Former 1916 leader’s house demolished in Dublin

The OLD HOUSE of a rising leader from 1916 at Ballsbridge in Dublin has been demolished.

The property at 40 Herbert Park, which was once owned by The O’Rahilly, was razed by a company developing the site around 6.30am this morning.

The site and two adjoining addresses at 36 and 38 Herbert Park will be converted to 105 apartments and an aparthotel extension of Derryroe Limited, a company owned by the Kennedy and McSharry families.

The house was built in 1907 and O’Rahilly, the only 1916 leader who died in battle, was the first occupant of the property. His widow lived there until her death in the 1960s.

Earlier this month, An Bord Pleanála granted Derryroe permission to develop the site, despite objections from local residents, Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews, Dublin City Councilor Micheál Mac Donncha, the Alliance of Relatives 1916 and O’Rahilly’s grandson.

An architectural heritage report conducted on behalf of the company found that removing the home “would not represent a significant loss of architectural or historical fabric.”

O’Rahilly House demolished
In an act of rampant vandalism of our revolutionary heritage, the Herbert Park home of rising 1916 leader The O’Rahilly was demolished today, despite a preservation order.
The minister must act to force the developer to rebuild as it was. pic.twitter.com/V8FRhhtgsQ

– Aengus O Snodaigh TD (@aosnodaigh) September 29, 2020

Dublin city councilors passed a motion earlier this month to add the property to the Register of Protected Structures, which would have prevented its demolition.

However, it is unclear if this application was successful before the house was demolished this morning.

Speaking outside the Dáil today, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh described the demolition as an act of “pure senseless corporate vandalism.”

“The developers, who moved to the site and leveled the house this morning, tried to remove any trace of a house that played a very valuable role in Irish history,” he said.

“I think once again we are looking at what we saw in the 1970s and beyond: the sheer corporate greed that will destroy Irish history and heritage in this city if allowed to go unchecked.”