After significant population growth, largely associated with its development as a residential suburb of Dublin, the township of Rathmines appointed town commissioners in 1847.

[2] The new building was designed by Sir Thomas Drew in the Baroque style, built by John Good in red sandstone and brick and was officially opened in 1896.

There were panels with carvings of swags above the first floor windows, which were flanked by Ionic order pilasters supporting an entablature and a modillioned cornice.

Internally, the principal rooms were the council chamber and a large concert hall, with a gallery and a stage, capable of accommodating 2,000 people seated.

[10][11] At a special Ard Fheis of Sinn Féin held in the town hall in March 1926, Éamon de Valera resigned from the party after the defeat of his proposal that elected members be allowed to take their seats in the Dáil Éireann once the controversial Oath of Allegiance was removed.

[21] In 2018, several councillors on the South East Area Subcommittee of Dublin City Council advocated bringing the concert hall back into use when the lease to the college expires in 2032.