“We have not been sitting on our laurels and we have exhausted all avenues, but we need people to get behind us”. This was the message from Mitchelstown Heritage Society who are now urging people from Mitchelstown to get together and rally behind them in their bid to save the old convent building in the town from its ultimate demise.

Speaking to The Avondhu, chairman of the society, Andrew Dineen said that they have been going ‘ back and forth with the council’ for more than a year and a half now, but it’s time for people to get their voices heard and write to the council so that the force of a united voice may finally get something done for the building which is close to the hearts of so many in the town.

“It’s the people of Mitchelstown that are doing the damage to the building and the heritage society really does need their help now. We have gone down every avenue we can think of. We have spoken to councillors, a TD, a senator, the county conservation office, the heritage office, the area engineer and the Gardai. The ball is firmly in the council’s court,” Mr Dineen said. 

He added that he has been into the building and the level of destruction and desolation is heartbreaking. He said people need to be told that it is not safe to go in there and as a priority, it needs to be sealed off and protected from the elements.

“We are trying to protect what is left of our heritage, but we can’t do it alone,” Mr Dineen told The Avondhu.

“It hasn’t gone beyond the point of no return, but we could be fast approaching it. One voice fighting for the protection of something is not enough and if we don’t work together, one day we will look up the hill and there will be nothing there,” Mr Dineen added.

Meanwhile, three Mitchelstown women confirmed to The Avondhu this week the terrible state that the old convent building is in and said whoever owns it, should at the very least, be made make the building secure.

“It’s in a terrible state and it should be boarded up or demolished before someone will be killed in there”, they said. “People should see it to realise just how much damage has been done to it. It is sad to to see the chapel desecrated in that way. If enough people saw it, they would want something to be done about it too.”

When asked what they would like see established there, the three friends who said they had lots of memories having been taught by the nuns, felt the building should be knocked and a nice park installed in its place that the local people could enjoy.

“The three of us went to school to the nuns and have many memories of the place. The building looks like it’s only fit to be bulldozed but the place could be turned into a nice park.”

The say it’s a terrible shame to see the place in the state it’s in. “As it stands now it’s a hazard and with fires being lit in there, it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

The women, who didn’t wish to be named, also spoke of their disgust that a water main had been broken in the grounds and the water left run.

“Surely it could be established who owns the place and then pressure should be put on the owners to have the place secured. Maybe the community council or some other group would follow up on it,” the ladies suggested.

The Avondhu has received quite a number of calls on the subject, mostly from people calling for the building to be made secure.