Socialist Republican Campaign To Rename Streets Plows Ahead

Socialist republican organisation Lasair Dhearg has continued its campaign to replace Dublin street names associated with British colonial figures, carrying out further symbolic renamings in the city centre after removing Drury street sign, named after 16th century British colonialist William Drury, and renaming the street after Bobby Sands in May 2026.

Activists replaced the sign for Essex Street West, originally named after Arthur Capell, the 1st Earl of Essex and a former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with "Patsy O'Hara Street" in honour of the Irish Republican hunger striker who died in 1981. The action coincided with the anniversary of O'Hara's death.

In a separate action, members renamed Bedford Lane, named after the Earl of Bedford, as "Mairéad Farrell Street" in tribute to IRA Volunteer Mairéad Farrell, who was killed by British forces in Gibraltar in 1988.

The actions form part of Lasair Dhearg's ongoing "Reconquest of Ireland" campaign, which seeks to challenge the continued presence of colonial symbolism in Ireland by replacing the names of British administrators with those of Irish Republican figures. The organisation has said similar actions will continue across the country in the coming weeks and months.