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Work commencing on Moore St 1916 Commemorative Centre – Minister Humphreys

Restored buildings will bring us back to final hours of 1916 Rising

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (Tuesday) announced that work is getting underway on the development of a new Commemorative Centre at Nos 14-17 Moore Street. No 16 Moore St was the final headquarters of the 1916 Leaders before they surrendered.

It follows the Government decision earlier this year to acquire the Dublin city centre buildings. The purchase of the buildings has been completed, paving the way for major conservation and restoration work to take place, and for the development of the Commemorative Centre. Nos 14-17 were declared a National Monument in 2007.

Speaking today Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to see this project moving ahead. The National Monument at Nos 14-17 Moore Street has such special historical significance in the context of the Easter Rising. This project is a very important element of the Government’s plans for the 1916 centenary commemorations.

“Work will now get underway to conserve and secure the National Monument. This delicate work will allow us to restore the buildings, bringing them back to their 1916 condition. Once completed, the new Commemorative Centre will act as a lasting tribute to the 1916 Leaders, allowing people to step back in time to the dramatic final moments of the Rising.

“It’s expected the restoration project will be completed in the centenary year. I am conscious that there will be considerable interest in Moore St next year, so it is planned to allow access to the site for a commemorative event during April 2016, to coincide with Ireland 2016, the official State programme to mark the centenary of the Rising.

“The Moore St Commemorative Centre will be just a few minutes’ walk from the new major visitor centre being developed at the GPO. It will be a fantastic addition to Dublin’s historical map, and should attract considerable visitor numbers.

“The Government’s decision to acquire and preserve these buildings recognises the historical importance of Nos 14 -17 Moore St in our nation’s history and will ensure that the long-term future of this historical landmark will be preserved and safeguarded.

“The conservation work will reveal the period architectural detail, the living conditions and, above all, the imprint of the insurgency. The primary focus of the work is to reveal the buildings as they were during the Rising, allowing them to illuminate that period in our history.

“My Department is continuing to work in consultation with 1916 relatives on the content of the Commemorative Centre. I have also met with representatives of the Moore Street Traders, who are in favour of the development and who we will continue to work with in the months ahead.”

Notes to Editors:

The works that will take place over the coming months have gone through an Environmental Impact Assessment and a formal consent process under the National Monuments Acts, following their approval by An Bord Pleanála in 2010. The project involves underpinning and stabilisation of Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17. It will also preserve and re-instate the interiors as they were in 1916.

The contract for the work has been awarded to Dublin based Lissadell Construction Ltd, which specialises in heritage and conservation work. The restoration of Kilmainham Courthouse for the Office of Public Works as part of the visitor experience at Kilmainham Gaol is among Lissadell’s recent projects.

Work on the project will be overseen by an Interagency Steering Committee consisting of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the National Monuments Service, the Office of Public Works, the National Archives, the National Museum and Dublin City Council.

The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, led by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, T.D., is a year-long programme of activity to commemorate the events of the 1916 Rising, to reflect on our achievements over the last 100 years and to look towards Ireland’s future. www.ireland.ie