A CHARA,
We the undersigned historians support the preservation of the Moore Street Battlefield site as advocated by the Moore Street Preservation Trust. The National Museum has described Moore Street as “the most important historic site in modern Irish history".
In other places such sites are preserved, and open to the public and the story they tell is promoted.
Ron Maxwell, a US filmmaker, describes it well. Quoted by the 1916 Relatives he says: “Battlefields are looking glasses into the world of our ancestors. Standing on their earth under their skies, is to be at one with them and to viscerally understand humanity’s connections across time. The generation that won independence lives in the ideas we honour, the architecture we preserve and the battlefields we can yet save.”
The failure to plan and preserve the National Monument – 14-17 Moore St – has been a cause of great concern for over 16 years. Today, other buildings in Moore Street, that are integral to the story of Easter 1916, now face demolition to make way for a development plan by London based company Hammerson.
Some time ago the Executive of Dublin City Council rejected a motion by councillors that Number 18 Moore Street should be designated a Protected Structure. The councillors had previously passed a motion in support of this.
In a report to councillors the Executive concluded that 18 Moore Street is not part of the 1916 terrace and that a previous planning consent exists providing for Number 18 to be demolished.
To add to this mounting threat to Number 18 planning permissions for three sites along Moore Street are currently awaiting final decisions from An Bord Pleanála (ABP). The investigation by inspectors for ABP has now been completed and a decision on the sites, which includes Number 18 could be given at any time.
In addition, Hammerson has initiated a Judicial Review of the decision by Dublin City Council to add other buildings on Moore Street to the Record of Protected Structures.
In September 2020 40 Herbert Park, the home of The O’Rahilly was demolished in a matter of hours in a shameful act of vandalism. Number 18 Moore Street and other parts of the terrace now face a similar fate.
We the undersigned are opposed to any demolition of the Moore Street Terrace.
We call on the Irish government to invest in and take all steps necessary to protect the Moore Street Battlefield site.
Margaret Ward, Liz Gillis, Ruan O’Donnell, Conor McNamara, Francis Devine, Lorcan Collins, Donal Fallon, Daniel Jack, Allison Murphy, Marcus Howard, Tomas Mac Conmara, Brian Feeney, Christine Kinneally, Ray Bateson
Do you have something to say on this issue? If so, submit a letter for publication to Conor McParland at c.mcparland@belfastmedia.com or write to Editor Anthony Neeson at Andersonstown News/North Belfast News, Teach Basil, 2 Hannahstown Hill, Belfast BT17 0LT
