Historian accuses council of failing Mullingar on barracks

Historian Jason McKevitt has accused Westmeath County Council of failing Mullingar after news emerged that neighbouring Longford has secured €7 million in EU funding to transform Connolly Barracks into a state-of-the-art cultural hub.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Longford,” Mr McKevitt told the Westmeath Examiner.

“It’s great to see such a historic site get this funding, and it’s great to see that Longford County Council are proactive on the matter. And I’m thrilled for it because what they’re going to get there is something I’ve been looking for in Mullingar.

“They’re going to get a museum, cafe space, community learning hub, and a performance and cultural space, which is absolutely fantastic. So I really welcome that for Longford… however, here’s the kicker: we could have had that in Mullingar for Columb Barracks, except that Westmeath County Council in 2017 decided to refuse the offer of taking over the barracks in Mullingar.

“Actually, point blank, they refused. So therefore, because they refused, they couldn’t apply for this regeneration funding.”

Mr McKevitt, who runs the Let’s Get a Museum in Mullingar Facebook page, said the issue lies with the council executive rather than elected representatives. “I mean, when we look at the councillors themselves, Cllr Andy Duncan there is trying to put together a committee at the moment of councillors to support the barracks, to look at the council taking over the barracks.

“And Mick Dollard, as an army veteran, has been out there fighting the cause, and in fairness to Cllr Ken Glynn, he has never been found wanting since the barracks closed. He’s always been a good friend and a good advocate of Columb Barracks. So we do have warriors there when it comes to county councillors supporting the regeneration of Columb Barracks.”

Mr McKevitt said that the lack of willingness by the executive to take on the barracks has now cost the town, stating that as recently as 2021 the Land Development Agency had approached the council with partnership proposals, but those too had been rebuffed. Meanwhile, groups already based in Columb Barracks – including a boxing club, youth club and Music Generation – are working from buildings that are now beginning to crumble.

“This isn’t some Celtic Tiger relic,” Mr McKevitt stressed. “It’s a historic site at the heart of Mullingar. If Westmeath County Council care about tourism and heritage, this is the jewel they should be minding. The money is there – Longford has just proven that. What’s missing is willpower.”

He believes Columb Barracks could host a museum – “but not a museum in the traditional sense” – more a heritage centre encompassing transport, music and military history. “Mullingar Railway Station, for instance, back 100 years ago, would have been equivalent to Heathrow Airport when it came to transport in Ireland. It was a major network in the centre of the country. You could get a train from Mullingar to Belfast. Add in our rich music and military past, and the potential is enormous. We should be telling that story instead of watching the site decay.”

He insists that the allocation of funding for Longford shows it is not too late for Mullingar.

“Unfortunately, the Chamber of Horrors, that is Westmeath County Council, is asleep at the wheel.”