Missing People and Tullamores "Fiona" bridge

tomasocarthaigh · 26-03-2013 1:26pm #1

A proposal for the new footbridge in the Offaly town of Tullamore to be named after local missing woman Fiona Pender has been snuffed out yet again by the local town council, having been proposed by local SF councillor Brendan Killeavey on behalf of the Pender family.

The reason for the request is that the site of the bridge is close to where the girl grew up, and it would give the family a site to remember her at as they do not have a grave to go to.

Her mother Josephine recently released a video on the issue on social network site Facebook, and verses in support of the campaign have been written by both myself ( Each Year New Flowers Bloom ), and by local writer Cormac Lally, whose is produced below.

The fact that the proposal was shot down is something the locals cannot understand, and assume its because the girl was working class. It is very disappointing indeed...

An Online Petition, and a paper version are being organised by Cllr Killeavey and freinds of the family, should you wish to show your support to them and other familys of Irelands missing people...

jimmycrackcorm · 27-03-2013 9:37pm

I would have thought she would be an unusual choice to be named as typically the choices are people that are recognised for their contributions to society.

tomasocarthaigh · 28-03-2013 4:36am

Thats the general idea, to get away from the worthies and name something for one of the ordinary people. Its beside where she grew up, and an idea popular with the townsfolk, but not with the luvvies

:mad:

Happyman42 · 28-03-2013 2:41pm

It's not really an appropiate idea. Some other more fitting memorial would be better. Why associate a public place with something so recently tragic and as yet unresolved?

tomasocarthaigh · 28-03-2013 3:18pm

Happyman42 wrote: »

It's not really an appropiate idea. Some other more fitting memorial would be better. Why associate a public place with something so recently tragic and as yet unresolved?

It is a novel idea, it is the familys request, the new bridge being beside where she grew up. Why not? Why always follow tradition - the council want to all it after a saint, forgetting some of the most saintly dwell among us - and why not break the mould? Dedicate it to her and all of the missing?

A request for some sort of memorial a few years back was also knocked down by the council. They are a working class family you see, and the council can be quite snobby about that.

T runner · 28-03-2013 4:21pm

tomasocarthaigh wrote: »

It is a novel idea, it is the familys request, the new bridge being beside where she grew up. Why not? Why always follow tradition - the council want to all it after a saint, forgetting some of the most saintly dwell among us - and why not break the mould? Dedicate it to her and all of the missing?

A request for some sort of memorial a few years back was also knocked down by the council. They are a working class family you see, and the council can be quite snobby about that.

Nice for the family. Naming the bridge after a missing woman should also cause citizens to reflect on all the other missing, abused and/or dead women and children, and on all the vulnerable people who have been treated badly or with violence in this State.

A huge factor in facilitating this violence has been our deplorable attitude to poor and vulnerable people. By regarding them with contempt ourselves: the rapists, murderers and abusers knew that there was no-one to protect these targets.

Remembering some of these people in monuments forces us to reflect on their loss and hopefully enlighten us what a Republic should mean: that every man, woman and child is treated fairly and equally by state and citizens. And citizens must pursue this vigilantly to protect our most vulnerable.

Happyman42 · 28-03-2013 4:22pm

tomasocarthaigh wrote: »

Dedicate it to her and all of the missing?

It's a wholly inappropiate way to dedicate somethng like a bridge to the missing.

Lapin · 28-03-2013 4:44pm

tomasocarthaigh wrote: »

the council want to all it after a saint,

I hope this doesn't happen. Which saint by the way?

Naming the bridge after Fiona Pender doesn't sit comfortably with me either.

I can't begin to imagine the pain her family must be living with on a daily basis but I don't think a facility like a public footbridge is the right way to keep her name in the memory of others.

I feel a memorial park or garden in her name but dedicated to the memory of all missing people would be more fitting. A place where people could reflect and possibly be moved to assist the plight of those who are missing loved ones.

Far more than any mundane footbridge could ever do.

However if it came down to a choice between another damn saint and a local girl, I would always choose the latter.

goose2005 · 29-03-2013 1:46pm

Personally I think someone like Gerald Gardner would be a better choice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Gardner_%28mathematician%29

goose2005 · 29-03-2013 1:47pm

Happyman42 wrote: »

It's a wholly inappropiate way to dedicate somethng like a bridge to the missing.

especially as the murderer would probably get a kick out of walking over it

spurious · 29-03-2013 1:53pm

If people in the town refer to it as Fiona's bridge - it will become that, regardless of its 'official' name.

johnnyskeleton · 30-03-2013 11:38am

goose2005 wrote: »

Personally I think someone like Gerald Gardner would be a better choice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Gardner_%28mathematician%29

Or the Daniel E Williams bridge. Naming a bridge is more for tourists than for the locals. As spurious points out, if the locals want to give it their own name it will probably be called that - like with the ha'penny bridge.

If the girl or her family were instrumental in building the bridge or had some connection it might make sense, but otherwise it is difficult to see the reason for naming it. The council do not have to(and should not have to) provide a memorial to everyone who has had a tragedy in their lives just because they can't afford it. And just because they are working class doesn't mean that they can't afford to pay for a memorial themselves - they could work a few extra shifts or cut back on other items of expenditure.

08-05-2013 4:07pm

I am not from the area and have no political connection but it drew my interest on live line to day. Just shows how the council still thinks they can run rough shod over the ordinary people. How this sort of thing can still continue in this country is beyond me. Those councils are the ones who got the brown paper bags, who had corrupt planning, who pulled strokes etc for decades, now the country is on its needs and these fat cats still think they can continue to do the same regardless of the majority of the people. I will await with interest to see these people put in their place.
As another writer said "Call it Fionas bridge" and feck all they can do about it. People should take a stand here against old school politics and show we wont stand for it any longer. These are the people being paid by our taxes, property tax and household charge after all.
Support is needed here for ordinary people.

laoch na mona · 08-05-2013 6:07pm

the idea is beening shot down because SF proposed it and other parties are children when it comes to stuff like this. It doesn't matter if the people want it party politics wins out

Cody Pomeray · 09-05-2013 6:27pm

I think it's a great idea personally.

