3 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁Municipal ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Modern ▁Art ▁opened ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁in ▁temporary ▁prem ises ▁at ▁ 1 7 ▁Har court ▁Street , ▁Dublin , ▁with ▁no ▁entrance ▁charge . ▁Lane ▁hoped ▁that ▁Dublin ▁Corporation ▁would ▁run ▁it , ▁but ▁the ▁corpor ation ▁was ▁uns ure ▁if ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁finan cially ▁vi able . ▁Lane ▁met ▁the ▁running ▁costs , ▁while ▁seeking ▁a ▁more ▁permanent ▁home . ▁A ▁new ▁gallery ▁was ▁proposed ▁in ▁St ▁Steph ens ▁Green , ▁and ▁then ▁a ▁dram atic ▁bridge - g allery ▁over ▁the ▁River ▁L iff ey , ▁both ▁designed ▁by ▁Sir ▁Ed win ▁L ut y ens . ▁Both ▁were ▁turned ▁down , ▁the ▁latter ▁by ▁a ▁close ▁vote ▁of ▁the ▁Corporation , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁long - term ▁running ▁costs . ▁Desp air ing ▁of ▁Irish ▁support , ▁after ▁all ▁he ▁had ▁done , ▁Sir ▁Hugh ▁then ▁be que athed ▁his ▁pictures ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Gallery ▁in ▁London . ▁Short ly ▁before ▁his ▁death ▁Lane ▁revers ed ▁this ▁in ▁a ▁cod ic il ▁to ▁his ▁will , ▁that ▁was ▁however , ▁unw it ness ed . ▁▁ ▁Lane ▁did ▁not ▁live ▁to ▁see ▁his ▁gallery ▁perman ently ▁located ▁as ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁during ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁the ▁R MS ▁L us it ania , ▁off ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁C ork , ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁his ▁birth . ▁Just ▁four teen ▁months ▁before ▁his ▁death , ▁in ▁March