Is Newcastlewest a dead end town?

Jimmy Garlic

It seems that NCW is on the same slippery slope that Rathkeale was on 20+ years ago. Rathkeale was the main town in county Limerick once upon a time, look at it now, a dead end and a dump.

When I see comparatively thriving towns like Loughrea in Co Galway or even Charleville down the road I really fear for the future of NCW. The boom is dead and gone, but some towns can stay vibrant. NCW seems to be sinking into oblivion. A few supermarkets,the busiest is not even in the town, and that is the sum of it.

STADEdeLUC

>SNIP<


Mod Edit: If you have something positive or negative to say about the town, then do so by giving reasons for your point of view.

Any further posts that consist of nothing but a disparaging remark towards the town will be taken as deliberate flaming/trolling

charlemont

Its following Rathluirc and Tipp Town to the bottom.

bucks73

Rathluirc is Charleville. Nothing like NCW or Rathkeale and is a busy vibrant town.

collinseliza

That's really sad if that is the case, I wonder how do you stop that from happening? I wouldnt have thought though that Charleville is as big & Loughrea was a terrible down in the days before the motorway....the ques & for no apparent reason!!

Question is what shops/business does NCWneed to save it?!

Rereggie Perrin

NCW is a nice enough little town - there are far worse. I hope it stays that way.

Enright

Newcastle West has west Fest a brilliant annual festival
Great event with great attendance

Popz

Jimmy Garlic did you not start a similiar thread a few months back ????

Popz

And as a former shop/ retail owner in the town its industry the town needs to help it - but again I'm not sure I like your agenda which is negative promotion, which only further to hinder the town and spread the negativety

ongarboy

I don't see it as a dying or dead end town. It's population grew by 25% between the 2006 and 2011 censuses which is a far greater growth rate than most other cities or towns in Ireland in the same census period . It had 5000 people in 2006 and now has over 6300 people as of 2011. Much of this would have been through migration into the town as well as a high birth rate. A rapidly expanding population does not imply dead end to me.

Most towns or cities busiest supermarkets and/or shopping centres are usually based at the edge of town where there is more space to build giant retail space. Maybe NCW should do what Tralee (another often criticized town) has done and formed a Chamber Alliance that involves all retailers who collectively promote the town locally and nationally. If you read the posts on the vibrant Tralee thread in the Kerry forum on Boards, you will see the sense of pride coming across most posters who live in Tralee currently or in the past. Take a leaf and maybe focus, talk up or sell the positives of NCW.

johndaman66

There was a thread similar to this in the not too distant past.

Enright wrote: »

Newcastle West has west Fest a brilliant annual festival
Great event with great attendance

Yes but a recently launched annual festival that goes on for the course of a week at best can't sustain the town for a year I'm afraid despite how good it might be.

It was my local town when I was younger and it saddens me to see the way it has gone in recent years. There is such a poor atmosphere there now and it seems to have lost its vibrancy in recent years. It slightly depresses me every time I drive into it to see another pub or shop has shut for good.

I think a lot of the problem is that the town has no real industry or jobs to support its population. As I see it a town like Necastle West cannot survive with shops and pubs alone.