August 13th, 2005 00.09
by Realta Rua
James Connolly’s Grandson In Fresh Call To Save 16 Moore Street
Today (Weds 10th August) James Connolly’s grandson made a renewed call for the house with 1916 associations to be saved from developers. During the Easter Rising, the house at 16 Moore Street was the location where Padraig Pearse, a wounded James Connolly and other leaders of the Rising spent their last two days of freedom. They had fought their way out of a blazing GPO, ran into a house in Moore Street and tried to smash their way through the walls of the terrace and escape.
Dublin City Council has already said the demolition of a house where the leaders of the 1916 Rising surrendered is crucial for the rejuvenation of the city centre. Earlier last year, the National Graves Association, An Taisce and Dublin’s Lord Mayor have all called for the house, number 16 Moore Street, to be fully preserved but pressure is mounting.
As well as the grandson of James Connolly, leading conservationists and local representatives are calling for a Millennium Mall on the site to be amended and the building saved. It is now 88 years ago since the Easter rebellion, lead by one of Irelands’ most renowned revolutionary Marxist scholars reached number 16 Moore Street but could go no further.
In a twist to today’s call Dublin City Council has reportedly stood by their earlier position that while 1916 should be appropriately recognised, the building must go. It plans to demolish the house as part of a rejuvenation project which would allow Moore Street be connected to O’Connell Street. Now the fate of 16 Moore Street is not sealed just yet, as the Council still has not secured control of the site and further planning permission is required, but time is running out, fast.
2005 to now, so very much has happened but people at grassroots level never lost sight of the Centenary which is upon us this Easter Weekend with Ireland full of events to reflect what has been achieved since those Revolutionaries gave up their lives to establish a Republic.
Back in 2005 many contributors to a social media site, including me, Dermot Lacey, Former Lord Mayor of Dublin and now a councillor engaged in debate to save these historic locations. The decision arrived just ahead of the Easter Centenary and the result tells us the ordinary people have a voice and people can make changes if they engage with purpose. To record my input see below:-
Citizens’ Initiative:
Why not fix the roof?
August 16th, 2005 22:32
Yes, why not?
The reality is that the roof has been allowed to fall into disrepair to ensure that history can be wiped away by a JCB; the planning authorities and a building consortium for the profit motive.
There must be someone in Ireland who willing to fix the roof to prevent dry rot and damage to the structure. There are many skilled migrants in Ireland presently and if we can get no volunteers to draw up a plan and provide a roof, maybe there is a way of getting funds and creating a project. Perhaps Eoin Ryan MEP could make a suggestion?
I believe in people power and I believe in history. I particularly believe in the significance of the lives lost by those who fought for the freedom of Ireland in 1916. These men are the Founding Fathers of the Nation State.
How can we get the momentum going here? Would Joe Higgins be able to support this given James Connolly is a father of socialism in a needy Ireland of the early 1900’s?.
Where are Sinn Fein? Would they not consider a change of location from Parnell Street to Moore Street? People have plenty of time to mull ideas around in their head. We need action. Most importantly, to prevent rot and dry rot, Mr. Pedantic today, we need a roof.
Michelle Clarke
Quotations
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1920) Russian Writer
‘Without knowing who I am and why I am here, life is impossible’
and lets try this one:
Confucius (c.551-478 BC)
‘To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice’
August 15th, 2005 21:31
by Michelle Clarke – Social Justice and Ethics
The amount is paltry but at least it is a start.
How about using some initiative about James Connolly home in Moore Street?
A programme on television last night makes one think deeply; the topic was Omagh and Trauma. This is just a way out suggestion about a theme for the property in Moore Street (i.e. if the people of Ireland can usurp those in Dublin City Council who object via the Carlton deal and plans for O’Connoll Street), could it be dedicated to Peace and Reconciliation centre.
The people affected by the bomb in Omagh in 1998 suffered severe trauma. Rather than having to visit the Mental Health centre, somebody used their initiative located a suitable property where the people could attend for cognitive behavioural therapy for trauma?
This is a person’s initiative and I am sure there are lots out there with suggestions for James Connolly’s house in Moore Street and the promotion of Irish Culture, be it political or socialist in content.
I note the MEP Eoin Ryan has included his name to support this property. Eoin Ryan’s grandfather was the doctor who attended James Connolly at that house. As far as I am aware Eoin Ryan is connected to Sean T. Kelly also.
Time for people in Ireland to start making a stand. The profiteering and corruption in the property market that has sped ahead since the early 1990’s must now be held accountable for the fact that they owe a considerable amount to 1916 and the formation of the State.
Time for them to drop the shame.
Let’s ask people what they want for a change. How do they feel about the chopping down of trees in O’Connell street?
How can the property be funded and re-constructed and what theme can be used?
Are their any architects who would draw up plans for free? Are their project managers to oversee the work?
I am aware that the National Gallery holds many paintings that they can’t display due to lack of wall space.
