New signage pays homage to the history of Connaught Street

New signage has been erected on Connaught Street on the wall of what used to be known as Jim Fawl’s Shamrock Bar, paying homage to the historical significance that the street has to the town.

Different sections of the signs document the history of the area, its residents and the many shops that were once located there, with various photographs included.

“It had everything a family needed,” one sign says. “Sights and smells that changed with every footstep. Fruit and fish were unlikely companions but were always presented fresh and crisp with a smile from Mrs Murray or Bill in Fitzgeralds.”

Originally a concept from Athlone Tidy Towns, secretary Marie Gibson who lives on Talbot Avenue explains how the idea came about.

“It came about through conversations at meetings that we had about this side of the town,” she says. “The national Tidy Towns always encouraged us to consider putting interesting murals on blank, uninteresting walls.

“Of course Connaught Street is crying out for things like this, and the wall we decided to do it on was always completely blank. We went through different photographs, and we decided to do different signs in relation to the street itself, the businesses that were once found there and the people that made up the local businesses.

“The aim was to enhance the street a bit and make it more attractive.”

Athlone Tidy Towns approached Spectrum Signs and Paul King soon got on board with the project.

“I got involved because Marie approached me with the idea and asked me to come up with a feature wall for it,” Paul says. “The content and the design of the wall is all my work.”

Explaining how he decided on what to include, Paul explains that the history on display “had to be reasonably brief.”

“I guess it’s kind of a folk history of Connaught Street for people who might remember it from the sixties and seventies. That’s how I remember it myself from being a child at the time when it was in its prime.

“I approached a Joe McEvoy, who is a regular contributor to Athlone Down Memory Lane on Facebook, who wrote the text for two sections – ‘The way it was’ and another section specifically about Jim Fawl.

“The wall is on the side of what used to be Shamrock Bar. Joe is a keen angler and Jim’s shop is where all the kids used to buy their fishing tackle, so he wrote those two sections.

“I wrote the more factual parts of the wall, like how it was once the busiest street on that side of town. It’s not a very detailed history, but it’s supposed to appeal to people who remember it.”

Paul has contributed to similar signs in other parts of the town, and hopes that it will increase awareness of the street.

“I would hope that it is a piece that might generate interest and increase awareness of the way Connaught Street used to be and the potential that it still has to return to that again.

“The text states that the modern apartments and retail units that were done in more recent times were carried out sensitively to the history of the area, and we also look to the future of Connaught Street.

“It raises awareness of Connaught Street and its story and how important it is to so many people, and it might put emphasis on some sort of an effort to rejuvenate it.

Similarly, Marie hopes to see Connaught Street return to some of its former glory.

“We’re hoping that this is the start of a regeneration for the area. There is money set aside to enhance Connaught Street, but it is perhaps taking place slower than people would like.

“In my younger days Connaught Street was a flourishing street. If you walked down the street today looking for a needle and thread, you cannot get it, but back then you could get everything from a needle to an anchor! You really didn’t have to cross the bridge at all. I could spend hours describing the businesses that could be found there.

“There are a number of buildings that are lying derelict there, and in some cases it wouldn’t take a lot to refurbish them. That is something we feel strongly about.

“The few business that are still on the street are doing alright. It would be really great to attract a few more businesses back there,” she finished.