No Place for Nelson on Nelson’s Column

DUBLIN, Ireland — Nelson’s Column, a prominent Dublin landmark blown up by Irish nationalist guerrillas in 1966, may return to the Irish capital--but without a statue of the famous one-eyed English admiral atop it.

The soaring Doric column, targeted for destruction as a hated symbol of past British rule, could be rebuilt on Dublin’s main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, by 1988 to mark the city’s 1,000th anniversary.

Architects have been consulted, the original plans for the 1808 column have been dug out and a spokesman for Dublin’s Metropolitan Streets Commission said, “It’s an option we are looking at but there is no question of putting Nelson back. It would be just the pillar with a viewing platform on top.”