Famous Town Hall steps in this Tipperary town are currently 'undergoing a facelift'

Work on the Town Hall in Templemore is progressing well and the new building is beginning to take shape.

The people of the town are eagerly anticipating the re-opening of this treasured building which is an integral part of the fabric of our town.

Built in 1816 the Town Hall has gone through so much and as it begins a new chapter in its colourful life everybody is looking forward to the grand opening.

Like any project of this magnitude there will inevitably be delays but work is expected to be completed in the next few months.

The famous Town Hall steps are currently undergoing a facelift.

Each one has been carefully removed and numbered as repair work to prevent dampness is carried out and they will soon be restored to their former glory.

Fr Neil Kevin wrote about the steps in his book “I Remember Karrigeen”. The following lines are an extract from Chapter 2 - A Case of Phoenix. (Karrigeen is a fictional name for Templemore).

"Though it looks vacantly at you most days, there is a sense in which the Town Hall is the hub of things. Everything public is done from The Steps - stone steps which lead up on either side to the outer balcony of the Hall.

"For Karrigeen, that balcony has been the focal point of every National movement and commotion.

"From it the best political speakers in Ireland, and the worst, with their hands resting on the iron railing, have appealed to, and encouraged, and roused, and coaxed, and flattered the men and women of Karrigeen."