Longford town is nice

BambooBob

Hello I was recently in Longford town. You can tell Longford was a planned town. It has the same planned feel to it as Ballinasloe. I was well impressed by the wide main street. Shame about the old Longford Provider's building on the corner along the main street. Shame on the planners for allowing it. Its vile. I loved the red brick masonic hall. Lovely houses out beyond it too. Heartbreaking to see St Mel's boarded up. Can't wait to see it reopen. Best wishes to all those involved in its restorations.

ArtSmart

NO IT'S NOT

STOP IT

STOP IT NOW.

Angron

So... You didn't meet the locals then?

Crafty-Chel

You'd want to see it on a saturday night...:eek::eek::eek: shocking stuff....

MASTER...of the bra

What happens on a Sat nite? Last time I was in, it's a good few months ago now, it was deserted.

Crafty-Chel

It has been deserted alot lately but usually theres kids killing eachother everywhere and ppl getting stabbed ect...

calf

Going to bypass it soon nightmare with traffic weekends

garfieldsghost

Crafty-Chel wrote: »

It has been deserted alot lately but usually theres kids killing eachother everywhere and ppl getting stabbed ect...

Exaggerate much? :rolleyes:

Sure, there's always a few people out to cause havoc, but it's no worse than any other Irish town. Try walking through Temple Bar on a Saturday night!

MDFM

calf wrote: »

Going to bypass it soon nightmare with traffic weekends

It does already have a bypass!!!!
and the route that the new bypass is taking is easily accessible as it is if u wish to use it as a bypass in its current state.

calf

Where is they bypass going from dublin to mayo

ballsymchugh

who the hell would want to go to mayo? where will ye get the chips at the break in the journey then?

ballsymchugh

keithj75 wrote: »

Hello I was recently in Longford town. You can tell Longford was a planned town. It has the same planned feel to it as Ballinasloe. I was well impressed by the wide main street. Shame about the old Longford Provider's building on the corner along the main street. Shame on the planners for allowing it. Its vile. I loved the red brick masonic hall. Lovely houses out beyond it too. Heartbreaking to see St Mel's boarded up. Can't wait to see it reopen. Best wishes to all those involved in its restorations.

i don't get this bit. providers was at that spot for donkey's years and moved about 2 years ago. i'm sure they'd love to sell/lease it as much as most people would but the only shame is that it's empty. not a planning issue.

the new centre beside the cinema however, now that is a terrible mistake.

MASTER...of the bra

Denny M wrote: »

So... You didn't meet the locals then?

Crafty-Chel wrote: »

You'd want to see it on a saturday night...:eek::eek::eek: shocking stuff....

Crafty-Chel wrote: »

It has been deserted alot lately but usually theres kids killing eachother everywhere and ppl getting stabbed ect...

calf wrote: »

Going to bypass it soon nightmare with traffic weekends

I don't get most of this thread.

Sunnyisland

MASTER...of the bra wrote: »

I don't get most of this thread.

welcome to longford

Angron

MASTER...of the bra wrote: »

I don't get most of this thread.

We may live there, but we don't like each other :pac:

MASTER...of the bra

Longford ain't to bad, no worse than anywhere else, there's a couple of retail units that need a bit of work, the big hole that was left when they knocked Chartbusters is a real eyesore. And the old Garda station down Dublin street - I'm surprised that was left the way it is to.

Never liked where they put that phone mast (if it's still there?) on top of the old Providers building, those things shouldn't be stuck in town centres.

What it does need badly though is a good electrical/computer shop. The few that are around are to expensive....though that kind of applies to the whole country now I suppose.

ballsymchugh

the old garda station is a bit of a quandry. it's owned by the OPW, and getting things done by them is like getting blood from a stone. i don't know why the council don't put a derelict site notice on it like they did with the animal hotel. escabar came out of that and it's a pretty decent front on it.
as for chartbusters, what's with the yellow light there, like the amber light on a traffic light?? confuses the bejaysis out of me at the market square!

garfieldsghost

ballsymchugh wrote: »

the old garda station is a bit of a quandry. it's owned by the OPW, and getting things done by them is like getting blood from a stone. i don't know why the council don't put a derelict site notice on it like they did with the animal hotel. escabar came out of that and it's a pretty decent front on it.
as for chartbusters, what's with the yellow light there, like the amber light on a traffic light?? confuses the bejaysis out of me at the market square!

It's not only a quandry... it's a saga. When recently investigating what the future plans are for Connolly Barracks, I contacted a number of the more prominent local Councillors on the issue. Only one(!) replied and conversation soon turned to the similar situation that surrounded the old Garda Station. I was told that after it closed it was offered to the Council for the princely sum of £1. They went ahead and bought it but, once they had it, couldn't think of a use for it! Ownership ended up being transferred back to the OPW...

