Journalist Frank McDonald and architect Sam Stephenson on the planning and development of Dublin city.
A journalist with 'The Irish Times' Frank McDonald is the author of the book 'The Destruction of Dublin' which gives an account of planning and development during the1960s and 1970s, when much of historic Georgian Dublin was demolished. He dispels the argument that the buildings on Hume Street had to be demolished because they would fall if they were not pulled down.
Irish architect Sam Stephenson is often associated with some of the destruction of Georgian Dublin. In 1966 he stated that trying to preserve the original character of St Stephen's Green was just childish. He clarifies this statement,
Stephen's Green as a matter of fact is not a homogeneous Georgian Square and never was, it was changed by many buildings.
Sam Stephenson thinks Frank McDonald's book presents an inaccurate account of an exciting period in the development of Dublin. Frank McDonald has fabricated a conspiracy between local entrepreneurs, politicians, planners, and bureaucrats, plotting for the destruction of the city. In reality, these disparate groups had no interest in one another. Sam Stephenson believes the planning department of Dublin Corporation prevented a lot of the worst excesses from happening.
Good buildings are rare in any city, and Sam Stephenson asserts that Dublin has not been destroyed.
The architecture of that period was not as bad as people make out, its very easy to criticise it.
In his view, the biggest issue for Dublin is the amount of derelict sites which cannot be developed because nobody has the inclination or the money to do so.
The episode of 'The Late Late Show' was broadcast on 17 January 1986. The presenter is Gay Byrne.
