URBAN EXPRESSION AND DEPRESSION
URBAN EXPRESSION AND URBAN DEPRESSION AT SUSSEX STREET [3 JULY 2025 DUN LAOGHAIRE]
Introduction: A Canvas of Contradictions
Photographs taken on Sussex Street in Dún Laoghaire on 3rd July 2025 capture a scene of stark contradiction. One wall of the Boylan Youth Centre bursts with a vibrant, whimsical mural, depicting a cartoonish figure gazing out at a playful cosmos. Yet, this burst of life is framed by decay. Overgrown weeds choke the pavement, bushes obscure parts of the artwork, and other views of the site reveal broken windows and a general state of dereliction. This scene presents a paradox: a building that received a "long overdue facelift" as part of a major civic art festival in 2021 now stands vacant and neglected just four years later.
This report investigates the story behind this contradiction, exploring how a site of such community importance and artistic celebration fell into its current state. It examines the vital role the Boylan Centre played in Dún Laoghaire, the history of the art adorning its walls, and the powerful socio-economic forces that have dictated its past, present, and imminent future. Looming in the background of several images, the granite spire of St. Michael's Church serves as a constant, silent witness, grounding this story of change within the enduring landscape of the town.
Part I: The Heart of a Community - A History of the Boylan Centre
For many years, the Boylan Centre on Sussex Street was a vital community asset in Dún Laoghaire, operated by Crosscare, the social care agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. It was far more than just a building; it was a bustling, multi-generational hub that provided a vast array of essential services, creating a crucial social anchor for the town.
The centre was perhaps best known for its comprehensive youth services, catering to young people aged 10 to 25. Run by Crosscare Dún Laoghaire Youth Service and staffed by professional youth workers, it offered a safe and nurturing environment with a wide range of programmes. These included a youth café known as "The Beat," activities in arts, drama, and music, and practical skills development in podcasting, photography, and cookery. The service also provided critical support for personal development, with programmes focused on leadership, mindfulness, and wellbeing, as well as one-to-one support for issues like mental health, addiction, relationships, and educational guidance.
Crucially, the Boylan Centre was not solely for the young. It also housed the Dún Laoghaire Active Retirement Association, which provided a social outlet and activities such as bridge, indoor bowls, arts and crafts, and exercise classes for older residents. Furthermore, the premises hosted a Crosscare Foodbank, offering free, nutritious food parcels to local families and individuals in need, highlighting its role in addressing fundamental community welfare. The co-location of services for youth and seniors made the centre a rare and valuable space for intergenerational connection.
This era of community service came to a definitive end with the sale of the property. In June 2023, the Boylan Centre was sold by the Catholic Church to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC). While Crosscare continues to operate its youth services from other locations in the wider area, including Sallynoggin and Shankill, the physical hub on Sussex Street was lost, leaving a significant void in the town centre.
The closure of the Boylan Centre represents more than the cessation of programmes; it signifies the loss of a classic "third place"—a crucial social environment separate from the pressures of home and work or school. Research into the effects of youth centre closures across the UK and Ireland points to significant negative consequences, including increased youth isolation, a rise in anti-social behaviour, and worsening mental health outcomes, as young people are left without safe spaces and positive role models. The disappearance of this vibrant hub, which catered to the needs of the town's youngest and oldest residents, has removed a key piece of Dún Laoghaire's social infrastructure, the full impact of which may only become apparent over time.
Part II: An Open-Air Gallery - The Art of the Dún Laoghaire Anseo Project
In June 2021, the walls of the Boylan Centre were transformed as part of the inaugural Dún Laoghaire Anseo street art festival. "Anseo," the Irish word for "here," signalled the project's intent to celebrate the town's unique identity. A collaboration between DLRCC and The Walls Project, a social enterprise dedicated to public art, the festival aimed to create a sprawling "open-air gallery" across 14 different locations. The initiative was conceived to brighten urban spaces, encourage public footfall in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and create art that reflected the town's character and maritime heritage. The festival was a resounding success, spawning subsequent annual events and popular guided walking tours that continue to draw locals and visitors.
The mural on the main wall of the Boylan Centre was a cornerstone of this project. It was created by Bloom The Art Project, a collective whose mission is to use collaborative art to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. Their murals are intended as "gentle reminders to practise kindness and compassion with yourself and others around you." In keeping with this ethos, the Boylan Centre piece was a deeply collaborative effort. Bloom worked directly with the young people of the Crosscare Youth Service—the centre's primary users—along with other community members to design and paint the mural. The resulting artwork, with its cheerful and imaginative space theme, was a direct product of the community it was meant to celebrate, created specifically to "brighten up their corner of Sussex Street" and instil a sense of optimism.