You couldn't make it up! :mad:

Re: Escabar - that's closed now, so don't be surprised to see that building deteriorating!

Re: The yellow light opposite the Market Bar - it's for the taxi rank. The rank extends around the corner onto Ballymahon Street after a certain time in the evenings and it's meant to indicate to the first driver waiting on the Square that a space has become available around the corner. From what I've heard from taximen, it's been less than successful... not at all like those fabulous solar/wind-powered streetlights they put up around Feraghfad. Oh, wait... :rolleyes:

MASTER...of the bra

calf wrote: »

Where is they bypass going from dublin to mayo

You can use the existing bypass out as far as McDonalds/Homebase, turn in there and take the right after the filling station, it's a back road if you like but you pop out bout a mile out on the strokestown road.

Knit wit

The Garda station was sold a couple of years back by the opw and is now privately owned ... http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local/sale_of_garda_barracks_yet_to_be_confirmed_1_1945125

bmarley

There's an indoor/outdoor market in Longford every Saturday, all day - well worth a visit

MASTER...of the bra

Knit wit wrote: »

The Garda station was sold a couple of years back by the opw and is now privately owned ... http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local/sale_of_garda_barracks_yet_to_be_confirmed_1_1945125

Sale of Garda Barracks yet to be confirmed


Published on Thu Sep 21 12:13:18 BST 2006

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has confirmed that the premises of the old Garda Barracks located on Dublin Street in Longford town will be put on the open market. It is believed that the derelict building could be worth well in excess of 600,000 euro.

According to a spokesperson for the OPW, "the building is going on the open market but no decision has been made as to when it will be going onto the open market."
It has been suggested that renovating a building such as the Garda Barracks – the front of which is a protected structure – is always more expensive than knocking it and rebuilding from scratch.
An industry professional told the Leader that "it will be difficult to ascertain the value of the building, given the requirements to protect the existing building."
"The person buying it would have to have something in mind for the building and it will have to be something the planners want," he added.
"Essentially, it's a development site. The building itself needs to be refurbished, it's not a straightforward refurbishment," he added.
The old Garda station was originally the larger of the two RIC Barracks in the town and was occupied by the Gardai until the new station was built on the site of the old infirmary on Battery Road.
The building is ideally located at the bottom of Dublin St – one of the town's best known retail streets and near to the landmark St Mel's Cathedral. The site itself is quite large so the scope for development there would be substantial. Its location in the heart of the town and near to the main routes into town is bound to make it an attractive prospect to potential developers although development would be severely restricted due to the fact that the faade is a protected structure. This means that the facade would have to be preserved and naturally this would curtail the scale and type of development at the building.
Since the new Garda Barracks opened on Battery Road, debate over the future of the Dublin St building has raged at Town Council level. Members of Longford Town Council had wanted to take over the building and develop it but that was found to be too costly.
It is believed that a number of local organisations such as Co Longford VEC, the Citizen Information Service, the National Learning Centre and Longford Tourism, had been approached with a view to becoming tenants of the premises of the premises once it was renovated. However the groups who expressed interest in the building weren't willing or able to pay for its construction costs.
But now the Garda Barracks is to be sold. Industry sources say that it is hard to estimate how much the derelict building would be sold for it is thought that the building is worth well in excess of 600,000 euro. However in the current market climate, it could realise a lot more.

That doesn't say it was sold.

The indoor market still has along way to go.

Knit wit

http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local/garda_barracks_fetches_2m_euro_at_auction_1_1946001

Yup ... It was definitely sold!

MASTER...of the bra

Knit wit wrote: »

http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local/garda_barracks_fetches_2m_euro_at_auction_1_1946001

Yup ... It was definitely sold!

Garda Barracks fetches 2m euro at auction.


