham City University MA course, 2023
Papier-Mâché in Historic Buildings
Fydell House, Boston Preservation Trust, 2023
Assessing Historic Decorative Plaster Ceilings
Plaster and Structural Ceiling Assessments Workshop
Royal Household Property Section, London, 2023
Redecoration of the Grand Staircase, Buckingham Palace
with Louis Randall, Royal Household Property Section
Traditional Paint Forum Annual Conference, 2022
Decorative Plasterwork In The Country House
Attingham Summer School, 2022
Conservation of Decorative Plaster - Design Development, Methods & Materials
Birmingham City University MA course, 2022
Investigation & Conservation of Decorative Plaster Ceilings
International Academic Projects, 2021
Plaster & Paint Conservation
Historic England Building Conservation Technical Update, 2020
Decorative Plasterwork
Furniture History Society, Early Career Development Series, 2020
Presentation Versus Preservation: British Museum, Dominick St Dublin, Kenwood House
Traditional Paint Forum Annual Conference, 2019
Archaeological Exploration of the Early Decorative Treatment of the Painted Coffering
Historic Royal Palaces: The Rubens Ceiling at the Banqueting House Symposium, 2019
Care & Conservation of Decorative Plaster Ceilings
IHBC, London Chapter, 2019
Earth Plaster & Early Decoration Wallpainting
Fulham Palace, London, 2018
Architectural Drawings: Evidence in Practice
British Art Network Drawings Group Study Day: Paul Mellon Centre & Soane Museum, 2018
Fibrous Plaster Ceilings: Methods, Materials and Failure - Apollo Theatre London
Architectural Association, 2017
Decorative Plaster Investigation & Conservation
MOSI/RSK Investigating Heritage Buildings Seminar, Machester, 2016
The Apollo Theatre Ceiling Catastrophe: Investigation & Treatment
ICON 16 Annual Conference - Turn and Face the Change, 2016
The Adam Brothers At Kenwood: Reconsidering the Evidence
Robert Adam and His Brothers: New Light On Britain's Leading Architectural Family,
Georgian Group Symposium, 2015
Plaster & Interior Conservation: Methods, Materials & Ethical Considerations
Architectural Association, 2014
Reinstatement of the Adam Library Kenwood
Irish Georgian Society, London Chapter, 2014
Decorative Plaster & Paint at Westport House: Design & Conservation Considerations
Irish Georgian Society, Westport, Ireland, 2013
Lime Plaster Repair & Conservation Issues
Building Limes Forum & Building Limes Forum Ireland,
Annual Conference, Dublin, 2013
Kenwood Adam Library - Issues and Choices
Traditional Paint Forum, London Annual Conference, June 2013
Conservation of Paint and Plasterwork
School of Architecture, University College Dublin, April 2013
Decorative Plasterwork and Interior Conservation
Architectural Association, Bedford Square, London, November 2012
A Robert Adam Designed Interior Explored and Revealed
ICON Conservation of Historic Interiors Group Annual Conference
Cambridge University, April 2012
Decorative Plaster Conservation
ICON, Stone & Wall Paintings Group Conference
Ironbridge, Shropshire, September 2011
Russborough's Baroque and Rococo Plasterwork
Irish Georgian Society
Russborough House, Ireland, September 2010
Peculiar Plaster: Recent Conservation of Irish C.18th Modelled Plaster
Eighteenth Century Plaster In Ireland and Europe, International Plaster Conference
Trinity College Dublin, April 2010
Historic House Decoration
Conserving the Georgian Townhouse
Irish Antiquaries Society & Irish Georgian Society, Dublin, March 2010
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Paint and Decoration
Hunt Museum, Limerick, November 2008
Headfort Revealed
Eileen Harris and Richard Ireland
World Monuments Fund and Georgian Group
Bank of Ireland, Dublin, November 2007
Headfort Revealed
World Monument Fund & Mellon Foundation,
Artists Guild, London, November 2007
Conservation of Decorative Plaster
Edinburgh College of Art, February 2006
20 Lower Dominick Street and Robert West
Trinity College Dublin, October 2001
Investigation and Redecoration of the Reading Room at the British Museum
Traditional Paint Forum annual conference
British Museum, London, November 2001
Plaster Conservation Case Study - Harley Street, London
Insititute of Advanced Architectural Studies & Georgian Group Interiors Conference
King's Manor, York, January 1992
Teaching
The majority of Richard's teaching is for post-grad students, conservation practitioners and the heritage building sector. His programs focus on historic decorative plasterwork, historic paint schemes, ideology, current best practice conservation treatment materials and methods.
Regular teaching
Architectural Association, London
Attingham Summer School
Birmingham City University
University College Dublin
Occasional teaching
Bournemouth University
Edinburgh College of Art
Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies, York
Inchbald School of Design
Institute of Archaeology
International Academic Projects
West Dean
Study Days and Teaching for Groups and Organisations
CPD to Professional Organisations & Practices
Building Limes Forum
Dublin Civic Trust
English Heritage
Georgian Group
Historic Houses Association
Historic England
Historic Royal Palaces
Irish Georgian Society
ICON
National Trust
RIBA
Royal Household Property Section - London Estate
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
The Building Limes Forum Ireland
The Princes Trust
Traditional Paint Forum