Major Theatre Plan For Sligo Gets The Go-Ahead

Sligo Corporation has given the go ahead to a massive tourism and theatre complex at Temple Street, and work on what is expected to be one of the most modern developments of its kind in the country will start next year. At a special meeting on Monday night, the Corporation agreed to contribute £55,000 to the project – the overall cost of which will be in the region of £291,000. The complex – which will contain a 330 seat theatre and conference centre as well as a modern tourism office – will also be funded by the Arts Council and the Donegal/Leitrim/Sligo Tourism Organisation. Although the proposal received enthusiastic support from the Corporation, there was just a hint of discord when two members – Cllr. Declan Bree and Tommy Doyle – demanded that the Corporation have at least 50% membership of the Board of Directors to be set up to run the new centre.

Eventually the matter was resolved when members adopted the Co. Manager’s proposal on the project, which made provision for the Corporation to have three representatives on a nine-man Board. At the outset, Mayor, Cllr. Tony Mc Loughlin, proposed that the Corporation provide £55,000 to the cost of the project and this was seconded by Alderman Seán Mc Manus. Ald. Mc Manus described the proposal as a wonderful project. He said the development of the complex would provide facilities in Sligo which had been lacking for the past number of years. He pointed out that the Corporation were proposing to make a contribution of £55,000 which was just one fifth of the cost. In return, they would have one third membership of the Board of Directors and he was satisfied with this arrangement.

He felt it was a very fine project and said the Corporation should not let an opportunity of getting such a complex pass. Sligo was fast becoming a very important conference centre and the development of this complex would make it one of the best centres in the country. The plans also made provision for a theatre and this was something that had been very badly missing in Sligo. The provision of the theatre was to be very much welcomed, he said. Ald. Mc Manus congratulated everybody connected with the project, particularly Regional Tourism Manager, Mr. Brian Reddan.

Welcoming the plan, Ald. Tommy Higgins said he was particularly pleased that Sligo Drama Circle would at last have a theatre worthy of them. The Corporation had made many promises to the Drama Circle down the years but, unfortunately, nothing ever happened. Now they had the chance to assist in the provision of a theatre and he felt this was a wonderful thing. Ald. Higgins also emphasised the great advantage of having a modern conference centre in the town and he was sure such a facility would help Sligo attract many major conferences. “we should jump at the opportunity to get this facility but if we don’t act quickly somebody else will move in and the project could be lost to Sligo”, Ald. Higgins warned.

Ald. John Harrison said he believed the provision of the centre would be a tremendous asset as far as the youth of the town were concerned. Sligo had a marvellous tradition as far as cultural entertainment was concerned but, because of the lack of suitable facilities, it was feared that this tradition was being neglected. He knew that this was not entirely true and he was sure that the genuine talent of the people of Sligo would be fostered even further by the provision of a theatre. “This will not be a white elephant. This is something that will benefit every section of the community and I feel any money we contribute will be an investment in the future of our youth and I am all in favour of it”, Ald. Harrison said.

Cllr. Declan Bree said he fully supported the theatre project and was particularly happy that the Sligo Drama Circle would at least have a home. He recalled that the Drama Circle had approached the last Corporation for financial assistance but the former Co. Manager said the Corporation were not in a position to give such support because of the conditions of the Arts Act. Now the situation had apparently changed and he was delighted that money was now available for the project. “However, I have some reservations about our membership of the Board of Directors”, Cllr. Bree went on. “I discussed the matter with Mr. Reddan and he understood my views. As far as I’m concerned, the situation is similar to the Airport Committee because public funds are being used. Two thirds of the Board of Directors of the new Centre will be from the private sector while only one third will represent the public representatives. Yet, all of the money for the project will come from the public sector. I believe that we should have at least 50% membership of the Board because we have a duty to the people of Sligo to protect their interests”, he said.

Ald. Mc Manus said he did not agree that the situation regarding the Tourism Centre was the same as the airport. It should be remembered, he said, that the Tourism Organisation consisted of representatives of Sligo Corporation and Sligo County Council as well as Local Authority representatives from Leitrim and Donegal. He was sure these people would protect the interests of the public.

Cllr. B. Monaghan said he fully supported the project. He was delighted that Sligo was at last to have a theatre and said all concerned with the venture deserved to be congratulated. Cllr. Kay Mc Goldrick added her support to the proposal, stating that the facilities provided in the centre were very badly needed in Sligo. Cllr. Michael Carroll said he would like to support the project on “behalf of the people of Sligo and their children who will benefit in the years to come”. Sligo had a marvellous tradition in drama and entertainment. This tradition had been carried on down through the years and there was no telling what stardom lay ahead for local people now that they would have the benefit of their own theatre. Everybody was concerned about the lack of facilities in Sligo and what better way was there to combat this problem than by providing a theatre. Cllr. Carroll said he expressed some reservations about the siting of the theatre because he felt it would cause traffic congestion. Cllr. Henry also felt the same way and he hoped they would be proven wrong.

