Uinseann MacEoin

Uinseann Ó Rathaille MacEoin (4 July 1920 – 21 December 2007) was an Irish architect, journalist, republican campaigner and historian. Born into an Irish republican family, MacEoin became involved with the Irish Republican Army during World War II and was interned alongside other republicans by the Irish government, who feared the IRA would draw Ireland into the war. In the decades after his internment, MacEoin would emerge as an influential architect who became involved with the preservation of historic sections of Dublin's inner city. Additionally, MacEoin remained interested in republicanism and would publish a number of books covering the history of Irish republicanism. As part of his research for these books, MacEoin would conduct oral interviews with other Irish republicans and record them; these recordings now serve as the core of a massive oral history collection held by the Irish Defence Forces.

Early life and family Uinseann Ó Rathaille MacEoin was born Vincent O'Rahilly McGuone in Pomeroy, County Tyrone on 4 July 1920. His parents were Catherine (née Fox) and Malachy McGuone. His father owned the Central Hotel in Pomeroy and was a wine and spirit merchant. He had 3 siblings. Both of his parents were nationalists, and named all their children after leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. Under the first Dáil in 1918, Malachy McGuone was appointed a judge. This resulted in him being interned the prison ship Argenta on Larne Lough from 1922 to 1923. The family moved to Dublin after his release. Malachy died in 1933, which led to his wife running a workingmen's café in East Essex Street. The family later lived on Marlborough Road, Donnybrook.

He married Margaret Russell in 1956 in Navan, County Meath. They had a daughter and two sons. He died in a nursing home in Shankill, County Dublin on 21 December 2007. His estate at the time of his death was valued at over €3 million.

Republican activities MacEoin attended boarding school at Blackrock College, and was then articled to the architectural practice of Vincent Kelly in Merrion Square.

Political activism Despite his republican and socialist views, he was a staunch advocate for the preservation of Georgian Dublin, and campaigned for their preservation. On this topic, he wrote letters to newspapers, took part in television and radio discussions, wrote comment pieces and editorials, spoke at public hearings, and took part in direct protests such as sit-ins in buildings including those on Baggot Street, Pembroke Street, Hume Street, and Molesworth Street. He was also an active member of the Irish Georgian Society and he campaigned actively against the road widening schemes in Dublin the 1970s and 1980s. His architectural practice moved into one of the Mountjoy Square houses. Along with fellow campaigners, Mariga Guinness and Deirdre Kelly, this demonstrated that these buildings could be salvaged and were not the dangerous structures other architects and developers claimed them to be. MacEoin also bought and saved Heath House, near Portlaoise, County Laois, living there towards the end of his life. He offered free conservation and architectural advise to community groups, and was a volunteer on the renovation works on projects including Tailors Hall.