In 2024, O’Connell Street in Dublin is set to commemorate two momentous milestones. The first marks a century since the boulevard, formerly known as Sackville Street, underwent a significant transformation and was renamed in honour of Daniel O’Connell, the celebrated 19th-century campaigner for Catholic Emancipation and Ireland’s esteemed liberator. The second highlights the six-month anniversary since the street became the site of the Dublin riots, a chaotic episode of widespread theft and rampant destruction, debunking the seemingly benign theory that Ireland is safe from extremist right-wing nationalism.
The first instalment of Nationwide’s engaging three-part series focus on O’Connell Street (airing on RTÉ One, Monday, 7pm), concentrates on one date while downplaying the other. True to form, Nationwide upholds its warm-hearted reputation of appreciating everyday Irish life. Despite occasional moments where the cheerful undertone appears strained, the programme stays true to its optimistic outlook.
Despite its challenging past, O’Connell Street is presented here in a positive light. The series kicks off with a captivating tour of the street led by historian Nicola Pierce. At the pinnacle of O’Connell Street, Pierce details how the 1911 monument to Charles Stewart Parnell was primarily financed by Irish Americans as he was viewed as a contentious figure locally.
Other statues include union leader Jim Larkin and Father Theobald Mathew, a well-known advocate for temperance. Though they were unlikely comrades during their lives, they are now forever united in their statue forms. Pierce also applauds the Spire, an awe-inspiring symbol of hope in the city’s core. She delightfully describes it as a feature straight out of a sci-fi film, capturing any available light and brightening her day.
Nationwide’s celebration of 100 Years of O’Connell Street is filled with heartwarming tales of locality and predominantly focuses on favourable aspects.
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In a fascinating blend of travel and history, journalist Anne Cassin pays a visit to the archives, uncovering that the affluent Dubliners of the late 19th century held strong objections against the rechristening of Sackville Street to O’Connell Street. Their opposition was based on fears of potential commercial demerits. One can only speculate their current reaction to the street, likely aghast to the point of immediate combustion at the sight of a vaping shop’s showcase. The programme then shifts its focus to McDowell’s, the revered jewellery shop distinguished for its captivating neon sign of the Happy Ring House – a quaint local icon.
In 2020, another renowned Dublin jewellery store, Weirs, took ownership of McDowell’s under the management of Noel Kelly. Kelly reminisces about the upheavals that crowd the streets in 2023. However, he firmly believes in the tenacity of Dubliners, noting their collective spirit rebounded in a matter of days, filling the streets with renewed optimism.
The intriguing but light-hearted documentary only runs for 30 minutes. Whilst it may not prompt an infatuation for a street often criticised for its elusive allure, it engrossingly serves up a concise history of one of Ireland’s most recognized streets, maintaining the cheerful tonality unique to Nationwide.