Bella Street, Dublin 1 - why the barricade?

hatrickpatrick

Watching the commitments the other night, was reminded of a "then and now" article I read a couple of years ago about Dublin film locations.

This is a paved set of steps on Bella Street which is shown in the movie:



This, however, is what this street looks like now:



So I have to ask, why was it blocked off and allowed to fall into such an incredible state of dereliction? If you look at those bars blocking the set of steps closely on Street View, it's not a gate or anything - they've been installed specifically to completely and permanently, as long as they're there, to close that entrance and make Bella Street a cul-de-sac. Why was this done, what was the thinking behind it? It's something I've always wondered about but was never pushed to ask a question until re-watching the movie - it looked so slick in that scene and is obviously a good link between Buckingham and Rutland St, so what's the point in blocking it, and abandoning it to overgrowth? Seems very peculiar.

Anyone have any info?

amtc

There's one of the main telephone exchanges there which is designated as a hot site.

hatrickpatrick

sugarman wrote: »

It's been cleaned up since, if you go to the very end of the street on Google view you'll see they cleared the rubbish, boarded up the buildings properly and gave them a lick of paint.

As to why it was closed, no idea. But they usually do such to curb antisocial behaviour on areas.

Must go and have a look at some stage then and see if it's been re-opened. Can you think of any other areas which were barricaded due to anti social behaviour, in a way that permanently changes the layout of the area by obstructing a through-way? The only two I can think of are Dunsink Lane (split in half to curb illegal dumping) and the Dolphin House estate (brick walls built to isolate each block of flats and close off getaway routes for fleeing on-foot vandals). But I can't think of any reason this area would have been a hotspot for that - parts of Buckingham Street were a bit dodgy about a decade ago but it's been massively regenerated since then, or so I thought. Seems a real shame for something like that, especially from such an iconic film scene, to be let go to that extent.

hatrickpatrick

amtc wrote: »

There's one of the main telephone exchanges there which is designated as a hot site.

Would that be considered a reason to completely obstruct a street which formerly connected two larger streets?

Peregrinus

It might. The Castle Steps (which run from Castle Street to Ship Street along the western boundary of the Dublin Castle complex) were closed off at both ends for quite a number of years, due I believe to security concerns. They're open again now, though.

Basically, they weigh up security/public order concerns versus the inconvenience to the public, and particularly to locals, of closing a thoroughfare. Thoroughfares which are exclusively pedestrian (like this one, and like the Castle Steps) seem to be closed much more readily than those which are open to motor traffic.

s3rtvdbwfj81ch

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Must go and have a look at some stage then and see if it's been re-opened. Can you think of any other areas which were barricaded due to anti social behaviour, in a way that permanently changes the layout of the area by obstructing a through-way? The only two I can think of are Dunsink Lane (split in half to curb illegal dumping) and the Dolphin House estate (brick walls built to isolate each block of flats and close off getaway routes for fleeing on-foot vandals). But I can't think of any reason this area would have been a hotspot for that - parts of Buckingham Street were a bit dodgy about a decade ago but it's been massively regenerated since then, or so I thought. Seems a real shame for something like that, especially from such an iconic film scene, to be let go to that extent.

There was a laneway between Kilmore and Hazlewood - basically between Coolock and Artane - at the junction of what's now Beechlawn Avenue and Kilmore Drive at the end of the green area if you look at satellite view you can still see the path up to it.

Link

I used to use it to get to school (I lived in Coolock and went to David's seco).

the poshas on the Hazlewood side got spooked by the underclass from Coolock coming in via the laneway, so had it shut off. My ma used to protest up there for weeks :pac:

miamee

Peregrinus wrote: »

It might. The Castle Steps (which run from Castle Street to Ship Street along the western boundary of the Dublin Castle complex) were closed off at both ends for quite a number of years, due I believe to security concerns. They're open again now, though.

Basically, they weigh up security/public order concerns versus the inconvenience to the public, and particularly to locals, of closing a thoroughfare. Thoroughfares which are exclusively pedestrian (like this one, and like the Castle Steps) seem to be closed much more readily than those which are open to motor traffic.

The gates are only open during daylight hours as far as I know. It's been a couple of years since I went that way regularly though.

Victor

Quite a few small streets closed off there, e.g Sean O'Casey Avenue (formerly Rutland Street Upper), Thomson Cottages, Bailey's Row, Summerhill Place. I can only assume anti-social behaviour.

amtc wrote: »

There's one of the main telephone exchanges there which is designated as a hot site.

What do you mean by this?

amtc

Victor wrote: »

Quite a few small streets closed off there, e.g Sean O'Casey Avenue (formerly Rutland Street Upper), Thomson Cottages, Bailey's Row, Summerhill Place. I can only assume anti-social behaviour.What do you mean by this?

It's designated as a national security fall back site.

spurious

Isn't the exchange the other side of Summerhill from Bella Street? AFAIK it was to cut off the routes of escape for those who like to commit crimes that the roads were fenced.

**Sorry I realise now you were referring to Victor's post about Thompson's cottages etc..

L1011

The idea that shutting off pedestrian routes reduces crime is a fallacy. If you have a problem with criminals on foot you need better policing. Closing off access creates car dependency.