It is a Christmas full of foreboding for the residents of Arran Quay Terrace in Dublin, whose houses are to be demolished to make way for the Luas line between Middle Abbey Street and Tallaght.
The first Mrs Lillie Donohoe (65), a resident in the terrace for 37 years, heard of the report of the public inquiry giving the go-ahead to the proposal, was on yesterday morning's RTE radio news.
"It was a terrible thing to hear. That was our Christmas present. I don't know what the New Year will bring," she said yesterday.
Six of the eight century-old houses in the terrace are occupied, with some of the residents there for decades. The small community is located just off Smithfield, which has been earmarked for a development including hotels and an apartment complex.
Mrs Donohoe was born and reared in nearby Queen Street and bought her house at auction. She reared her four children in the three-bedroom house, which has been extended over the years, and does not want to leave.
"This is a nice area in which to live. It is very quiet at the weekends, and it is very near town. You are in the centre of everything here. Where would they put me if my house is knocked ? I said I didn't want a house near here, because I know they would build me some dog box and I would have to listen to the trams going by every few minutes."
Mrs Donohoe and the other residents are hoping that the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke, will reject the proposal to demolish their houses. "We got a commitment from Bertie Ahern that our houses would be left alone," she said. "Before the election, he came to a meeting in Church Street hall and said that if he was re-elected they wouldn't be touched. I said I'll believe it when I see it."
Mr Tom Conway, another resident in the terrace, lives with his wife, Ms Gertrude O'Brien, and their two young children in the house where he was born and reared. He commutes daily to his teaching job in Ballyfermot.
"We feel we have been very badly treated. We have known about the plans for some time but the first we heard about the report of the public inquiry was from the media," he said. "The same thing happened when the plans were first drawn up. They were the subject of gossip in the street before we finally knew."
Mr Conway said there had been a suggestion by CIE at one time that the residents might be re-housed in new, three-storey houses to be built in their existing backyards. "That is simply not on. The yards actually narrow as you go up the terrace. In fact, the resident who lives in number one does not have a yard.
"We have been in limbo for the past three years. We live on media announcements. It is very difficult to live under the shadow of losing your home."
