An artist’s impression of the proposed new Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello, Dublin, which would involve demolishing five houses and building a two-storey-over-basement museum incorporating a cafe, synagogue, archive storage and audiovisual theatre. Credit – The Irish Times
Last year, the Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello, Dublin 8 announced a major development plan which would involve demolishing five houses and building a new two-storey-over-basement museum incorporating a café and synagogue.
(A review from Donal of the fantastic museum can be found here)
However, local residents, councillors and the city council conservation officer have criticised aspects of the plan. Residents are worried about the massive increase in cars and pollution into the area while conservation officer Nicola Matthews, referring to the proposal to demolish and reconstruct the synagogue, said this “façadist approach” would mean “removing the authenticity and real experience of the original site”. Locals are also worried that excavations and pile-driving for the 5.5-metre deep basement could destabilise nearby houses.
Recently a number of posters have appeared on lamposts and in the windows of houses in the area.
This particular poster shows photographs of a large tour group visiting the museum and the related congestion on the narrow streets.
Poster on pole. Credit – Sam
It would appear that someone, perhaps in favour of the development, used black spray paint to cover newspaper articles (in relation to local opposition to the plan) which were fastened on a post box.
An individual has used black spray paint to cover newspaper articles which critised the plan. Credit – Sam
Similar thing again:
Another poster was torn. Credit – Sam
Finally, one example of a large number of houses who have put posters in their front windows:
Front window. Credit – Sam
I have family in the area and they’ve told me that they are both worried about the scale of the planned development and are upset that the anonymous campaign against the development has made no reference in their posters for support for the museum in general.
Let’s just hope that a resolution is found that is agreeable to all parties.
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More on Jewish history from the blog:
– RTE Nationwide special on Dublin Jewish community (January 2013)
– Reactionary murders in Dublin (including two Jewish men killed in 1923)
– Dublin Maccabi Assoication Facebook page
– Burman vs. Alpers court case (1946)
– A look at the Dublin story of ‘Joe Edelstein’s Alarm’ in Little Jerusalem
– James Connolly’s 1902 Yiddish election leaflet translated
– “I am a Jew and I’m quite happy to live in that country” – Robert Briscoe
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Thanks for this very interesting post, and, indeed, the link to the earlier post on the museum from Donal Fallon. Have been to the museum and was intrigued by its insight into what is a very different world from the Irish Catholic and rural upbringing. I do sympathize with the residents. It is an very very quiet area and yet the museum needs modernizing, So here`s to an amicable solution for all.
the posters that were allegedly “defaced” were both unsightly and ILLEGAL…. and clearly the work of one obsessive individual rather than a collective neighbourhood response
there is absolutely NO evidence they were defaced by “supporters” of the museum and when I was in Portobello two weeks ago, many were strewn all over the pavements littering the area.
They were condemned by Cllr Kieran Binchey on CounCilMatters on Dublin City-fm, who urged all residents to enagage withe the planning process with on Bord Pleanála rather than resorting to these anti-social tactics… he disassociated himself from these tactics
this individual’s obsessive focus on the museum led Cllr Binchey to conclude that he could NOT rule out an anti-semitic dimension to the postering, as the expansion proposal is significantly smaller than the Mosque which operates about 300 meters away from the museum and attracts many more visitors on a daily basis than are ever likely to visit the JEWISH museum
the objectors have yet to offer any constructive alternative solutions to retaining a Jewish presence in an area long known as “Dublin’s Little Jerusalem”
Just a few clarifications.
You should read the residents submissions to the DCC where solutions were suggested.
You will also note the number of objections by local residents, so this is not an anonymous campaign.
Residents also stated that they welcomed the expansion of the museum into the neighbouring houses which had been let fall into a derelict state over the years.
We bought our house nearly 40 years ago and was delighted to have the Original Jewish synagogue around the corner, which I believe will be destroyed In the reconstruction and we welcomed the opening of the museum in 1985.
You should also read the reports submitted by geologists and engineers on the proposed development of a basement right around the development and the effect it will have on the structures and foundations of our houses not to mention the very real threat of flooding,due to the disturbance of the water table and proximity to the canal.
Having done all that maybe then you might understand why the residents are very distressed by the proposed plans. That’s what we are objecting to the current proposals. Pulling the anti semetic card is a cheap and easy tactic in trying to silence people.
Indeed the people in the area have been very good neighbours to the museum,alerting the then curator over graffiti etc and generally keeping an eye on it.
The only posters that could have littered where those torn down and thrown on the street which were then picked up by the residents.
Who genuinely believes that na expansion to the Irish Jewish musueum is genuinely going to bring a massive influx of traffic into the area?
There’s a discussion on broadsheet about this now for those interested. I’d be worried by Cllr Binchey’s juxtaposition of the museum to the mosque, and wondering what he is trying to stir here. The mosque is firstly on a main road, secondly with parking facilities, and thirdly not the only public building in the vicinity. So why the focus on this particular building? (a rhetorical question, tbh, since we know the answer)
Why not compare the museum with the Shaw museum for instance, also on a side street in Portobello? If that museum were to expand, I’d imagine the locals would be worried – and rather than labeling them as anti-Shavian philistines, it would be wiser for the museum folks to talk with them surely? Similarly here – rather than playing the rather dubious antisemitism card, would it be possible to seek to address the residents’ fears?
Myself, I don’t live in Portobello, but note that fig. 1 seems to portray a far wider street than the street that the Jewish museum (which I hope does manage to expand – perhaps in a new premises though?) is currently on.
[…] renovate its existing site in Cuan Aoibhinn (Portobello). However like local residents I do share some concerns about the architectural design and impact of the new buildings. Dublin has seen some pretty horrendous developments going up over the last decade and it would be […]