Farewell to Droichead Nua / Newbridge Town Council

At the end of May 2014, Droichead Nua Town Council and the existing network of town councils around the county and the country ceased to exist. There weren’t any protestors carrying placards, or any major outcry at the loss of this layer of local democracy, but after some 149 years of service to the community of Droichead Nua / Newbridge its Town Council and the Town Council model of local government has quietly disappeared as a result of the Local Government Reform Act 2014.

Why no outcry, why did Councillors (and indeed the public) accept their abolishment without much significant argument, would there be the same level of acceptance if the Post Office was to close, or even one of the local “pillar” banks, even if there was a protest or public concern expressed would local protest have had any effect….look at what is happening to the Credit Union.

The last remaining Barrack Gate, Droichead Nua / Newbridge

While I fully recognise that reform at local government level was needed – was this the best way to carry out this reform. Some will say that the abolition of Town Councils is a good thing, for historical reasons there was a basic inequity between Town Councils – former UDC’s like Naas and Athy had a substantial budget of millions, whereas Newbridge and Leixlip had extremely small budgets. There is a growing move towards re-centralisation of power back to the centre, and in my opinion the abolition of town councils is a loss to democracy, and effectively removes a layer of political accountability in Irish politics – that layer was at the most basic local level, and ensured that at least some (albeit very limited) decision-making was facilitated closer to the local community. On the other hand however the services Naas Town Council provided could not be matched in Newbridge, (both towns are of similar size) and Newbridge has lagged behind in terms of some community facilities – particularly youth facilities – this may have been because unlike Naas & Athy who managed the rates raised in their urban areas, rates raised in Newbridge were not directly managed by the Town Council.

Again for historical reasons the nine council members were elected from the (smaller) “town council” electoral area of Droichead Nua / Newbridge, but the Councillors represented the views of the greater town Community, many of them had their “finger on the pulse” and knew what was happening in every area of the town. In addition the Mayor (Town Council Chairperson) was available to represent the wider community at official (or community) functions.

Former Garrison Church / Town Hall Droichead Nua / Newbridge.
Photo by Author

According to the Town Council Website (#1) the first Town Commission was approved by the then Lord Lieutenant on the 13th February 1865 under the Town Improvement Act 1854 (#2). It would appear that their first responsibilities were lighting and cleaning of streets, supervising the town market, overseeing the licensing of cars and drivers and managing the Town Hall.

The Town Improvement Act 1854 (#2) was “An Act to make better Provision for the paving, lighting, draining, cleansing, supplying with Water, and Regulation of Towns in Ireland. [10th August 1854.]”, and in effect allowed elected town commissioners to provide basic services, and gave specific powers to town management. The 1854 Act had some interesting provisions, and in modern terms could be considered “quaint”, one example of its provisions includes – “Every Person who flies any Kite, or who makes or uses any Slide upon Ice or Snow, shall be liable to a Fine not exceeding Ten Shillings:” (The Town Improvement Act 1854; LXXII: Penalty on Persons committing any of the Offences herein named.) (#2)

St. Conleth’s Bridge, Droichead Nua / Newbridge.
Photo by Author

In her excellent book “From Connell to Droichead Nua” (2001, p. 82, 83) (#3) Mary Connolly notes that “in County Kildare the act was availed of in Naas, Athy and Newbridge” and that “all three commissions were independent of landlord control”. She also states that “Since the franchise was limited to those householders who paid rates of £4 or more, there was a very small electorate”. Indeed the number of people eligible for election to the Town Commissioners was even more limited.

The Town Council Website (#1) lists the first Commissioners as:
Eyre Powell (Chairman) (Landlord), Thomas J. Dowling (Postmaster & Grocer), Robert J. Goff (Auctioneer), Michael Mergan (Shopkeeper), Thomas W. Meade (Draper), James Hyland (Grocer & Hardware), Michael Flood (Draper), Patrick Keogh (Grocer), and Matthew Irwin (Hardware & Building Contractor).

Over the 149 years of its existence, I understand that there were just six women who served as Councillors, they were: Nancy Moore, Marie Mullane, Fiona O’Loughlin, Ide Ní Shúilleabháin, Sinead Donagh and Emma Kiernan.

Recent History:
Under the Local Government Act 2001 Droichead Nua / Newbridge Town Commissioners became a Town Council, effective from 1st January 2002. The Council was run with a budget provided by Kildare County Council, which is raised by means of a grant from the Dept. of the Environment & Local Government and town charges levied on commercial activities in the town.

The Weir at the Dominican College Droichead Nua / Newbridge
Photo by Author

Many voluntary and community groups struggle for operational funds, and this has been exasperated by the recent years of austerity and cutbacks, and in this regard the Town Council was to the fore in contributing to the basic costs incurred by these community and voluntary groups by supporting the generally voluntary nature of their work, enabling them to contribute to the betterment of the community.

Then there were the civic awards schemes which tended to honour local achievement which has brought recognition to the town – some examples include the sporting talents of our Community Games participants, sports teams & individual sportspeople, special olympians, the acting and dramatic achievements of local drama groups and “stage schools”, achievements of the Tidy Towns, local industrial & business milestones, festival organisers, twinning and tourism initiatives….etc.

