THE SITE WHERE the leaders of the 1916 Rising surrendered is to be  made into a commemoration centre.

Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan today approved revised designs for the centre at 14-17 Moore Street in Dublin.

The buildings are also the site of where the provisional government was set up during the Rising.

Minister Deenihan said the decision, which has been discussed for years, will “secure the future of one of the most important sites in modern Irish history”.

He praised the work by relatives of the 1916 leaders and their supporters who led the campaign.

Without their determination and commitment, these buildings – which had been planned for demolition as recently as 1999 – would never have survived.

‘Red letter day’

The Save 1916 Group said they warmly welcomed the plans and said the government had made the right decision.

“This is a red letter day for us as we have campaigned for years to have these houses fully restored,” said John Connolly, the grandson of James Connolly.

I am certain our forefathers would be pleased that the site of the final act of the Rising will be preserved in an appropriate way to the benefit of future generations.

A preservation order was placed on the four houses in 2007, and it was announced last year that they would be converted into a national monument.

“Together with the interpretative centre planned for the GPO, the Moore Street commemorative centre will provide a key focal point for our commemoration of the events, the people and the sacrifices they made in 1916,” said Minister Deenihan.

Timing

However he said that there was a “limited window of time” to have the centre fully completed by the time of the centenary events in 2016.

The four houses are currently owned by NAMA, which will put up €5 million for the development of the commemoration centre.

A number of new conditions must be met in order for the centre to go ahead, including a new wall to be put in place at number 14 Moore Street and a new building at the side of 17 Moore Street.

The Minister said that the plans have been considered in detail in relation to the development of the wider area around Moore Street.

Sinn Féin has strongly criticised the decision to develop a shopping centre at the lanes surrounding Moore Street, which is also part of the plans.

Read: NAMA pledges €5 million for Moore Street site but dispute remains over 1916 plans > 

Read: Members of public invited to have their say on future of 1916 buildings > 

Read: The handwritten order to call off the 1916 Rising sold at auction for €30,000 >