'There's more to come,' says activists who 'renamed' Drury Street to Bobby Sands Street

Activists from Lasair Dhearg renamed Dublin’s Drury Street to Bobby Sands Street by placing the new name over the existing street sign. They said Irish streets should not be named after colonialists and British imperialists such as William Drury. They criticized the Free State government for allowing such names to remain for generations, linking them to the decimation of generations and millions of deaths. The group framed the renaming as rectifying history and honoring people who tried to bring about a better society. They previously renamed Essex Street West to Patsy O’Hara Street and stated that more women revolutionaries and additional street changes are planned. Members operate in multiple cities including Dublin, Galway, Cork, Belfast, and Derry.

"In a video posted on their social media this week, activists from Lasair Dhearg can be seen putting the new name up over the existing street sign. Irish Streets should not be named after the likes of William Drury, a colonialist and British imperialist, they said. “You only need to take a short walk across Dublin city to see the names of arch colonialists and imperialists that adorn the streets of this city,” a Lasair Dhearg spokesperson told the Irish Independent."

"“It's a real indictment on the free state government that after so many years and so many generations after the foundation of the state that those names still stand. These are people that were responsible for the decimation of generations, millions upon millions. For us, it's about rectifying that and honouring people that tried to bring about a better society.”"

"Earlier, the group renamed Essex Street West to Patsy O'Hara Street as part of the same campaign. “We've renamed a number of streets so far - you'll have seen Bobby Sands and Patsy O'Hara,” said the spokesperson. “There are a number of women revolutionaries from the most recent period of struggle to as far back to the revolutionary period that will be released in due course. There is more coming.”"

"The group have members working in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Belfast and Derry. “In Belfast, our activists were involved in highlighting the presence of a statue of British Queen Victoria in Republican Belfast. That statue was covered in heavy duty red paint which signified the blood of the Irish people,” they said."

Read at Irish Independent