Republican News · Thursday 8 May 2003

12 May rally on Moore Street

Four Sinn Féin Councillors in Dublin have initiated a campaign to try and save number 16 Moore Street from the demolition squad. The final surrender of the Easter Rising took place in the house, but it's now causing a headache for developers who want to build a new shopping and commercial precinct on its site.

At a meeting last Friday in the Mansion House, Cllr Larry O'Toole had a motion passed calling for all those in support of the house to assemble outside it on Monday 12 May and march to City Hall for that evening's Council meeting.

Larry passionately defended the importance of the house, and said that it was a disgrace to even consider knocking it down.

"Number 16 Moore Street must be preserved as a building of immense historical value," he said. "It unwittingly played host to one of the most significant events in Irish history. Having being prevented from retreating any further from the GPO, the leaders of the Rising were left with no alternative but to surrender at the house. Any other country in the world with any appreciation of its history would make this house into a national monument. It should be a treasured link with the past and this country's long struggle for independence."

The date, 12 May, is also the anniversary of the execution of the last of the 1916 leaders, James Connolly and Seán Mac Díarmada.

The councillors hope that everybody interested in the house's preservation will assemble there at 5pm on Monday.

"The house is part of our shared heritage," Larry said. "Shopping centres can be built anywhere, but you can't put a price on history."