Athlone Heritage - Athlone Architectural Heritage

06.06.2011

PRESS RELEASE

Athlone Architectural Heritage Group
It came as no surprise to Athlone Architectural Heritage Group to read that work has stopped on the art gallery development at Fr. Mathew Hall site as builders encountered a suspected significant archaeological find.

In our submission to the Town Council during the Part 8 planning process, we pointed out that the building is on the site of the medieval town defences, namely the Connaught Tower. This was substantiated in our submission by an eminent archaeologist.

While the archaeological assessment of the site is being carried out, we request that Athlone Town Council earnestly consider the following:
" In returning to the drawing board, please instruct the architect to respect the original architectural design by retaining all the existing windows and brick rendering

" replace the decorative terra cotta ridge tiles on the roof along with the air vents which were removed during the re-roofing some years ago. This would restore the character of the Victorian design.

If these suggestions are implemented and the original design is not further compromised as planned, we feel it would be worthy of listing in the Record of Protected Structures as recommended by former Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley in 2007.

Also, following the decision of the Town Council to establish a John Count McCormack exhibition at the Civic Centre, would it not be wiser to consider locating the art gallery there instead and locate the John Count McCormack exhibition at Fr. Mathew Hall which has significant association with the great man?

We observe that the Fr. Mathew Hall suffered some structural damage to the east elevation and there is also damage to the river bank retaining wall. Could this be a result of the recent pile driving?

We would love to see Athlone Town Council taking our suggestions seriously. If they had heeded our advice (as included in our submission during the planning process), they could have avoided the mess they have created.

Ends.