1970 Dublin fires

Number of fires across the city of Dublin, Ireland File:Aftermath of a huge fire at Thomas McKenzie & Sons Ltd. on Pearse Street, Dublin.jpg The aftermath of the fire at the premises of Thomas McKenzie & Sons, Pearse Street 1970 01 07 1970 08 16 Dublin, Ireland Arson Ulster Volunteer Force (assumed) The 1970 Dublin fires were a number of arson attacks in Dublin, Ireland in 1970. At the time, the series of fires were rumoured to have been caused by the Ulster Volunteer Force following a threat that was made stating that “Dublin will burn”.17 August 1970 Seventh in a few months https://prnt.sc/bVU9yATA-L9s https://web.archive.org/web/20250223003916/https://prnt.sc/bVU9yATA-L9s 23 February 2025 2 August 2023 Irish Press 1 Irish Newspaper Archives Gardaí later stated that they believed that the fires were unrelated to the threats and were most likely the work of arsonists.16 July 1970 Firebug theory as Dublin blaze is probed https://prnt.sc/uBeg8Lq14IXo https://web.archive.org/web/20241127085843/https://prnt.sc/uBeg8Lq14IXo 27 November 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 9 Irish Newspaper Archives Fires Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt The first fire of the year was on 7 January in the drapery and hardware section of Dunnes Stores in the Cornelscourt Shopping Centre in Cornelscourt causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage.8 January 1970 Fire destroys part of Dublin shopping centre https://prnt.sc/NezcrsIUpvbk https://web.archive.org/web/20251030015647/https://prnt.sc/qiD6v0AihhON 30 October 2025 19 April 2025 Irish Examiner 1 Irish Newspaper Archives The Fire Brigade prevented the fire from spreading to the supermarket area. The leader of the Fire Brigade said the fire had started in the roof area and spread rapidly. He said "there were explosions all over the place but nobody knows what caused them". The next day it was announced that Ben Dunne was preparing plans with architects to rebuild the damaged section with a temporary drapery section being created in the undamaged part of the store.9 January 1970 Plans to rebuild burnt store https://prnt.sc/TMfAwgLUaIB5 https://web.archive.org/web/20251030024602/https://prnt.sc/vdFXW1RQwnEh 30 October 2025 19 April 2025 Irish Independent 7 Irish Newspaper Archives Pearse Street A fire on 9 April destroyed the building of Thomas McKenzie & Sons Ltd, a hardware store, on Pearse Street causing damages estimated to be at least £300,000.10 April 1970 Fire destroys big Dublin store https://prnt.sc/2HOvj4MmtgZd dead https://web.archive.org/web/20241228141622/https://prnt.sc/2HOvj4MmtgZd 28 December 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 11 Irish Newspaper ArchivesPearse Street Fire https://www.rte.ie/archives/2020/0331/1127608-pearse-street-fire/ 2 August 2023 RTÉ Archives en The land was later sold to a developer for an undisclosed sum.30 October 1970 McKenzie's site sold https://prnt.sc/B9PeMqwAdSZe https://web.archive.org/web/20241127090301/https://prnt.sc/B9PeMqwAdSZe 27 November 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Press 14 Irish Newspaper Archives East Wall On 25 June, a fire was lit in the timberyard of James McMahon Ltd, located on East Wall Road, which destroyed a huge stock of timber.James Mc Mahon, Limited - Irish Company Info - SoloCheck https://www.solocheck.ie/Irish-Company/James-Mc-Mahon-Limited-3490 2 August 2023 www.solocheck.ie The damages caused were reported to be £1 million. Two days later, during the early hours of 27 June, a fire broke out in a diesel storage warehouse, the property of Cassin Diesel Air Transport Ltd, and spread to the adjoining nine shops along Church Road, which were located beside St. Joseph's Church, gutting each one.28 June 1970 Experts probe fire series https://prnt.sc/6GrG7VA39q7F https://web.archive.org/web/20250219143605/https://prnt.sc/6GrG7VA39q7F 19 February 2025 2 August 2023 Sunday Independent 6 Irish Newspaper Archives29 June 1970 Big Dublin fire https://prnt.sc/L93GQCR-urFb https://web.archive.org/web/20250223044607/https://prnt.sc/L93GQCR-urFb 23 February 2025 2 August 2023 Irish Examiner 6 Irish Newspaper Archives A block of housing for pensioners called St Mary's Court was