In retrospect, the creation of this mural in 2021 carries a deep and poignant irony. Intended as an act of revitalisation and a celebration of the centre's vibrant life, the artwork now functions as an unintentional memorial. The optimistic language surrounding the project, which hailed it as a "long overdue facelift" reflecting "a move towards brighter days," stands in stark contrast to the reality of the building's fate. Even as the mural was being painted, the process of the building's sale was likely underway. The Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA) was aware of a probable sale and was already in communication with the council about the site's potential for housing redevelopment. The sale was finalised just two years later, in June 2023, leading directly to the dereliction seen in the 2025 photographs.
Therefore, the vibrant mural is not a symbol of ongoing life, but a high-water mark before the centre's decline. It is a snapshot of the final, hopeful chapter of the Boylan Centre, making its current state of neglect all the more jarring. The art, meant to celebrate the community in the space, now decorates the tomb of that very space.
Part III: Decoding the Walls - Unofficial Art and Layered Meanings
Beyond the main community mural, the walls of the Boylan Centre site host a range of other artworks that represent different facets of street art culture, from commissioned contemporary pieces to personal memorials and anonymous tags.
The "Hieroglyphs" of Sussex Street
The distinctive symbolic artwork seen on several walls is the work of Signs of Power, the professional name for the Dublin-based artist Vanessa Power. She was one of the official artists commissioned for the 2021 Dún Laoghaire Anseo festival. The description of her work as "hieroglyphic" is an insightful observation of its visual effect. Power is a lettering artist and sign painter who merges the traditional craft with a modern, pop-art aesthetic. The symbols are not derived from ancient scripts but are part of a unique, stylised alphabet she has developed.
This approach echoes how early 20th-century artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner used the term "hieroglyphs" to describe their method of translating lived experience into condensed, abstract, and symbolic visual forms. Power's symbols, arranged in a grid and punctuated by red drips or arrows, create a powerful visual language that is meant to be experienced rather than literally read. Her work explores the power of signs and symbols in urban communication, a core theme in street art globally.
A Tribute to "Lovely Linda"
In stark contrast to the commissioned festival pieces is a mural composed of three distinct visual elements: a skilfully rendered, photorealistic portrait of Elvis Presley; the name "LINDA" in large, colourful graffiti letters; and the tags "LOVELY" and "RIP."
In the context of the "Lovely Linda" mural, "RIP" is the common acronym for "Rest In Peace."
This type of artwork is a powerful and very common tradition within street art and graffiti culture. Public walls are often used to create personal, heartfelt memorials for friends, family members, or community figures who have passed away. It is a way of co-opting a public space for a private, yet universally understood, expression of grief and remembrance.
The combination of a name ("Linda"), an affectionate term ("Lovely"), a portrait of a beloved icon (Elvis Presley), and the "RIP" tag are all classic elements of a memorial piece. The fact that the artist is not listed among the official festival artists further supports the conclusion that this is a personal, unsanctioned tribute.
Sources and related content
The Urban Palimpsest - Other Graffiti
The site's walls also bear other layers of graffiti, such as the large "RACER" piece and the smaller "UDAR" tag next to it. As is common with traditional graffiti, research for a prominent Dublin artist using the tag "RACER" is inconclusive, underscoring the often anonymous and transient nature of the subculture. These pieces add to the visual texture of the site, demonstrating its use as a contested space where official, commissioned art coexists with unsanctioned personal memorials and crew-based tags.
The collection of artworks on the Boylan Centre site serves as a microcosm of the entire street art ecosystem. It displays the full spectrum of the culture:
Socially-Engaged Community Art: The Bloom project, created with local youth to foster wellbeing.
Contemporary Public Art: The work of Signs of Power, a professional artist with a unique abstract style, commissioned by the council.
Vernacular Memorial Art: The "Lovely Linda" piece, an unauthorised but deeply personal tribute.
Traditional Graffiti: The "Racer" and "Udar" tags, focused on artist identity and crew presence.
Observing these distinct forms on one small site provides a uniquely comprehensive lesson in the sociology of urban art. The walls tell multiple, overlapping stories simultaneously, from council-approved beautification to intensely personal grief and the assertion of identity.
