*Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) wishes postmistress Maura McKiernan well. Photograph: Tom Micks
CARRIGAHOLT “is the hub of the Loop Head Peninsula” with plans progressing for a new use of the village’s former Irish college.
Following a temporary four month closure, Carrigaholt’s post office reopened on Monday morning with the addition of a new convenience store in its premises in The Square.
Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) a proud native of Cross noted the large crowd of fifty plus in attendance at the reopening with young and old alike including the students of Carrigaholt NS. “I remember when I was elected to Clare County Council seventeen years ago, my first invitation was an extension to Carrigaholt school and I am glad to see staff and students here, it is going so well”.
Speaking at Monday’s reopening, Cllr Keating commented, “I always say that Carrigaholt is the hub of the Peninsula, we’re very fortunate to have so many facilities, it really is a great village, you can come down and swim, you can go to the castle, go on the dolphin boat, you have so many facilities, from the west you have the award-winning Long Dock, you have two coffee shops, three pubs, a craft shop, the school and a creche, you have the church, the burial ground, we have so many things in Carrigaholt and a great community. We have our parish priest, Fr Michael Casey, we have Dr Ellis and his staff, we have a FAS worker, we have everything in Carrigaholt and there is tremendous opportunity”.
Keating praised postmistress Maura McKiernan for her resilience. “I called to see Maura after her trauma and I knew she would be back, she is all set to take over again and that is great too, the post office in Cross was in my family, I worked in the post office around the country for twelve years before I moved on, I know what it means to the people and the community everywhere, I wish the community well in the new community shop, it will be a great addition, we have everything else, if you want entertainment come to Carrigaholt”.
Last June, plans were lodged to turn Coláiste Eoghan Uí Chomhraidhe into “a residential cultural and educational centre with overnight visitor accommodation”. Coláiste Eoghan Uí Chomhraidhe successfully operated as an Irish summer residential college for over 100 years from 1912 until its closure in 2017.
Referencing the plans, Cllr Keating stated, “The fact O’Curry College is closed doesn’t mean it won’t open again, we’re in the middle of a planning process, I hope we will get it over the line”.
He was one of four politicians in attendance where he was flanked by Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) and Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) with Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) among the crowd. He quipped that Cllr O’Callaghan “always reminds me of the Minister for Justice” and he labelled Cllr Shannon as “a Junior Minister to be”.
