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6th May 2014 • Volume 21, Issue 16 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • Tel: 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie
Hennessy Launches Attack On Elected Reps A candidate in the upcoming local elections, has launched a blistering attack on existing county councillors, over their lack of action in having Swords Main Street and the Castle regenerated. Fianna Fail candidate for Swords, John Hennessy was furious at the fact that the present council has had five years to do something, yet nothing has been achieved to date. Speaking to the County Leader, a fuming Hennessy said, “I have knocked on over 6,000 homes in Swords alone and one of the main items that resonates with them, is the embarrassment they feel about Swords town centre and the way it is. In August 2009, Ryan’s pub was pulled down, and in the intervening time, there has been absolutely no action, drive or ambition to make Swords a decent place to live in,” he said. “It just sickens me, when I hear existing councillors, who have been there for five years and more, talking about the town centre of Swords and about regenerating it, just as an election is looming. What have they been doing for the last number of years? Nothing’s been done and
By Patrick Finnegan all we are left with is the condition of the town centre That’s an embarrassment to the county and it’s a disgrace, and has been for years. The net effect is that businesses have closed down and people haven’t got the town centre to enjoy, that they should have.” He then said, “I’m walking around estates, where people are cutting their grass and keeping their areas nice and neat, and the one area they have not got control over is the town centre and the Castle, and the Council have manifestly failed in this regard and it’s an absolute disgrace, and should not be allowed to happen again. I challenge any of these councillors, who have been there for the past five or ten years, and are now talking about the regeneration of the town centre, or the opening of the Castle. I can’t understand it and It just beggars belief.” Hennessy continued by saying, “One million American tourists visited the island of Ireland last year, and I would guess that between 70 and 80 per cent of them came in through Dublin
Local election candidate for Swords, John Hennessy (FF) is pictured at the junction of North Street and Main Street in Swords, which he says needs urgent attention
airport. I would say that we got less than a handful of these visitors to come to Swords. Let’s call a spade a spade here. The reason for this is that Swords town centre is in atrocious condition, and is an embarrassment to the entire region and that’s the responsibility of the Council, and that’s what I intend changing.” When asked what he expected the local authority to do, he said. The Castle needs to be opened up and the two or three remaining buildings should be CPO’d and immediately knocked down and the area opened up, and have somewhere pleasant like Avoca. This, in turn, would create businesses around it, because it would bring a footfall to the place. I was delighted to see families enjoying the
Boland Calls For Historic Summer School Independent candi- British and Irish polidate in Balbriggan tics, united in the celeElectoral area, Cathal bration of that visit. Boland is calling for Noting the Queen’s the setting up of a comments of members Fingal Summer of her family standing School. This would with us in 2016, along commemorate the with the invitation achievements of two extended by North County men, Taoiseach Enda Tom Kettle Kenny, I am and Thomas proposing that Ashe, who the North played signifiCounty should cant, but act on the different roles opportunity in the political which these situation 100 events present, Cathal Boland years ago. and host an Boland told the inaugural Summer County Leader, “I was School in 2016.” forcibly struck by the He continued, “It visit of President seems to me that such Higgins to the United an occasion provides Kingdom, some weeks an ideal venue for all ago, with political traditions and their representatives from senior representaall strains of both tives, to commemo-
away from the main state ceremonies, and those to be held at the GPO, would provide a calmness to allow proper reflection of these Thomas Ashe Tom Kettle historic moments and their relationship to rate the contributions each other,” he said. made in both 1914 and In the course of the 1916, by Irish men and President’s address in women. Such an event, Westminster, he made
reference to a man from the North County, the nationalist, poet, parliamentarian and soldier Tom Kettle. Boland explains, “Kettle came from a family, who were at the épée centre of the politics of nationalist Ireland, whose father was a founder of the
SUMMER FASHION TO SUIT EVERYONE The Heart Of Shopping In Balbriggan
Land League. He was elected an Nationalist MP, he founded the Peace Committee during the 1913 Lockout, co-founded the Irish Volunteers, for whom he travelled to Belgium to purchase guns. When he was there, he acted as a war correspondent. As a result of what he saw, Continued on page 12
Brian Boru festival and the amount of people was incredible. However, at other times, they do not have a town centre to enjoy, and that’s down to the Council. It beggars belief that councillors would start talking about this, when they’re responsible for this disgraceful situation. If the people of Swords elect me, my first few meetings will be with the County Manager, to find out what’s to happen, because this is an urgent situation,” he concluded.
Working For You Councillor
Gerry
McGuire Vote No.1 Tel: 087 2381980 e-mail: gerry.mcguire@fingal.ie