Proposal of the County Council to dispose of the old Gaol premises for the purpose of a site for new textile factory as discussed by county secretary Kelly who in 1935 gave a valuable public lecture on the history of Tullamore. Kelly wrote to the Secretary of the Dept of Local Government and Public Health seeking financial assistance. He went on:
After considerable negotiations between the Tullamore Industrial Development Committee, aided by Messrs P. Boland T.D. [ Fianna Fáil] and Mr Davin T.D, [Labour] the Directors of Messrs Saltaire Ltd. [later Salts Ireland Ltd] have decided to erect a new textile factory in Tullamore. [It was in operation from 1938 to 1982.]
Various sites were inspected and rejected for many reasons principal of which was that they were either two low-lying and likely to be damp or too far from the Railway.
The Gaol site was selected as the best as it adjoins the Railway and it just beside the station. It contains about three acres of ground, the Company will agree to pay a maximum price of £60 per acre for the ground site. The County Council is agreeable to this, but understands that they are required to clear off the buildings which will cost probably £1,500 or near that amount, and wish to know if the Ministry can sanction the expenditure of this sum. Sale of stone, slates and materials should get in about half of this sum.
This Gaol was handed over by the Military Authorities at the time of the Treaty, [1921]to the Irish Army, and later on in the Civil War [1922–3] it was burned by the departing Republican IRA. The Landlord, Lady Bury, applied for £6,000 compensation and was awarded £300, the property was afterwards transferred to the County Council, who have it on a 999 years’ lease from 1826 at the rent of 6d. per year if demanded. It was never demanded since. [The foundation stone of the gaol was laid in 1826]
The County Council then made an application for some compensation which was refused but were awarded £50 to be paid out of the £300 granted to Lady Bury to cover the legal costs, therefore the Council holds the premises for 899 years at 6d. per annum.
There was also a clause in the old lease that if the premises ceased to be used as a Prison it should revert to the landlord. This clause was deleted on the request of our then Solicitor Mr Thomas Conway [later Conway & Kearney].The only use of the buildings made by the Council is for storage of the steamrollers, tar boilers and other machinery used by the County Surveyor.
I understand that Messrs Egan have offered storage at their disused sawmill in Tanyard Lane off the Market Square [Tullamore] until other arrangements can be made.
If there is a difficulty about authorising expenditure for clearing the gaol buildings etc, the Minister might consider making a grant.
The cost of unemployment in Tullamore in 1937
Number of men receiving home help
44 each week at average of 8s./- ………. £17:12:0
Number of men registered at Labour Exchange
from the Urban District……………….. 97 + 60 [or 65] on home assistance
of this number 65 are in receipt of unemployment
assistance at average amount weekly……….. £25:0:0
This represents £2,000 a year when employment is at its highest here owing to the erection of 146 houses [at O’Molloy Street, Tullamore] to replace condemned dwellings, erection of the County Hospital, a new Garda Barracks and Vocational School [Patrick St. and O’Connor Square] The Barrack, School and labourers houses will be all complete in about two months and this will throw many men out of employment.
In addition, it will be necessary to provide some work for the occupants of those houses, otherwise they will be unable to pay rent and the rates will be at a loss.
The Council understands that this factory will employ on average about 700 hands with every likelihood of an increase to nearly 1,000 and will be a very valuable asset to both Tullamore and the district around. Many towns are eager to get this factory, so the County Council desires to help in every way possible, subject to the Sanction of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health.
State of unemployment in Tullamore
Home Help at average of 8/- per week being paid to 44 able-bodied men £17.12.0
of whom at least 40 are married
Total unemployed. 97
Number in receipt of unemployment assistance 65
average amount weekly. £25.0.0
146 houses [at O’Molloy Street, Tullamore, completed in 1938] built recently & unless the occupiers get employment they will be unable to pay rents
Deed of assignment from Lady Bury 5 May 1925
to Co. Co. Arrears.
This blog is based on a surviving stray letter from the county secretary of the county council in 1937. But how many correspondence files have we since a county secretary was first appointed in 1899 as part of the setting of the county council. With the setting up of a county archives, we will be able to establish this. We must remember the county council records from 1899 to July 1922 were destroyed in the burning of the courthouse in July 1922. But what have we since. Later, a blog on a letter on the widening of the Kilcruttin Road in the 1970s.
