The Mayo News

The plight facing small rural towns like Kiltimagh was touched upon at the launch of “Kiltimagh Remembered” last Friday. Kiltimagh - ‘is now a dormitory town facing serious problems’


Michael Commins

THE plight facing small rural towns like Kiltimagh was touched upon by local man and well known GAA official Mick Higgins at the launch of “Kiltimagh Remembered” by Basil Burke in the Town Hall on Friday night. It came the day before the Irish Independent published a similar style feature on the demise of the once booming Cork coastal town of Youghal.
Reflecting on the amount of advertisements for local businesses from back the years which are reproduced and included in the new publication, Mr Higgins said the current situation in the town was very challenging and that the days when one could hope to attract a large industry to the region were probably gone forever.
He told the gathering that he noticed at least sixteen ‘for sale’ signs on closed down shops after a recent walk around the town. He referred to the large number of vacant houses around the town and described the situation as ‘frightening’. The town had undergone radical change in a relatively short time and was now, to all intents and purposes, a dormitory town.
“Many of us here remember what a busy street this was (James Street) in former years. We had Jerry Walsh’s Raftery Room, Eamon Jordan’s, PJ Murtagh’s, Carneys shop, Michael ‘Wal’ Costello, Cleary’s Garage (who have moved to lower Aiden Street), and the Westway Hotel. There’s none now at all on this street. I don’t know what the future holds,” he said.
Lauding the efforts of people like Brian Mooney and Joe Kelly and Kiltimagh IRD, he said be believed a new focus was needed and that perhaps a fresh look at promoting cultural and entertainment events could help revive aspects of town life. He cited the legendary Coillte Come Home festival of former times which attracted thousands to the town as well as the popular Eigse Raifteiri which was based around the famous poet, Anthony Raftery of nearby Killeden.
Mr Higgins said he was thrilled to preside at the launch of Basil Burke’s book which was a hugely welcome addition to the repository of local knowledge and history of Kiltimagh and its people. The fact that this was the first of a number of volumes whetted the appetite even more.

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