Busmen’s memorial will be reinstated

DUBLIN busmen always remember their own and thanks to their vigilance a memorial to three of their colleagues who died tragically in the early ‘70s is being reinstated on Marlborough Street.

Busmen noticed recently that the memorial plaque was missing from the site where a new hotel is now being built. The plaque was dedicated to CIÉ workers, George Bradshaw, Tommy Duffy and Thomas Douglas who died in separate bombings on Sackville Place, just off O'Connell Street.

Bradshaw (29) and Duffy (23) were killed in an explosion on December 1, 1972 just after they left the CIÉ bus company canteen on Marlborough Street. Both were married with children.

The canteen had been evacuated after the Belfast Newsletter received a telephone call from a man saying two bombs would explode in Dublin, in Liberty Hall and Abbey Street behind Clery’s department store. 

But the warning came too late.

The Liberty Hall bomb went off at 7.58pm, causing many injuries but no fatalities. Seventeen minutes later the second bomb exploded killing Bradshaw and Duffy.

Just seven weeks later at 3.15pm on January 20 1973 when Ireland were playing the All Blacks at Lansdowne Road a second bomb took the life of Douglas (21) who came from Stirling, Scotland.

The tragedies were later overshadowed by the horrific Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 but the busmen never forgot their comrades and in 2004 a memorial plaque was finally unveiled for the three workers.

However, in recent weeks busmen noticed the plaque was missing from the site, where the Moxy Hotel is now being built, and contacted Cllr Nial Ring (IND).

“I was approached by several busmen who expressed concern that the plaque was now missing, that the new development at the site was nearing completion and the footpath where the plaque was installed was being reinstated,” said Cllr Ring.

“They asked me to find out where the plaque was and see if it could be reinstated before the works finish.”

Cllr Ring contacted Dublin City Council’s road maintenance section who confirmed that they removed the plaque before work commenced on the hotel.

“The great news is that they have agreed to renovate and clean the plaque and the sculptor has commenced this work,” said Cllr Ring. “When finished the developer has agreed to reinstate the plaque on Marlborough Street.

“Thanks to the vigilance of the bus workers who brought this to my attention. 

“My own father worked in CIE and I know that it is a big family who look out for one another and I was not surprised at their vigilance and desire to have the plaque restored and reinstated.”