Gary Jones | Broadsheet.ie

‘sup?

Alan Caulfield and Seán O’Driscoll, in The Times of Ireland, report:

The state has promised to halt construction work on historic buildings on Moore Street linked to the 1916 Rising, pending a full hearing in two weeks.

At least 30 protesters have been occupying the crumbling red-brick terrace since Thursday, fearing that some of the buildings would be demolished after construction workers erected hoardings in front of numbers 13 to 19.

Numbers 14 to 17 have been designated national monuments and are to be turned into a museum and visitor attraction, but protesters are concerned about the possible demolition of adjoining buildings despite claims by Heather Humphreys, the arts and heritage minister, that they were not historically significant.

… James Connolly’s descendants have split over how much of the street should be protected, with each side accusing the other of failing to preserve the street’s unique history.

John Connolly, the trade union leader and rebel leader’s grandson, said that he fully backed the government’s designation of No 14 to No 17 Moore Street as national heritage sites and called for the protest to end.

…He added that there had been a split in the Save No 16 Moore Street committee, with seven members backing the government and six walking away.

His claim that there were absolute assurances from the government about preserving the interior of No 14 to No 17 Moore Street is contested by his cousin, James Connolly Heron, who is James Connolly’s great-grandson. Despite the split, he is still officially the recording secretary of the Save No 16 Moore Street committee.

…Mr Connolly Heron favours a plan to make the entire area behind the GPO an Easter Rising heritage area. He wants the government to buy up No 10 to No 18 Moore Street.