Published: Wednesday, 9th June, 2010 5:00pm

Pages from the Past

1860: The burning of Newpark House

The Westmeath Independent reported, 150 years ago, on a fire which destroyed Newpark House in South Roscommon on Wednesday, June 20,

1860.

The paper said: "We have to deplore the loss by fire of the fine old family mansion of Newpark, the residence of Henry M. Smythe, ESq, D.L, which on Wednesday morning, with the offices and a great portion of the furniture, was totally consumed.

"The fire was first discovered about 2 o'clock in the nursery, which is situated in an upper storey, where a crackling in the ceiling attracted attention and shortly after the flames burst forth through the roof, illuminating the country, and spreading alarm for many miles round. Messages were at once despatched to the police stations, at Kiltoom and Athlone, and by four o'clock a strong detachment of constabulary under Sub Inspector Rook, were on the grounds and aided by the tenantry on the property, did good service in removing the furniture, plates, &c, from the basement storey, in which the principal rooms were situated. A party of the police as a fire brigade were for nearly four hours employed in pouring water upon the flames; but without effect, the fire raged with unabated fury, until the whole was consumed.

"Providentially, no lives were lost, nor have we heard of any injuries inflicted upon any of the party engaged in this hazardous work. The premises are now completely in ruins, and we learn were but partially insured.

Through the exertions of the constabulary, much valuable property was preserved, and this service should not be overlooked by the authorities as in many instances the men will suffer for their zeal in a pecuniary way, by the injuries to their clothing."

1910

What to do with Athlone Castle?

The Westmeath Independent raised the question of the future uses of Athlone Castle in June 1910, after rumours were prevalent in the town that the military authorities were to cease using the building.

The rumours, the paper said, raised the question of what would become of it.

The article warned about the need to preserve the castle, highlighting how much of the town's historic past had been allowed slip away.

"Less than a century ago, Athlone was a veritable sea of ancient monuments, but the slow march of Time has made many inroads upon those treasures of the past and one by one they have been removed until today we possess but a fraction of them.

"Few now live who remember the Old Bridge of Athlone, or even the old North Gate, which have gone down in the path of modern commercialism. Of the interesting monuments which still remains to us but little note is taken and few there are who care to worry about such trifles in an age of progress."

The article reminded readers that the North Gate was taken down some years previously and sold for £3.

"The old bridge was pulled down to improve the navigation of the Shannon, and the many interesting tablets which held place on its walls are now in Dublin, in the cellars of the Royal Academy."

It said: "Nothing remains with us to mark even its situation except the square abutment by the river at the end of Bridge Street."

A new soldiers recce

Work had commenced in early June, 1910, on the foundations of a new soldiers' home in what is now Custume Barracks.

The Westmeath Independent reported that the new building would face what was then known as the Eglinton Rioad and stand on a very suitable site in front of the married quarters.

The ground floor was to include a spacious reading room, a coffee bar, with kitchen, pantry, bathrooms and lavatories as well as an open and covered yard.

The second floor would provide a sitting room, a meeting room, a bathroom and lavatories as well as eight bedrooms and five cubicles.

The new home was to be run as a temperance hotel and restaurant and would not be exclusively confined to the soldiers, although it was primarily for their use and benefit.

The work was being carried out by Messrs J and R Thompson Ltd, Dublin and Belfast.

1960

Sixteen candidates for town council

Sixteen candidates were announced for the Athlone Urban Council elections in mid-June 1960.

All the outgoing nine councillors were seeking re-election, the Westmeath Independent noted.

The candidates were: Fianna Fail: Thoams Fahy (outgoing), St Francis Terrace; PJ Lenihan (outgoing) Hodson Bay; James Crehan, Deerpark Road and Michael Nolan, Ganly Place.

Fine Gael: Michael Heavey (outgoing), Bonnavalley, Thomas Kilroy (outgoing), Connaught Street; Noel Henry, Beechpark West;

Labour: Thomas Darcy (outgoing) Iona Park; John Connaughton, Brideswell Street; Francis Brennan (outgoing), The Villas;

Urban Tenants: Michael Casey (outgoing), Sarsfield Square; John Kearney, Parnell Square

Independents: Patrick Hogan (outgoing), Church Street; Alfred Faulkner (outgoing), Auburn Terrace; Mrs Mary Monahan (Railway View Terrace); Francis J. Waters (outgoing), St Francis Terrace.

Escaped mental health patients tried to join Navy

In the Dail in June, Deputy Noel Browne asked the Minister for Defence whether two escaped inmates of a mental institution had been elisted toserve in the Irish Navy following a medical examination.

Mr Boland, Minister for Defence, said that two men, who appeared to be the men referred to, enlisted for service in the Naval Service on June 3rd last.

"Before they were finally approved it was ascertained that they were mental hospital patients and they were returned to the institution on June 8," the Westmeath Independent reported.