Three IDS Projects Named as Irish Steel Awards 2026 Finalists

A second consecutive year of national recognition for our team.

Shortlisted three times in the Irish Steel Awards 2026

Three IDS projects have been named as finalists in the Irish Steel Awards 2026, the national awards run by the Irish Association of Steel Fabricators. Two are shortlisted in Architectural Metalwork, Special Projects, and one in Unusual & Restoration Projects.

It is the second year running that our work has been recognised at national level, and it is recognition that belongs to the whole team: the design and technical engineers who model every opening, the fabricators on the shop floor, and the installation crews who make the final millimetre count.

All three projects were designed and manufactured in-house at our Cork facility and completed in December 2025.

Key facts at a glance

Three IDS projects shortlisted across two Irish Steel Awards categories
Second consecutive year of national recognition for IDS
Categories: Architectural Metalwork, Special Projects (x2) and Unusual & Restoration Projects
All three projects designed, manufactured and installed by IDS, in-house
Systems used include RP Technik Fineline 70, RP Technik Hermetic 70 and E30 fire-rated steel glazing
Winners announced at the Irish Steel Awards gala on 16 October 2026, Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise

Our Three Shortlisted Projects

James Whelan’s Butchers, Dunnes Stores, Patrick Street, Cork

Category: Architectural Metalwork, Special Projects

A temperature-controlled dry-ageing display system that turns a back-of-house process into the centrepiece of the shop floor. We designed, manufactured and installed a bespoke architectural steel and glazed enclosure using the RP Technik Fineline 70 system, with slimline profiles chosen to maximise transparency into the maturation room.

Behind the glazing sits a precision-engineered structural steel framework carrying the glass, the refrigeration plant and the load of hanging premium cuts. An adjustable shelving and hanging system, developed through our own in-house R&D, gives the team flexible display configurations without compromising the clean contemporary look. Automated access to the maturation room is integrated within the glazing line so that internal temperature and humidity are protected every time the door opens.

Delivering it meant working shoulder to shoulder with structural engineers, refrigeration specialists and automation contractors, on an accelerated programme ahead of the Christmas trading period.

College Road Medical Centre, Cork

Category: Architectural Metalwork, Special Projects

A bespoke package of architectural steel glazing for a healthcare interior, combining E30 fire-rated systems with precision-engineered curved steel screens and reeded glass. Slimline steel profiles, bespoke curved glazing, Burlington Antique Bronze hardware and textured glass were specified together so that the fire-rated elements read as design features rather than compliance items.

The curved steelwork was the technical challenge. Holding consistent sightlines and dimensional accuracy through a curve calls for specialist fabrication, and it was carried out entirely in-house, with close collaboration between our technical team, the architect and the site team to verify dimensions before anything went into production.

The result is an interior where certified life safety performance and contemporary architectural intent sit comfortably together, with partitions that bring natural light deeper into the building.

Private Residential Heritage Building, Rathmines, Dublin

Category: Unusual & Restoration Projects

A sensitive restoration of a historic stone property, using bespoke RP Technik steel glazed arched doors and fixed screens. The difficulty was straightforward to describe and anything but straightforward to solve: no two openings were the same. Original masonry, brick arches and centuries of movement meant every aperture carried its own dimensional variation.

Rather than force a standard product into a non-standard opening, our technical and R&D teams surveyed and modelled each opening individually, then fabricated the steel frames in-house to millimetre accuracy. The RP Technik Hermetic 70 system delivered the thermal performance the client needed while keeping the slim steel sections the building deserved.

Installation was equally exacting, protecting the surrounding stonework while achieving flawless alignment across every opening. The finished glazing strengthens the building’s historic character instead of competing with it.

RP Technik Hermetic 70 arched doors and fixed screens set into original stone and brick openings, Rathmines, Dublin.

Recognition for our Bespoke Project Delivery

For main contractors, architects, and private clients alike, a shortlist recognition is meaningful only when it reflects how a project is executed. Across these three distinct projects, a refrigerated steel display cabinet, a curved fire-rated partition, and custom arched door frames tailored to irregular openings, each presented a unique challenge. None of these solutions could be sourced off the shelf; rather, all were delivered through a unified in-house model combining design, engineering, fabrication, finishing, and installation at our Cork facility.

Maintaining full single-source oversight allows us to execute complex detailing, satisfy strict tolerances, and fulfill demanding schedules without relying on third-party handoffs.

Congratulations to our fellow finalists

To be acknowledged by the Irish steel industry is a genuine honour, and we want to congratulate everyone shortlisted this year. The standard of work across the categories says a great deal about the state of Irish steel fabrication and architectural metalwork. We are looking forward to celebrating it on the night.

Public voting for the Irish Steel Awards 2026 is open. We would be incredibly grateful if you would help our projects and our clients get the recognition they deserve and vote for us. You can view all our nominations on Irish Steel’s website.