AIMSIR
It rained the whole time we were there but it was that soft very light summer rain for most of the time, the kind we don’t mind too much and some people actually like (and they would love in some dry parts of the world) so the street was reasonably busy, we got a lot of petition signatures and the stall-holders were selling fruit and vegetables (though their sales will be down from those on a sunny day).
DAOINE
Bhí Bróna, Orla, Daniel, Diarmuid agus Seán in our team today, with Steve coming by to help later.
As usual, we talked to a lot of people while also distributing leaflets and collecting signatures. An elderly Irish man, by his accent not from Dublin, was lamenting the destruction of his adopted city by property speculators.
A passing French couple asked what we were campaigning about and were very interested to hear some of the street’s story from Diarmuid and angry at the speculators’ plans. She’s working here and he was visiting. They posed for a solidarity portrait in front of our banner but we didn’t remember to jot down their names – ah, Diarmuid! C’est quoi le problème avec toi? As we often do, we sent them off to see the O’Rahilly Monument.
We also drew some attention to the absence of a signpost for the monument, missing now for approaching two months (it had only been erected a couple of weeks prior to its disappearance).
The father of an Indian family talking to Orla was shocked also at the speculator’s threat to the area and the family came over to sign.
Bróna met a whole load of her surname-sakes, who came over to sign.
Errol, a long-time supporter, came by — we hadn’t seen him for some time and were getting a bit worried about him. He went away and was soon back with fruit to give us, gratefully received.
And a guy tried to sell us and passers-by a good quality bicycle – we sent its recent owner feelings of sympathy. Perhaps that kind of crime, which hits ordinary working people, is low down the ladder of Garda priorities.
UPDATES
All who appealed the Hammerson planning permissions granted by DCC’s Planning Department to An Bord Pleanála have been sent a letter by the latter department informing them that they will not be granted an oral hearing (because the planning issue is not of enough local or historical importance, apparently). Of course, it is much more comfortable with making harmful decisions behind closed doors.
However, it seems the Cobblestone pub is saved (for the time being) since the property speculator involved there has now withdrawn their appeal against DCC’s refusal of planning permission. So that’s some good news for us on which to end this report.
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