Belfast City Council votes with Derry & Strabane to 'Save Moore Street' as Lynn Boylan MEP lobbies Council of Europe

THE Save Moore Street campaign has won the backing of Belfast City Council, joining councils in Derry and Strabane in appealing to the Irish Government to protect the historic 1916 Rising site from a commercial shopping centre development.

The issue was also put on the on the EU Parliament agenda again yesterday by Sinn Féin Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan ahead of her meeting with the EU Council on Tuesday.

Derry & Strabane Council last week passed a motion co-sponsored by Sinn Féin Councillor Colly Kelly calling for the group of historic buildings relating to the 1916 Easter Rebellion are “fully protected” ahead of the centenary commemorations.

Sinn Féin Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile (pictured) welcomed Monday night’s vote at Belfast City Council supporting his motion on the Save Moore Street campaign, saying he was heartened by the broadly mature and respectful tone of the night’s debate.

“That is encouraging as we head further into the Decade of Centenaries and I hope it can prevail,” the Short Strand councillor and former Mayor said.

“The historic, cultural and political significance of Moore Street is truly massive. Increasingly, right across Ireland, more and more voices are raising their concerns about the utter contempt with which the Government is treating the national monument and the very real economic benefits that the development of Moore Street provides to the island as a whole.”

“It is only right and proper that the citizens of Belfast have tonight added their voices to all of those campaign to save Moore Street,” he said, in acknowledgement of the role played in the Rising by people from Belfast.

The motion that was passed by Belfast City Council 24 in favour, 18 against reads:

“This Council calls on the Irish Government Minister for Heritage Heather Humphreys TD to intervene immediately to halt the current works on the historic Moore Street 1916 terrace which involve the virtual destruction of Number 18, the inappropriate encroachment on the National Monument 14-17 and the potential demolition of the remaining buildings on the terrace (10-25), based on the plan of the previous developer Chartered Land.

“It was on this site that the leaders of the 1916 Rising – including Belfast native Winifred Carney who typed up the surrender order while embedded in Moore Street – made their last stand.

“As Belfast City Council, the Irish and British Governments and cities and countries all over the world prepare to formally mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, the retention of Moore Street has drawn much interest and attention from various quarters, including community groups, artists, actors, poets, writers, political parties, historians and many ordinary citizens.

“We call on the Minister to work with the 1916 relatives and all relevant stakeholders to implement a new plan which would conserve and develop the terrace 10-25 and create an historic 1916 quarter, and not allow such shameful destruction in the centenary of the Easter Rising to continue.”

In Strasbourg, Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan is again meeting with Ms Claudia Luciani, Director of Democratic Governance from the Council of Europe, to discuss the Save Moore Street campaign. This time the Irish Ambassador, Peter Gunning, will be with Lynn.

The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organisation whose stated goal is to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law in its 47 member states.

Ahead of the meeting, Lynn (pictured speaking at last Sunday’s Moore Street rally) said:

“More than a year after our initial meeting on the issue with the Council of Europe, we are now finally in a position to discuss our concerns with the Irish Ambassador.

“During the meeting I will seek to discuss any obligations Ireland may have, as a signatory to the Council of Europe Convention for Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe, to protect Moore Street from commercial development.

“14-17 Moore Street has been deemed a National Monument since 2007 and there is a tangible worry that a key element of our historical heritage of unique historical and educational value could be lost at the behest of property developers.”

The Dublin MEP added:

“Under international conventions, the Irish Government is obliged to take into account the cultural and historical context of the protected structures. Under the current plans, this is clearly not being adhered to and I will be making that case to the Council of Europe.

“I and many others believe that it would be a great shame to deprive future generations of such a powerful and vital site of history.

“This situation is now urgent with the relatives’ court case against the Government plans pending on 9 February.”