By Eoin Meegan
Sadly, this notice appeared recently in the post office in Ballsbridge.
The post office – once the hub of the community, the place where people met to collect their pension, get stamps, or send parcels to loved ones in far off lands. Of course the real reason we went in was to catch up on the goss! It was where you went to meet neighbours and catch up with friends (before dreaded txting was invented!). I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve learned about a neighbour’s sad passing, or who was expecting good news (i.e. someone’s coming), while in the post office.
Post Master Shane Dunne, told the Irish Times some weeks back: “Unfortunately the costs relating to rent, rates, electricity and labour costs have brought me to this decision.”
Already we’ve lost the post office in Donnybrook, Ringsend, Sandymount and Montrose (and even the big one in Rathmines is under threat). I’m not sure what the solution is: get together and form action groups, lobby our politicians? But we need to do something. If not, surely, this great amenity and service, which has been part of our lives, like forever, will pass. We cannot let that happen.
Thankfully at least the facade is listed as a protected structure, so that’s something, utilitarian purposes aside, it is a beautiful building. An Post tells us that the process for finding a new location is well under way. Let’s hope they’re more successful than in the above mentioned places.
