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"The half a rood of rock" - how we value public space.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Paddy Kavanagh's sonnet "epic" is familiar to most Irish readers, it's wonderful description of an argument of land ownership in the late 1930's in Ireland as 2 farmers (one stripped to the waist) argue over a "half a rood of rock". These days throughout Europe neither men nor women seem to bother stripping to the waist to lay their claims on barren soil anymore - but the issue of public space & how to reclaim it has in recent years taken on a great collective importance. Thus in Ireland we've seen the initiatives of the Dolphins Barn garden & more recently the Darmouth Square project. This evening I'm going to tell you all about the Forat de Vergonya" : A site of just over a hectare (quite a few roods) which many years ago was designated by Barcelona 's council, Catalonia's government & the EU as a future site for a rubber tyre pre-recycling storage plant complete with hotel. (creative urban use no?) ![]() the half rood of rock belongs to one of the most diverse communities in europe. just like dolphins barn. just like any space reclaimed in dublin For the last 3 days the community of Casc Antic in the central "old city" of Barcelona have faced an invasion of riot police, helicopters, national TV, Spanish state TV & private security guards. ("fingers are being broken"). This happens to be my local community & I like almost every other citizen regularised or not, indiginous or migrant from "far far away land" am proud of the Forat de Vergonya" . The area was abandoned by the municipal authority as a brown soil site & the neighbours built with their own hands, (many stripped to the waist) not only a garden but a playground. This was an achievement because though our "barri" ( neighbourhood) after waiting 11 years now boasts an award winning market & has seen property prices quintiple in 4 years, & boasts some of the most sophisticated restaurants & artisan boutiques in southern Europe...... we never had a playground........................ & no-one has built us one since. |
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