Is there an argument for the re-establishment of Community Councils as existed in the town back in the 1970’s, looking back at old issues of the “New Link” the Community Council thrived for many years, and had representatives not only from all the residential areas (large and small), but from the wider community, and the sporting, youth, political, religious, educational, business and industrial communities as well – a microcosm of life in the town at the time.

The last Town Council members were: Mayor Cllr. Mick Deely TC, (Non-Party), Deputy Mayor Cllr. Willie Hamilton TC, (The Labour Party), Cllr. Murty Aspell TC, (Independent), Cllr. Pat Black TC, (Fianna Fáil), Cllr. Paddy Kennedy TC, MCC, (Independent), Cllr. Emma Kiernan TC, (Fine Gael), Cllr. Damian Molyneaux TC, (Sinn Féin), Cllr. Michéal “Spike” Nolan TC, MCC, (Fine Gael), Cllr. Fiona O’ Loughlin TC, MCC, (Fianna Fáil).
Ms. Anne Greene was the Town Council’s last Town Clerk.

To those Commissioners, Councillors, Town Clerks, Managers and Officials both living and deceased, thank you all for your service, for your commitment to your town over all of the 149 years that the Town Commission / Council existed, the baton has been passed to a new form of Local Government………

Liffey Linear Park Entrance Droichead Nua / Newbridge.
Photo by Author

The new Municipal District (Councils) will it is said, bring better, more effective, more people centred local government. The new Municipal District Councillors – some affiliated to political parties, some independent have made a commitment to represent and serve the local community – indeed they have fought an election for their seat on the Council, and they will no doubt soon be negotiating for a more realistic share of the funds available from rates, household taxes and the revenues raised from pay-parking. If they are successful I would assume that there will be greater investment in Newbridge and its surrounding hinterland.

They will however need to carefully manage the effective spending of their budgets, and most importantly contribute to the development and enhancement of local business, stimulate job creation, and develop and enhance the leisure and recreational facilities needed by the local community.

In that regard I wish them well in their endeavours.

References:
#1 Newbridge Town Council Website (2014), History of Newbridge Town Council [Online]. Available from: http://kildare.ie/newbridge/about-newbridge-town-council.asp [Accessed 3 May 2014].
#2 The Town Improvement Act 1854 can be viewed online at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1854/en/act/pub/0103/print.html
#3 Connolly, M. 2001. From Connell to Droichead Nua. 1st ed.: Leinster Leader Ltd

St. Patrick’s Day / Lá Fhéile Pádraig 2014

Newbridge – Droichead Nua,

St. Patrick’s Day / Lá Fhéile Pádraig 2014

Saint Patrick’s weekend proved to be great in many respects, a great Rugby result in France, a superbly organised and well planned parade in Newbridge (well done Mayor & committee) where many of the voluntary, community, school based and sporting organisations in the town came out to show their achievements over the last year – cups, medals and silverware were on display on many floats. On the negative side Kildare lost to Kerry on Sunday – but there will be better days.

The Community Games branches (Bridget’s & Conleth’s) came together to celebrate 40 years of community sports and variety. The Patrician Primary School celebrating 100 years in education.

Led by the Army and the Fire Services, the parade included Beavers, Scouts, Ladybirds, Brownies, Bands, June Fest, Argentré-du-Plessis Friendship Project, sports groups such as Sarsfield’s, Moorefield and Milltown GAA, Newbridge Hotspurs and Liffey Celtic FC’s, S.K.S American Football Team, Ryston Boxing Club, All-Ireland champs Stage Academy, Leinster Academy of Dance, Dancetones, Leah Moran Stage School, The Filipino Community, Newbridge Family Resource Centre Youth Club, The Ploughing Association and Turf Cutters, Old Military Vehicles, TRI Equestrian, Athletic Club, Pet Farms, Stepping Stones…and apologies if I left any one out……as I surely have.

The age of the volunteer is not yet gone – indeed it could be said that they are more needed than ever, and all clubs, associations and sporting groups could do with an occasional “dig out”, so if you are considering volunteering an hour or more of your time – don’t just think about it contact a club or voluntary group….there are lots of opportunities for you to help.

To our most welcome visitors from our Twinned Towns of Ocala (Florida) and Bad Lippspringe (Germany), we hope you enjoyed the visit and the most clement weather we have had over the last few days.  What great plans Bad Lippspringe have when they will host the Landesgartenschau 2017, a massive floral and community event, involving investment in new roads, plazas, parks the local forests……worth a visit in 2017.

Many world buildings were illuminated for St. Patrick’s Day – Petra, The Sphinx, Table Mountain, and here in Newbridge the Town Hall was illuminated green for the weekend, with a bit of luck and a fair wind the Town Hall will be renovated during the summer, and become a resource for the town and the new Municipal Authority.

Our Town Council will disappear with the elections in May, many men and women have served their community with distinction as Town Councillors (formerly Commissioners), Town Managers and Town Clerks, – I say it will be missed because it’s democracy and representation at the most fundamental of levels – within the immediate community.

I hope the local events which were made possible with the Town Council’s help whether by Councillors or Officials, their actions, representations or provision of financial support will be supported by the new Municipal Authority.

Ní neart go cur le chéile.                                           (There is no strength without unity)