Brown Society embarks on school plans

Brown Society embarks on school plans


Anna-Marie Flynn

THE Admiral Brown Society (ABS) is starting to pick up the pieces in the wake of the sudden death of the organisation’s President, JJ O’Hara.
The Foxford-based group now plans to forge ahead with its plans for a Business, Language and Interpretive Centre in memory of Argentine hero Admiral William Brown.
Following the funeral of the late JJ O’Hara, the work of the organisation was highlighted throughout the globe, prompting a number of parties to seek membership.
PRO of the group, Oliver Murphy, told The Mayo News he has taken a number of calls from ‘people who didn’t realise the exact significance of ABS’ until heightened media attention in the last two weeks.
“It’s amazing how many people have contacted members, including myself, and are really stunned at the projects we have embarked on and future plans we have,” he said.
While the PRO said concrete plans have yet to be finalised about the immediate direction of the organisation, he said the members have every intention of carrying out the former President’s plans for a memorial centre and gardens in Foxford.
“It is still very early days and we are still coming to terms with everything, but if this centre happens it will really be JJ’s monument. There are half a million people in Argentina and up until now JJ had been carrying out an almost private, self-sufficient Department of Foreign Affairs. This project has huge potential for Foxford and we will do everything in our power to make it a reality,” he said.
But the committee member said it’s time politicians played their own part in the future plans of the ABS. “The political will needs to be there, we cannot do this single-handedly, but we will do the best we can.”
Local TD, Deputy Dara Calleary said he is very much in support of the project going ahead. “I would be very happy to meet with the Society when the time is right and see how we can work together to progress with this in an appropriate way,” he said.
The Fianna Fáil TD added that the development would be a welcome boost to the area in terms of tourism, historical importance and local economic revenue.
Plans for the centre were first mooted prior to 2005 when negotiations took place with the internationally renowned Argentine company, EF, to establish a language school in the town.
The planned interpretive centre was to be a replica naval battle ship, situated in the proposed Admiral William Brown Memorial Park in Foxford. It is anticipated that such a school could attract as many as 200 students to Foxford for the purposes of learning English.