Plan to name new Athlone bridge after late Mary O'Rourke

Westmeath County Council is to start a public consultation process as part of a plan to name the new greenway bridge over the river Shannon in Athlone in honour of the late Mary O'Rourke.

The proposal to name a significant piece of infrastructure after the town's most famous political figure was unanimously passed at the March meeting of the local municipal district when it was put forward by Cllr Paul Hogan.

When the issue came up for discussion again at this week's meeting, Cllr Hogan said there was “unanimous support” from members of the public for the new greenway bridge over the river Shannon to be named in honour of the former Minister, whose stellar political career spanned almost four decades.

He proposed that the council initiate the public consultation process for the naming of the town bridge and suggested that both the English and Irish version of Mary'O'Rourke's name should be used as part of the naming process.

He also pointed out that there were “many reasons” for naming the bridge over the Shannon in honour of Mary O'Rourke, chief among them being the fact that it was “a bridge between east and west” alluding to the fact that the late Mrs O'Rourke was born on the west side of Athlone, but made her home on the east side of the town.

Cllr Hogan's proposal was seconded by Independent councillor John Gibbons. District Administrator, Frank Dolan, said it would be “cutting it fine” to expect the issue to come before the September meeting of the municipal district given that the public consultation process must be advertised for a four-week period, with a further two weeks to allow for submissions from members of the public.

“Let's advertise it anyway and we'll see what comes back,” suggested Cllr Hogan, with the council executive agreeing to set the public consultation process in train immediately.

Mary O'Rourke passed away last October, at the age of 87, having spent the previous two years in residential care in Dublin.

Her funeral Mass in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Coosan was attended by a host of dignitaries, including President Michael D Higgins and current Taoiseach Micheál Martin.