Italian Family Legacy Shifts Amid O’Connell Street’s Challenges

Dublin, Ireland — Danny DeVito’s family history is tied to O’Connell Street, where his ancestors contributed to the city’s café culture. While the Hollywood actor’s Italian roots trace back to America, another branch of his family emigrated to Belfast in 1915, then moved to Dublin.

Leo DiVito, Danny’s relative, recalls the bustling family life growing up with his siblings and cousins above their café on Lower O’Connell Street. His mother’s family, the Cafollas, ran cafés on both sides of the street after setting up shop between the world wars. “We could wave to our cousins across the road,” Leo said.

In the family café, they served ice cream, tea, and cakes, creating a pillar of the community. “Dad put a self-service restaurant in the basement, one of the first in Dublin,” Leo explained. This vibrant atmosphere also harbored childhood memories, including Leo’s escapade of sleepwalking down O’Connell Street in his pajamas, which ended with a neighbor returning him home.

The DiVito family history intertwines with the rich fabric of O’Connell Street’s Italian community, where restaurants thrived. “There were at least six or seven family-run cafés,” Leo shared. “Everyone knew everyone, the Italians, the Irish.” Yet, alongside community ties, the era also brought turmoil, including the destruction of Nelson’s Pillar and the pervasive violence of the 1970s.

The family’s continued presence brought generational connections, with new traditions formed in bustling kitchens. Rosanna, Leo’s sister, married Peter Borza, who also benefited from the vibrant atmosphere of O’Connell Street. Their children grew up amid the same familial love for food and community gatherings.

In a notable encounter, Danny DeVito visited the family restaurant in the mid-1990s while on a trip. After a mistaken identity call to his mother, Danny arrived at O’Connell Street for dinner, where he shared joyful moments with relatives.

More recently, O’Connell Street has faced significant challenges, with rising crime and drugs affecting the area. “The change has been pretty dramatic in the last 10 years,” Peter said. “We see what really goes on.”

The violence reached a peak in November 2023, during riots caused by tensions in the city, instilling fear into local families. Nicoletta Borza recalls walking home through chaos, fully aware that her family was at risk in their own neighborhood.

As conditions in the area took a turn for the worse, Peter and Rosanna decided to leave O’Connell Street, although some family members plan to stay for now. Changes to the building, once a family-run business, are pending, with discussions of converting it into a boutique hotel halted by rising costs and complexity.

All agree that O’Connell Street needs revitalization and community living: “I don’t see that happening in the next 10 or 15 years,” Peter expressed. Leo lamented the thought of the family leaving permanently, hoping for a return to the thriving community spirit of O’Connell Street.