built in its place in the mid 1970s. Abbey Street A fire broke out on 26 June in the large warehouses of Holroyd & Jones and Brooks Thomas & Co, a timber store, on Abbey Street at 3am.26 June 1970 Blaze in Middle Abbey St. https://prnt.sc/c4MMJX4bkWrx https://web.archive.org/web/20241227232423/https://prnt.sc/c4MMJX4bkWrx 27 December 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 1 Irish Newspaper Archives This was later reported to have been caused by housebreakers. On 13 July, another fire was set in the premises shortly after 8pm. One fireman was seriously injured and was in hospital due to firefighting. Gardaí were searching for three cars, two of which had Northern Ireland registration plates, that were all reportedly seen speeding away from the site after the fire emerged.14 July 1970 Mystery blaze destroys big Dublin warehouse https://prnt.sc/dETBh6Xo55XH https://web.archive.org/web/20241127092642/https://prnt.sc/dETBh6Xo55XH 27 November 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 1 Irish Newspaper Archives James's Place East P.J. Matthews & Co. Ltd, a paint store and building providers warehouse located on James's Place East, was set on fire in the early hours of the morning of 2 July.2 July 1970 Fire destroys paint store: Gardai suspect arson https://prnt.sc/D4vji4utFffi https://web.archive.org/web/20250219162209/https://prnt.sc/D4vji4utFffi 19 February 2025 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 1 Irish Newspaper Archives The warehouse was opened in 1950 and employed 100 people at the time of the fire. A man was noticed on the roof of the warehouse before the fire broke out. Shankill The stables and loft of Springfield House, Shankill, the home of Jack Doyle, a bloodstock dealer, were set alight on the night of 13 July. The alarm was raised by Anne Ennis, wife of jockey and trainer Frank Ennis who lived nearby.15 July 1970 Fire inquiry exonerates UVF https://prnt.sc/IsT2mFG4UPXT https://web.archive.org/web/20250220172951/https://prnt.sc/IsT2mFG4UPXT 20 February 2025 2 August 2023 Irish Press 1 Irish Newspaper Archives Doyle felt that this arson attack on his property was malicious, and not an accident. Stephen Street A fire broke out at Moore & Co's garage on Stephen Street, off Aungier Street on the night of 15 July.16 July 1970 Another big city fire https://prnt.sc/aIdvUZC634eu https://web.archive.org/web/20250219164830/https://prnt.sc/aIdvUZC634eu 19 February 2025 2 August 2023 Irish Independent 1 Irish Newspaper Archives Concerns amounted when the fears of the fire spreading to the adjacent shopping block of buildings on George's Street and the risk of the underground fuel tanks exploding were realised. The fire was contained after two hours and the damages caused were estimated to be around £20,000 to £30,000. Sheriff Street A block of buildings, including four large warehouses, were set alight during the night of 16 August along Sheriff Street in the North Wall area of north Dublin.Clare Paddy 17 August 1970 Warehouse block ruined: Another big city blaze https://prnt.sc/KHuWTLiw3QXX https://web.archive.org/web/20241226150636/https://prnt.sc/KHuWTLiw3QXX 26 December 2024 2 August 2023 Irish Press 1 Irish Newspaper Archives Among the affected were the premises of Chadwicks, a building providers and Wiggin's Teape, a paper merchant.14 November 2017 Archiseek - Irish Architecture - 1931 - Wiggins Teape, East Wall Dublin https://www.archiseek.com/2017/1931-wiggins-teape-east-wall-dublin/ 2 August 2023 en-US Firemen generated a large water barrier to prevent the fire from spreading to the Kosan Gas warehouse which had gas cylinders inside that could have exploded. References County Dublin Category:Building and structure arson attacks in the Republic of Ireland Category:1970 in Ireland Category:1970s fires in Europe Category:Residential building arson attacks in Ireland Category:The Troubles in Dublin Category:Terrorist incidents in Dublin (city) Category:Ulster Volunteer Force actions Category:1970s in Dublin (city) Category:1970 crimes in Ireland Category:Arson in 1970 Category:1970s disasters in Ireland Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 1970 Category:Attacks on shops in Ireland Category:Attacks on warehouses