Descendants of the Easter Rising rebels are angry that the removal of a promotional banner has caused damage to the historic Moore Street site in Dublin.
They want to know what steps were taken to ensure the work was carried out correctly.
Moore Street was where the rebels made their last stand and Patrick Pearse finally gave the order to surrender to prevent further loss of life.
Proinsias O Rathaille, the grandson of the O’Rahilly, who was shot off Moore Street, said Heritage Minister Heather Humphreys has questions to answer about the removal of the banner and the damage caused. He said in a statement:
Found by the High Court on 18/3/2016 by Judge Max Barrett, to be an unauthorised development by Minister Humphreys, the advertisement Banner erected and attached to the facades of Nos 14 to 17 Moore Street have been removed lately!
Any alterations or works associated with buildings designated as National Monuments require the consent of the Minister in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland whom have quoted that this last extant Battlefield is the most important Urban Battlefield in Europe, as did the British Imperial War Museum!
Relatives now are very anxious to establish whom or what agency carried out this removal and what advice did they receive and was the work supervised?
More importantly, is the issue of damage caused both by the erection and removal of this unauthorised Banner put in place on the Minister’s request!
The Minister and her Dept have already stated that the facades are fragile!
An independent survey is immediately needed!
The Relatives meanwhile have had their Architect survey the damage on the facades and his report is shocking.
This is some of Peter Pearson Evans, Conservation Architect, report: ” I can confirm at this junction, that very significant damage has been caused to Nos 14,15,16,17,and 13 Moore Street!
The damage must also be measured in the context, as any damage to a National Monument is a very serious matter, let alone a High Court Ruling by Judge Max Barrett on the 18/3/2016, whom personally walked and viewed the entire Battlefield site!
A very crude attempt has been made to mask the damage and the damage in certain areas is in my opinion not repairable.
The principle of fixing an advertising Banner to a National Monument, is in short beyond
comprehension.
At best it was a reckless, promotional stunt!
If an analogy were to be made, it would be exactly similar to pinning a large sheet of paper, with multiple pins to the painted surface, of a Caravaggio, Renoir, Degas or Rembrandt!”.
To add up successive Ministers are obliged to preserve and protect these buildings under The National Monument Preservation Order, No 1 of 2007!”
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Easter Rising descendants want answers over damage to historic Moore Street
