The Athenaeum - Some good news at last!

After many months of fundraising the Athenaeum Restoration Committee have agreed a thirty two year lease of the building and the keys were handed over at recent ceremony. Anybody interested in supporting this worthy cause should check out their website: http://enniscorthyathenaeum.com/

Castle to reopen before Easter?

Meanwhile the Castle is to reopen before Easter (the year isn't specified) but don't hold your breath. The question of whether the windows are timber or PVC seems to have been resolved according to David Medcalf in the today's Guardian - they are timber. The white paint is another matter!
The GAA heads are annoyed that their pet interest is not getting its own special room but why should it as it's not the only sport in the county. The designer Eileen Gray (1878-1976) is, and for my money her story is likely to be of more interest to visitors. Anyway, the jury is still out on how the refurbishment will turn out but the cynic in me fears the worst.

Dunnes - Myth & Reality

This piece from the Enniscorthy Guardian of 8th March clarifies the situation regarding the ownership of the old Dunnes premises on Rafter Street. It looks like when the pedestrianisation is completed the street is going to be left with an embarrassing, empty eyesore in the middle of it.

A fool and (our) money.....?

The long planned pedestrianisation of Rafter Street in Enniscorthy is underway at a cost reputed to be in the order of €500,000. At the same time a number of streets around the town have had new traffic arrangements introduced. All well and good if you have confidence that Enniscorthy Town Council have a clue as to what they are doing - I don't! Less than twenty yards away, right in front of their offices, the 1798 memorial remains besmirched by graffiti and the two adjacent public seats are an eyesore for want of a pot of paint. The 'improvements' to Slaney Street, at a cost of €50/60,000 have made no difference to the street and several traders their told me that they would have preferred a grant towards improving their frontages or a rates reduction instead of the work that was carried out.

The Council continue in the forlorn hope that Dunnes will cut their own throats by letting Iceland open a new store in their old Rafter Street premises, but badly run and all as Dunnes Stores is I don't see them being quite that stupid.

For Slaney Street 'revamp' and the disgusting public seating see earlier post: http://countywexford.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-photo-montage-taken-yesterday-7th.html