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The Journal
15-05-2025
- General
- The Journal
Seamus Rafter Bridge in Enniscorthy could be demolished under town's flood relief plan
SEAMUS RAFTER BRIDGE in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, could be demolished as part of a flood relief scheme for the town. Significant floods hit the town over Christmas 2021 as one-metre waves cause ' devastating damage ' to property, businesses and roads. Extensive flood relief works will take place in Enniscorthy in the coming months, as the Office of Public Works (OPW) seeks to reduce the adverse affects the town has faced as a result of extreme flooding. The first phase of the plan sees the removal of the landmark bridge, located over the River Slaney in Enniscorthy. Advertisement The bridge following extreme flooding at Christmas 2021. OPW OPW A pedestrian bridge and road bridge will replace the existing crossing at 'suitable locations' above the predicted flood levels, the OPW has said. Phase two will involve the completion of outstanding relief works that are required in the town. Along with Wexford County Council, the OPW has launched a public consultation for the town , seeking opinions from locals on the first phase of a flood relief scheme. Potential locations for the new pedestrian and road bridges in Enniscorthy. OPW OPW The Seamus Rafter Bridge was named after a native Irish Republic Brotherhood commander who took on a leadership role during the Easter Rising in 1916. Damage to property, disruption to businesses and traffic issues as a result of extreme flooding events has taken place consistently since 1924 , the OPW has said. Successive Easter Rising commemorations for the rebellion leader were held at the bridge , which was opened in 1991. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
15-05-2025
- The Journal
The Castletown saga: Legal battle looms in 20-month row over access at Co Kildare landmark
OVER 20 MONTHS into a prolonged and divisive dispute at Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare there appears to be no sign of a resolution. Over the May bank holiday weekend, property and vehicles belonging to the Office of Public Works (OPW) were badly damaged at a site used for Castletown House workers. Vandals first cut the CCTV wires to the site at Donaghcumper House, an estate overlooking the River Liffey and bordering Castletown House. They proceeded to overturn four OPW vehicles, and drive a cherrypicker into the river. The same site was targeted by arson attacks on 22 and 24 April, which impacted outbuildings and staff welfare units. A number of vehicles were turned over at Donaghcumper House. OPW OPW The damage is estimated to have cost around €500,000. Gardaí have made no arrests yet in connection with the attack. The attack has awakened public interest in the Castletown House dispute – but what is the significance of the house, and why has it become the centre of such a massive row? What and where is Castletown House? Castletown House is a 'Palladian' country house built in 1722 by William Connolly, an influential Irish political figure. The house borders Celbridge town in Co Kildare – a growing hub for Dublin commuters with a population just over 20 thousand people. Castletown House. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo It's also just minutes away from another Kildare commuter town, Leixlip. The house marked the centre of a once-sprawling country estate, which spanned an impressive 800 acres. Over the centuries, this land was gradually divided and sold. In 1994, the Irish State – through the OPW – acquired the house and a surrounding parcel, initiating a slow process of reassembling the estate. To date, the OPW has managed to reclaim around 227 acres of the historic grounds. A map of the ownership of Castletwon estate. Green is OPW-owned land, pink is private-owned land. OPW OPW As owners of the historic demesne, OPW staff are responsible for maintaining both the estate and house itself, which is a popular spot with locals and guests to the area – before 2023, the site garnered up to a million visitors annually. Why are the OPW not parking in Castletown House? The OPW are using Donaghcumper House as they claim they have no vehicular access to Castletown estate – though this claim is heavily disputed by locals and protest groups. Kildare County Council granted the OPW temporary use of Donaghcumper, and OPW staff are ferried by bus to and from the estate. A damaged OPW vehicle at Donaghcumper House. OPW OPW The OPW previously used an entrance to Castletown located just off the M4 motorway, which also led to a 250-space car park servicing around 250,000 vehicles a year. The entrance, originally built to facilitate a concert in 2007, became the de facto entrance for staff, contingent on a rolling, amicable annual licence fee to the then-landowners, Janus Securities. Advertisement In 2023, Janus Securities decided to sell their 235 acres of the estate, and the OPW were outbid – the land went to Killross Properties and Springwood, two Kildare-based companies for around €5m. Talks between the new landowners and the OPW over access broke down shortly after the purchase, and a fence was installed on the M4 entrance – fully blocking access. The fence at the M4 entrance to Castletown House. Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal What are locals protesting about?? With the M4 route closed, the OPW was left scrambling to implement an alternative. Its interim solution involved expanding use of the Lime Avenue entrance – a pedestrian route connected to Celbridge town which is now used for OPW staff and limited vehicle access. The path sees heavy footfall from locals, many of whom say that the path is unsuitable for work vehicles. Lime Avenue in Castletown House. Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal New public vehicular access routes were proposed by the OPW on Lime Avenue, including a new car park which would be located along the pedestrian walkway, but a number of community groups formed to object this. One community group involved was the Save Castletown Gate Protectors, who have maintained a presence at the entrance to Lime Avenue since September 2023. The gate protectors argue that the path is too narrow and unsafe for modern vehicle traffic, and would restrict wheelchair users and parents with buggies from using the avenue. The OPW has defended the shift as a temporary and necessary measure to keep Castletown House operational, and suggested that heavy vehicles could be led down Lime Avenue with someone walking in front of it, to ensure safety of pedestrians using the path. However, the OPW later backed away from this promise, and have now outlined their plans for a small buggy to escort OPW vehicles up the lane. Suzanne Clifford, a member of the gate protectors, said that the OPW 'simply want to make that pedestrian way into a road', describing Lime Avenue as a very valuable local amenity. The protest group launched a petition against OPW use of the avenue, which has amassed around 10,000 signatures. Another gate protector, Deirdre Browne, said that during a meeting with OPW representatives on Monday, the OPW did not propose any alternatives to escorting their vehicles up Lime Avenue with a buggy. 'That's really disappointing for us, because this is disproportionately impacting the vulnerable people in our community,' Browne said. A sign erected in front of Lime Avenue by the Gate Protectors. Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal Browne added that the OPW 'aren't addressing local concerns' in writing at all, claiming they are 'just talking around in circles'. Will the M4 entrance ever reopen? While little progress has been made in relation to Lime Avenue, Save Castletown Committee, a separate organisation to the gate protectors, have sought a High Court injunction to restore public access to Castletown House via the M4 entrance. The group claimed in the High Court on Monday that the fence blocking public access to the house and its estate is an 'unauthorised development'. The committee is seeking an order requiring the owners to remove the gates and fencing, on the grounds that planning permission was not obtained for their erection. Save Castletown Committee have been granted a hearing date in the High Court on 29 July. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
07-05-2025
- The Journal
Gardaí investigate €500k vandalism as OPW vehicles wrecked and CCTV wires cut near Castletown House
GARDAÍ ARE CURRENTLY investigating extensive criminal damage to vehicles and equipment at a site used by the Office of Public Works (OPW) near Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare. Vehicles and facilities used by the OPW were targeted over the May Bank Holiday weekend at Donaghcumper House, which borders Castletown House. The total damage caused was estimated to cost over €500,000. The OPW currently use the site for staff access to Castletown House. Four OPW and contractor vehicles were overturned, allegedly using a teleporter which was later dumped in the River Liffey, while outbuildings and staff welfare units were set on fire and four CCTV towers were disabled after their wiring was cut. OPW OPW The property is used as a staging site for transporting OPW staff to nearby Castletown House, a historic estate at the centre of an 18-month controversy as residents have opposed the OPW's proposals to use a narrow pedestrian walkway for heavy vehicles . Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, condemned the damage. 'This criminal damage to State property owned and managed by the OPW is shocking and unacceptable,' Moran said in a statement. Advertisement OPW OPW 'A Garda investigation is under way. The cost of the damage will be in excess of €500,000. I would urge anyone with information to contact An Garda Síochána. At this time, the safety and well-being of OPW staff is of paramount importance,' he said. Save Castletown Gate Protectors, a local group who have maintained a presence at the entrance to Castletown House in protest against the OPW for 18 months, condemned the incident in a statement. The group said that they were 'deeply saddened' about the extensive criminal damage to OPW property, and condemned 'any such action in the strongest possible terms'. The Save Castletown Committee, a seperate community group comprised of local residents, said they were 'shocked' by the incident. 'Save Castletown Committee would like to take this opportunity to express our solidarity with staff and those affected by these attacks,' a statement from the community group told The Journal . The OPW confirmed the site had already been fitted with significant security infrastructure, which has since been reinforced following the attacks. OPW OPW Staff had only recently resumed operations at Castletown House on April 10, after a prolonged absence due to tensions surrounding access. Between April 22 and 30, the OPW recorded multiple incidents of intimidation and vandalism at Donaghcumper, culminating in last weekend's more destructive attack. While no arrests have yet been made, gardaí have appealed for witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward as inquiries continue. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
