Tullamore councillor calls for town's historic boundary markings to be preserved

Tullamore councillor Sean O'Brien has called on the local authority to protect and enhance historical granite stone markings that are over 100 years old and were put in place to define the urban district area of Tullamore upon the foundation of the original Urban District Council.

"Last week, I was helping members of the Whitehall Residents Association to clean the Barony Bridge on Daingean Road when we discovered one of these historical stone markings embedded in the bridge," said Cllr O'Brien.

"It was completely covered in lichen, and not visible until we cleaned it. We were delighted to discover it as it had been there since 1904.

"After investigation, we realised it was the marker for the Urban District of Tullamore," he explained.

"These markings are very significant as they outline the new system of local government introduced by the British Government by means of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.

"Tullamore had been a Town Commission from 1860, and this act made it an Urban District Council, and clearly these stone markings set out the boundary of the new Urban District as they were laid in 1904.

"At this stage, Offaly was called King's County. Tullamore became a Town Council in 2001, and the Town Council continued until it was abolished by Government reforms in 2014.

"We now have a Municipal District Council which includes Tullamore, Clara, Ballycumber, Rahan, Mucklagh, Mountbolus, Killeigh and Durrow."

The Independent councillor said he had found these stone markings on Daingean Road, Charleville Road, Clonminch and Arden Road.

"If anyone knows of markings on Clara Road or in Sragh, I would appreciate if they could let us know. I am asking the council to protect and enhance these markings," he stated.

"The marking in Clonminch is partially submerged and this needs to be rectified as these are very important historical objects," Cllr O'Brien concluded.