Sheriff Street-Dublin-Ireland

                                            Gavin Whelan by Derek O'Brian.

I remember Gavin as someone who was always smiling no matter what the circumstances or pressures were

around him. As you know a lot of those young lads in your pictures are no longer with us, mainly because of

drug addiction, and who are in prison. Gavin is not alone he’s one of many sadly. He loved cars and as you

see in some of your pictures there are a lot of cars(burned out). I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were

his handy work. So if he had better opportunities in life I’d say he would have been a great mechanic. The

picture means a lot because Gavin looks so happy and normal, that’s before all his problems with drugs and

prison began. Thanks for replying I’d appreiciate it and thanks for saying you'll post me a copy it would mean

a lot to his Ma. I no longer live in Sheriffer as I was one of the lucky ones.

Derek O'Brian

                                              Sheriff Street by Ciara Moloney

I first set foot on Sheriff Street last Christmas when my sister and I strayed into the area during a walk through

the docklands. The first thing I noticed was how awkward it is to gain access to the street. The entrance from

Amiens Street looks like a deadend, there is little to entice passers-by down  Commons Street and the approach

from Upper Sheriff Street is confusing, particularly for the motorist. With few people taking shortcuts through

the area, Lower Sheriff Street has become quite enclosed and strangers are rather conspicuous. We were even

approached by one woman with a concerned expression, who asked us if we were lost. As we wandered around

the area, I became intrigued by the great disparity between its brick municipal housing and the glass offices

and apartments of the IFSC. Turning the corner from Mayor Street onto Commons Street, the change in

atmosphere is quite palpable, from a bustling business district to a local neighbourhood, one with a sense of

history and community that is somewhat lacking in the newer development. I decided to research the history

of the area and its relationship with the IFSC for my masters thesis. This work brought me into contact with

many fascinating people, both from the local community and from the development authority. In the course

of my work I was lucky to come across the photography of Colm Pierce which, while documenting the desolate

landscape of the street in the 1980s, also conveyed the vitality of local life and the strength of community

spirit intimes of great hardship. As I got to know Sheriff Street, its stories and the shift in its architectural

landscape over the last century, I grew to appreciate the symbolic value of this street. From its reliance on

the dockyards, to its subsequent decline and regeneration, the changing face of Sheriff Street can be seen as

emblematic of the broader structural changes in Ireland over the last twenty years. While some may argue

that the Celtic Tiger only increased the gap between rich and poor, it is clear from a comparison of the derelict

buildings and empty yards depicted in Pierce’s photographs with the landscape of Sheriff Street today, that recent

investment in the locale has transformed the area for the better.

Ciara Moloney