One of O’Connell Street’s large London Plane trees, which was badly damaged by fire during Dublin riots last November, will have to be felled, Dublin City Council has said.
The tree, which is more than 40ft tall, caught fire when a bus and Luas tram were set alight beside it during the night of violence. The riots were incited by far-right agitators in the wake of the stabbing of three children and a carer on Parnell Square earlier in the day on November 23rd.
While the tree, which is on the western side of the road between the old Carlton cinema site and Parnell Square, was badly burnt, it is still partially in leaf and the council had hoped it could be saved.
“It is the parks policy to carry out renovation works on damaged or diseased trees and to only remove trees as a last resort or where the tree is a health and safety risk,” the council’s tree officer Ludovic Beaumont said in a report to councillors.
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However, Mr Beaumont said the damage was “too extensive”, and it was determined the tree would have to be felled. A second tree set alight during the riots, which was less badly damaged, is still undergoing assessment and being monitored. It may also have to be removed, he said.
A date has yet to be set for the removal of the tree, which will be a significant operation given its height, but Mr Beaumont said it was likely the council would have to wait for a year before replanting. “Following removal, the roots from the felled tree will need to die back and be removed before planting a new tree,” he said.
Local Independent councillor Nial Ring said it was unfortunate there would be a gap in the tree line of Dublin’s main street for so long.
“In the context of the injuries suffered by the little girl and her creche worker from Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, losing two trees is not significant, but it’s peripheral damage which has to be acknowledged and taken into account,” he said “I doubt if the thugs involved in the riots care about any of the damage they did, least of all these trees, but I’m sure they would be the first to complain if trees were removed from their local parks, streets or greens.”
Despite its height, which exceeds the building line on Upper O’Connell Street, the tree is just 20 years old, having been planted as part of the revamp of O’Connell Street after the erection of the Spire in 2002.
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