Councillors look to preserve the past in Market House’s future plans

AT the January meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District, Cllr Ó Súilleabháin proposed a motion around heritage in relation to Gorey’s Market House, and received supportive responses from fellow councillors.

The motion read: ‘This Council notes that we are entering the Design and Construction Phase of a multi-functional space as part of the development of Gorey’s historic Market House, as proposed in the Public Consultation Process of 2018. Also, that it has been envisaged for a number of years that such a space would cater for public demand in the areas of Music/

Heritage/Arts/Culture. This Council, further notes that there is a large amount of important historical-related material and artefacts held in private collections in the Gorey Area, which to date have had nowhere to be publicly displayed. Gorey Municipal Council will therefore do all we can to ensure that the historic Council Chamber area be sensitively developed in a manner that will facilitate the display of such heritage and historical related pieces from the Gorey Area. This will complement the larger part of the redevelopment and cater for the demands of all sections of the public’.

He said that this could have been raised before now as invitations for developers had been invited, but described the Market House former Council chamber as an ideal place for displaying and showcasing the heritage of North Wexford.

‘It’s something that has come up a lot down the years, we’ve always spoken about the Market House and heritage has been a very important aspect. Artefacts like Liam Mellows’ uniform, flags from the Black and Tan war, artefacts that are well protected here locally in private collections show the history and heritage that we have, it would compliment everything’.

Cllr Diarmuid Devereux said he would have no problem with it, but asked whether councillors were jumping the gun as the members were unsure at what stage expressions of interest were at.

Cllr Sullivan suggested that councillors work with the Council and the developer to incorporate items of local heritage in to the chamber area.

‘These are artefacts that need to be preserved and displayed as the property of the people of north Wexford. To have them in an accessible area in the centre of the town, I would be in support of, incorporated it with the developers,’ he said.

Cllr Ó Súilleabháin recalled the late Michael Fitzpatrick speak about his important historical collections.

‘He always said that there was no space, so it would be good if there was some way we could facilitate it now in this development’.