O’ Connell Street, Dublin
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It was a relief to see that there was somewhat minimal damage done , considering it was vitually a war zone. The council have to be commended for doing a great job cleaning up the street. With the works nearing completion O’Connell Street looks really wonderful. What a great makeover. To best view the revamp is to take a bus ride up the street, top deck, sitting up the front.
The scenes on Saturday should never ever be repeated again. St Patricks Day should be the test. It was only mere youths/juveniles, mainly from the locality (from an impoverished background, mentally and materially) that caused the havoc. I heard no northern accents among the crowd. The gardai were terrible at handling the situation. More law and order please, especially when ill reared thuggish children are involved.I think the Gaurds were in a tough situation here given the background or ‘robogaurd’ (a situation where another gaurd had a plastic bag of urine thrown upon them) and their perceived handling of street protests.
I however think that there has been a shift in attitudes on civil disturbance; whilst most have little problem with once off marches or even regular inconveniences such as ‘Critical Mass’ stopping traffic most would have little problem with a more pragmatic approach to ‘Civil Commotion’ which this was.
I personally like the French system where the local police will advise that the CRS are en route and that to still be present puts you outside the normal civil protections.
I too am glad that the damage was mostly cosmetic and or will be picked up bny insurance companies in respect of the private premises.
I think the Garda on the ground did a great job in many ways .. all in all it could have been a total disaster with orange marchers injured or worse, or people killed either by the rioters or the gardai. Its obviousl that they completely under-estimated the gouger factor in this city, especially the scum that poured out of the pubs on O’Connell St.
The Garda Helicopter was grounded..do we only have 1 garda helicopter? Or was this a joke.
No water cannons either..why were they so poorly supplied? Obviously a complete lack of intelligence gathering. Maybe they were afraid to antagonise the Orange Order.
I don’t think it will happen again on this scale to be honest they should have learned their lesson.. however if 500 gardai can wait around Air Force One in Shannon, then surely double that can be deployed on St. Patricks Day.Reading the Riot Act……Thomond Park roared: I personally like the French system where the local police will advise that the CRS are en route and that to still be present puts you outside the normal civil protections.
Yes a somewhat untypically simple Gallic practice which I observed put to good use along the entrance to the Pont D`alma during the 2004 July 14th Defilè and later Fireworks..
Put simply the crowd had grown to such an extent that the local Police were having difficulty keeping the roadway clear for emergency vehicles et al..
After some 30 minutes of fruitless pleading and cajoling the Officer in Charge proceded to grab a Tannoy and make a very rapid-fire announcement in French..
First thing I noticed was a subtle change in the demeanour of many folks who slowly but very markedly began to move back leaving a smaller number still lying about the disputed kerbside..most non-french speaking I suspect and at least one strong Parisian Civil Liberterian minded Lady,who along with a worried looking gentleman stood her ground arguing with Le Flic on the merits or demerits of his earlier request.
Luckily I was in the company of a friend who works for Paris Bus (RATP) who translated the Tannoybabble loosely for me as ….!.C`mon,let`s get the fcuk outa here”.
Essentially the Flic had announced that his patience had expired and no further pleas would be forthcoming on the issue.
He was giving formal notice that he had handed over operational responsibility to the OC of the CRS unit on duty…
The subsequent arrival of the CRS unit was equally impressive as 3 Renault buses along with several support vehicles,including a mobile KITCHEN pulled up to disgorge about 60 of the surliest looking young men one could wish for.
We watched from a safe spot as the CRS deployed very efficiently and began to establish a clear line along the kerb,which by now had largely self-cleared anyway as the literal meaning of the initials CRS began to be translated to the few remaining sitters.
Nothing actually happened but the entire tableau was fascinating to observe ……There was not any pretence or attempt at portraying themselves as “Community Police”.
They were simply there to perform a specific function and this did not extend to posing with American Tourists or giving directions,something I discovered later that night when I asked one such fellow for directions to my hotel…”Sir,sez he,(In excellent English) My function here is Security,I suggest you consult a concierge or hail a taxi” Bon Nuit !!!!
I just love the sang froid with which this was all carried out….whereas we place this multifaceted burden on our Gardai to be Bertiemen..ie “All tings to all men” and as a result have become nuttin to nobody…(??)
One other interesting little observation re the Sat Game in Dublin was the role of the Garda Aerial wing…while it is true to say the Rotary Element was not on station,I personally saw the fixed wing (and equally effective) Pilatus defender aircraft circling the City Centre area quite early in the proceedings.
