Mostly positive opinions voiced on Athlone's new art gallery

"I can't wait for it to open because I think the town needs it. It will be a fantastic asset for the west side of the town in particular." That was the view of Athlone resident Paul Plunkett on the construction of the town's new art gallery, which is due to be completed within weeks. Mr Plunkett was one of several people we spoke to last Thursday afternoon in a bid to gather local opinions on the multi-million euro structure which has revamped the historic Fr Mathew Hall and added a modern-looking extension to it. He was sitting on a bench in St Peter's Square with his wife, Sheila Plunkett, and Claire Begley. All three said they were impressed by the gallery, which can now be clearly seen from the town bridge after scaffolding which covered its exterior was removed in recent weeks. "It looks very well, but will it be appreciated? That's the question," said Ms Begley. All three were concerned about the ongoing closure of the Athlone Castle, which is also being revamped. "We went out on the Viking Boat today and met two or three people who were asking us why the castle isn't open," said Mr Plunkett. Annette Hardiman from Drum was enthusiastic about the art gallery. "I think it's lovely. It's great to see an old building revitalised," she said. "I think it should work well with the castle on the other side of the bridge, and I'm awaiting the opening of it eagerly." A woman who didn't give her name for publication commented on the removal of the derelict public toilets which had been attached to the Fr Mathew Hall, saying "getting rid of them was definitely a big improvement anyway." The comments on the gallery were not universally positive. Local man Gerry McCallan said he would have preferred to see the original appearance of the building preserved. "I preferred it the way it was, and I think the appearance of it now doesn't really work. I loved it when it was an old building but it's far too modern now." He felt that some developments in the vicinity of the town bridge, such as the white apartment building on the east bank of the Shannon, had detracted from the overall appearance of the area. Ray McEvoy from Parnell Square was also underwhelmed by the art gallery. "It's like putting on half of a new suit," he said. "They took that old look off it, and you're not going to find many buildings with that kind of look any more. I think a better job could have been done in terms of preserving that old appearance." Catherine Kincaid from Ballymore said the gallery should help to encourage participation in the arts. "There are a lot of young people involved in art and music, so this should be good for giving them encouragement once it's up and running," she commented. And Tamara Nestor from Kiltoom felt the new gallery was of real benefit to the town. "I think it looks absolutely gorgeous compared to the way it looked before. It really improves the appearance of this side of town." She added that she didn't have "an artistic bone in (her) body" but was "definitely" planning to visit the gallery once it opens. It's understood that the main contractor for the art gallery project - Purcell Construction Ltd - is expected to complete work at the site in September. A recent competition to name the gallery attracted hundreds of entries and the winning name is due to be selected by Athlone Town Council members in the near future.