The demolition of Nelson’s Pillar

Posted by Jim on March 5, 2016

A monument to a British imperialist in the centre of Dublin, Nelson’s
Pillar on O’Connell Street, was blown up by republicans fifty years ago
this week.

For many, the biggest surprise about the blowing up of Nelson’s Pillar
in Dublin in 1966 is why it took 157 years.

When the pillar was constructed circa 1808 the Protestant Ascendency
class who had erected it celebrated. To them Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson
was a once in a lifetime hero, the man who at the Battle of Trafalgar in
1805 had turned the tide against Napoleon.

But after Irish independence was won his presence and preeminence atop
the 120 foot high pillar became increasingly controversial. He had been
famously cold hearted and an adulterer, some said. Why not have an Irish
patriot replace him, they asked?

In the early hours of the morning of March 8, 1966 a huge explosion
rocked central Dublin and the top half of the pillar was blown sky high.

Later the Irish Army was sent in to finish the job with a controlled
explosion. Some men were later arrested but never charged. Dublin
quickly adjusted to the missing monument.

“Gaiety and joie-de-vivre prevailed throughout O’Connell Street,” The
Irish Times reported the following day.

“There were happy, smiling faces everywhere and witticisms like ‘poor
old Nelson’ were greeted with roars of laughter.”

The newspaper’s editorial writer was less amused, criticising the
“tepid” response of minister for justice Brian Lenihan to this “coup in
the heart of the capital city”.

‘Up Went Nelson’, a folk song set to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the
Republic and recorded days after the explosion, went to the top of the
Irish charts and stayed there for four weeks.

The man who says he blew up the pillar in 1966, Liam Sutcliffe, was
questioned by gardai in September 2000. He was released and the matter
was taken no further.

He said the idea to blow up the statue came during a discussion in the
Cosy Bar on the Crumlin Road, Belfast.

“I was having a drink with an old friend at the time. The 1916 Rising
was being marked with functions and dinners and the [IRA’s border
campaign] was fizzled out,” he said.

“We thought the Rising should be marked with something a bit more
dramatic and my friend’s sister-in-law said it was shocking to see a
British admiral in O’Connell Street. So I said we should remove it.”

He suggested it to a senior member of the republican movement, who
initially thought it would be too dangerous but then agreed it would be
a good idea.

“The first attempt was on the last day of February but the bomb didn’t
go off. So I had to go up on March 1st and remove it. I went into
Clery’s, bought a nail clippers and stripped it. I had a week then to
drop it back. I went back on March 7th, had electrics in a briefcase. I
connected everything up and placed it in an aperture – one of the widows
at the top – that looked up Henry Street.

“I shook the hand of the man up guarding the platform and said
‘Cheerio’. He went off after his shift that night and the bomb went off
at 1.32 in the morning. I had it timed for 2 am but I had it on fast and
it gained 28 minutes.”

Asked whether he saw the bomb go off, he said: “I did not. I was at home
tucked up in bed. I didn’t know it had gone off at all until I saw it on
the front page of the paper that morning.”

He was “delighted” and thought the pillar would be replaced with a
statue of the seven signatories of the Proclamation facing the GPO.

“I thought they would have done that. In Ireland there’s not even a
statue of Pearse. In all other former colonies they honour the men who
got up and said ‘No further shalt thou go’.”