Huge attendance at Thurles public meeting on Post Office move

A huge attendance turned out to Hayes Hotel, Thurles last night to lend their support to the campaign to stop the proposed move of the Post Office from Liberty Square to Thurles Shopping Centre.

An estimated crowd of more than 300 jammed into the venue to hear the TD's of the county, local councillors and members of the general public speak out against the move which has really exercised the community - it became public last week that An Post is planning to move the post office to Thurles Shopping Centre in a bid to provide a facility in keeping with a modern postal service.

The meeting, which lasted two and half hours agreed to send a delegation to meet the CEO of An Post, outlining the huge disquiet of the community at the move and to bring any further information which may materialise in the coming days to the attention of the company - the meeting the take place the week after next.

There were many tense moments during the course of the public meeting which was organised and chaired by Independent Cllr Jim Ryan who did a very fine job of keeping the business of the gathering on track. Everybody who wanted to have their say on the night was given the opportunity to do so. Those in attendance included practically all of the businesses in Thurles town centre, residents, community activists, locals and people from outside the town who use the post office regularly.

"This meeting will send out a very clear and strong message to An Post that we are just not accepting this move and that we will do everything in our power to stop it," Cllr Ryan said. He received the backing of the five TD's of the county all of whom spoke on the night and pledged their support to the campaign.