Hector Grey
This plaque reads:
"In memory of Hector Grey 1904 - 1985 who traded on this spot for over 50 years".
The plaque was installed in 1988 and features the logo of the Dublin city millennium celebration which was held in 1988. The precise year the city was founded is not know so the choice of this year as the 1000 year anniversary of the city was somewhat arbitrary.
Hector Grey began his career as a street trader and this plague is set into the pavement on the spot where he had his first stall. He was born in Scotland as Alexander Scott . He began to use the name Hector Grey when dealing as a turf advisor at race tracks. Hector Grey was the name of an Australian jockey, which he adopted for himself.
He later opened a shop at No6, Upper Liffey Street a few metres from the plaque. The shop was a "pound shop"(equivalent of a dollar store) selling a wide variety of cheap items imported from Asia. The shop continued after Grey's death but closed circa 2006.
There is a common misconception that Hector Grey was the grandfather of Ali Hewson (wife of U2's Bono) but this is an urban legend.