What does the symbolism of a community recording one of its 'lost sheep' by building a structure in their memory say about that community?

It says, we are a community, that even if you weren't a Tullamore bigshot (!) or you haven't made significant contributions towards applied seismology like the late geat world-renowned Blessed Gerald Gardner of Tullamore FRCSI, you still matter to those who are your community.

Nobody will care if the bridge is named after someone very irrelevant (forgive the tautology). You might as well call it Bridge X637428 over the Tullamore River as the Gardener Bridge for all most people will care (and I think their opinion does matter more than tourists fwiw).

Naming the bridge after Fiona Pender would strike a caring and meaningful note about social cohesion and what Tullamore people feel about community.

mr bungle. · 10-05-2013 11:15am

I think myself that the only reason that the bridge is not being named after her is because of behind the scenes bickering between councillors,can't understand why they couldn't just na
me the bridge after her and that would be that,wouldn't like to be in the councillors shoes when the next election comes around,****

Sandwlch · 10-05-2013 12:03pm

spurious wrote: »

If people in the town refer to it as Fiona's bridge - it will become that, regardless of its 'official' name.

Indeed. It doesnt matter what the council names it. People can call it what they wish.

How many Dubs even know where the Liffey Bridge is ?.....the whole country knows where the Hapenny Bridge is though.

COYW · 10-05-2013 12:50pm

goose2005 wrote: »

especially as the murderer would probably get a kick out of walking over it

Horrible to think that the individual who did that walks frees among us and I fully agree that it would probably bring joy to their rotten soul to walk over it. Once, again SF lower the bar with another crass suggestion. They need to stop proposing names for parks, bridges etc. They are not very good at it.

Cody Pomeray · 10-05-2013 12:53pm

COYW wrote: »

Horrible to think that the individual who did that walks frees among us and I fully agree that it would probably bring joy to their rotten soul to walk over it. Once, again SF lower the bar with another crass suggestion.

lol what? Does that apply to 11,000 Tullamore & district people and the family of Fiona Pender, those being the people who support the campaign?

as far as i can see this didn't originate from SF, only the council proposal did.

mr bungle. · 10-05-2013 1:06pm

COYW wrote: »

Horrible to think that the individual who did that walks frees among us and I fully agree that it would probably bring joy to their rotten soul to walk over it. Once, again SF lower the bar with another crass suggestion. They need to stop proposing names for parks, bridges etc. They are not very good at it.

Proposing to name a bridge in the memory of some one who was murdered,you regard that as a crass idea,wtf?,

Star Fish · 10-05-2013 1:48pm

There is a population of around 14,000 living in Tullamore almost 13,000 of these people signed the petition for the bridge to be called '' Fiona's Way ".... it is a vulgar disregard & disrespect for the people of Tullamore to go against the will of the people....we will call it'' Fiona's Way" with or without their bloody permission... & the Councillors who went against it will reap vengeance next year on the door steps

COYW · 10-05-2013 2:47pm

mr bungle. wrote: »

Proposing to name a bridge in the memory of some one who was murdered,you regard that as a crass idea,wtf?,

The crassness refers to SF jumping on the backs of such a cause, i.e. a missing person.

As someone else posted, if local people want to call it "Fiona's bridge" they will do so.

Cody Pomeray · 10-05-2013 2:53pm

You'll be glad to learn that Sinn Féin only proposed that public structures could be named after individuals...

And what's more, you said the suggestion was crass... see your post

SF lower the bar with another crass suggestion

newsunglasses · 14-05-2013 10:23pm

I think it would have been a lovely idea - it would keep the memory alive,which is important,especially in an unresolved case like this.

riffmongous · 14-05-2013 11:02pm

COYW wrote: »

Horrible to think that the individual who did that walks frees among us and I fully agree that it would probably bring joy to their rotten soul to walk over it. Once, again SF lower the bar with another crass suggestion. They need to stop proposing names for parks, bridges etc. They are not very good at it.

Does the joy it might bring to their murderer (assuming they are still alive and that sadistic) outweigh the comfort it will bring her relatives and friends? I dont think so. If the murderer wants to get a kick out of walking across her bridge they could just as easily walk by her house or any memorial to her. I think the comfort it will bring her parents to know that she will always be remembered is far more important, and I think that is also more important than naming it after some old notable.

porsche959 · 10-10-2014 9:03pm

Looks like there are significant developments in the Fiona Pender case.

alastair · 11-10-2014 12:09am

porsche959 wrote: »

Looks like there are significant developments in the Fiona Pender case.

Doesn't take an awful lot of reading between the lines to determine who the journos believe is responsible then!

Godge · 11-10-2014 12:16am

Happyman42 wrote: »

It's a wholly inappropiate way to dedicate somethng like a bridge to the missing.

We could dedicate all border crossings to the disappeared.

davycc · 11-10-2014 12:46am

Godge wrote: »

We could dedicate all border crossings to the disappeared.

And the new hotel in Brighton to dear old thatcher

Paulownia · 11-10-2014 3:45am

It will be a wonderful day for the area when her killer is behind bars, her death cast a shadow on Tullamore and on the midlands that has never faded.

The Black Oil · 11-10-2014 9:36am

I remember some of the cases of the missing women coming up on Crimeline when I was young. Very sad. Hopefully Fiona's mother and family will get some answers.

Missing People and Tullamores "Fiona" bridge

Comments