Mullingar’s ‘Cultural Quarter’ group sets out barracks wishlist
Several exciting proposals for Columb Barracks, Mullingar, have been drafted by a local group who are appealing to everyone to have their say about the future of this historic complex.
A retirement home for army veterans, military, music and transport museums, a comprehensive educational campus, an events centre, arts and community activities are among the proposals being put forward by the Mullingar Cultural Quarter.
The Mullingar Cultural Quarter consists of local historian and teacher, Jason McKevitt; Electric Picnic producer and tour guide, Marty Mulligan; postman and military author Ger O’Connor, and Declan Murray, tech business owner. They do not represent any groups in the barracks, but are local people from different walks of life with alternative visions.
"Let's get the whole town interested in this once in a lifetime project because it won't happen again, and the chance to take part in the survey finishes on July 16. We lost the barracks once and that wasn't our fault but if we lose it a second time...,” a spokesperson for the group said.
They feel “we could bring something very unique to Mullingar and help make the town a tourist destination”.
The quartet’s proposal is based on the full use of the barracks embracing its military past, present and future as part of a 'Mullingar Cultural Quarter'.
Housing is part of the Land Development Agency’s remit, but the group feel any dwellings should be zoned in the camp field as the protected buildings offer rare opportunity for “adaptive reuse”.
The Mullingar group wants to house a ‘Mullingar Military Museum’ which they believe could reach the status of a national military museum. It would feature an area dedicated to the Jadotville Siege heroes and would include memorabilia from the inception of the barracks. The group also proposes setting up a Mullingar Music Museum telling the stories of such greats as Niall Horan and Joe Dolan and they hope it could also be elevated to a national music museum as there is none at present.
"We feel that Mullingar could become a tourist destination town and could be in a position to host a national transport museum along with a military and music museum - it would make Mullingar a destination go-to town, " a spokesperson for the group revealed.
He indicated that the group is in favour of an apprentice college at the barracks as John Geoghegan, president of Mullingar Chamber of Commerce has been promoting, a third level education institute possibly in tandem with Maynooth College or Athlone IT, and a tech and innovation hub for the benefit of the town, making the area a campus for further education and learning. It could also incubate start-up businesses. They envisage shared community spaces and a community hall to be used by all.
"We would like to see a village for retired veterans and they would have pride of place and be custodians of the barracks in some way, so that it always retains some of its military past," the spokesperson added.
"We also feel there are some great opportunities for an events centre and the square could be used for concerts and events. The church could be a great venue a la Other Voices in Dingle as well as adapting as a visual art gallery.
“We feel that farmers markets could be running weekly and workshop space for arts groups etc, could be provided,” he continued.
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The group said they recognise that several groups have been operating from the barracks from a number of years and "have been doing a fantastic job in the community, for example the Olympic Boxing Club, Mullingar Youth Cafe and the Music Box rehearsal rooms and recording studio and many other groups.”
The MCQ group members are from different backgrounds that tie in with the diverse proposals they are making. They feel that once everything is brought into a cultural quarter, it could grow organically and sustain itself. Regional museums can attract up to 35,000 people annually with national museums attracting in the region of 150,000, they maintain.
Events would bring people to the town and benefit bars, restaurants, cafes, accommodation etc. The group believes there is a big market out there for museums of this stature and for these types of activities.