The artists are there: Tom Ryan; Sean Keating; Stella Solomon provided a rich heritage of our political struggle.
Any ideas?
August 12th, 2005 20:52
Admonishment to the PD’s and the wagging the tail party?
Where do they stand on our moral obligations to the History of this Nation State and achieving the Unity of Ireland which is so near and yet so far?
I stand to be corrected but the last building used by the Leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising should be converted into a tourist attraction rather than allowed to become subsumed by a Shopping Mall.
The building in 16 Moore Street, Dublin, was the location where a wounded James Connolly, Padraic Pearse and others wrote the Surrender Note that ended the short lived Rebellion against British Rule. This building should be declared a listed building, not just now but this should have happened many years ago. The roof sadly of this building is ready to collapse any day. It is in rack and ruin. The only tenants are pigeons.
A Fianna Fail led Government in the 1930’s backed down from a plan to demolish Kilmainham Jail – (Look at the success to the tourist industry of its restoration).
I traveled to Holland and recall my visit to the Home of Anne Frank……It is poignant and effective in registering a form of moral history.
Walking through Dublin I often look at the name plates adjacent to those famous Georgian doorways and the details of famous Irish people who lived in the particular house. I was greatly surprised to read that a man ahead of his time designed these plates and patented the initiative.
Do people realise that after the IRA Statement on the 28th of July 2005, it was reported that people had already begun to sell IRA memorabilia on eBay?
But it is not just eBay that is engaged in sale of items but James Adam no less, in St. Stephen’s Green.
Change is abreast and history is in the making.
While those decades that created the Celtic Tiger and their own adaptation of Irish History, we must recall that the levels of corruption undermining our State were stiffling and contrary to the principles of James Connolly and other Irish Volunteers.
There was great excitement recently about a 4 part series about Charles J. Hauighey, former Taoiseach. People no doubt have different opinions but it is suffice to say that the establishment of Tribunals to probe corruption with particular emphasis on land transactions; bribes, shady deals and all the rest. These tribunals continue and will do so for many years to come.
What I would like to ask?
The media reports conflict among the public as to whether the local people in a village in Kerry can erect a statute to C. J. Haughey? RTE have given considerable air time to this man. If this is so, can someone explain to me why there appears to be an extermination of very important parts of Irish History and in particular to those men who died for the birth of the new Nation State.
What is the shame about? It is shame.
I feel entitled to say this as my Grandfather, Michael Comyn, KC, represented Thomas Clarke, Erskine Childers and others.
More importantly, his family when he was just a boy were evicted from their farm in Ballyvaughan. Michael Comyn walked to miles to the school of Mr Brady in Ruan, Co Clare, entered the Civil Service, won the Queen’s Prize, entered King’s Inns and the rest is detailed in Dictionary of Biography (at time of writing this was not available but is now). https://dib.cambridge.org/
The most famous case is Clifford and O’Sullivan. It was a court martial and he went to the House of Lords – King George V intervened and the lives of 42 Irish men were saved. You can find no data yet enquiries come from the legal profession in England? Added Easter 2016 Easter Rising Centenary. David Foxton book: Revolutionary Lawyers Sinn Fein and Crown Courts. The Trial by Military Courts written by Mr Justice Sean Enright.
Does anyone ever ask where does the money go from all the corruption that exists. I had to emigrate in the 1980s but I also add I was aware that funds were being sent overseas and resented the fact, that people in business didn’t wish to promote their own country.
Let’s stand up as the people of a United Ireland and demand the preservation of historic properties, particularly those related to the foundation of the State.
One more point. Why did the Department of Environment sanction the cutting down of the trees in O’Connell Street (some had bullets from the time of the rising). Why such ignorance in Ireland against our own political culture?
Just look at Tara, the seat of the High Kings. The bedrock of the pre-Christian Druidic culture. People all over the world are signing petitions and yet the ‘ignorant educated (my description) are rollicking around like the ‘fools on the hill’.
Where is the Justice Equality of Law Reform? Their agenda appears far removed from facilitating the Peace Process constructively.
Michelle Clarke
Written: August 12th, 2005 20:52
Quotation
‘One can never pay in gratitude
One can only pay in kind
somewhere else in life
Thanksgiving is about passing it on’
canisgallicus 
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Hi Michelle, it was very encouraging to read your posts about the protection of the historic properties in Moore Street. But shocking also – I didn’t realise that back in 2005, the only house that was being talked about no 16. Thank you for keeping the ball rolling all that time. Although I am related to Patrick Pearse, I and my family have always kept a low profile about it and it was only last year that I started to talk openly about it, and to write about it on my blog.
Well at least now there’s plans (vague) but still plans for the entire area. However I am still concerned that there was no mention in the report about the minister dropping the appeal to the high court ruling. Methinks she speaks with forked tongue. Slán go fóill, eoin
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Eoin. 2 years on and only today I have discovered Dashboard and Admin thanks to a friend so slowly I realise that I have received comments. Good to hear from you. M
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