Mitchelstown finally gets its new library
THE conclusive chapter in a long running saga finally closed in October as Mayor of County Cork Tim Lombard officially opened the much-anticipated new library in Mitchelstown. Local representatives past and present attended the opening ceremony, which signalled the end of a decade-long wrangle during which the setting of the library was hotly contested. Despite buying Forrest Hall in the New Square ten years ago, the library eventually opened in Sutton's Court. County Manager Martin Riordan said it was a great occasion for him to see the good work the Council has done in Mitchelstown. He praised the local Councillors Kevin O'keeffe, Pa O'driscoll, Frank O'flynn and Noel Mccarthy and former councillor Liam O'doherty for their patience and work towards securing the facility for the town. Some 1,300 new members had signed up for the new facility since it opened to the public on August 30 and over 8,000 books loaned out from the Sutton's Court premises in just one month. There was a bitter sting in the tale for Cork County Council however. A Freedom of Information request by The Corkman revealed that the Forrest Hall building, which was never used and is set to go under the hammer for about € 100,000 in the New Year, cost the local authority € 381,000 a decade ago.
