Council sees plans for meeting room

October 1984

The Council chamber will soon move to St Cronan’s to make way for the new heritage centre. At a meeting of the Bray Urban Council, councillors had the chance to take a look at the plans for their new chamber across the way. Although sorry to leave the chamber in the Town Hall, most councillors spoke of the idea of a heritage centre in the century old town hall, finding favour with the public.

The Town Clerk, O’Connor, told the councillors that the new chamber will be complete with suitable furniture and plaques on the wall, to set the scene. Cllr Liz McManus suggested that the layout should be changed so as the public see what the councillors get up to.

But Mr O’Connnor explained that the positions at the moment are the most suitable. Cllr McManuse also expressed concern that just beecause the chamber was moving across the road, the Town Hall coulc not be handed over to the heritage society in the state it is in. Mr O’Connor told the meeting that while the chamber might be in St Cronan’s, the rest of the Council will still be in the Town Hall. In reply to Cllr Brigid Hannon’s query about the makers of the furniture, Chairman Ciaran Murphy said that as far as possible it would be made in Bray by Bray workers.

Several councillors expressed concern over the state of the Town HAll at present and while they felt it was the ideal venue for the heritage centre, there would have to be renovations. Cllr Liz McManus raise the idea that in the future the tourist office would be housed in the Town Hall with the heritage centre for the summer months.

And Chairman, Ciaran Murphy said that the National Gallery were allowing some items be exhibited around the towns and the heritage centre could avail of this opportunity. Cllr Michael Ledwidge rounded up the discussion by saying that he expressed regret at leaving the Town Hall chamber since it was ideal for the type of meeting they conducted, as it had an air of dignity about it!