Part IV: The Inevitable Future - Dereliction and Redevelopment
The derelict state of the Boylan Centre in recent photographs is explained by its status as a property in transition. Since being sold to DLRCC in June 2023, the building is no longer managed by Crosscare and sits in a state of limbo, awaiting redevelopment by its new owner, the council. This period of inactivity is a common cause of neglect and decay. The site's condition—overgrown with weeds, littered with debris, and marked by broken windows—clearly fits the legal definition of a derelict site under Ireland's Derelict Sites Act 1990, as a property that "detracts... to a material degree from the amenity, character or appearance of land in the neighbourhood."
The future of the site is no longer speculative. In June 2025, DLRCC issued public tenders for "Civil and Structural Engineering Services" and "Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services" for a "Proposed Development of approximately Sixty (60) Residential Units, Boylan Centre, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin." This is definitive, official confirmation of the council's plan to demolish the existing structure and build a significant housing development.
This plan aligns with advocacy from the Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA). In a letter anticipating the sale, the DLCRA expressed strong support for developing the site for housing to address the national crisis, which the Taoiseach had acknowledged as a "social disaster." Crucially, the residents' association has campaigned for this new development to include a mix of housing types, with a focus on providing affordable options for essential workers like nurses, Gardaí (police), and teachers, who are increasingly priced out of the area. They argue this would support local policy objectives like the creation of "10-minute neighbourhoods" and align with the national "Housing for All" strategy, ensuring the site continues to serve a vital community function.
The transformation of the Boylan Centre from a social service hub into a planned housing development is a direct, physical manifestation of a major policy shift in Ireland. It illustrates how the intense and urgent pressure to address the housing crisis can lead to the displacement of other essential, but less tangible, forms of social infrastructure. While the need for housing is undeniable, national studies warn of the long-term societal costs of closing youth services, including negative impacts on educational attainment and increased youth crime rates—costs that are often overlooked when pursuing quantifiable targets like housing units. The story of the Boylan Centre is a case study in these competing social priorities. The advocacy by the DLCRA for affordable housing for key workers represents a thoughtful attempt to reconcile these needs, arguing that a healthy community requires both homes and the people who provide its essential services.
The rapid transition of the site can be summarised by the following key events:
June 2021: The Dún Laoghaire Anseo festival takes place, during which the murals by Bloom The Art Project and Signs of Power are created on the Boylan Centre. This event marks the "high point" of the centre's aesthetic and community engagement before its decline.
June 2023: The Catholic Church sells the Boylan Centre to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC). This is the definitive event that triggers the closure of the centre and paves the way for its redevelopment.
August 2023: The Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA) writes to the council, expressing support for housing development on the site and advocating for affordable options for key workers. This shows proactive community engagement in shaping the site's future.
January 2025: The DLCRA provides an update to residents, confirming the sale and noting that the council is considering its plans for the site, indicating the project is moving forward.
June 2025: DLRCC issues public tenders for engineering services for a planned 60-unit residential development. This provides concrete, official confirmation of the scale and nature of the redevelopment.
3rd July 2025: Photographs by William Murphy document the site in a derelict state, though with the street art still intact. This is the "present day" evidence that anchors this investigative report.
Conclusion: The Palimpsest of Sussex Street
The Boylan Youth Centre is a palimpsest—a single surface telling the layered stories of community life, civic pride, artistic expression, personal grief, and the powerful, often competing, forces of urban development and social policy. The central irony is unavoidable: the Dún Laoghaire Anseo project, meaning "Dún Laoghaire is Here," inadvertently decorated a place that would soon be gone. The art intended to celebrate the town's present now serves as a vibrant record of its very recent past.
This single case study raises broader societal questions that resonate far beyond Dún Laoghaire. What is the true cost of losing a community hub that serves both the young and the old? How can cities balance the urgent, quantifiable need for housing with the preservation of less tangible but equally vital social and cultural spaces? The story of the Boylan Centre is not unique; it is a narrative playing out in cities across Ireland and beyond, where the pressures of development challenge the fabric of community life.
Returning to the photographs, the hopeful mural by Bloom and the poignant memorial to "Lovely Linda" remain, for now, on the walls. They are the last vestiges of a rich, complex, and transient chapter in the life of this small corner of Sussex Street. Soon, they will disappear, and the site's next chapter—as a block of 60 homes—will begin, forever altering the identity of this place and posing new questions about what it means for a community to be "here."
