Royal Canal plans to ‘spur’ on Longford regeneration drive

The document, which came courtesy of recent talks involving Cllr Gerry Warnock and Longford County Council’s regeneration team, was unveiled on Monday at Longford’s former Town Council offices.

Minister of State for the OPW, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran was there to see the finished product in person and before it goes out to public consultation.

The Longford-Westmeath TD was cautious to remark the 60 page report was by no means “the finished article” but rather a taster of what was to come.

“What you are seeing here is a flavour of what we feel could happen to really bring the canal into Longford,” he said.

The plans, which also provide for upgrading works along the town’s Main Street as well as making the best use of St Mel’s Cathedral and Longford’s former Connolly Barracks site, were given a ringing endorsement by Cllr Warnock.

“I was waiting with baited breath for the product of this and I am not disappointed,” he said.

“This is something that could really enhance a forgotten part of our town. We need to bring the linkage of the canal back into the centre of town. It's an amazing piece of work.”

Cllr Mae Sexton was equally enthused, labelling the report as nothing short of “terrific” but said it was imperative as much of the canal was brought back into navigable use.

“I think it’s important that we see the canal reopened back into town,” she said.

“When I say that, I think of places like Carrick-On-Shannon and how they attracted people back into town. It’s the water that does it.”

Fine Gael’s Peggy Nolan said breathing new life into the market square and its surrounding environs had always been uppermost in the minds of Longford’s former Town Council.

And, like Cllr Sexton before her, she argued for the canal’s complete re-establishment.

“I remember my father playing soccer in Fairgreen and how they would jump into the canal for their shower,” she remarked.

“You are brought up on memories like those and while these are exciting times for Longford I would like to see the canal opened the whole way down.

“I know it will probably cost millions, but what price do you put on heritage?”

Cllr Joe Flaherty expressed his disappointment at the lack of input from Waterways Ireland in bringing the plans to their current stage.

In a light hearted rallying cry to the onlooking OPW minister, Cllr Flaherty said despite the originality behind the proposals, what Longford needed was a sizeable and groundbreaking tourism injection.

“We have a very powerful minister in the room, many might say the most powerful in the country and I think he can bring Waterways Ireland to heel,” he said.

“We are in a situation in Longford where we do need silver bullets and tourism is a huge silver bullet.

“If you look at the towns that did well and survive the crash better than us in 2008 you are looking at the likes of Westport and those towns that were able to fall back on tourism.

“We need a tourism carrot that is going to pull people into Longford town.”