Campaigners call for preservation of Moore Street

Variations to the planned development of Dublin’s Moore Street received a mixed reception yesterday from campaigners to have some, if not all, of the area preserved because of its links to the surrender of the leaders of the 1916 Rising.

John Connolly, grandson of James Connolly, one of the leader of the Rising, said he "warmly welcomed" the variations, announced by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan.

"Today's decision means that we are close to the end of a long road whereby the final act of the Easter Rising can be commemorated in a fitting way," said Mr Connolly, president of the Save No 16 Moore Street Group. "The plans that we have seen we fully support, as they respect the integrity of the buildings and bring to life the final tragic days of the rising."

Campaigners were split, however, with others saying it was a “sad day for democracy”.

Patrick Cooney of the Save 16 Moore Street Committee/1916 Relatives Group, a rival group, said the entire terrace should be preserved because it was linked as a whole to the rebellion. They were "outraged" at what was being proposed.

“The entire terrace was occupied by the GPO garrison. Many tunnelled through from No 10 to No 25 and settled in the middle, in No 16. They’re going to put a huge shopping centre on either side of it. This is Celtic Tiger thinking.”

He maintained that his group's call for a more substantial preserved site, a battlefield site, was supported by Dublin City Council.

The variations announced by Mr Deenihan relate to consents, already granted to retail developer Chartered Lands which has planning permission to develop a 5.5 acre site between Moore St and O’Connell St. The site includes No 16 Moore St, the final headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising and the location from where Padraig Pearse, pre-eminent leader of the rebellion, surrendered to British forces.

Since 2007, the terrace of four houses from 14 to 17 Moore St has been a National Monument, giving Mr Deenihan powers and responsibilities for its preservation, Dublin City Council planning permission notwithstanding.

Yesterday, he ruled that the restoration of the four houses, which it is planned will be a 1916 Commemorative Centre in time for the centenary events of 2016, include a permanent gable wall to No 14, instead of the developer's originally proposed temporary finish wall; that a new building be incorporated into the side of No 17; and that current laneway boundaries at Henry Place, Moore Lane and O'Rahilly Parade be retained.

The main entrance to the Commemoratice Centre will be from the No 17 gable, while the Moore St facade of the terrace and interiors will be restored to their 1916 condition. Mr Deenihan made no alteration to long-standing plans to demolish Nos 18 (the short lease Paris Bakery) and 19 to allow for a new Moore St/O’Connell St connecting road.

Terry Allen of the National Monuments Service said the preserved four house unit would stand alone from the retail development. The interiors of the four were in good condition and were "largely intact and as they were in 1916".

The minister’s decison was welcomed by Chartered Lands, who termed it “fair and balanced” and the result of a “painstaking process”.