Introduction: A Canvas of Contradictions
Photographs taken on Sussex Street in Dún Laoghaire on 3rd July 2025 capture a scene of stark contradiction. One wall of the Boylan Youth Centre bursts with a vibrant, whimsical mural, depicting a cartoonish figure gazing out at a playful cosmos. Yet, this burst of life is framed by decay. Overgrown weeds choke the pavement, bushes obscure parts of the artwork, and other views of the site reveal broken windows and a general state of dereliction. This scene presents a paradox: a building that received a "long overdue facelift" as part of a major civic art festival in 2021 now stands vacant and neglected just four years later.
This report investigates the story behind this contradiction, exploring how a site of such community importance and artistic celebration fell into its current state. It examines the vital role the Boylan Centre played in Dún Laoghaire, the history of the art adorning its walls, and the powerful socio-economic forces that have dictated its past, present, and imminent future. Looming in the background of several images, the granite spire of St. Michael's Church serves as a constant, silent witness, grounding this story of change within the enduring landscape of the town.
Part I: The Heart of a Community - A History of the Boylan Centre
For many years, the Boylan Centre on Sussex Street was a vital community asset in Dún Laoghaire, operated by Crosscare, the social care agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. It was far more than just a building; it was a bustling, multi-generational hub that provided a vast array of essential services, creating a crucial social anchor for the town.
The centre was perhaps best known for its comprehensive youth services, catering to young people aged 10 to 25. Run by Crosscare Dún Laoghaire Youth Service and staffed by professional youth workers, it offered a safe and nurturing environment with a wide range of programmes. These included a youth café known as "The Beat," activities in arts, drama, and music, and practical skills development in podcasting, photography, and cookery. The service also provided critical support for personal development, with programmes focused on leadership, mindfulness, and wellbeing, as well as one-to-one support for issues like mental health, addiction, relationships, and educational guidance.
Crucially, the Boylan Centre was not solely for the young. It also housed the Dún Laoghaire Active Retirement Association, which provided a social outlet and activities such as bridge, indoor bowls, arts and crafts, and exercise classes for older residents. Furthermore, the premises hosted a Crosscare Foodbank, offering free, nutritious food parcels to local families and individuals in need, highlighting its role in addressing fundamental community welfare. The co-location of services for youth and seniors made the centre a rare and valuable space for intergenerational connection.
This era of community service came to a definitive end with the sale of the property. In June 2023, the Boylan Centre was sold by the Catholic Church to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC). While Crosscare continues to operate its youth services from other locations in the wider area, including Sallynoggin and Shankill, the physical hub on Sussex Street was lost, leaving a significant void in the town centre.
The closure of the Boylan Centre represents more than the cessation of programmes; it signifies the loss of a classic "third place"—a crucial social environment separate from the pressures of home and work or school. Research into the effects of youth centre closures across the UK and Ireland points to significant negative consequences, including increased youth isolation, a rise in anti-social behaviour, and worsening mental health outcomes, as young people are left without safe spaces and positive role models. The disappearance of this vibrant hub, which catered to the needs of the town's youngest and oldest residents, has removed a key piece of Dún Laoghaire's social infrastructure, the full impact of which may only become apparent over time.
Part II: An Open-Air Gallery - The Art of the Dún Laoghaire Anseo Project
In June 2021, the walls of the Boylan Centre were transformed as part of the inaugural Dún Laoghaire Anseo street art festival. "Anseo," the Irish word for "here," signalled the project's intent to celebrate the town's unique identity. A collaboration between DLRCC and The Walls Project, a social enterprise dedicated to public art, the festival aimed to create a sprawling "open-air gallery" across 14 different locations. The initiative was conceived to brighten urban spaces, encourage public footfall in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and create art that reflected the town's character and maritime heritage. The festival was a resounding success, spawning subsequent annual events and popular guided walking tours that continue to draw locals and visitors.
The mural on the main wall of the Boylan Centre was a cornerstone of this project. It was created by Bloom The Art Project, a collective whose mission is to use collaborative art to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. Their murals are intended as "gentle reminders to practise kindness and compassion with yourself and others around you." In keeping with this ethos, the Boylan Centre piece was a deeply collaborative effort. Bloom worked directly with the young people of the Crosscare Youth Service—the centre's primary users—along with other community members to design and paint the mural. The resulting artwork, with its cheerful and imaginative space theme, was a direct product of the community it was meant to celebrate, created specifically to "brighten up their corner of Sussex Street" and instil a sense of optimism.
