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Johnstown Castle farce continues!

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  • 25-05-2010 9:44pm
    #1
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭


    Remember this - from The Wexford Free Press of May 2007 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and FF election candidate Councillor Lisa McDonald were going to do the divil an' all to see that the development of Johnstown Castle as a tourist attraction went ahead. Today the castle building still remains off limit to the public, Bertie has gone off with all his pensions, dig-outs, etc and appointed his friend Lisa to the Senate when she failed to get elected. Is any wonder tourism along with everything else in the South East is in the horrors with this sort of ****e. Where are John Browne, Brendan Howlin, Paul Kehoe and all the other Wexford TDs when the are needed? I suppose given how much use they have been in the campaign to save the Rosslare/Waterford rail line it's not surprising at their inaction over an old castle. :mad:
    jcastle001f.jpg


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    #2
    patff
    Registered Users Posts: 290 ✭✭patff


    the comments made by Ahearne were standard populist bull, just before an election. no surprise nothing has happened.
    Johnstown Castle grounds are nice, though. The trees there are magnificent.


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    #3
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    I had been saving this old (1982) cartoon by Martyn Turner for something special but here seems as good a place as any - insert the political party of your choice. :D

    jcastle008.jpg


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    #4
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Almost two years on from my OP and five years on from the 'Wexford Free News' article and this is the latest from the Johnstown Castle website.

    Johnstown%2BCastle%2B2.JPG

    Is there really nobody in this county capable of doing anything to sort this matter out? :mad:


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    #5
    dubbie82
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭dubbie82


    It's a shame that they can't get it sorted. Love the grounds of Johnstown Castle and the Agriculture Museum is very well presented. As a tour guide I had a few foreign groups at Johnstown and they never understand why the Castle is closed to the public and they said they didn't mind paying a few bob admission fee to help protect and maintain the Building.

    What is the situation there at the moment? Did you contact the local TD's, OPW and Failte Ireland? Are there any local interest groups etc to find out if there is a development on the cards?


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    #6
    klong
    Registered Users Posts: 1,381 ✭✭✭klong


    Having spoken to a member of staff at Johnstown, the biggest problems appear to be (1) the legislation quoted in the 2007 article, (2) Teagasc aren't interested in developing the Castle and it has been hard enough to keep the museum there open, and of course (3) money.

    Legislative change? Best talk to the local Labour/FG TDs about that.

    Even if the go-ahead was given today to sort out the Castle, having it opened to the public would be years off.

    It is somewhat of a revenue earner though, as there have been weddings conducted in the Castle over the last year or two. Also popular for wedding photos.


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    #7
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Despite living in the SE I spend most of my letter writing/emailing people on Dublin issues but the net effect is the same. Sadly, as in the Monty Python parrot sketch most of these bodies/TDs etc. wouldn't voom if you put if you put four million volts through them! :(


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    #8
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    klong wrote: »
    Having spoken to a member of staff at Johnstown, the biggest problems appear to be (1) the legislation quoted in the 2007 article, (2) Teagasc aren't interested in developing the Castle and it has been hard enough to keep the museum there open, and of course (3) money.

    Legislative change? Best talk to the local Labour/FG TDs about that.

    Even if the go-ahead was given today to sort out the Castle, having it opened to the public would be years off.

    It is somewhat of a revenue earner though, as there have been weddings conducted in the Castle over the last year or two. Also popular for wedding photos.

    Yes, yes but whatever happened to a 'can do' policy. All that is needed is for all those involved to be put together in a room, for however long it takes, until the matter is resolved. This is where we are at in this country and Johnstown Castle is just another example of laissez faire and its outcome - Tourist Industry how are ye? If Johnstown was privately owned you can bet it wouldn't be allowed to fall apart while different civil servants argue over it - you know what I mean.


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    #9
    klong
    Registered Users Posts: 1,381 ✭✭✭klong


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    Yes, yes but whatever happened to a 'can do' policy. All that is needed is for all those involved to be put together in a room, for however long it takes, until the matter is resolved. This is where we are at in this country and Johnstown Castle is just another example of laissez faire and its outcome - Tourist Industry how are ye? If Johnstown was privately owned you can bet it wouldn't be allowed to fall apart while different civil servants argue over it - you know what I mean.

