Councillors gunning for Delvin Road monument

Mullingar's art-happy politicians are lobbying for yet another monument to grace the highways and byways of the town, with military and GAA centrepieces being suggested to spruce up the Delvin Road roundabout.Already in place around town are the famous Children of Lir sculpture at Lough Owel, the Monks statue at Austin Friars Street, and the Joe Dolan statue at the Market Square.Fresh from securing a feature for the entrance to the renovated Town Park, members of Mullingar Town Council are currently discussing the town's next aesthetic port of call at their monthly meeting last week.Fianna Fáil's Cllr. Aidan Davitt wants an art feature for the either the Lakepoint roundabout or the Dublin Bridge, and suggested that one of the decommissioned artillery guns from Columb Barracks, Mullingar be considered.Town councillor and former military man, Mick Dollard said that one of the decommissioned 25-pound artillery pieces would make a perfect feature for the Delvin Road."A good friend of mine has a daughter living in Portsmouth, England, where there is a prominent artillery barracks, and they actually have a 25-pounder mounted on one of the roundabouts going into Portsmouth," he said.The Labour man explained that three guns had been decommissioned at the barracks, after the last shots were fired from them in the Glen of Imaal firing range in Co. Wicklow last year.One of the guns will be moved to Belvedere House and Gardens in the near future."With all the talk about Columb Barracks being under threat of closure, I think putting one of the guns out there as a monument would be something positive we can do," Cllr. Dollard added."I'm sure the army personnel wouldn't be found wanting in putting them in place."Cllr. Davitt said that from an aesthetic point of view, the Delvin Road needs to be addressed, and he suggested that some artistic tribute to the GAA be considered.However, George Lambden, Westmeath County Council's Mullingar Area Director of Services, said that the only funding available for public art at the moment is set aside for the Town Park development.