Longford Leader editorial: Longford loud and proud
“What a show. What a crowd. What a beautiful night. That was off the scale. Thank you so much to everyone for coming out.”
The words of Darren Holden from The High Kings band which had the distinction of bringing the magnificent Longford Summer Festival 2019 to a conclusion last Sunday night.
A massive crowd, estimated by gardaí, at six thousand congregated on Ballymahon Street to savour the final performance of the free nine night music extravaganza.
Lavish praise was deservedly heaped on the festival organisers, with chairperson, Joe Flaherty, going as far as to suggest that the event might well be a turning point for the town. Here’s hoping it is.
Longford is positioning itself to become a thriving tourism destination.
The opening of the €233m Center Parcs Longford Forest resort on July 29 and the €3.8m Norman Heritage Park scheduled to open around the Granard Motte in 2021 are huge positives for the county.
It was also encouraging to witness events like ‘Build Brand Longford’, organised by Longford Chamber of Commerce, where business people and all residents were being encouraged to become ‘ambassadors’ for Longford and spread the message that the county is a welcoming place for visitors and is open for business.
However, amid the wave of positivity, there was the very bleak news of the plight of the 148 Mount Dillon Bord na Móna workers and the uncertain future that they are facing following the suspension of operations at the ESB’s peat fired power station at Lanesboro, Lough Ree Power for an undefined period of time.
The Bord na Móna Group of Unions are locked in talks with management and local representatives this week and it is crucial, whatever the outcome of these talks, that all supports available should be provided to the workers and their families during this very difficult time and into the future.
The loss of jobs is devastating, particularly in a rural hinterland where employment opportunities aren’t plentiful, and local politicians must ensure that anything which can be done, must be done for the Longford Bord na Móna workers and their families at this trying time.