how to ruin old buildings

One major reason why Irish towns and villages are less attractive than many elsewhere is the lazy approach to rendering the exterior walls of buildings that has been adopted throughout the country. These 17th and 18th century buildings in Chapelizod (near Dublin) have had a rough rendering applied to them, which obscures fine architectural detail. On the other side of the street is a substantial 18th century house that has figured in Irish literature. Underneath there are probably clay bricks, but all we see is a hideous rendering applied with little care or aesthetic sense. There is something seriously wrong with a country that can allow its architectural heritage to be ruined in this way. Sadly, the standard of restoration applied to major historical buildings, especially churches, is not always as high as one has a right to expect (the restoration of the Customs House in Dublin is an exception).