The role of the local authority in the ecomonic, social and cultural regeneration of Athy

The role and functions of local authorities have evolved and changed enormously over the years.  Borough Councils were brought into existence, usually by royal charters, as in Athy, where the 1515 charter of Henry VIII provided for the annual election of a Provost  and the appointment of a Borough Council.  Its functions were largely confined to control of the local market and collection of market tolls to finance the building of town walls.  Control and power rested with the Earls of Kildare and their nominees, a position which was to remain until many Borough Councils such as Athy were abolished in 1840.  It was succeeded a few years later by Town Commissioners elected by property owners in the town.  Their functions were extended to include paving and street cleaning and were further added to during the course of the 19^th century.  Replaced by an Urban District Council in 1901 the Council as we knew it up to more recent years played an important part in the economic and social life of the town of Athy. 

As we approached the last decade of the 20^th century huge demands were made on Athy U.D.C. in terms of planning and economic development.  Those were the years of the Celtic Tiger, but even as other nearby towns were flourishing Athy began to feel the effects of several factory closures.  The shirt factory on the Dublin Road closed, followed by the loss of Peerless Rugs in 2001 and three years later the closure of the Shuttleworth factory.  These losses were the catalysts for the setting up of an investment, development and employment forum by the local Council.  Represented on that multi agency body with Athy U.D.C. were Kildare County Council, members of the Oireachtas and officials of the I.D.A., County Kildare Enterprise Board and Athy Chamber of Commerce.  The local Council’s involvement was indicative of its developmental role as one of its primary functions under the 1963 Planning Act.  As an extension of that role and with a view to regenerating the retailing sector in Athy the Council engaged consultants to prepare a retail strategy for the town in 2008. 

All of this work was carried out against a backdrop which saw the transfer to Kildare County Council of functions once the responsibility of the Urban District Council.  This was done in advance of the subsequent legislative changes which saw the abolition of Town Councils and the taking over of their functions by County Councils. 

One of those roles was the provision of local authority housing.  Perhaps the greatest change to the previously unrivalled role of local authorities in the provision of social housing was the emergence of voluntary housing associations.  A number of such groups have provided social housing in Athy in recent years.  RESPOND built 43 houses in Flinter’s field in 2001 and eight years later provided 28 house and a community building at Ardrew Meadows.  In more recent years TUATH housing association provided 37 houses in Clonmullin, 14 houses in Cois Bhearu and 4 houses in Ardrew.  The CLUID housing association provided 36 houses in Coneyboro in 2013. 

The role of the former Town Council in the economic regeneration of the town was complemented by a similar role in relation to the social and cultural life of the townspeople.  In about 1985 the Urban District Council established and funded a cultural recreational sub committee comprised of Council members with a large membership from the general public.  That sub committee did much good work in fostering and encouraging cultural activities which led in time to the setting up of Athy’s Art Centre in Woodstock Street.  That Centre is presently managed by Directors representing Kildare County Council and a number of cultural interests in the town. 

The former Town Council’s encouragement of the arts and cultural activities generally was first recognised with the official opening of Athy’s Heritage Centre in the Town Hall in 1992.   This again was a joint venture involving Athy U.D.C., Kildare County Council and Athy Museum Society.  The management of the Heritage Centre rests with Athy Heritage Company Limited which like its sister company, Athy Arts Company Limited, is a company limited by guarantee with directors representing Kildare County Council and various cultural and social interests in the town.  The former Town Councils role in fostering and encouraging cultural activity in the town was formally recognised with the winning of an Excellence in Local Government award in 2010. 

Kildare County Council has continued to exercise a highly commendable role in community affairs insofar as Athy is concerned.  The unveiling of the Shackleton statue as part of the Decade of Commemoration events planned for the county is further proof of the Council’s commitment to Athy.  It’s rather a pity that the positive story was somewhat lost in the unexpected headlined story which appeared in the front page of this newspaper last week. 

The role of the local authority in the economic, social and cultural regeneration of Athy

The role and functions of local authorities have evolved and changed enormously over the years.  Borough Councils were brought into existence, usually by royal charters, as in Athy, where the 1515 charter of Henry VIII provided for the annual election of a Provost  and the appointment of a Borough Council.  Its functions were largely confined to control of the local market and collection of market tolls to finance the building of town walls.  Control and power rested with the Earls of Kildare and their nominees, a position which was to remain until many Borough Councils such as Athy were abolished in 1840.  It was succeeded a few years later by Town Commissioners elected by property owners in the town.  Their functions were extended to include paving and street cleaning and were further added to during the course of the 19^th century.  Replaced by an Urban District Council in 1901 the Council as we knew it up to more recent years played an important part in the economic and social life of the town of Athy. 

As we approached the last decade of the 20^th century huge demands were made on Athy U.D.C. in terms of planning and economic development.  Those were the years of the Celtic Tiger, but even as other nearby towns were flourishing Athy began to feel the effects of several factory closures.  The shirt factory on the Dublin Road closed, followed by the loss of Peerless Rugs in 2001 and three years later the closure of the Shuttleworth factory.  These losses were the catalysts for the setting up of an investment, development and employment forum by the local Council.  Represented on that multi agency body with Athy U.D.C. were Kildare County Council, members of the Oireachtas and officials of the I.D.A., County Kildare Enterprise Board and Athy Chamber of Commerce.  The local Council’s involvement was indicative of its developmental role as one of its primary functions under the 1963 Planning Act.  As an extension of that role and with a view to regenerating the retailing sector in Athy the Council engaged consultants to prepare a retail strategy for the town in 2008. 

All of this work was carried out against a backdrop which saw the transfer to Kildare County Council of functions once the responsibility of the Urban District Council.  This was done in advance of the subsequent legislative changes which saw the abolition of Town Councils and the taking over of their functions by County Councils. 