    Indeed- in private hands it'd have been expertly demolished in,oh, 1980 to make way for a golf course, hotel, etc :pac:

    But seriously...

    I know we're venturing slightly off topic here but I don't think the private sector is the right idea in every case. Good example is Bellyteigue Burrow just outside Kilmore Quay, which- if the private sector had its way- would have made way for a golf course, hotel, holiday homes etc. No doubt you have heard of the happening at the Old Head of Kinsale when the golf course was built there. Rather have something of importance like Johnstown kept in the hands of the public. What is needed though is to instil some private sector "can do" attitudes like you mentioned.

    I hate dragging politics into this but with two government ministers in the county there's a slightly better chance that something positive might come of the Castle over the next few years.


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    #10
    jd
    Registered Users Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭jd


    The castle should really be handed over to the OPW / Heritage Ireland. The castle itself was never really suitable for research, and Teagasc's expertise is Research not Tourism. They'd be delighted if Heritage Ireland took over the building.


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    #11
    vicwatson
    Registered Users Posts: 28,403 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    You know when you pay in in the summer time, where does that money go? Who gets the cash?


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    #12
    Frynge
    Registered Users Posts: 1,667 ✭✭✭Frynge


    They seem to be doing something with it now

    http://www.johnstowncastleweddings.com/index.php

    if there was enough weddings in the castle or on the grounds it would surly provide some cash for restoration work or at least some work to prevent more damage,

    the website looks fairly good, they future wife and i came across it and it looks like it ticks all the boxes.


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    #13
    TheChevron
    Registered Users Posts: 1,065 ✭✭✭TheChevron


    I attended a wedding there. It was absolutely fantastic.


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    #14
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    jd wrote: »
    The castle should really be handed over to the OPW / Heritage Ireland. The castle itself was never really suitable for research, and Teagasc's expertise is Research not Tourism. They'd be delighted if Heritage Ireland took over the building.
    I believe this hasnt happened because of the terms under which it was bequeathed to the state.

    Also the castle is wrecked inside, and I dont know if its been repaired but the roof was in serious trouble. Someone, somewhere, would have to sign off on a very big cheque to put it in a condition worth visiting.


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    #15
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Oryx wrote: »
    I believe this hasnt happened because of the terms under which it was bequeathed to the state.

    Also the castle is wrecked inside, and I dont know if its been repaired but the roof was in serious trouble. Someone, somewhere, would have to sign off on a very big cheque to put it in a condition worth visiting.

    As far as I know it has more to do with evicting the Teagasc staff from the castle than the terms of its handover to the state. I agree that a good deal of money would have to be spent on it but a lot less than if it's long fingered.


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    #16
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    As far as I know it has more to do with evicting the Teagasc staff from the castle than the terms of its handover to the state. I agree that a good deal of money would have to be spent on it but a lot less than if it's long fingered.
    I know all existing staff had to be kept on, but surely theyre all retired now. :p

    I thought it was handed over for agricultural use only.


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    #17
    jd
    Registered Users Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭jd


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    As far as I know it has more to do with evicting the Teagasc staff from the castle than the terms of its handover to the state. I agree that a good deal of money would have to be spent on it but a lot less than if it's long fingered.

    There are no longer any Teagasc staff in the castle, Teagasc use it occasionally for the odd conference or reception


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    #18
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    So basically there's no reason why it can't be turned into a major tourist attraction except for incompetence from everybody concerned - Failte Ireland, Wexford County Council, the Heritage Council etc.etc. and I won't even name all those buffoons who have been returned as TDs for Wexford for years - Howlin, Browne, Kehoe etc. :rolleyes:


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    #19
    john47
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭john47


    Sounds like you need to set up an action group Judgement and do something about it!

    John Ryan


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    #20
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    john47 wrote: »
    Sounds like you need to set up an action group Judgement and do something about it!

    John Ryan

    I haven't the time, money, energy or enthusiasm anymore - the powers that be have worn me down with their behaviour down the decades. The best I can manage now is to sound off about things in the hope that somebody will pick up the baton.


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