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22nd March 2016 • Volume 23, Issue 10 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. EirCode: K67 P5W4. • Tel: 01 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie • www.northcountyleader.ie
Local Law Firm Achieves National Win The 1916 Relatives Group has secured a victory in the High Court and halted the destruction of the Moore Street battlefield site. The Relatives’ group was represented by Swords based solicitors, Hennessy Perrozzi, who described the decision as a ‘monumental day for Ireland’.
people like Jim Connolly Heron, and others who are mainly relatives of those involved in 1916, Number 16 Moore Street was where Padraig Pearse surrendered to the British Army. “In 2008, the Minister for Arts and Culture decided to make numbers 14 to 17 Moore Street, including number 16, a national monument. My clients’ position had always been that the entirety of Moore Street, as well as Moore Lane and Henry Place should be declared a Battlefield site. It is the last urban battlefield site in Europe and it should be saved, they repeatedly asked successive Ministers to consider this and each one refused, saying that it is not a
Pictured on Proclamation Day 2016 on 15th March are pupils of St Marnock's NS, Portmarnock, Ella Gleeson, Mark Lynagh, Naomi McCullough, Andrew Comeskey and Cian Bulger taking part in a school play as part of Proclamation Day 2016.
my clients wanted the area from the GPO to Moore Street to be declared a Battlefield Site and I set out why,” said Hennessy. The Minister, Heather Humphries came back and said it was a moot point, Speaking to the County Leader after the decision in but I asked her to look at the Interpretation Act favour of the relatives was made, John Hennessy of 2005. We pointed out that the decision taken by the Hennessy Perozzi Solicitors said, “This is a State regarding 14-17 Moore Street was unauthowonderful result for the Relatives’ Group, which rised and we sought clarification. The case went on took me by surprise. There were three for four weeks. There were 40 affidavits cases, including two planning decisions.” “This is one the most significant planning exchanged and we finally got the deciHennessy spoke about how his involvesion we were looking for,” said a decisions for national monuments in the ment in this landmark case came about. “I delighted Hennessy. was approached by the relatives’ group, history of the state on a par with the “The decision essentially found in particular Jim Connolly Heron, who is Wood Quay decision” completely in favour of my client,” he the great grandson of executed leader, battle site and that it doesn’t qualify as a said. “This is one the most significant planning James Connolly and a few other people decisions for national monuments in the history of national monument. involved in the Save Moore Street 1916 Hennessy continued, “I was approached the state on a par with the Wood Quay decision. campaign. This has been going on for John Hennessy when the political campaigned had failed The ramifications of this decision will be felt for years. Originally the State didn’t want to make any part of Moore Street, a national monu- and the legal angle was the only one left. I wrote a many years to come. From a purely legal point of ment. A lot of campaigning was carried out by letter last October to the Minister and set out that view, it has consequences for anyone who wants
By Patrick Finnegan
to challenge the State on its decisions. Secondly, it actually changes the face of Dublin city centre and makes history by changing the State’s original plan, which was to build a huge shopping centre here. In my view, it puts a completely different shape on what this area will look like in the future. It turns this type of planning decisions on it’s head. It’s an unbelievable and brilliant day for us all and I’m really proud to have been associated with it,” concluded an overjoyed Hennessy. The decision has also been welcomed by Sinn Fein, whose spokesperson said, “Sinn Fein welcomes the decision and regrets that it took a private citizen to force the state to listen to the call of the relatives of those who fought and died in the 1916 Rising and the supporters of the campaign to have the street and its environs protected and restored as a fitting tribute to the courageous men and women who took to those streets in Easter Week 1916.”
Major Road Hazard Needs To Be Addressed
Cllr Joe Newman is pictured with Montgorry resident, Jill Rousseau at the busy Malahide to Swords Road beside her home
Local councillor, Joe Newman (NP) has major concerns for the safety of residents living adjacent to a stretch of the Swords to Malahide Road at Montgorry, where traffic volumes have increased significantly in recent times. The hazardous area is directly opposite the entrance to Seamount View estate and the building of new houses is ongoing. Newman put in a motion to the County Council calling for the installation of traffic lights at this location, which he feels will have the dual purpose of slowing traffic down and allowing residents to access the main road, from both Seamount View and Montgorry. He is also calling for a proper and permanent footpath to be built as soon as possible, before the development of five new houses here goes ahead. He is calling for this to be a condition for the builder to put the footpath in place. “This is an extremely busy road and we need to look at how we can slow the traffic down for the safety of all. This is a major hazard that needs to be addressed as soon as possible,” said Newman. The County Leader spoke to Cllr Newman and one of the residents of Montgorry, Jill Rousseau, who feels the situation is very hazardous for her husband and three children aged nine, seven and six. Jill said, “The children have a very small verge to walk on from
the end of Milesian estate at the pedestrian lights to our house. This narrow pathway is made of clay and becomes mucky in wet weather. I have told them to press the pedestrian lights, even though they’re not crossing the road, simply to slow the traffic down, so that they can reach the entrance to our home in safety. This has caused motorists to shout at the children, because they did not cross the road. They are using the lights as a safety precaution for themselves,” she said. “I’m upset and terrified everyday about the safety of my children and I call them every day to find out if they got home safely. There is no safe way to get to Milesian, where they have to walk on the mucky path beside speeding traffic,including buses and lorries, or they cross this treacherous road to reach the traffic lights, to cross in safety. We need something here, be it pedestrian lights or anything that makes crossing the road safe for people living here and in the Montgorry Apartments, as well as for the new residents of Montgorry Oaks, when the development is completed,” she said. She was full of praise for the efforts of Cllr. Newman, when she said, “I am delighted to hear that Cllr Newman has taken our problem on board and has been proactive in highlighting our problem and bringing it to Council level,” she concluded