Angryreactionto campaigndecision

April 1985

FOLLOWING a statement last week by the ‘Lord Mayor’ committee defending its decision to allocate all the money from the campaign to the decoration of the church there has been an angry reaction.

‘I would like to take this opportunity to publicly state my disgust at the stand taken by the committee and in particular the sentiments of its spokesperson Cyril Dunne,’ said Eileen Treacy from Fassaroe Park in a letter. ‘ The complete and utter disregard that the committee has shown to the the feelings of the community has to be seen to be believed.

She asked why no public meeting had been called .’ While in agreement that the church could do with a lick of paint, what I fundamentally object to is the community of little Bray had no say in where the funds would go.

John O’Sullivan from Rathmore Terrace wrote that he was ‘rendered speechless’ when he read the remarks of Mr Dunne of the St Peter’s Church committee, that the community centre committee had no right to any money from the Lord Mayor fund and that nobody but the clergy had a right to say where the money should go.

‘Well! For sheer arrogance and tactlessness this surely beats everything,’ he said. ‘Our most pressing problem is our young people who are alienated, bored and totally frustrated with the absence of opportunities. Our most pressing need is a community centre where they can regain some pride and civic spirit through worthwhile and useful pastimes.’

Others to write in a similar fashion included Frank Kirwan and Aine Fagan, chairman and treasurer of the community centre committee.