By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District December meeting
Wexford County Council has purchased the former Castle Nite Club, will demolish it, and replace it with a garden and public realm at the rear of the castle, suggest a café/coffee dock and provide an elevated walkway terrace at the rear of Slaney Place, and of course, the provision of public toilets.
Details, which are at the earliest stage of the design process, were revealed by Executive Engineer David Whitty at last Tuesday’s December meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council held in the Council Chamber at the Presentation Centre. Cllr Aidan Browne, Cathaoirleach, presided.
The Castle Quarter is the middle tier in the 3-way Enniscorthy Town Centre First Plan which also features Market Square and Templeshannon.
Using a map from the 1860’s it is proposed to reclaim part of the original gardens at the rear of Enniscorthy Castle and recreate the garden recreation area enjoyed by the Roche family up to the early 1960’s that was replaced by the Castle Ballroom (later renamed the Castle Nite Club) which had a 2,000 sq.ft. dance floor and first opened with music from Mick Delahunty and his Band on October 16th 1964.
Mr Whitty told the meeting that it is an extremely import project. “There is potential for a new internal courtyard which would provide a base for cultural and heritage activities for the Athenaeum Hall and the castle,”said Mr Whitty, who added; “We want a development that would be appropriate for the status of Enniscorthy Castle, which is a national monument.”
And the estimated cost? Mr Whitty did not have an exact figure for the meeting, but estimated that the Castle Quarter development would cost, but it will be between €5 and €6 million! The project is not possible without URDF (Urban Rural Distruct Funding)!
Councillors were against the installation of a coffee dock as many felt “it is a waste of resources given the number of nearby cafés and restaurants.”
Cllr Cathal Byrne wants the 1798 artefacts to be brought back. Chair of the 1798 Rebellion Centre, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy also made a contribution to the brief debate and Cllr Jackser Owens was relived that public toilets would be provided on site and that there will be no cable cars!
Director of Services Carolyne Godkin stated that “the plan is already technically difficult as it involves demolition and extensive renovations, and suggestions made by councillors could make the cost excessive.”
The current plan will take many months to come to public consultation.
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