An opera house for the capital

Sir, – Surely what O’Connell Street needs is vision and a “wow factor”. There is a large site at the north end of this street which has been vacant for years. Dublin is the only European capital city without an opera house. A prestige cultural venue such as this is exactly what is needed for O’Connell Street and this site. The Dublin theatres where opera is performed do not have the special requirements, especially acoustics, that opera needs. A new opera house could be a base in Dublin for Irish National Opera, other opera companies, dance companies, musicals and plays.

Such a cultural venue could add immensely to the prestige of this street and to the north side of Dublin in general. It would attract people back to O’Connell Street and would be a venue we could all be proud of. Wexford has the wonderful National Opera House but our capital city needs and deserves its own opera house. It need not cost the earth. Look at what was achieved financially for Wexford and the benefits for Wexford and for Ireland. – Yours, etc,

CIARAN P LYNCH,

Athy,