Ballywaltrim Post Office expected to re-open in coming weeks
Ballywaltrim Post Office will reopen in the coming weeks, and will be located in its previous premises at the Kilbride Lane shop.
The post office is expected to open within a fortnight. It closed last March following the sad passing of postmistress Ann McCarthy.
Ms McCarthy had previously announced her retirement, but had agreed to remain on until new arrangements could be made, after plans to relocate the facility to a nearby site on Boghall Road fell through. Sadly, she passed away soon after making that arrangement.
The tender process for Centra on the Boghall Road had run in to difficulties, so the process had to begin again. A new postmaster has now agreed to take over the existing premises and re-open at Kilbride Lane.
‘ This excellent news will be welcomed warmly by many local people and businesses, who were loyal customers of the post office services here for so many years,’ said Cllr Joe Behan.
‘At this time it also important to remember the important work of the late Anne McCarthy who began and developed the local post office service in the Ballywaltrim area, along with her many excellent staff members, from the start until her untimely death earlier this year.’
Cllr Behan said that he is grateful to An Post management for keeping him updated on the process of appointing a new postmaster.
‘ The fear was that An Post would use the opportunity to permanently close the post office as they have done in many villages and towns across the state,’ said Deputy John Brady. ‘I have spoken to senior management in An Post on a regular basis since March and have kept the reopening of the post office high on the agenda. I believe that the strong arguments that we presented were listened to and ultimately what led them to reopen the Post Office.’
Cllr Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien said that the closure of the post office had a big negative impact on the entire area. ‘All payments were transferred to the post office on the Quinsboro Road and this was a major inconvenience,’ he said. ‘A big thanks to everyone that helped lobby An Post and that got behind our campaign, getting the post office reopened has been a community effort. I look forward to it reopening in the next couple of weeks.’