Perhaps the most thought provoking response to the entire thing came from Fr Peter McVerry (a walking Saint to many) who is of the firm belief that this trouble is largely the result of the City Gardai failing to show enough “Respect” to the youthful denizens of the Inner City proper…This in turn leads us off into the enchanted forest of when and where does respect become something which is earned or deserved rather than Expected…..
Me….? I`m still trying to perfect the Marlon Brando method of saying the word…Respect…..Respect…..Respect.
Vote George Galloway..!!!!! 😮Alek,
I agree a time and a place should be the rule of thumb; the Gardai are often overstretched in the number of roles they are expected to perform.
Are there any timescales on delivery of the Kiosks?
Two men to appear in court on riot charges
From:ireland.com
Friday, 3rd March, 2006Two men are to appear in court this morning on charges relating to the Dublin riots last Saturday.
The men, one in his 30s and the other inhis 20s, were arrested in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, yesterday.
The are scheduled to appear in Dublin’s Dictrict Court at 10.30 a.m. this morning
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From Eircom
Question :
Has anyone noticed that the new level of the street for O Connoll street is quite a bit higher (on the GPO side) when you get near Parnell street ?
There is a big drop (with tarmac used to bridge the 1/2 metre drop) and I was just wondering was that kind of drop meant to be there ? I always though the street was more or less flat.
strangely after reading about the crs, i got an email from the defence forces looking for the dimensions of o’connell street…
It is obvious that the defence forces will be called into play at some stage in this area and looking at the rte story below that could be sooner rather than later…
Two charged over Dublin disturbances
03 March 2006 14:13
Two men have appeared at Dublin District Court charged with a public order offence following last Saturday’s riots in Dublin.25-year-old Thomas Morley and 38-year-old John Saunders, both with an address at Galway Road in Kinnegad in Co Westmeath, were arrested in Mullingar yesterday afternoon.
Detective Garda Fergal O’Flaherty told the court both men were taken to Mountjoy Garda Station for questioning, before appearing in court today.
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Both are unemployed and were granted legal aid. They have been remanded in custody with consent to bail.
The latest arrests bring to 42 the number of people detained following the disturbances.
The violence erupted in several parts of the city centre on Saturday afternoon as a loyalist parade commemorating the victims of republican violence was about to get under way.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Love Ulster Parade have said they hoped to return to the capital city.
They said they wanted a number of assurances from the Irish Government that there would not be a repeat of the violence which erupted in the city, and which they blamed on thugs from a republican element.
Willie Frazer, one of the organisers of the rally said, ‘We would like to go back as soon as possible. But there’s a lot of questions that are going to have to be answered by members of the D
It would be some ugly sight if the Defence Forces had to rail road this parade down O Connell Street.
Why dont they change it from a Saturday to Sunday and save the shopkeeps millions ? WHY ? BECAUSE THEY ARE PROTESTANT FUNDAMENTALISTS WHO WONT MARCH ON A SUNDAY !!
That is incorrect the most contentious marches in NI have always been in Portadown on a Sunday; whatever you think about them it is a lot worse for them to use last Saturdays riot by homegrown trailor trash as an excuse to stall things east of the Bann. I say let them march and witness the pure apathy towards them from the silent majority of Dubliners
Yea…bring them on….I still think the St Patricks Day Parade is in dire need of an injection of……well…something….
The entire “Creative and Performing Arts” thing has run its course and then some.
For example if we take a look back at old photo coverage of Past Pats Day parades it reveals much about the Country at that time….Like the rings on a tree.
Nothing stirs my blood like the sight of bonneted Leyland Hippo`s or even an oul Spa Road built bus or two doing the honours in the parade..With the CIE Information Kiosk just visible in the background….(Hmmm…Badly needed thinks me)Since the inception of the “Arty” parade,I have lost any real interest in it as a spectacle but thats only a personal thing.
I always felt somewhat bemused at the strength of purpose some folks displayed in attempting to bring a flavour of Rio at carnival time to O Connell St in mid-March but I suppose if it floats one`s currach then its O Donnell Abù to U2.Although…….Kinnegad…Hmmmmm…..Bet its a while since they had a right good Main Streeter with a reviewing stand outside Harry`s..wonder if Willie Frazer could be persuaded to bring his show on Tour…
Think of the possibilities…..”Billys Boys do Borris-in-Ossory”……”Orange County Choppers come to Oulart”……”Lambeggin in Limerick”…..”Wrap yer sash round Salthill”
As Mel Brooks proved with Springtime for Hitler….The show must go On !!!! 🙂The wraps are off the GPO and it looks magnificent. Some last minute touched are required such as reinstaing the two lanterns and (hopefully) giving the bollards out front a lick of paint. Otherwise the building has been well worth the wait and is ready in time for the Parade. One point: there doesnt seem to be any floodlighting in place and I wonder if this feature has been dropped.
