Call on OPW to move 'unsightly' site compound close to Athlone Castle

Photo: A view from the Athlone Town Bridge of the blue OPW site compound along the riverside perimeter of Athlone Castle.

The OPW should immediately move - what the Mayor has described as their “unsightly site compound” - away from the town's key tourist location in front of Athlone Castle to a less prominent location.

“If you could pick a site you couldn't pick a more prominent one in the town,” Mayor Cllr Aengus O'Rourke told the latest Athlone-Moate Municipal District in a motion, adding that close to 100 square foot has been cordoned off and it is a “very unsightly” view from the Athlone Town Bridge going around a large part of the riverside perimeter of the castle.

“The OPW has removed any extraneous materials and buildings that are no longer required at this stage of the works at the Quay. The cladding of the reinforced concrete flood defence walls has commenced, and the compound is required to service these works,” a council reply to Cllr O'Rourke's motion indicated.

Green Cllr Louise Heavin had also queried in a written question when the OPW cabins in front of the castle would be removed? Their removal would aid physical distancing in the area, she pointed out.

“Once the works have been fully completed, weather permitting September 2020, the compound will be removed,” the council said.

However, Cllr O'Rourke was not happy with the reply, saying what he could see the bare minimum had been taken away, making reference to an old shed on-site which doesn't look it is being used still there.

District Engineer Pat Nally said the cabin/shed is nothing to do with the flood defences work, it's there in relation to the repairs to Athlone Castle walls.

“I'm not particular who owns what they should be removed,” the Mayor hit back, pointing out that they should not be there for the tourist season at a time when Athlone is trying to attract more Irish people on staycations.

The Mayor said he made the same request of the OPW a year ago and “it's a shame the work is not complete.”

His party colleague Cllr Frankie Keena agreed that is a very “high visibility spot” but he believes some of the containers are in relation to the castle wall work, phase one of which is complete.

He asked for an update on the castle walls project and the flood defences.

“It's so important to give the right impression to people coming to see the castle, it reflects on us and the town,” was the view of Fine Gael's John Dolan. The work being done there is necessary but surely the site compounds can be moved, he said.

An OPW spokesperson has been contacted for the comment on the matter.