The fate of Moore Street

Sir, – I was disappointed to discern a continuing lack of vision by the authorities for Moore Street in yesterday's Irish Times (Olivia Kelly, "Last Moore Street café may be turned into bookmakers", News, May 20th).

As a modern market area, a relic of old Dublin, and the locus for some of the fierce street-battles of 1916 that preceded our nation’s independence (Ireland’s greatest 20th-century achievement), it is a continuing shame that Moore Street, Henry Place and Moore Lane – streetways with so much potential, so worthy of preservation and yes, so needful of some sensitive modernisation – have become almost a byword for urban neglect. Despite the best efforts of protesters, a previous generation allowed the obliteration of the Wood Quay Viking settlement to proceed. It is to be hoped that a similar fate does not yet befall Moore Street, Henry Place and Moore Lane. As a sitting judge, I make no comment on the particular planning application that received mention in yesterday’s article. – Yours, etc,

MAX BARRETT,

Judge of the High Court ,

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Four Courts,

Dublin 7.