Easkey defiant as it starts campaign to save its post office
THE WEST SLIGO COMMUNITY OF EASKEY IS FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF ITS POST OFFICE, WITH AN POST TO MAKE A DECISION BY FEBRUARY 23RD. JESSICA FARRY REPORTS.
The community of Easkey came together last week after it was hit with the news that the community’s post office is under threat.
Concerned locals organised a public meeting last week to discuss their plan of action as they continue to fight for their community.
Louis Smith, Postmaster, has been working there since 1973 before taking over the business in the 1980s.
Having informed An Post of his decision to retire, he was then told that the post office’s future would be under consideration.
A huge community effort is underway to save the amenity, which is of huge importance to the area both economically and socially.
Around 300 people turned up to last week’s meeting, a number which is ‘indicative’ of the post office’s importance to the community.
Richard Morrissey, Spokesperson for the Save Easkey Post Office campaign, said the closure of the village’s post-office would be a huge blow.
“We were really given very little notice. That’s only really given us three weeks to get together and fight for this,” he told The Sligo Champion.
“It would be a death knell for the whole place if it were to close.”
February 23rd is currently set for ‘D-Day’ when An Post will make their decision.
Any campaigning has got to be done prior to that date in order to prevent closure of the post office.
The notice given to Louis Smith and the local community read as follows:
An Post is considering the future post office provision at Easkey, which could include the permanent closure of the office.
However, before the company takes any decision,interested parties who wish to are invited to submit their views on the matter to the address below no later than the 23 rd of February 2018.
In coming to our decision, we will take account of: Network coverage needs The level of business at the office
Customer access to service elsewhere e.g. travel distances
Capacity of neighbouring offices to handle business if the office closes
Following consideration of any views received the Company will then proceed to take a decision on the matter. Peter Gillespie,
Retail Operations Manager, An Post,
Wine Street,
Sligo
F91 R898 Peter.gillespie@anpost.ie “I’m not going to give you any of the usual clichés,” Richard continued.
“Any community needs to revolve around something. A church, a post office, a pub, these are places where people meet and socialise,” Richard added.
Richard’s parents go the post office every Friday. It’s part of their weekly routine.
“That stuff matters to the community,” he added.
The current Postmaster has been in the role for so long that he knows everyone in the area.
His local knowledge is vital to the successful running of the post office. He knows the rhythms and patterns of the community.
“It’s far beyond economic value. People getting their pensons on Friday will go to the shop and go to the butchers and that money is spent locally.
“We would be concerned that it would lead to the closure of other businesses and the domino effect of that. Businesses here are worried, some of them don’t have a back-up plan,” Richard stressed.
Richard, like many people living in rural Ireland, feels that the closure of businesses is almost forcing people to move into towns where they can access the required amenities.
“In my view, decisions made on the east of the country are making it impossible to have a community in rural Ireland. Some of these business people are not looking to make a fortune here. The pace of life suits them, they like it here. Sometimes you feel like they want us to move to cities.
“People have to be brought together. That’s what matters.”
The impact of such a closure on a community like Easkey
THIS IS AN AREA THATHAS BEEN TERRIBL Y AFFECTED SINCE THE DOWNTURN. IF THE POST OFFICE WASTOGO,EASKEY WOULD BE A VILLAGE WITHOUT A FOCAL POINT.
would be felt by everyone in the area and indeed surrounding areas.
“Economically this would lead to other closures. Socially, people like to meet up the way they do now.
“For older people especially they don’t want to be going the whole way into Sligo town. It’s the glue that binds us together. It matters.”
Members of the Save Easkey Post Office campaign are asking people locally to make a submission to An Post stressing the need for the post office in the area.
“Locally, we would like everyone to make a submission to An Post. We are not going to allow it to go quietly. Agitate your TDs and keep at them about it.
“We are going to hold another meeting this Friday so we’ ll see how many are there.”
You can make a submission to An Post by contacting
Marc MacSharry has arranged a meeting. All we can do is demonstrate the importance of the post office in our community.
This is an opportunity for us all to come together.
If we do save it then it’s just the start of it. We are often ac- cused of being easy-going and laid back in the west of Ireland but we won’t be about this.
The crowd of over 300 at the meeting showed the depth of feeling about this issue. Deputy Marc MacSharry said he understands that the full review of the An Post network will be concluded in the next two months.
He was fearing closures as a result of this but believed that Easkey PO could be saved and that it was a viable operation in any event.
Deputy MacSharry has organised a delegation to meet with the management of An Post over the next couple of weeks while he is also encouraging those who use it to send their submissions in.
Councillor Michael Clarke, from Dromore West, told The Sligo Champion that he is extremely worried about the future of the post office.
“I’m really concerned. We have a huge fight ahead of us. This is happening everywhere in Ireland and it can only be solved on the floor of the Dáíl so I would call on our four TDs to ensure the post office continues in Easkey,” he said.
Cllr. Clarke says the post office services around 650 families in the catchment area.
“Every household attended the public meeting last week. They are really up for the fight,” he warned.
The effect of a potential closure would be felt by everyone in an area which has already suffered massively since the downturn in the economy, Cllr. Clarke said.
“I’d have no doubt that if it closed, one or two other businesses would go too.
“This is an area that has been terribly affected since the downturn.
“They have lost their hotel, their courthouse, their Garda station and their chemist.
“If the post office was to go too this would be a village without a focal point.”
Cllr. Clarke has joined the Save Easkey Post Office committee along with Cllr. Joe Queenan.
“At the public meeting last week, it was decided that 18 volunteers were needed to form a committee.
“Eighteen people had volunteered immediately to join this committee. We are all behind the team and we know we will have a big fight on our hands to save it.
“This is all part of central government’s commitment to rural Ireland, they want us all living in towns and working in Dublin,” Cllr. Clarke added.
Padraic Hallinan has been appointed Chairman of the Save Easkey Post Office campaign, Bernie O’Brian and Olagh Cawley will share secretary role and Richard Morrissey is the group’s PRO.
A message from the committee said: “We need to make sure all our voices are heard, we ask everybody in the area to write a short note to An Post and in it say what the closure of the post office means to you and how it will affect you and Easkey in general. A member of the Committee will call to your house this week and if you would like help with your letter please ask them. Drop off points are: Cavanaghs Meats, Bernies, McGowans bar, Blair Feeneys, Castle Inn and Rathlee Convenience Store. We ask that you put a stamp on your letter before you drop it off to cover the cost of postage.”