One of those roles was the provision of local authority housing.  Perhaps the greatest change to the previously unrivalled role of local authorities in the provision of social housing was the emergence of voluntary housing associations.  A number of such groups have provided social housing in Athy in recent years.  RESPOND built 43 houses in Flinter’s field in 2001 and eight years later provided 28 house and a community building at Ardrew Meadows.  In more recent years TUATH housing association provided 37 houses in Clonmullin, 14 houses in Cois Bhearu and 4 houses in Ardrew.  The CLUID housing association provided 36 houses in Coneyboro in 2013. 

The role of the former Town Council in the economic regeneration of the town was complemented by a similar role in relation to the social and cultural life of the townspeople.  In about 1985 the Urban District Council established and funded a cultural recreational sub committee comprised of Council members with a large membership from the general public.  That sub committee did much good work in fostering and encouraging cultural activities which led in time to the setting up of Athy’s Art Centre in Woodstock Street.  That Centre is presently managed by Directors representing Kildare County Council and a number of cultural interests in the town. 

The former Town Council’s encouragement of the arts and cultural activities generally was first recognised with the official opening of Athy’s Heritage Centre in the Town Hall in 1992.   This again was a joint venture involving Athy U.D.C., Kildare County Council and Athy Museum Society.  The management of the Heritage Centre rests with Athy Heritage Company Limited which like its sister company, Athy Arts Company Limited, is a company limited by guarantee with directors representing Kildare County Council and various cultural and social interests in the town.  The former Town Councils role in fostering and encouraging cultural activity in the town was formally recognised with the winning of an Excellence in Local Government award in 2010. 

Kildare County Council has continued to exercise a highly commendable role in community affairs insofar as Athy is concerned.  The unveiling of the Shackleton statue as part of the Decade of Commemoration events planned for the county is further proof of the Council’s commitment to Athy.  It’s rather a pity that the positive story was somewhat lost in the unexpected headlined story which appeared in the front page of this newspaper last week. 

Preserving Local Authority Records

With the abolition of Athy’s Town Council looming on the horizon my thoughts have turned to the treasure trove of minute books, documents, maps and files which the local authority has accumulated over the years.  What I wonder is planned for those priceless records which document the infrastructural development of the town over many decades.  Preserving those records is an imperative and I hope that both Council officials and public representatives have agreed on a plan of action to archive the Council records of Athy Town Council once the Council is abolished. 

I had the privilege some years ago of examining in detail the minute books of Athy Urban District Council and its predecessors, Athy Town Commissioners and Athy Borough Council back as far as 1781.  Later on I had to visit the Public Records Office in Belfast to study the earliest extant minute books of the Borough Council covering the years 1738 to 1783.  That particular Minute Book was deposited in the Belfast Public Records Office with the Fitzgerald family papers some years ago.  The whereabouts of the minute books prior to 1738 are unknown and in all probability have been lost forever.  Those missing records should prompt local authority officials and representatives to value the records still held by the Council and to ensure their preservation and secure protection for the purpose of future historical research.

Looking through details extracted by me from the minute books of the Borough Council I find a reference to the town clock in 1780 which I had previously overlooked.  William Drill was paid a handsome fee of £6 for looking after the clock, the location of which was not indicated.  That same year is recorded the orders of the Court Leet presided over by the Town Sovereign, Rev. Anthony Weldon ‘that no huckster or forestaller is to buy any commodity or goods coming into the market of Athy until such commodity or goods be brought into the public market place under the penalty of five shillings to be levied and raised by sale of the offenders goods and paid to the informer.’  Obviously the selling of goods outside the town’s market place and the consequent loss of customs and tolls was not to the Borough Council’s liking.

Another interesting reference in the Sovereign’s court records for 1786 was a direction that ‘the meat shambles be removed, they being a great nuisance.’  The shambles was located in the alleyway which ran between Andersons pub and the adjoining premises.  I noted that the Court held five years previously was called the ‘Leet Court’ but that term was not used for the 1786 Court. 

An entry in the Borough records of 1792 referred to the water running from the house of William Cahill, Kildare Street, starch manufacturer ‘having a foul smell so as to be prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants’.  Incidentally Kildare Street in 1792 is today’s Stanhope Street. 

In a recent article I mentioned clock and watchmaker Thomas Plewman.  The borough records for 1800 detail a payment of £3 to Thomas Plewman, being one year’s salary for attending to the town clock.  A similar sum was payable to John Andrews for taking care of the town’s fire engine.  On 3^rd September 1808 the Town Sovereign and the Burgesses of Athy passed a bye law requiring every boat loaded with turf passing the weir to pay a toll of ten shillings to be applied by the Sovereign in the purchase of fuel for the relief of the poor of Athy.  The Sovereign in question was Thomas J. Rawson, originally from Glasshealy, who played a major part in putting down rebellious activity around Athy and South Kildare during the 1798 Rebellion. 

I was reminded of McHugh’s Foundry which was once located in Meeting Lane when reading the following entry in the Sovereign’s Court record book of the 27^th May, 1820.  ‘We present that a forge for working iron which has been erected by Edward Moore in a house in Meeting Lane is a nuisance and not only exposed the said house but also adjoining houses, all of which are covered with timber and straw to constant danger of being consumed by fire and therefore that business of said forge should be forthwith discontinued.’  So much for early 19^th century town planning!

The written record is always an important resource for historical researchers, whether it relates to local authorities or clubs, sporting or otherwise.  I have twice in recent years been tasked with writing the history of two Athy institutions but in each case found to my horror that the records once so carefully compiled over many decades had in one case been destroyed and the other lost and never found.  I sincerely hope that the records relating to Athy Town Council and its predecessors will not suffer the same fate.