Save Moore Street from Demolition

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Save Moore Street from Demolition

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Part of the broad campaign to save Moore Street from speculators and to retain the historic revolutionary quarter and historic street market.

This page is part of the broad campaign to save Moore Street from the property speculator Hammerson's plan to demolish part of the terrace occupied by the GPO garrison and threatening the last remaining street of a market quarter dating back to the 16th Century. In the last days of the Easter Rising, between 200-300 fighters of the Irish Volunteers, Irish Citizen Army and including three women (the others having left shortly before to take the wounded to hospital), occupied the terrace, tunnelling from house to house. Volunteers died in the street and surrounding laneways. Sadly the speculator's plan was approved in part by the Irish Government (with some conditions) but we do not accept that. The general campaign is non-party political and includes the National Graves Association, 1916 Relatives Association, Save Moore St. Campaign as well as our group. Through raising public awareness and lobbying, the broad campaign seeks the refusal of the Chartered Land plan and instead, the development of the entire terrace and lanes as a historic quarter, retaining the street market. Our part of the campaign, Save Moore Street from Demolition, concentrates on raising awareness through presenting an information table in Moore street every Saturday, distributing leaflets, maintaining an on-line petition along with publicity and organising some public events. We will remove any material from our pages that we consider to be libellous, homophobic, sexist, racist or otherwise offensive, as well as purely commercial advertisements.

01/11/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 31 October 2026 Wk 632

DAOINE
B’iad Bróna, Orla, Deirdre agus Diarmuid our street team for our group’s 632nd Saturday on the cobbles.

As we were setting up, Phil Watkins, a friend of Bróna’s dropped by to meet her. Her grandfather and Bróna’s were both out with the Irish Volunteers in the 1916 Rising but also, Moore Street has always been a place for people to meet.

Our on-line petition has been gathering signatures during recent weeks and today alone we had collected 14 at the time of writing this report. Online signatures are verifiably one-off only and their growth can be traced on line at https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/save-moore-street Our online target is 3,000 by end of year and you can help us reach that by encouraging friends and relations to sign.

DCC’s Sanitation Department workers, who go up and down Moore Street cleaning it several times a day and also go out to clean their area of the city, are expecting to go out on strike again and we wished them well. Many thought they should have stayed on strike for several days to ensure the Government knew they were serious and if they strike again they will probably do that.

We remember that the Irish Citizen Army, a workers’ defence militia and their revolutionary socialist leader James Connolly, not only took part in the struggles of the 1913 Lockout and the 1916 Rising, but that Connolly himself and a number of the ICA spent their last hours of freedom in Moore Street before the surrender there.

AIMSIR
Bhí sé TE go leor agus grianmhar during the whole time were there. Weather is always an important factor in an open-air street market.

UASDHÁTÚ
The street looked a bit more like an actual street market today with a musician playing and a face-painting stall in addition to some stalls for craft and a hot food stall. Our preference would be the whole market street managed by Dublin City Council but it is good to see the Raw Markets company advertising for more craft stalls (see photo of their poster) and hopefully craft stalls will be offered attractive terms to ensure a healthy take-up.

Though we still have no date for the High Court Review of An Bord Pleanála’s dismissal of objections to the Hammerson Plan for Moore Street there is a little update from the Government regarding the GPO – they have called for bids to develop 1st and 2nd floors on the Princes Street side. They posted that “A primary objective of the ‘Telegraph Project' is to provide vibrant, community-centred and culturally-focused activity within the Princes Street North wing of the GPO Complex”.

This is “an initiative, led by the Office of Public Works, to make parts of the General Post Office publicly accessible while plans for the future redevelopment of the GPO complex are progressed.” Yes, but what is in those plans? We are still awaiting the specific details of what the Government intends with the iconic building that was the Headquarters of our 1916 Rising. https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-public-works/campaigns/gpo-complex-open-call-for-meanwhile-use/

29/10/2026

Co-founder of our campaign group and street team member Diarmuid gives a brief explanation of the importance of the conservation campaign in this brief interview by Aontacht Media some weeks ago.

24/10/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 24 October 2026 Wk 631

AIMSIR
Bhí sé stoirmiúil – gaofar agus ina bháisteach uaireannta – but we stuck it out.

We couldn’t use the side door recess of the catering equipment warehouse for shelter for our table because they had installed shutters there.

DAOINE
Bróna, Orla, Eileen agus Diarmuid were our foireann sráide on week 631 of our campaign table.

