Up went Nelson, the pillar on Dublin’s O’Connell street, today 50 years ago.

A little time later, the army installed another explosive device and, this time legally and controlled, blew up what had been left by the first bomb. Doing much more damage to the buildings in the neighbourhood than the original bomb had done.

Few, if any, regretted that the pillar, a symbol of British occupation, had gone. In fact, there was public support for getting rid of it, there are people saying today they had thought about blowing it up themselves.

Tomorrow, I’ll be going out with Pádraig at 2.30 – anyone free to come with us (I need some help to drive with Pádraig)?

We might make it down to O’Connell Street and have a look at where the pillar once stood.

What had been built for eternity vanished from the face of the Earth. In a few seconds.