Stop changing our Dublin names 

Dublin People 04 Feb 2025

By Breda Nathan 

When is someone going to take a stand on keeping Dublin, the city we know and love? 

Can they stop changing the names of our theatres, shops and even our streets are under threat. 

Our rugby and football pitches too. 

It seems now, those who have the money to sponsor, have power to change anything. Nothing is sacred. 

A friend of mine home from America, wanted to book tickets for a music show in the Olympia, and thought there were three Olympia theatres when she checked on line for booking. 

“I thought I was going to the old Olympia theatre, I never knew there were three.” she ranted 

Luckily for her, there was nothing on in the Point Depot that week… she would have thought she was seeing triple again, when 3Arena popped up on her phone, at least the Olympia has kept part of the name intact. 

Those of us who remember the THE POINT OF THE WALL and the dockers who worked there are lost, when we hear 3Arena. 

Thankfully the Gaiety Theatre is advertising the GAIETY PANTO as we know and love it. 

I was looking forward to going to the Grand Canal theatre, to see CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY… I’m sure I got a smell of gas when I checked my ticket and saw Bord Gais Energy written in big words on the tickets. It’s certainly spoiling the atmosphere. 

Molly Malone’s days of wheeling her wheelbarrow could be numbered too. She has already been moved up town for the Luas lines, but at least she remains in the city. 

‘Don’t hold your breath, Molly. Some big ‘super name’ may suddenly see the interest people are showing and the touching of your breasts for good luck, this could change everything.

We may soon see you sitting in a big Mercedes, wearing a bikini, with your wheelbarrow full of prawns. You may be crying ‘prawn cocktails and champagne alive or dead oh’. 

Few can afford to argue with these rich people. ‘Money talks’ is becoming more evident every day. 

Gone are our friendly local shops. TESCO or SUPERVALUE is all around you. 

I remember writing a slogan for the local shop and winning tickets for Riverdance. Come to think of it, it was in the RIVERSIDE THEATRE or maybe it was the POINT DEPOT.

Those of us who enjoyed many wonderful days in Lansdowne Road are upset too. How could you get used to calling it by it’s insurance company name. 

We may eventually have to have the big bank names on our windows if we have a mortgage on our homes. 

Why can’t these people with the cash, do something for our beautiful architecture from eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Dereliction and neglect of our old buildings leaves a lot to be desired. We need to restore these treasures before it is too late. 

Dublin central is no longer the friendly welcoming city it was.

Walk down O’Connell street now and all you see is empty premises and dirty footpaths. Where are the council cleaners and sweepers of past years?

Where could we get a sponsor to change the downward spiral of our capitol city? 

While they ‘twitter’ away at changing names… sorry that’s changed too.

While the X- AI people are amusing themselves with new titles, we should protect our own old and well loved names. 

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