We met a number of people with strong past connections to Moore Street. The first was Phillip Storey of Storey’s Leather Goods shop which left Moore Street in 1981, selling belts, bags, school satchels etc. Phillip posed for a solidarity portrait with Alison Ennis.

Shortly after that, Katie Gibbons reminded us that 10 years ago she had taken part in the occupation of Moore Street buildings to prevent demolition (January 2016 – it was followed by a blockade of six weeks). Katie also posed for a solidarity portrait and pulled Masie out of her buggy to have her in the photo. (We blur children’s faces in our photos but if Katie contacts us we can send her an unblurred copy). Jack Kelly was with Katie and Masie.

A crowd, perhaps all family, came over to sign the petition and we told them some of the history and about the location of the O’Rahilly Monument.

Considering the weather, we were fortunate to receive a number of petition signatures – some hard copy and eight for our online petition. We are aiming to reach 3,000 online before the end of this year and we can do that – with your help. https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/save-moore-street

UASDHÁTÚ
Only a few traditional fruit and veg stalls on the street and only three of Raw Markets stalls, two of crafts and one of hot food, Brazillian churros.

We have no updates on the High Court review case regarding Moore Street nor on the specific Government plans for the General Post Office building.

18/10/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 17 October 2026 Wk 630

AIMSIR
Despite the cold start to the morning, bhí sé te as we set up for our 630th week on Moore Street.

DAOINE
Bhí lán foirne sráide againn on the day: Bróna, Orla, Deirdre, Eileen agus Diarmuid.

Many came to sign our petition and 14 signed online, boosting us up to 2,513! This is the best kind of signature for us since every signature is verifiable and their rising can be tracked online at https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/save-moore-street . CAN WE REACH 3,000 BY YEAR’S END?

A man who came by our campaign table to sign our petition informed us he was Billy Morton’s grandnephew and told us a few stories. Businessman Billy Morton raised funds to have ‘Santry Stadium’ (officially Morton Stadium) built and opened in 1958. The stadium famously hosted historic world-record runs, including Herb Elliott’s 1958 mile record. It has 8,800 total capacity (including 800 seated in a single covered stand, plus open terracing). Thousands of kids and young people have trained there and it is the home training ground for Clonliffe Harriers (Shamrock Rovers used it years ago too).

Last Wednesday public service workers were on strike for a living wage and Diarmuid took a photo of some of the Sanitation Department picketers, joining them for a while in solidarity (see photo). Those workers are part of what were called ‘the frontline workers’ during the Covid epidemic; they clean Moore Street several times a day and in general keep Dublin streets clean. The city centre was full of overflowing litter bins and rubbish on the street from just one day of their strike.

UASDHÁTÚ
There were four stalls under Raw Markets company management on the street (one more than there were last week): three of crafts and one of hot food (churros). While an improvement, many more are needed to create the atmosphere of a lively market.

We have no date for the High Court Review hearing.

Nor any update on the specific plans for the GPO.

12/10/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 10 October 2026 Wk 629

DAOINE
Bróna, Orla, Deirdre agus Diarmuid were the foireann sráide for the day, though Bróna and Deirdre departed early to attend a historical event.

As usual people from Dublin and different parts of Ireland and the world came to sign our petition and to ask us how the campaign is going.

A large Palestine solidarity march was scheduled to start 1pm from the Garden of Remembrance but unusually not many of them passed through Moore Street on their way there. However Aisling and Tony up from Wexford came to say hello and stand with us for a while.

Michael Smith came to our table to support us, in the course of which he talked about his 2018 biography ‘On The Mitch’ about some very hard years in his life.

Elizabeth Brennan with her son told us she had been employed at Synott’s butcher’s shop in Moore Street. She was happy to pose for a solidarity portrait and wanted her son in the photo.

Aisling and her daughter Grace came by and posed for a solidarity portrait. Aisling is a daughter of Eileen (comhgháirdeachas to Eileen on her time of 28.3 in the Gaelathon) who is often one of our street team and younger sister of Daniel, who was the first of the family on our team but died tragically of a heart attack three years ago this coming December.

Teams of Uisce Éireann were on the street after a water main was fractured by another utility’s work. Uisce Éireann is now a state company in charge of water supply and waste water management, after it was split off from Irish Water, a company planning direct charges on domestic and industrial users in addition to water supply being paid through two indirect tax charges and this, in addition to fears of privatisation, had been opposed by widespread direct action including one demonstration in Dublin recorded as numbering 100,000. Uisce Éireann is now funded centrally by the Irish State.

