A local north Dublin jeweller says he is being forced by a new cycle lane to close his shop.
Damien Duggan is the owner of the popular Duggan Jewellers in Fairview, but the beloved shop is set to close on May 28 after more than 40 years in business.
The shop is currently holding a closing down sale, with huge discounts on watches, rings, necklaces and bracelets.
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He told Dublin Live: "A lot of my customers came to me when they were 30 or 40 years of age when we opened up.
"They’ve been loyal customers and they don’t cycle at 70 or 80 years of age.
“They are taking away all the parking on the far side of the road and reducing the parking on this side of the road. They’re also rerouting the traffic through Ballybough.
“They’ve an option of putting this cycle lane through the park, putting nice lighting in and cameras in. They could call it the Fairview Greenway and make it a tourist attraction, but no.
“They can say all they want about climate change but this is creating havoc with the emissions from cars now.”
Damien emotionally opened up on the dramatic incidents that took place in the shop, including the time he survived a stabbing while defending it.
He said: “My father was beaten up in a robbery at 58 years of age.
"He died at 63 because he never recovered. It happened in this shop.
"I’ve been stabbed in the chest in a robbery here, we survived all that.
“But Dublin City Council have taken away all these car parking spaces. They’re going to kill business around here and make it into a traffic jam area.
“DCC have forgotten that they’ve a civic duty to everyone in Dublin, not just cyclists.
Damien has had to take a new job working for someone else to make ends meet.
He said: “I’m going to work for someone else, I’ve no other option.
"I've been delighted that I was offered a job that coincides with me closing down. I’m lucky because I’ve the skill set of watch repairs, jewellery repairs, evaluations, all this stuff was 42 years of training.
"I’ve been offered a job, so I'm going to take it.”
Local Independent councillor Damian O'Farrell said there is going to be a "change of lifestyle" for a lot of people in the area.
And while he feels the plan should "boost Fairview", he admits locals thought there would be "a lot less disruption".
"It’s going to boost Fairview in the long run," he hopes.
"It’s going to be fantastic and bring life to the park. There’ll be bicycle stop off points, a new cafe, changing rooms so it’s going to be a boost.
“But personally, I wanted the cycleway to be inside the park.
"I thought there would have been a lot less disruption, but I don't think that was ever explored properly.
“There are parking issues for businesses, and they probably thought that they weren’t consulted enough.
“The disadvantages will be the construction, how long it will take, and the disruption it will cause.
"Businesses have hung on throughout Covid and are just coming out of it, then for this to come on top of it.
"Businesses were closed and now, with all the roadworks, people are avoiding the area, particularly motorists, that’s the consequences and it’s very sad.”
Dublin Live have contacted Dublin City Council for comment.
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