Castlebar Town Council has given its backing to fund a book on the history of the council that is being compiled by former councillor Noel Campbell. At the March meeting of the council Mr Campbell gave the members a brief presentation on the research work he has carried out so far, which will go back as far as 1750. Campbell’s presentation gave the background to the town getting its first charter and the different types of local government that were in operation over the past 400 years in the town, and how it was used for different purposes by those in power at different times.
All of the elected members praised the work done by Campbell and pledged to support his work to get the book published. “It’s a fascinating story and piece of work so far, it will be the most appropriate way to record the history of this council and we should support it,” said Mayor Brendan Henaghan. When asked how much the publication would cost, Campbell said it would be in the region of €15,000 going on two tenders he had received so far. He told the meeting that the costs would be only going towards the printing, design and promotion of the book. Town manager Seamus Granahan gave a commitment that the council would “fund it within reason” and that the full council would be given updates on the progress of the book in coming months. It is planned to have the book published and launched next year before the abolition of the council next summer.
