The proprietors of a new Clare post office say they’re proud to be ensuring the retention of the “beating heart” of their community.
The new post office on Clarecastle’s main street has officially been opened today following the retirement of the village’s long-serving postmaster.
While a number of high-profile post office closures have been seen in villages across Clare in recent years, Clarecastle is today bucking the local trend.
The village’s new post office, which is located in Kane’s Centra on Church View, has been officially opened this morning.
It follows the retirement of Gerry McMahon who served as the postmaster on Barrack Street for 35 years.
The facility will now be operated by Elaina and Myles Kane who began running Centra Clarecastle in October 2024.
Elaina says they felt compelled to do their bit to keep the village’s post office alive.
Myles is crediting the locals, who he insists need a post office in their community, with making today possible.
Clarecastle Councillor Tom O’Callaghan has long called for the post office model in Ireland to be radically altered to ensure the viability of services.
The Fianna Fáil representative, who’s a postmaster in Limerick, wants community banks to be opened in post offices nationwide, in a move towards the successful New Zealand system.
He says more needs to be done at a Government level.
Today’s opening comes two weeks after the unveiling of the Clarecastle Community Plan for 2025 to 2030.
Mayor of Clare, Fine Gael Councillor Paul Murphy, says securing a new long-term occupant of the vacant Roche site will be essential to the survival of the village into the future.
You can listen to the full interview below.
