Thomas Street is the commercial heart of The Liberties; its most active and vibrant street, essential to its economic and cultural life. However, the slow but continual decline of the street during the late 20th century has left a fragile, and in parts, broken streetscape that remains to be resolved. In spite of this, the potential of the street and its environs is considerable, and this study seeks to illustrate the enormous importance of the street to the wider experience of Dublin, by citizens and visitors alike, and the scope to reinvent the thoroughfare through careful and considered attention and enlightened intervention.
Dublin Civic Trust has maintained a strong interest in Thomas Street since the establishment of the Trust in 1992. In 2001, it compiled and published Thomas Street: A Study of the Past – A Vision for the Future, vividly documenting the built heritage of the street and proposing practical solutions to the issues faced by the property owners and occupiers. The publication continues to be a valuable source of historical information for Thomas Street and is intended to be read in conjunction with this study. The book also forms part of a series of street studies undertaken by the Trust, which includes a study of adjoining Francis Street and Meath Street, published in 2008.