The O'Rahilly House Illegally Demolished At Sunrise

Sinn Féin Dublin City Councillors have described the demolition at dawn this morning of the O’Rahilly home, 40 Herbert Park, as an act of corporate vandalism and against the law.

In a joint statement Councillor Daniel Céitinn and Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha, deputy leader of the Sinn Féin group and Chair of the Council’s Commemoration Committee, said:

“The historic home of 1916 leader The O’Rahilly, 40 Herbert Park, was demolished at dawn this morning. This is a shameful act of corporate vandalism against our history and heritage.

“It is also against the law. At its September monthly meeting Dublin City Council voted unanimously to add the house to the list of protected structures. The process under planning legislation has already begun and Dublin City Council Chief Executive Owen Keegan has confirmed to us that he had written to the developers McSharry-Kennedy to inform them. Despite this the developers have now gone ahead and destroyed this most historic house.

“We have also been informed by Owen Keegan that, as in the case of Hammerson in Moore Street, the developers refused permission to the Council to enter the building to assess it.

“This is not the end of the matter. We will demand that legal action be taken against the developer by the Council and that this house he restored.”

Not only was this demolition illegal, as the property had been listed as a protected structure by Dublin City Council, but the process that brought us to this situation is simply undemocratic. Prior to listing the property as a protected structure, Dublin City Councillors voted against its demolition, citing local authority plans that encouraged the retention of periodic buildings, particularly those with significance. The home of Irish patriot and 1916 martyr, The O'Rahilly, surely meets the criteria of being a significant building.

The building may be reduced to rubble, but this situation has the potential to be a reference point for years to come, on how Ireland is becoming more and more of a bureaucracy. Unelected, faceless, men in suits had more authority than the democratically elected representatives of the city of Dublin, who voted to protect this building. Yet with the stroke of a pen, bureaucrats in An Bord Pleanála, decided to completely disregard the democratic will of the people, and approve the demolition of this historic building.

While I am sure that Councillors Céitinn and Mac Donncha will pursue justice for this demolition, the truth is that MacSharry will likely get a slap on the rist and a miniscule fine, which will work out far cheaper than the costs of maintaining a protected structure.

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