The campaign group was on Moore Street again on Saturday for only the second week this year (the normal weekly table having been off the street due to Covid19 transmission precautions).
An unusually hot sunshine beat down on the street, ag scoilteadh na gcarraigeacha as we say in Irish (or maybe splitting the cobblestones instead of the rocks in this case). Most passers-by seemed to be enjoying it but it was hot work for the few stall-holders that were there that day on the sunny side of the street, though they had the shade of their awnings to help.
On this Saturday a number of people turned up to help: Diarmuid, Seán, Ian, Kevin and Ian. Since the folding table could not be accessed, once the banner and flags were hoisted it was leafleting duty only and, by the end of the shift, the last leaflet had gone. Intermingled with the usual street market calls others could be heard, including: “Save our heritage! Don’t let speculators knock it down!” “A centuries-old street market and a 1916 battleground – don’t let speculators knock it down!” “There’s only one Moore Street – when it’s gone, it’s gone forever!”
Our team had to mostly stand in the sun, though there was some shade on the west side of the street and nobody regretted the prearranged finishing time being one half-hour earlier than usual. We hung the Save Moore Street 2016 banner on this occasion and the sun softened the plastic material so much that it was extremely difficult to roll up to pack away at the end.
Leafleters had a number of conversations with people about the campaign and the reasons for it and a small party including two visitors from Donegal were very interested. The others were shy but two of the lads, Ross Gordon and James Stewart, posed to have their photos taken by the banner.
THE O’RAHILLY MONUMENT – HOW MANY KNOW IT IS THERE?
We were able to direct some to the O’Rahilly Monument in the laneway that bears his name. The monument contains a magnified representation of the note the dying Volunteer officer wrote to his wife in that laneway. An important monument yet its location is unsignposted and hundreds of thousands pass nearby on a weekly basis, completely unaware of its existence.
We have been asking Dublin City Council repeatedly to erect signs pointing out its location and have been promised to do so by a succession of officers and Lord Mayors. But somehow this simple and inexpensive measure is never taken. One would almost think that it did not suit some people in the Council to draw too much attention to the history of the quarter, as it might incline even more people to oppose the demolition plans of the Hammerson property speculators.
We will be maintaining a Saturday stall and leafletting, reviewing the manner of our participation on a week-by-week basis as we take account of the changing situation with the pandemic and new variants, along with developments with the Hammerson applications.
As always, you can help by following our posts and sharing them from time to time, reaching the people that we cannot and that the mass media doesn’t try to.
Save Moore Street Awareness Week 355 – 17 July 2021