Elsewhere work on the street is flying along. Large sections of the pavement are complete and lamposts and trees are being installed in Upper OCSt today. I imagine the median will be cleared and ready for the 17th as well as sections of the footpath and the rest will be completed in the month folloiwng. I think well see a fully finished street by April!
any pics of the GPO ?? I cant wait to see the entire street finished !
Can someone clarify what the authorities are going to do with the .5 meter height difference on the top of O Connoll street with the new paving and the old. Its on the GPO side.
As far as I can make out Maskhadov it is to account for the rather undulating nature of this part of the street. One thing we tend not to consider with all this repaving is that all premises’ entrance floors must be flush and level with the exterior paving, which appears to be something of a problem here, on what is the oldest part of the street.
As Stephen mentioned, the most famous building in Ireland has finally been unveiled after months of being shrouded in scaffolding and mesh.
The General Post Office in all its bombastic glory looks simply spectacular 🙂
A certain lightness of touch and finesse in the design has emerged post-cleaning in spite of the general heavy weight of the architecture. The crisp detailed frieze and column fluting lends the building a certain delicacy that helps lighten the load, generating that classic Regency contrast between bold lines and elegant decoration.
It took many painstaking hours to restore the frieze to its former glory, especially as the contractors were forced to dress in period costume in accordance with an ancient stipulation laid down by Johnston when he went a bit mad towards the end:
😀
The bone white Portland stone with patches of gold in places has a luxurious quality…
…especially sited next to the glittering rough granite of the flanking walls and lower rustication which features the odd beautiful rusty brick which wasn’t evident previously, and most of which is the original 1818 stone. It is now very easy to spot the 1924-29 replacement blocks, especially on Henry Street.
The ceiling of the portico looks stunning in fresh cream paint – all of the key scrolling is still very evident in spite of the absence of the former contrasting colours:
Ranks and ranks of outdoor electrical sockets have been installed all of the way along up there – presumably for Christmas decorations. There’s also other boxes perhaps intended for floodlighting. As yet there are no floods anywhere on the building. The big bronze lanterns over the central windows have also to be reinstalled, as well as the central clock.
Pity they weren’t painted cream too. You can also see discreet new brackets there to be used for suspending banners between the columns.
The strange plaques that possibly used to be clocks (displaying times in different parts of the country?) look great now that they’ve been cleaned and painted a vivid blue:
Every little detail of the building has received attention – the doors in particular look wonderful re-stained a deep brown and all of their brass hardware highly polished, from the magnificent handles to the tiny little rosettes to the flanking signs – all carefully treated:
Also the overdoor bronze plaques:
And not forgetting those perched 50 feet above the street, all of the statues have received treatment too.
Fidelity:
Mercury:
And of course the grand old lady herself:
The gilded features are a nice touch, perhaps a 1920s innovation…
Top marks to An Post and contractors, a job exceedingly well done – detailed, thorough and sensitive – and in a fairly short space of time too. Coupled with the comprehensive interior works, it’s a timely project coinciding with the completion of the public domain outside. The icing on the cake would be a commitment to maintenance – keeping the external brassware in good an order as the interior brass detailing on the counter screens (which always looks great), repainting every few years where necessary, regular replacing of floodlighting bulbs when they eventually come on stream, and upkeep of the bases of the columns and bollards which can get very dirty.
If there is one thing that is perhaps still left to be dealt with, it is the vacant space in the pediment who’s barefaced blocks do not sit well with the decorous nature of the portico below. Maybe a new piece could be commissioned for 2016 in place for the former Royal Coat of Arms?
To have the building looking so good really does the Plaza justice, and vice versa. The mellowed stone adds a real warmth and texture to the space in the evenings too:
Finally having the GPO back again is wonderful; O’Connell Street felt so empty without it. It is such a strong building, holding a reassuring, almost protective presence in the heart of the city that is impossible to imagine Dublin without it.
@Graham Hickey wrote:
As Stephen mentioned, the most famous building in Ireland has finally been unveiled after months of being shrouded in scaffolding and mesh.
The General Post Office in all its bombastic glory looks simply spectacular 🙂Excellent photos Graham. The building looks great.
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