Easkey Post Office saved, but work is only beginning

THE West Sligo community was relieved yesterday when news broke that a new postmaster has been appointed to Easkey Post Office for 12 months.

Those who campaigned to save the service have welcomed the news with open arms, but say that the work is only beginning.

An Post have said that a review of the post office will be carried out in 12 months.

The Save Easkey Post Office campaign say now that the hard work is only beginning, and the local community is urged to continue the fight to retain the service once those 12 months are over.

The current postmaster is due to retire in a number of weeks, and with his retirement came fears that the service would be shut down completely.

Following a lengthy and vocal campaign, An Post have vowed to give Easkey Post Office a chance.

THERE was good news for the community of Easkey yesterday (Monday) as An Post announced that a new postmaster has been appointed for 12 months.

The current postmaster will retire in a couple of weeks, with Ian Clarke from Bonniconlon take over for a year.

A spokesperson for An Post told The Sligo Champion: “There will be no interruption of services for the people of Easkey. The same hours and same services will be retained.”

The spokesperson added: “We set the people of Easkey a challenge and they rose to it. It will be reviewed at the end of the year.”

And while the Save Easkey Post Office campaign welcomed the news, they also warned that this is only the start.

Richard Morrissey, PRO of the group, said: “We told An Post to give us a chance and we will make it work.

“We’re over the moon. I want to pay tribute to everyone, the whole community pulled together. But this is just the start. It’s almost the end of the beginning, the hard work is yet to come.”

Marc MacSharry, TD said: “I’m thrilled that representations to An Post from the community came to fruition. It was well worth the fight and the campaign.”

He added: “Ultimately central Government need to resource An Post to maintain an adequate network of community post offices throughout the Country and broaden services offered. Equally we must all try to be more supportive of the services offered by our local Postmaster/Post Mistress.”

Fine Gael TD Tony McLoughlin said the decision was a victory for rural Ireland.

“The safeguarding of Easkey post office paves the way for more good news for rural Ireland in the weeks, months and years ahead.

“This Government is committed to ensuring that we learn the lessons from the past and do not repeat them.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Chris MacManus has hailed the An Post decision not to close Easkey Post Office as ‘a great day for the West Sligo village and surrounding areas and shows the positive results when a community galvanises together for the common good’.

Councillor MacManus said: “The main credit must go to the local Save Easkey Post Office Action Committee who galvanised the community, garnered widespread political support and most importantly put forward positive actions on how to promote and build the local Post Office for the future.

“Local post offices are an important part of the fabric of local communities especially in rural areas.

“We cannot look at them in mere terms as a balance sheet. While this has been a good day for Easkey, we must protect against similar threats to other rural post offices.

“I am calling on this Government to establish a comprehensive five-year plan for the development of the post office network and to make a firm commitment to implement all the recommendations of the Kerr Report.”