'Boxer' Moran and Frankie Keena bring planners on walking tour of Athlone

by David Flynn

Planners from across the country were brought on a two-hour walking tour of Athlone on Friday last, April 17, by Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and Cllr Frankie Keena.

The walkabout was the culmination of the Irish Planning Institute's two-day conference in Athlone.

The visiting planners were shown east and west Athlone, while being informed by the politicians about the town centre regeneration as well as the flood alleviation scheme of the River Shannon.

The two Athlone politicians were assisted on the journey by Cathaldus Hartin, Senior Planner on Westmeath County Council.

The conference took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in the town, and Minister Moran, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, with responsibility for the OPW, led the walkers from the hotel on Friday afternoon towards Old Technical School building (which is currently being demolished) on Northgate Street.

Cllr Frankie Keena spoke first to the invited group after they gathered opposite the building near the junction on Abbey Road.

He pointed to St. Mary’s Hall, and explained about the youth clubs and karate club there, and also about the building that is currently being demolished.

“It wasn’t a listed building, but it’s an important strategic site in the middle of the town and is a work in progress now,” said Cllr Keena.

Minister Moran told the gathering that it had been a derelict site for many years, and that it will be an important hub for business, and is close to the Radisson Blu and the centre of town.

Old Franciscan Abbey Building

Moving towards the old Franciscan Abbey building on the pathway of the greenway, the group heard from Minister Moran who said: “This is a beautiful site in the centre of town and I want to see more happen here.”

Cllr Keena explained they were standing on the 42 km greenway from Athlone to Mullingar.

“We are planning to link a cycleway to Clonmacnoise, independent of the cycleway here,” said Mr Hartin.

The ‘New’ Bridge

The group walked towards the Athlone marina and onto the slipway up to the new cycle bridge, which will soon be named after the late Athlone Minister, Mary O’Rourke.

“A lot of people are delighted to have this bridge, and it brings a great benefit to Athlone from a tourist point of view and we’re very proud of it,” Cllr Keena said.

“There was very divided opinion at the time, and in the council chamber,” said Minister Moran. “But people really love it now, and when you look at it, it fits in with the hotel and the Luan Gallery. People who stay in the Radisson take pictures on the bridge, which are shown all over the world.”

The visitors heard about the history of Luan Gallery and Ss Peter’s and Paul’s Church and onto St Peter’s Square.

“There were street markets here in the past… and the council have plans to enhance the square,” said Cllr Keena. “There will be an area where people will sit and enjoy the view of the church and castle and from a tourist point of view, the area is very important. “

Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran explained about the flooding events of the winter of 2015/16.

“The water came up along here,” he said pointing along the docks area. “The army and gardai were involved, and we proved that we could protect the town.

I was lucky to get elected to the Dail the following year, and was then put onto the OPW, and being a Minister I was able to make things happen.”

He showed the flood defence walls on the banks of the River Shannon.

“There was a huge amount of planning involved in getting the walls, and we worked closely with the local authority, and they are lovely shiny walls, and people have told me there is a feeling of calmness here and everything blends,” said Minister Moran. “There is more work to do, but there is money available.”

A woman from the US who was part of the planning gathering addressed the Minister at the dockside.

“You could teach people from New Orleans, after the hurricane, because the flood walls are important, and this is a lovely example of form and function and it blends and I commend you,” said the US visitor.

Across the bridge and onto Church Street, the group stopped outside St. Mary’s Church of Ireland where Cllr Keena gave a history of the Orange Loop/one-way system in Athlone.

“There was a lot of negativity, and it is still getting negativity, but it is a step in progress,” said Cllr Keena. “There is a lot of empty buildings in the town, but we want to get people back to living in the town and there are really good tax incentives.”

Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran agreed there was controversy involved in getting people to buy into the one-way system.

“There was talk back then of moving the church, block by block to a rural area, but that didn’t happen, and what we have done is take the big lorries out of the town, which works good for pedestrians,” said the Minister.

Cllr Frankie Keena then gave a brief history of St. Anthony’s Friary beginning with its construction in 1932

“It is closed now and the church is vacant, and the local authority will see if they can take it over, with the house and gardens, and if they acquire that it could be a place for arts and music,” said Cllr Keena. “It’s all pending but is not over the line yet.”

He also talked about the plans to have a boardwalk on the water, and an outdoor swimming pool. He also talked about drainage works for the area, which he said will be a really fantastic amenity for the town.

Sean Costello (Pedestrianised) Street

The visitors and the Westmeath contingent walked up Griffith Street and headed towards the pedestrianised Sean Costello Street.

“This is another piece of urban regeneration, and is the first pedestrianised street in Athlone, and one time there was two-way traffic going through here,” said Cllr Keena.

“John Walsh, the late former Town Clerk said in the early 2000s, he would love to have a pedestrianised link between the two shopping centres.”

Minister Moran said that John Walsh was ahead of his time in his vision of Athlone.

“Developers wanted to buy in here and knock it all down, but thank God we didn’t go that way!” said the Minister.

He paid tribute to the Westmeath planning staff, who he said do so much work and are sometimes forgotten.