Confirmed: New Athlone bridge will be named after Mary O'Rourke

Athlone's newest bridge is to be officially named in honour of the late Mary O'Rourke after the members of the local municipal district of Westmeath County Council approved a plan for the renaming of the structure at their meeting this week.

The meeting on Monday heard that - of the sixteen public submissions received on the proposal to change the name of the Athlone Greenway Bridge to the Mary O’Rourke Bridge/Droichead Mháire Uí Ruairc - only three were fully supportive of the plan, with a wide range of suggested names being put forward in the remaining submissions.

Among the suggested names put forward for the bridge were: Jadotville; Independence; Luan; John Count McCormack; Abbey and “Droichead na gCeimeanna” translating as The Bridge of Steps connecting both sides of Athlone.

Despite this, Cllr Paul Hogan - who initially proposed the renaming of the bridge at the July meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District - said the “main consensus” of the submissions was still in favour of renaming the bridge in honour of one of the town's most high-profile political figures for over four decades and the former deputy leader of Fianna Fáil.

While he pointed out that sixteen submissions from a population of some 20,000 people in Athlone was “not exactly representative”, Cllr Hogan added that, of the suggestions for the bridge in the public submissions, the biggest support was for naming it in honour of Mary O’Rourke (three submissions).

In view of that, he proposed that the council proceed with the plan to rename the greenway bridge, with Cllr John Gibbons seconding the proposal.

“Mary O'Rourke was a very unique person and she did a lot for the town of Athlone,” said Cllr Gibbons.

Cllr Liam McDaniel said it was “a very appropriate” that the municipal district had voted to rename the greenway bridge in honour of the town's foremost political figure on the first anniversary of her passing.

Cllr John Dolan said it was important that the person whose name would be placed on the greenway bridge would “set a high bar” and the late Mary O'Rourke had certainly done that.

“No matter what side of the political divide you are on, she was a very important and influential figure who did a lot for the town of Athlone,” said the Fine Gael councillor.

Athlone's Mayor and Cathaoirleach of the municipal district, Cllr Vinny McCormack, said, regardless of the measurement used to assess the importance of Mary O'Rourke's contribution to Athlone, “she meets all the barometers” and that it was “the consensus view” of members that the renaming process of the greenway bridge should commence.

One of the public submissions – from Ciaran Harte – noted that while he was “appreciative” of the contributions made by the late politician to the town of Athlone, it was his belief that “a public poll” of the town's citizens was “a more appropriate process” for the renaming of the bridge.

Another submission – from Enda Casey – said it was “too soon” after the passing of Mrs O'Rourke and he added that he would prefer to see “a most historical candidate's” name on the bridge, while Ronan Casey put forward the view that the bridge should not be named after a political figure, but rather a person who has made “a significant cultural impact” to the life of Athlone.

In view of her contribution to education, Ger Mills said in her submission that any memorial to the memory of the late Mary O'Rourke should be “education-focused” and “after a suitable period has elapsed since her passing”, while Jonathon A. Donoghue suggested the bridge be renamed 'Peacekeepers Bridge' due to its proximity to Custume Barracks.

Sitting local councillor and son of the late Mary O'Rourke, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, absented himself from the council chamber during the discussion on the proposal to rename the greenway bridge.