By Dan Walsh in New Ross
More than 300 people gathered outside New Ross Post Office on Charles Street this evening to support the ‘Save Our Post Office’ campaign to retain the services in the building owned by An Post and serving the community since 1904.
The rally was addressed by Cllrs Michael Sheehan, Cllr John Fleming, who is Chair of Wexford County Council, Cllr Pat Barden, Jer O’Mahoney, Chair of Wexford IFA and Cellie Irwin, Chair of New Ross Active Retirement Group. Paul Kelly acted as master of ceremonies.
The speeches were short and there were loud cheers as the call to ‘Save Our Post Office’ was uttered many times, the mood was calm but sincere and many in attendance took the opportunity to sign a petition.
In a statement recently, An Post said; “In line with the ongoing transformation of the national post office network An Post has announced that its office in New Ross will become a contractor run post office. New Ross joins the mainstream of national post offices of which more than 95% of the country’s 900 plus offices which are run by contractors. Fewer than 40 post offices nationally are run directly by An Post.
“It is likely that a new location for the post office will be sought by the new Postmaster. In this event the landmark red brick building on Charles Street will be sold as it is owned outright by An Post.
HISTORY; New Ross Post Office was erected on Charles Street to a design examined (1904) by Thomas John Mellon (d. 1922), Principal Surveyor to the Board of Public Works (appointed 1893), representing an important component of the early 20th century-built heritage of New Ross with architectural value.
It is a detached two-bay single-storey post office, designed 1904; opened 1905, on a rectangular plan with single-bay single-storey side elevations; three-bay single-storey return block (north).
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