Published on Wed Dec 13 14:09:05 GMT 2006

A large local crowd attended the auction of the former Garda Barracks on Dublin Street in Longford town last week. The prominent building was sold for two million euro to a local businessman in trust at auction in the Longford Arms Hotel last Wednesday. A major selling point for the building was the fact that stamp duty is not applicable on the purchase as the building is under the control of the Office of Public Works (OPW), resulting in huge savings.
"The advised minimum value of the property was 500,000 euro to 550,000 euro. Given its structure, we were unable to give a guide price for its sale and that is why it went to auction," a spokesperson for Quinn Bros Property Partners, the selling agents for the property told the Leader following the auction.
Paddy Quinn of Quinn Bros Property Partners presided over the auction. Mary Murphy, representative of the vendors, The Office of Public Works and Emma O'Donoghue, Chief State Solicitor were in attendance. It is believed the property will be used for development.
"Up to 1.25 million euro, there were five bidders, then towards the end, there was three, then two and then one," she explained.
"It was a very successful auction, better than we thought it would be. There was a large local crowd in attendance at the auction and a lot of local businessmen and businesswoman," she added.
These prominent old stone fronted buildings have an area of approximately 5,000 sq ft with other yard buildings of approximately 500 sq ft. The overall site area is approximately 10,000 sq ft with an impressive street frontage of approximately 78 ft. There is vehicular access to the yard from New Street via Breaden's Lane, together with pedestrian access from Dublin

So it was....but why buy it and just leave it? And it was a year and a halfish before the property dive.

garfieldsghost

MASTER...of the bra wrote: »

So it was....but why buy it and just leave it? And it was a year and a halfish before the property dive.

It is strange, alright. As far as I know, it's a protected structure so whatever use was intended for it couldn't have involved much alteration.

Given the current economic climate, I can't see much development of the building in the foreseeable future.

seriouslysweet

Any nice clothes shops there?

Spinx

Well from talking to a few ladies from outside Longford they're well impressed with its clothes shops....but not a lot of options for men in my opinion.

gingernut79

ballsymchugh wrote: »

as for chartbusters, what's with the yellow light there, like the amber light on a traffic light?? confuses the bejaysis out of me at the market square!

Think its something to do with the taxis on market square so they know when they can pull down into the loading bay spaces on ballymahon st outside business hours

Deregos

Longford I suppose is like many rural Irish towns as in . . It still has bleeding great idiots who drive leaking slurry tanks straight through the center of town !!! :eek:



I didn't see but most certainly smelt this one reckless ignoramus who came up Richmond st & main st & left his trail of sh1te going out the Dublin Rd just Wednesday gone. That was a very hot day with most peeps traveling through town with their windows down.

And then there's the other lorry driving culprits who drive their foul stinking rotten carcass cargo through town . . (I'd thought they were banned from doing this) which again on an especially hot days like we've been experiencing of late . .the stench can be absolutely gut wrenchingly fecking rank.

Hope the new Longford bypass will soon put an end to these offensive odor issues.

ballsymchugh

Deregos wrote: »

Longford I suppose is like many rural Irish towns as in . . It still has bleeding great idiots who drive leaking slurry tanks straight through the center of town !!! :eek:

that's a plain and simple littering offense too. they could've easily been pulled up on that.

Deregos

ballsymchugh wrote: »

that's a plain and simple littering offense too. they could've easily been pulled up on that.

If I'd of seen them actually doing it, I would have definitely reported the fecker :mad:

MDFM

sounds like some of ye have far too much time on yer hands judging by the last few comments..Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them. I would have absolutely no objection to driving a overloaded slurry tanker thro the town and ensuring adequate spillage outside some of the council offices occurred.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them.

i'm sure you've got excellent evidence to substantiate this statement?

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i'm sure you've got excellent evidence to substantiate this statement?

I do actually, and i know others also have aswell. Aside from that - look around, how much more evidence do you need? Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county? How much more evidence do u need? This is Ireland, the Celtic tiger was built on credit and brown envelopes to a certain extent and collapsed thanks to corrupt bankers, politicians,councilors and developers to name only a few..its fairly well documented now at this stage dont you think???..

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

I do actually, and i know others also have aswell. Aside from that - look around, how much more evidence do you need? Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county? How much more evidence do u need? This is Ireland, the Celtic tiger was built on credit and brown envelopes to a certain extent and collapsed thanks to corrupt bankers, politicians,councilors and developers to name only a few..its fairly well documented now at this stage dont you think???..

why don't you publish it then? it's a pretty serious allegation to make that planning officers in longford co. co were on the take, but if you've got evidence, then make it known, with names etc.

the main reason for the massive glut of building in longford was down to the tax exemption scheme when everyone from anywhere tried to build or buy a second home to avail of it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

why don't you publish it then? it's a pretty serious allegation to make that planning officers in longford co. co were on the take, but if you've got evidence, then make it known, with names etc.

the main reason for the massive glut of building in longford was down to the tax exemption scheme when everyone from anywhere tried to build or buy a second home to avail of it.

No need to publish something thats already fair common knowledge among the town.

And by the way..the tax exemption scheme - its only one element of the disaster that is longford.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

No need to publish something thats already fair common knowledge among the town.

