Tag Archives: An Post

ENNIS businesswoman Mary Kelly, who operates a stationery and card shop on O’Connell Street, was rather surprised last week when a letter posted in Dublin 45 years ago dropped through her letterbox. The letter was addressed to the late Philip Reidy, the former owner of the premises. Along with his wife, Agnes Henchy Reidy, he ran a newsagency business from the building. Mr Reidy passed away in 1977. “The envelope was perfectly intact and the address was written in a nice fountain pen. The postal mark was April 7, 1971,” Mary told The Clare Champion. “I didn’t open it because there is a son of that man living in Celbridge. He said to me ‘open it’ but I said ‘no, no you have to open it’. It felt like it could have been a relic or a ten shilling note,” Mary mused. Celbridge-based Philip Ó Ríada, who is currently abroad, insisted however that Mary open the letter sent to his …

A Kilrush garda investigation into an An Post employee is ongoing. The investigation dates back to December 2015 when gardaí were contacted on the issue. It is likely that file will be prepared and sent to the DPP. Meanwhile, it is understood that Ennis gardaí are conducting a separate investigation into an An Post employee.

A POST office worker pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court this week to stealing nearly €100,000 in funds from elderly and disabled account holders. However, Mary Patricia Keirn (53), with an address at Vernon Crescent, Westbury, Clare, put the money back into the accounts. She was charged with 86 counts of theft and forgery totalling €103,000 and the State accepted Ms Kerin’s guilty plea to over a dozen sample charges. Judge Tom O’Donnell described the case as “extremely disturbing” after hearing money had been stolen from “vulnerable” customers. Ms Kerin was a respected senior member of staff working at the GPO, Cecil Street in Limerick when she physically stole over €20,000 from post office savings accounts customers, the court was told. The court heard she also made a series of unlawful transactions of the funds totalling over €80,000 before putting the money back within days of withdrawing it. In the bizarre twist, Gardai told the court, apart from the €20,000 …

Cratloe Post Office is to remain open for at least another 18 months it has been announced. Senator Tony Mulcahy said he has received confirmation from An Post that the contract for the operation of the post office, which was due to end this month, has been extended until September 2016. He said An Post’s decision is a credit to the work of the local community and the Cratloe Post Office Action Group which have “campaigned vigorously” against the closure during recent months.” He described the extension of the Post Office contract as “a victory for community action.” “I attended a number of meetings in Cratloe and at the GPO in Dublin at which the people of Cratloe outlined the many reasons why the post office should remain open and how its closure would potentially impact the village and surrounding areas. This community approach worked and has served to convince An Post that its plan to not renew the Post …

Reports that Cratloe Post Office is to close have brought a strong reaction from Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley. He was reacting to a directive from An Post that the office will close in March 2015. “I am shocked at news that An Post plans on closing Cratloe Post Office in March of next year. When An Post first considered closing the Post Office in June, the local community came together and put forward a comprehensive business plan. However, this has now been rejected by An Post,” he said. Continuing, Deputy Dooley said, “I am absolutely shocked that An Post cannot see the benefit and value of the post office to the local community in Cratloe. The business plan presented included proposals on making the post office a viable business. “If the Post Office was to close, then the adjoining shop may also have to close. This would rob the village of two vital local amenities. Rural Ireland has already …

Over 1,000 residents and businesses have signed a petition, requesting An Post to safeguard the future of Cratloe Post Office, it emerged this week. However, it looks as if the newly-established Cratloe Post Office Action Group will have a big battle on its hands to save the post office, despite huge support from the local community for its retention. Group members were told by senior officials from An Post, at a meeting in the Radisson Hotel, Cratloe, on Friday, that the post office needs more financial transactions. A large delegation from the group, as well as Oireachtas members and councillors, met two senior executives from An Post to discuss the future of this vital rural service. The meeting was told that An Post had about 1,140 post offices throughout the country and that it is trying to compete with banks, who had much smaller overheads and maintenance costs. Members of the new action group, including chairperson, Tara McWaine; secretary, Deirdre …

Fears have been expressed over the future viability of the only shop in Cratloe, if the adjoining post office is closed. Cratloe Community Council has urged everyone in the village and surrounding areas to voice their support for the retention of the post office by attending a public meeting next Monday in the community hall at 8.30pm. Acting community council chairperson, Josefa McElligott said a community response is required as quickly as possible to safeguard the future of the shop and post office. In a recent letter to the community council, Dermot O’Brien, who operates the post office in Ashling’s Foodstore, warned that like all small retail businesses, the shop has been hit hard by the recession. “Sales have decreased year-on-year. Turnover is down by almost 50% from six years ago. I regret to say that without the second source of income from the post office, the shop would simply not be viable,” he stated. Councillor PJ Ryan said he …

A PUBLIC meeting focused on saving rural and urban post offices and retaining social welfare payment services through the post office is taking place in the West County Hotel this Thursday at 8pm. Postmasters all over Ireland are worried that post office services in communities are under threat. The meeting is organised on the back of a major campaign instigated by the Irish Postmaster’s Union (IPU), which represents 1,100 people throughout the country, demanding the Government produce an action plan to ensure the sustainability of the Post Office network. The nationwide campaign began last Sunday in Sligo and a series of meetings of postmasters is currently underway across the country. Brian McMahon of Feakle Post Office, the second-oldest post office in County Clare after Killaloe, has said the concern is that there is a move to have social welfare and pension payments made directly into bank accounts. “A motion goes before the Dáil next week in support of the postmasters. …