Athlone measures up for city status
Athlone's historic elevation to a university town has prompted a fresh call to strive now for city status.
It comes hot on the heels of the official opening of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest or TUS on Friday, a momentous occasion which saw Ireland's first TU open across two regions, following the dissolution of the Institutes of Technology in Limerick and Athlone.
The new entity now comprises a massive student population of more than 14,000 and staff of approximately 2,000 people working full-time and part-time across six campuses.
TUS will have a lasting legacy that will bolster these regions from an education, social, economic, and cultural perspective to benefit generations to come, said TUS President Professor Vincent Cunnane at the ceremony in Athlone.
“Achieving TU status creates momentum that will have a far-reaching positive impact for generations to come. We are incredibly proud of our dynamic student base and our skilled and ambitious staff, across each of our six campuses, whose shared values and ambition we celebrate as we look forward to an exciting ‘new beginning’.
“Not only is today a momentous day for our staff and students, but it is also hugely significant for the wider economic landscape of the Midlands and Midwest with an estimated economic impact of approximately €420 million per annum,” Mr Cunnane added, predicting that both regions will be more attractive for investment.
Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, who is Deputy Mayor of Athlone-Moate Municipal District, said now is time to drive on to pursue city status for Athlone.
He said the town can, and should, aim to be a new regional city on foot of gaining university status, and the government should support that ambition.
“I think it’s, probably, a case of this being almost immeasurable, the impact it (TUS) will have for Athlone and Midlands region and indeed the Mid-West. It matches perfectly with our status as the regional growth centre for the Midlands.
“The next priority of mine is to advance city status for Athlone. I’ll certainly be putting that to local authorities, to up our game in relation to that and see what we might need to do to advance that in the short to medium-term,” he said.
A graduate of Athlone, Aengus believes TUS is the biggest positive to happen to the town for years, and a welcome return of status lost in 2012 with the end of the 4th Western Brigade, and in 2014, with the loss of the town council.
“I think we’re stepping up in so many ways and I think we should step up and have further ambition in terms of city status, I think that’s the obvious next step, and let’s see what we need to do to advance that cause,” he said.
“I’m ambitious, let’s get figuring out what we need to do to take us to city status. I think we can do it and I think that should be our sole focus.”
Former Athlone IT President Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin stated that if the town proves itself as a regional growth centre over the next ten years, Athlone can progress to city status, and having a university anchored in that will be very beneficial.
Asked if he thinks Athlone now being a university town will propel it closer to city status, Minister of State Niall Collins, who was a keynote speaker at the opening of TUS replied: “That’s something Athlone will be able to point to if Athlone is making a bid to become a city. There are lots of other factors also, but certainly, Athlone as it is from today being designated a university town is a huge tool in the toolbox for Athlone in terms of selling itself.
“The entire reach of this new entity TUS is immense because you’ve now got towns like Clonmel, Thurles, Ennis, and much bigger towns like Athlone that are university locations and that will bring its own benefits, its own synergies and allow those towns a competitive edge in terms of selling their location whether it is to international students, foreign direct investment or getting research funding,” he ended.