Madam, - I write concerning the proposed demolition of 16 Moore Street - the last headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising.
The Assistant City Manager, Mr Sean Carey, is reported as holding the view that the building was "of limited historical importance". I would have thought that demolition should be an option only in the event of a building having no historical importance. One wonders what the great cities of Europe would look like today were officials let loose on them to quantify the importance of their historical buildings in terms of conservation.
16 Moore Street is worthy of preservation for anyone with a proper sense of history. It is the last meeting place of the leaders of the event in our history, which led directly to our Independence, prior to their surrender and subsequently execution by firing squad.
It is, of course, shameful that it has been ignored for so long apart from the placing of a plaque on the wall, which can only be read, if one happens to wander the streets with a stepladder in tow!
Mr Carey suggests a visitor facility in the GPO would be more appropriate. I suggest the men and women of 1916 deserve more than a visitor facility. In any other country the GPO would have become a Museum to the Republic with sentries in attendance and a ceremonial lowering of the national flag each day.
Hopefully our elected representatives will on this occasion do the right thing and Moore Street as a result might in the fugure be looked upon as something more than the location of a second-rate fruit market. - Yours, etc.,
JAMES CONNOLLY-HERON, Oxford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.