As usual, workers of Dublin City Council’s sanitation department went regularly cleaning up and down the street – some of the frontline workers we recall that never stopped working during Covid. We hear that they will be on strike soon with other public service workers as wage levels have not kept pace with the cost of living rising over the years. Some of the Volunteers who fought in Moore Street in 1916 along with their leader James Connolly were members of the Irish Citizen Army, formed in 1913 to defend the striking and locked-out workers from police attacks.

After we had packed all the table contents away, a young man from San Salvador came up to us and asked to sign so we got out a petition sheet and a leaflet for him and wished him gracias/ go raibh maith agat for his support.

AIMSIR
Bhí sé cuíosach fuar agus a few showers hit us, so that some posters and the flags got wet; Orla took them home with her to wash (the flags, not the posters :-)).

UASDHÁTÚ
The private Moore Street market company, Raw Markets had some banners up along part of the street which did make the market look somewhat more lively. However, they had only three stalls on the street, one of hot food and two of crafts.

We have no update on a date for High Court review of ABP turning down appeals against the Hammerson plan.

No update either on the Government’s specific plans for the iconic GPO building.

09/10/2026

On Saturday 26 September, Paul Kelly on a visit to Dublin came by with his daughter to our stall and talked about his antecedent Vol. James Willis, IRA, executed by the Irish State during the Civil War.

Ciara from Aontacht Media was there to interview Diarmuid about the campaign and took the opportunity to interview two interested passerby.

04/10/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 3 October 2026 Wk 628

DAOINE
We had lots of young people approaching our campaign table today, asking about the threat to the street market and history; this is great as the youth are the future of Ireland.

We were kept busy enough at times but slack at others and only increased petition signatures using our QR at the table by four signatures. We would really like to reach 3,000 online by the end of this year.

Bróna, Orla agus Diarmuid were our foireann sráide on Saturday.

Among the people who talked to us was the daughter of a woman who did the accounts for a butcher’s in Moore Street and a Brazilian woman who pointed out that saving the street market and historical artefacts is not only to the benefit of Irish people but of all living in the Ireland. We could not agree more.

The manager of Raw Markets, the private firm that won the DCC contract to manage hot food, crafts etc. stalls, came to talk to us. He said that somebody was trying to destroy the market and had obtained their contract through freedom of information request and was circulating untrue claims about how much Raw Markets’ contract is for and that he will be getting his solicitor on to the people spreading these rumours.

Many things are being said on the street but all WE have said on the matter was in last week’s report, that addition to about six traditional fruit and veg stalls there were only six stalls under new private company Raw Markets management on the street which doesn’t do much to make the street look lively. Also that the company is rumoured to be well paid by DCC.

There WERE only six stalls under Raw Markets last week and there were even less this week. We have not seen the contract ourselves but we understand that the company is being well paid to manage and improve the market, which so far we have not seen.

Far from wanting to ‘close down’ the market, our group has fought for the market traders and for an extension of the market since our formation 12 years ago, both directly through our group (see our petition and leaflets for example) and through our participation in the Moore Street Market Expert Group set up by Dublin City Council. It was a result of recommendation of the Expert Group that other stalls came on to the street in addition to those selling fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers. We have always been clear that we want a lively thriving street market and appropriate historic commemoration features, both together, not one at the expense of the other.

AIMSIR
It was surprisingly warm and summery.

UASDHÁTÚ
We do not have a date for the High Court review on An Bord Pleanála rejecting the appeals against DCC accepting the Hammerson (property speculator) Plan.

We have yet to see the specific details of the Government’s plans for the GPO.

27/09/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 26 September 2026 Wk 627

DAOINE
Bróna, Deirdre agus Diarmuid were our initial street team on Saturday but Bróna and Deirdre left early to attend the unveiling of a plaque in to Harry Boland (Bróna’s granduncle) on the house in which he lived in Phibsboro.

Thereafter Ciara, who had attended to take photographs and record an interview for Aontacht media, doubled up with helping Diarmuid with the stall work. And also recorded some additional interviews with people who came to sign our petition.

While setting up earlier, Lorcán Collins came by with a walking history tour, greeted us and explained that the tour was fundraising for the Moore Street Preservation Trust. Many participants in the tour signed our petition both hard copy and online (which is the most effective for us as the number of signatories racks up on the Internet https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/save-moore-street).

