Mary O'Rourke's former home in Athlone goes on the market

The family home of former Government Minister Mary O'Rourke has gone on the market, with an asking price of €350,000.

The three-bedroom, four bathroom, detached home in Arcadia, Athlone, was built by Ms O'Rourke and her husband Enda in 1959.

The well-known former politician passed away at the beginning of October last, having spent the previous two years in residential care in Dublin.

One of her two sons, Athlone councillor Aengus O'Rourke, said a number of people contacted him in recent months to ask if the house was going to be put on the market.

"The house has been idle for close to three years now, and it deserves to have someone living there," said Cllr O'Rourke when contacted by the Westmeath Independent this afternoon (Tuesday).

"There's a lovely community there - I grew up there myself.

"While it won't be easy to move the house on, it is the right thing to do in the context of giving the house a new life and giving someone a family home."

In addition to being her home, the property was also used for many years as Mary O'Rourke's constituency office.

"On some of the photographs (from the house listing) you can see that the waiting room is still as it was, with the couches where people queued to see Mum on a Saturday. So that room, and Mum's office, would be recognisable to many.

"So many people came through that house at one time or another. I probably answered the door for them, took their coat, made them a cup of tea, and all of that," said Aengus.

"Things move on. Some people have said, 'Would you not hold on to it?'

"But you can only live in one house at a time, and I live in my own house."

He said that when the house was built, at the end of the 1950s, much of the development on the street today had not yet taken place.

"Arcadia Crescent, Moreno, Highfield Court... none of that was there at the time. It was very much a rural part of Athlone, almost.

"I have great memories of my time there. We were a small family, and it was a very busy house, but that's how we liked it. I have nothing but happy memories."

The sale of the house is being handled by the DNG Begley, which describes it as being "ideal for those seeking a cosy yet well-connected home in a peaceful neighbourhood".