Lorry dislodges historic old gates at front of city school

By Dave O’Connell

The historic old gates and stone pillars on the front of St Mary’s College were damaged last week when they were dislodged by a delivery truck – an accident which would have been prevented had the college authorities succeeded in their plans to widen that entrance last year.

But the school’s efforts to significantly widen the entrance by turning the existing roadway into the centre of a roundabout – with the gates as a centrepiece on either side of that – were opposed by the Heritage Council, after planning had been granted by Galway City Council.

The Council described the 100 year old gates and pillars as a protected structure and the planning application was then rejected on appeal.

St Mary’s College President Fr Barry Hogg said that last Thursday’s incident was ‘an accident waiting to happen’ and that this was the reason they had wanted to widen the entrance in the first place.“These gates actually pre-date the College’s opening; the crest on the top is that of Bishop O’Dea from 1909 and the image of the College as seen through the gates is the one we have used for decades as our emblem.

“We would never remove the gates, but we wanted to make them the centrepiece of a roundabout so that traffic could enter and exit on either side. As it stands, the view onto St Mary’s Road is impeded and our main concern was that a student – particularly one on a bicycle – would be hurt.

“But we were refused permission and now we have two dislodged pillars and a damaged gate that has had to be taken to Rynn Engineering for repair work. The old crest will now be removed and restored and mounted in the front hall of the school and we will replace it with a more modern one. But the gates and the pillars will return,” he said.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.