Lorcán Collins is a history author and founder and long-time manager/ tour guide of the Easter Rising History tours. Unlike some other tour guides, whenever our stall has been present during his tour, he has always brought the group to our table and praised our long history of work.

The difference with some other history tour guides was underlined by a small one that went past without any reference to our group or to the campaign in general. A little later, two participants of his tour came to us to ask us where to find the O’Rahilly monument, since their tour guide didn’t know anything about it!

One of the signatories of our petition was Paul Kelly from Carlow with his daughter. Paul is a relative of Volunteer James Willis, who fought in the ranks of the Carlow anti-Treaty IRA, was captured and executed by the Free State Government in 1923. It is worth noting that the Free State Government, in order to enforce the Agreement with the British during the Civil War, officially executed many more IRA than had the British during the War of Independence and also kidnapped, tortured and killed many others). Paul Kelly and others organise commemorations of the memory of James Willis in Carlow.

UASDHÁTÚ
In addition to about six traditional fruit and veg stalls there were only six stalls under new private company Raw Management on the street which doesn’t do much to make the street look lively. Also apparently the company will only run ONE day a week, Saturday, for which it is rumoured they are being paid a big wad of money from DCC (we’ll update you with the figures when we get them).

Having the street look busy and lively helps the conservation campaign while running it down and keeping shopfronts empty (as Hammerson is doing with the 1916 Terrace) helps the speculator as it makes the street look not worth saving.

AIMSIR
Bhí sé te go leor, gaofar uaireanta but remained dry.

EILE
We still have no date for the High Court Review hearing on An Bord Pleanála dismissing the objections to the Hammerson Plan.

Nor yet an outlining of the specific Government’s plans for the GPO.

20/09/2026

Save Moore Street Awareness 19 September 2026 Wk 626
AIMSIR
Bhí sé beagán gaofar agus bhuail cith báistí muid ar feadh cúpla nóiméad so we had to put the plastic sheet over the table but not for long.

DAOINE
B’iad Bróna, Eileen agus Diarmuid our street team for the day.

We were busy enough talking to people about where the campaign is up to, explaining the importance of the site (to some who didn’t know) and where the threat to conservation comes from, along with the greater importance of signing the petition online more than on hardcopy sheets.

Some people signed online during the week and we collected 14 during our time there Saturday. Another five and we’ll be at 2,500, with 500 to go to reach our target of 3,000 by year’s end. https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/save-moore-street

A woman originally from Barcelona but living in Dublin for many years was sad to see how few of the stalls are now operating on the street. Supermarkets compete, stallholders get no running water or toilets, Hammerson’s agents deliberately close down shops, successful cafes and restaurants in the 1916 terrace and keep them empty, to make people think the street is not worth saving.

The city centre march protesting the high cost of living brought in some people through Moore Street and a number stopped to sign our petition (some on hardcopy, some on line).
We sold a number of campaign badges too.

Mary Tyrell spoke about her grandfather, Joe Reynolds, who was a communications runner for the GPO garrison during the 1916 Rising and lived in Kevin Street flats. She said they only learned of his past near the end of his life and recalled two men in gaberdine raincoat and trilbies coming into the house during the funeral, going to the bureau, removing and taking away a bunch of documents.
IRA removing incriminating documents? Special Branch Gardaí or Spooks collecting intelligence?

Martin Smith heard from his grandmother, Helen Gaffney from Rathfarnham about John McCabe-Gaffney who he thinks was with Pearse and is mentioned on a memorial. His grannie was going to take him to see the memorial but she died before she could do so.

Emma Mahon O’Grady told us of her parents Esther White and James O’Grady. The latter she said was a great-grandnephew of Vol. Elizabeth O’Farrell, one of the three women who occupied the central terrace of Moore Street with a couple hundred of the GPO garrison in 1916 and who bravely went out to negotiated the surrender, facing ri**es and machine guns to carry out her tasks.

UASDHÁTÚ
As they were advertising their presence today (see photo), we talked to the manager of Raw Marketing who have the new contract from DCC managing the new stalls (hot takeaway food, crafts etc.) on the street. We hope they will improve the appearance of the street market.

No date received yet for the High Court review of An Bord Pleanála disregarding objections to the Hammerson Plan for Moore Street.

No update received yet on the Government’s specific plans for the GPO.

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https://smsfd.ie/

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