In retrospect, the creation of this mural in 2021 carries a deep and poignant irony. Intended as an act of revitalisation and a celebration of the centre's vibrant life, the artwork now functions as an unintentional memorial. The optimistic language surrounding the project, which hailed it as a "long overdue facelift" reflecting "a move towards brighter days," stands in stark contrast to the reality of the building's fate. Even as the mural was being painted, the process of the building's sale was likely underway. The Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA) was aware of a probable sale and was already in communication with the council about the site's potential for housing redevelopment. The sale was finalised just two years later, in June 2023, leading directly to the dereliction seen in the 2025 photographs.
Therefore, the vibrant mural is not a symbol of ongoing life, but a high-water mark before the centre's decline. It is a snapshot of the final, hopeful chapter of the Boylan Centre, making its current state of neglect all the more jarring. The art, meant to celebrate the community in the space, now decorates the tomb of that very space.
Part III: Decoding the Walls - Unofficial Art and Layered Meanings
Beyond the main community mural, the walls of the Boylan Centre site host a range of other artworks that represent different facets of street art culture, from commissioned contemporary pieces to personal memorials and anonymous tags.
The "Hieroglyphs" of Sussex Street
The distinctive symbolic artwork seen on several walls is the work of Signs of Power, the professional name for the Dublin-based artist Vanessa Power. She was one of the official artists commissioned for the 2021 Dún Laoghaire Anseo festival. The description of her work as "hieroglyphic" is an insightful observation of its visual effect. Power is a lettering artist and sign painter who merges the traditional craft with a modern, pop-art aesthetic. The symbols are not derived from ancient scripts but are part of a unique, stylised alphabet she has developed.
This approach echoes how early 20th-century artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner used the term "hieroglyphs" to describe their method of translating lived experience into condensed, abstract, and symbolic visual forms. Power's symbols, arranged in a grid and punctuated by red drips or arrows, create a powerful visual language that is meant to be experienced rather than literally read. Her work explores the power of signs and symbols in urban communication, a core theme in street art globally.
A Tribute to "Lovely Linda"
In stark contrast to the commissioned festival pieces is a mural composed of three distinct visual elements: a skilfully rendered, photorealistic portrait of Elvis Presley; the name "LINDA" in large, colourful graffiti letters; and the tags "LOVELY" and "RIP."
In the context of the "Lovely Linda" mural, "RIP" is the common acronym for "Rest In Peace."
This type of artwork is a powerful and very common tradition within street art and graffiti culture. Public walls are often used to create personal, heartfelt memorials for friends, family members, or community figures who have passed away. It is a way of co-opting a public space for a private, yet universally understood, expression of grief and remembrance.
The combination of a name ("Linda"), an affectionate term ("Lovely"), a portrait of a beloved icon (Elvis Presley), and the "RIP" tag are all classic elements of a memorial piece. The fact that the artist is not listed among the official festival artists further supports the conclusion that this is a personal, unsanctioned tribute.
Sources and related content
The Urban Palimpsest - Other Graffiti
The site's walls also bear other layers of graffiti, such as the large "RACER" piece and the smaller "UDAR" tag next to it. As is common with traditional graffiti, research for a prominent Dublin artist using the tag "RACER" is inconclusive, underscoring the often anonymous and transient nature of the subculture. These pieces add to the visual texture of the site, demonstrating its use as a contested space where official, commissioned art coexists with unsanctioned personal memorials and crew-based tags.
The collection of artworks on the Boylan Centre site serves as a microcosm of the entire street art ecosystem. It displays the full spectrum of the culture:
Socially-Engaged Community Art: The Bloom project, created with local youth to foster wellbeing.
Contemporary Public Art: The work of Signs of Power, a professional artist with a unique abstract style, commissioned by the council.
Vernacular Memorial Art: The "Lovely Linda" piece, an unauthorised but deeply personal tribute.
Traditional Graffiti: The "Racer" and "Udar" tags, focused on artist identity and crew presence.
Observing these distinct forms on one small site provides a uniquely comprehensive lesson in the sociology of urban art. The walls tell multiple, overlapping stories simultaneously, from council-approved beautification to intensely personal grief and the assertion of identity.
