Council struggle with weighty legacy of Dev

THE proposed relocation of Eamon de Valera’s car to the foyer of Clare County Council’s headquarters in Ennis has been ruled out amid concerns about possible damage to the authority’s underfloor heating.

While serving as Mayor of Clare Councillor Christy Curtin proposed the famous Dodge, which was painstakingly restored by mechanic Councillor PJ Ryan, be placed inside the main door of Áras Contae and Chlár before its possible relocation to the new library/headquarters in Ennis, if this comes to fruition.
However, county manager Tom Coughlan has confirmed the authority can’t accommodate the former State car because of the significant impact the two-tonne vehicle would have on the underfloor heating pipes.
Mr Coughlan said an official report highlighted concern about the weight of the car and the structural capacity of the foyer area to bear this load. It warned about possible damage to the limestone paviours in the foyer in getting the car into the location and the significant cost dismantling and reassembling the entrance doors to facilitate the arrival of the Dodge.
If a new library/headquarters is developed in Ennis, the report stated that relocating the car to this building could be considered.
“Since the car was restored earlier this year, there has been much interest in it and several requests have been received for the ‘loan’ of the car for specific functions and events, which have not been accommodated,” the report stated.
Councillor Ryan expressed disappointment that the council isn’t in a position to find a new home for the car and worried that it could be damaged by flooding in the event of a repeat of the floods of November 2009.
Councillor PJ Kelly claimed it didn’t augur well for the structure of the foyer floor if it would be damaged by the car and warned if the library faced a flooding risk, the vehicle should be transported elsewhere.
The county manager insisted the structure of the building designed by a structural engineer is sound.