Maugherow banks on review and opposition to save Post Office

THE community of Maugherow were presented with the final draft submission to the An Post Independent Review at a meeting in Maugherow Hall last night.

Hundreds attended to hear the arguments put forward for retaining the service in North Sligo after the closure last month of Ballinfull Post Office.

It will be submitted to the Independent Review before this Friday.

Sligo/Leitrim Fianna Fáil Deputy Marc MacSharry is bringing the matter into Dáil Eireann with a Private Member’s Motion calling on the Government to retain rural post offices and offer a modest subvention for postmasters/postmistresses.

Sinn Féin will first move a motion on the post offices on the first day of the Dáil after the summer recess today, Tuesday.

Deputy MacSharry is expected to get an opportunity to move his motion next week but will also seek to amend the Sinn Féin motion to “give our own perspective” on it.

Deputy MacSharry wants to have the future of rural post offices to be decided by the Government: “It’s political, sadly. Either the Government are going to save these or they’re not,” he told this newspaper.

He described the Independent Review offered by An Post as a “joke.”

“They’re only adjudicating on the protocol used by An Post. They’ve rigged it so they can’t lose,” he said.

“An Post sets the rules for themselves. In Cliffoney we were lucky to be able to determine the correct population. But in Ballinfull it’s different, there’s no village of Ballinfull. It’s a broad spread out area,” he added.

The residents of Maugherow are planning a ‘Fun Day Sunday’ this coming weekend, 23rd September at 12.45pm at Dunleavy’s Shop.

This is seen as a natural hub and owners Irene and Gerry Rice are interested in taking on the Post Office service for Maugherow.

“We would if it was viable but An Post is refusing to say what they consider viable,” said Irene.

“Yes it would be an ideal space for it,” she said.

Local resident Orna McSweeney said the Dunleavy’s Shop was “a community hub - a lot of roads meet there, it’s a natural place to gather.”

“The local people are finding it very, very difficult since their services were taken away,” she said.

“Grange post office isn’t a good alternative for people in Maugherow,” she said.

As part of the Fun Day this Sunday, local author Brian Leyden will dress up as W.B. Yeats while Countess Markievicz will also make an appearance.

McKimms would have been the nearest post office to Lissadell House.