Part IV: The Inevitable Future - Dereliction and Redevelopment
The derelict state of the Boylan Centre in recent photographs is explained by its status as a property in transition. Since being sold to DLRCC in June 2023, the building is no longer managed by Crosscare and sits in a state of limbo, awaiting redevelopment by its new owner, the council. This period of inactivity is a common cause of neglect and decay. The site's condition—overgrown with weeds, littered with debris, and marked by broken windows—clearly fits the legal definition of a derelict site under Ireland's Derelict Sites Act 1990, as a property that "detracts... to a material degree from the amenity, character or appearance of land in the neighbourhood."
The future of the site is no longer speculative. In June 2025, DLRCC issued public tenders for "Civil and Structural Engineering Services" and "Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services" for a "Proposed Development of approximately Sixty (60) Residential Units, Boylan Centre, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin." This is definitive, official confirmation of the council's plan to demolish the existing structure and build a significant housing development.
This plan aligns with advocacy from the Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA). In a letter anticipating the sale, the DLCRA expressed strong support for developing the site for housing to address the national crisis, which the Taoiseach had acknowledged as a "social disaster." Crucially, the residents' association has campaigned for this new development to include a mix of housing types, with a focus on providing affordable options for essential workers like nurses, Gardaí (police), and teachers, who are increasingly priced out of the area. They argue this would support local policy objectives like the creation of "10-minute neighbourhoods" and align with the national "Housing for All" strategy, ensuring the site continues to serve a vital community function.
The transformation of the Boylan Centre from a social service hub into a planned housing development is a direct, physical manifestation of a major policy shift in Ireland. It illustrates how the intense and urgent pressure to address the housing crisis can lead to the displacement of other essential, but less tangible, forms of social infrastructure. While the need for housing is undeniable, national studies warn of the long-term societal costs of closing youth services, including negative impacts on educational attainment and increased youth crime rates—costs that are often overlooked when pursuing quantifiable targets like housing units. The story of the Boylan Centre is a case study in these competing social priorities. The advocacy by the DLCRA for affordable housing for key workers represents a thoughtful attempt to reconcile these needs, arguing that a healthy community requires both homes and the people who provide its essential services.
The rapid transition of the site can be summarised by the following key events:
June 2021: The Dún Laoghaire Anseo festival takes place, during which the murals by Bloom The Art Project and Signs of Power are created on the Boylan Centre. This event marks the "high point" of the centre's aesthetic and community engagement before its decline.
June 2023: The Catholic Church sells the Boylan Centre to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC). This is the definitive event that triggers the closure of the centre and paves the way for its redevelopment.
August 2023: The Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association (DLCRA) writes to the council, expressing support for housing development on the site and advocating for affordable options for key workers. This shows proactive community engagement in shaping the site's future.
January 2025: The DLCRA provides an update to residents, confirming the sale and noting that the council is considering its plans for the site, indicating the project is moving forward.
June 2025: DLRCC issues public tenders for engineering services for a planned 60-unit residential development. This provides concrete, official confirmation of the scale and nature of the redevelopment.
3rd July 2025: Photographs by William Murphy document the site in a derelict state, though with the street art still intact. This is the "present day" evidence that anchors this investigative report.
Conclusion: The Palimpsest of Sussex Street
The Boylan Youth Centre is a palimpsest—a single surface telling the layered stories of community life, civic pride, artistic expression, personal grief, and the powerful, often competing, forces of urban development and social policy. The central irony is unavoidable: the Dún Laoghaire Anseo project, meaning "Dún Laoghaire is Here," inadvertently decorated a place that would soon be gone. The art intended to celebrate the town's present now serves as a vibrant record of its very recent past.
This single case study raises broader societal questions that resonate far beyond Dún Laoghaire. What is the true cost of losing a community hub that serves both the young and the old? How can cities balance the urgent, quantifiable need for housing with the preservation of less tangible but equally vital social and cultural spaces? The story of the Boylan Centre is not unique; it is a narrative playing out in cities across Ireland and beyond, where the pressures of development challenge the fabric of community life.
Returning to the photographs, the hopeful mural by Bloom and the poignant memorial to "Lovely Linda" remain, for now, on the walls. They are the last vestiges of a rich, complex, and transient chapter in the life of this small corner of Sussex Street. Soon, they will disappear, and the site's next chapter—as a block of 60 homes—will begin, forever altering the identity of this place and posing new questions about what it means for a community to be "here."