Longford Leader columnist Mattie Fox: Treatment of Geraghty family a reflection of strange times
In the middle of Carrick-on-Shannon, opposite St Mary’s Catholic Church is a shop which has been a landmark there for 65 years.
The store is famous for having almost anything you’d need from fishing tackle to bicycles, to musical instruments, and also having a bar for most of those years.
It’s where Kathleen Geraghty has reared all of her nine children, and along with that she also ran the shop and pub for time immemorial. She was looking forward to ending her days there.
Kathleen is 85 years old.
Unbeknownst to Kathleen, Leitrim County Council drafted plans for what they call a “concept proposal” to install a “destination centre” encompassing three properties, one of which is Kathleen Geraghty’s home.
She was shocked after learning from “a person on the street” that her home was going to be demolished.
Nobody had discussed or outlined the plan with Kathleen, although FG Councillor Finola Armstrong Maguire - who runs the Magnet drapery store as one of the three properties that form the parcel of properties - explained to the ‘Irish Times’ that she herself had already agreed to the “concept”!
The Council Plan shows a glass structure spread over the three properties, opposite St Mary’s Catholic Church.
So it’s obvious that the council forged ahead without ever broaching the subject to the Geraghty family.
On the face of it, the council comes out of this very badly.
The Geraghty’s who confess to being “disgusted and devastated” by how the local council has handled the project, say that a petition opposing the proposed “concept” already has almost 3,700 signatures online.
Meanwhile Cllr Armstrong Maguire said she did have concerns, but she believed there was room for compromise such as having parts of the existing buildings incorporated into the new structure.
She added, “My bottom line is that health and education must be our priorities in the current circumstances.”
Pity she didn’t take time to inform the Geraghty family.
Mrs Geraghty, whose late husband Pat bought the building in 1953, said with emotion “I am very, very traumatised by this.”
Her daughter Ella, said that just last year Leitrim County Council had included Geraghty’s in an exhibition celebrating the county’s traditional shopfronts “and now they want to demolish it”.
Independent councillor Enda Stenson said he had never seen the council mishandle a project to such a degree since he became a councillor in 1999.
The Geraghtys have said they no longer have trust or faith in the council. “We want it known that we did not and do not give our consent,” said the family.
“This is our home . . . We’re devastated but there is a principle involved about knocking down buildings,” said Ella Geraghty. “Once they are knocked down they are gone.”
She said the family supported the regeneration of Carrick but “we are not convinced this plan is for the betterment of Carrick”.
The council said it regretted any misunderstanding that had arisen in submitting the application “as this was never the intention”.
Strange times indeed.