Parnell International New-Irish Town Proposal

Motion.

In his inaugural address to the Dublin and the City Council, the Lord Mayor Councillor Gerry Breen gallantly broached the idea of a China Town at Parnell Street.

The Parnell family had a wide international dimension. Charles Stewart Parnell’s father was Anglo-Irish and his mother was from New Jersey, United States. Parnell’s great grandmother was a Tudor and was distantly related to the British Royal Family. His great grandfather opposed the Act of Union in Grattan’s Parliament.His brother farmed in Alabama. Parnell was elected an MP for Meath and later Cork,Mayo and Meath. He was dubbed the uncrowned King of Ireland and his funeral to Glasnevin Cemetery in October 1891 was a monster event with an attendence of about 200,000. Parnell Street, Parnell Square and Parnell Monument are situated in this area of the city. Parnell Street and Square were formerly Great Britain Street and Rutland Square respectively.The Parnell Monument was unveiled in 1911. I propose that the City Council consider designating the immediate vacinity centred around that area as “Parnell International New-Irish Town” in recognition of the multiethnicity of the businesses and traders in that area which reflect the presence and vitality of the new Irish recorded as greater than 10% of the population in the last census.