And by the way..the tax exemption scheme - its only one element of the disaster that is longford.

i'd like to know what the common knowledge is. if you can't back it up then don't post it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i'd like to know what the common knowledge is. if you can't back it up then don't post it.

as i've already posted.

opinions make a forum, i know what i know.. One example, the N4 Axis Centre/Aldi drama. U know about that one do u?

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

as i've already posted.

have you names?

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

have you names?

Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

for what purpose, your own?

you're making a very serious allegation here, and you're not backing it up, which impies that you're talking shyte. common knowledge isn't always fact.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

you're making a very serious allegation here, and you're not backing it up, which impies that you're talking shyte. common knowledge isn't always fact.

I gave one example above

And, like i just said
'Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?'
Or 'Councils' in general?
Or are you that innocent to think there was nothing underhand going on in this country?

further to my original point...Longford town is a complete mess..empty warehouse,s town centre, look at the Athlone and Strokestown roads - awash with units and destroyed land which was once agricultural land..Its an absolute disgrace to have both main entrances to a town like them..and would you really like to shake the hands of the genius’s that allowed those houses to be built in Flancare and the condemned apartment blocks along with them.., now falling down? The tax exemption scheme would have being fair game if implemented and run properly and designed in such a way that its use was to service a need for houses in an area..where was the need for housing here and in other villages such as the likes of Kenagh or even down the Ballagh road – Silver Birches? Where was the need for housing there – and if there was such a need – then provide the adequate services along with the housing to meet these needs – none of which have being meet..Profit over practicality is what is amounts to and it should never have being given planning for from day one.
A bit of slurry on the streets? who cares..there's bigger things that one should be concerned about.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

I gave one example above

And, like i just said
'Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?'
Or 'Councils' in general?
Or are you that innocent to think there was nothing underhand going on in this country?

there have been tribunals that have resulted in planning officials in dublin spending time in prison for what you're alleging, so if you have evidence that it's happened in longford also, then why haven't you contacted the gardai about it? you feel very strongly about it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

there have been tribunals that have resulted in planning officials in dublin spending time in prison for what you're alleging, so if you have evidence that it's happened in longford also, then why haven't you contacted the gardai about it? you feel very strongly about it.

if it makes you happy then i might just do that.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

if it makes you happy then i might just do that.

it'd be half the battle. the other half would be to support your allegations here with some of that evidence, not relying on hearsay and common knowledge about the town, with names too.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

it'd be half the battle. the other half would be to support your allegations here with some of that evidence, not relying on hearsay and common knowledge about the town, with names too.

With all due respect..you have evidence to back it all up to the contrary that nothing under hand ever took place?
So you can justify the existance of all the waste ghost estates/warehouses/shop units etc etc...? Just a thought

Hal Emmerich

MDFM wrote: »

as i've already posted.

opinions make a forum, i know what i know.. One example, the N4 Axis Centre/Aldi drama. U know about that one do u?

What's going on with this?

I think the last I read was they were looking for permission to move some support beams or something. It is dragging on though.....

I was home last wk-end and I see Carpet right is closed up there now. Bill Gates owns a bit of them.

garfieldsghost

MDFM wrote: »

With all due respect..you have evidence to back it all up to the contrary that nothing under hand ever took place?
So you can justify the existance of all the waste ghost estates/warehouses/shop units etc etc...? Just a thought

With all due respect, the onus is on you to prove what you've alleged is true. If you're going to utter it in a public forum, you should be able to back it up. And that's not just a thought, it's a fact.

Hal Emmerich

garfieldsghost wrote: »

With all due respect, the onus is on you to prove what you've alleged is true. If you're going to utter it in a public forum, you should be able to back it up. And that's not just a thought, it's a fact.

yep.

Deregos

MDFM wrote: »

sounds like some of ye have far too much time on yer hands judging by the last few comments..Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them. I would have absolutely no objection to driving a overloaded slurry tanker thro the town and ensuring adequate spillage outside some of the council offices occurred.

I see good old fashioned speculation & generalization is alive & well & living in Mullingar then . . :rolleyes:

And it seems from reading through your posts, so is the hunting & killing of small animals . . .And you say I've got to much time on my hands . .:mad:

Get your facts right pal . .

And get a life . . .

MDFM

Deregos wrote: »

I see good old fashioned speculation & generalization is alive & well & living in Mullingar then . . :rolleyes:

And it seems from reading through your posts, so is the hunting & killing of small animals . . .And you say I've got to much time on my hands . .:mad:

Get your facts right pal . .

And get a life . . .

?Whats mullingar got to do with it?? hunting/killing of small animals??? what are u on about it? ???? PAL!