“We were elected to represent the people of Sligo and I am sure they would feel that our contribution to this project would be a very wise investment”, said Cllr. Carroll. “We now have plans for a Sports Complex, a tourism centre and are involved in Town Twinning. That is a great way to start the new decade”, he added. Supporting the plan, Cllr. S. Mc Donagh said the provision of a theatre would be just reward for the people who had worked so hard as far as drama was concerned down through the years. He mentioned particularly the late Mr. Tom Palmer, Editor of “The Sligo Champion”, who had campaigned so hard for a theatre in Sligo. Cllr. Tommy Doyle said he supported the project but wouldn’t like to create the impression that it was just for one section of te community. He also pointed out that the Corporation could, “at the drop of a hat”, make £55,000 available for this project at a time when they should be pressing ahead with other important issues.

The County Manager said he was delighted that the Tourism Centre had met with such a favourable reaction from the Councillors. He complimented the work of Mr. Brian Reddan, Regional Tourism Manager, and the Arts Council, and said the commitment of these bodies was such that the Corporation only had to contribute 21% of the overall cost. He appreciated the points made by Cllr. Bree but felt it was worthwhile pointing out that the people on the Regional Tourism Organisation and the Arts Council were responsible to the Government and to various Departments as to how the money was spent. The Mayor, Cllr. Mc Loughlin, said he felt the Corporation had taken a very positive step by supporting the proposal. He said the Sligo Drama Circle and the Regional Tourism Organisation deserved the height of praise for the work they had put into the project.

At this stage, Cllr. Bree repeated that he felt the Corporation should have at least 50% membership of the Board of Directors. He pointed out while the Corporation were only contributing 21%, the entire cost of the project was coming from public funds and, therefore the Corporation, as representatives of the public, should have greater representation on the Board of Directors. “There are approximately five representatives from Local Authorities on the Tourism Organisation and the majority of members are elected from the floor at the Organisation’s annual meeting. Anybody willing to pay £5 can become a member”, Cllr. Bree went on.

“I feel very strongly about this matter. We go out before the people every five years and if we don’t represent them as we should we will get our walking cards at the next local elections. Yet we are not allowed to represent the people who elect us on a Board where anybody who has £5 can be elected. I recall that when we went to some of these people for a contribution for the Christmas lights, they couldn’t assist us. I have no objection whatsoever to the project and I propose we make a contribution providing we get at least 50% of the membership on the Board of Directors”, he concluded. Cllr. Bree’s proposal was seconded by Cllr. Tommy Doyle.

Ald. Mc Manus again pointed out that the situation regarding the new tourism centre wasn’t the same as the airport issue. He said he had no fears whatsoever and he was confident the people elected to the Board would safeguard the interests of the people of Sligo. Cllr. Doyle said he was in favour of the theatre project but he didn’t want it to become “Tuxedo Boulevard” and for that reason he felt the Corporation should have greater representation on the Board of Directors so that the theatre would always remain a citizen’s theatre. Ald. Harrison said it was worth remembering that the Tourism Organisation and the Arts Council didn’t have to put their proposals before the Corporation. They could have gone ahead and raised the money themselves but they gave the Corporation the option of making a contribution to a very worthwhile project. “As far as I’m concerned I will have every confidence in the people who will be elected to the Board. I am sure that the majority of them will be local people”, he added. Cllr. Carroll said he had already made it clear that he was supporting the project on behalf of the people of Sligo. If, as had been suggested, the project was only for one section of the community, he would still have no hesitation in supporting it because, as a public representative, he felt that he had a duty to support a section of the community as he had to assist the majority.

“We represent the public but that doesn’t mean that we should demand membership on every board in the county. There will be enlightened people on the Board of the new centre; people who will have the expertise to do what is necessary”, said Cllr. Carroll. “After many years of trying we are now, through the good work of Mr. Reddan, on the brink of having a theatre for Sligo and the project should receive every encouragement. As far as percentages go , there are only twelve members on the Corporation who are representing 17,000 people. And when we are talking about drama, let us not forget that there are no better actors than public representatives”, he added.

Cllr. Bree pointed out that the project couldn’t go ahead without the support of the Corporation. Dealing with Corporation membership on the Board of the Tourism Organisation, Cllr. Bree charged that the Corporation never got any feedback from their representatives and he felt there wasn’t much point in having representatives on the tourism body if nobody knew what was going on. “One speaker here has already said that he would have the greatest confidence in the people who would be elected but I cannot have confidence in the Board until I know who is going to be on it”, Cllr. Bree said.

Ald Higgins said he agreed with a lot of what Cllr. Bree said. However, the Corporation would have three members on a nine-man board and he felt that was reasonable. Cllr Bree – “I feel very strongly about this and I make no apologies for making my views known”.

At this stage, Ald. Mc Manus proposed that the Manager’s recommendations be accepted in full and, after a vote, this was agreed. The voting went as follows – For accepting the proposals: Ald. S. Mc Manus, T. Higgins, J. Harrison, Cllrs. Tony Mc Loughlin, S. Mc Donagh, B. Monaghan, M. Carroll, K. Mc Goldrick; Against: Cllrs. Declan Bree and T. Doyle. Ald. Pat Curley and Cllr. Eugene Henry were absent from the meeting. Cllrs. Bree and Doyle made it clear that they were not in any way opposed to the Tourism Centre plan, although they did feel that the Corporation should have more members on the Board of Directors.

from The Sligo Champion, October 3rd, 1980