Save the Cobblestone March & Céilí To Take Place In Smithfield on Saturday

A protest to Save the Cobblestone pub will take place this Saturday at Smithfield square.

Outrage has erupted in Dublin in recent times over the demise of its culture. The Cobblestone, a pub celebrated globally for its traditional Irish music is proposed to be - in part - demolished in favour of erecting a multi-storey hotel. Though the front bar would be maintained as a listed building, 70% of the current floorspace would be removed, making it impossible for the pub to function as a business.

The venue at the back would be completely demolished, a place that hosts intergenerational singing sessions, Traveller culture nights, affordable music and dance lessons and countless other events. Most of these occasions are completely unique to this undeniably special pub.

Action is now being taken by trad artists and members of the public to stop the partial demolition. Musicians like John Francis Flynn and Ispíní na hÉireann have come out in support of the movement.

The second demonstration is to be held on October 30th at 2pm. The Dublin is Dying group intend to stage a céilí on O’Connell Bridge and encourage people to submit objections to Dublin City Council before the submission deadline on November 4th. There will also be live traditional Irish music, of course.

"At a time when the culture of our society is already vulnerable, a building proposal has appeared which spits in the face of artists whose traditions and ways of living are already on life support," a press release for Dublin is Dying states.

"To follow through with this plan would spell the end for the Irish music community which has developed over the past 30 years. To demonstrate their disapproval of the building proposal, the guts of a thousand people gathered together in Smithfield square on Saturday, October 9th.

"The city was completely taken by surprise," the release reads. "Gardaí were forced to quickly shut the quays of the Liffey to traffic as a coffin with 'R.I.P. Dublin' written on its side was carried along the banks of the river to the steps of Dublin City Council. Among the crowd, musicians played ancient marches, hundreds walked together solemnly, carrying musical instruments, banners and placards."

Save The Cobblestone protest in Smithfield, Dublin. Saturday 9th of October 2021. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Power-based ideologies have long been placed above the more humane values of society, with the inherent value of culture and tradition being called into question once again since the pandemic.

"Unfettered greed and short-sighted planning that has created the housing crisis in Dublin has continually encroached on sites of culture but the people of Dublin have had enough. Something has to change," the group state, passionately.

Members of the public are encouraged to submit letters of objection to Dublin City Council citing Planning Application 361/71 before the deadline of November 4th.

While a planning application has been submitted to Dublin City Council, no decision has yet been taken. The protest has, in effect, sent a signal that there is likely to be fierce opposition in the form of observations. These observations have to be submitted within five weeks of the receipt of the application and cost €20 to make.

Sign the petition here to Save the Cobblestone pub.

Dublin is dying, but it’s not dead yet.