Artist Leo DiVito is one of the last remaining residents on O’Connell Street. 

He joined Moncrieff to to talk about his time growing up in the central Dublin location.

“One memory would be walking back from school and it was just so lovely.

“I have really warm feelings about it.

Leo lives above one of the shops on O’Connell Street, and his grandparents and parents grew up there too. 

“There was a good community going on, and everybody seemed to know everybody.

“You could park outside your premises; you’d feel comfortable and there was no messing about.

Living on O'Connell Street

He gave an anecdote drom when he was young that emanates a sense of community felt around the area when he was younger. 

“I used to sleepwalka little bit, and I walked [up] O’Connell Street in my sleep, and somebody walked me back - who knew me because of the bit of community going on there.

“I don’t know what would happen now if I were to walk up O’Connell Street now in my pyjamas”, he says. 

Leo told Sean that Nelson’s Pillar was intact and standing when he was growing up on O’Connell Street, a monument that was blown up in 1966. 

“I remember being asleep in my cot in my parents’ bedroom and all the windows shattered and the building rocked - it’s one of my first memories.

“There were a few bombings there in the '70s aswell.

“We’d [usually] have to evacuate out of the city maybe to some of my cousins for safety, I suppose.

He said that it was similar during the Dublin riots that took place in 2023.

“I wasn’t there myself, but my family was there and [they said] it was a very scary experience.

“Items were being thrown up to the windows, my family had to lie down on the ground because it wasn’t even safe to run out”. 

Mr. DiVito was asked about the safety of O’Connell street: 

“It felt very safe in the beginning, I don’t remember it being unsafe growing up. I think it’s become cagey in the last 10/15 years”, he says, 

“If I'm ever walking up it now, I tend to keep my head down and mind my own business”, he says. 

“It’s not the same, not what I was used to growing up.

“I think the nice Irish, friendly family touch has gone from O’Connell Street."

Written by Cara McHugh