Fears over fate of yet another rural Kilkenny post office

As the year slowly draws to a close, there are widespread fears in Ballyragget over the fate of a long-standing post office.

Earlier this year, the contract for the operation of the post office was placed on the market as the postmistress who has served the local community for years is set to retire.

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Unfortunately, nobody has taken up the contract yet, creating a real possibility that the post office on Moate Street will close at the end of the month.

“This closure would be a detrimental loss to the town, especially the elderly who still depend on our post office for many transactions,” explains local correspondent Conor Brennan.

“There have been a number of possibilities discussed over the last few months and we have had no luck.

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“With the post office gone, many services will be lost at our doorstep. Pension payments, social welfare payments, parcel pick-ups and other services will be designated to other towns.

“This means with those people collecting payments elsewhere they are more likely to shop elsewhere, get their prescriptions elsewhere, get their hair done elsewhere, buy petrol elsewhere.”

Other potential options to save the post office are being explored at present, but there’s no guarantee that they will be successful as time continues to tick down.

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Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick, emphasised the importance of the post office to the community in Ballyragget, describing it as ‘a vital part of the social fabric of the town’.

“Every effort must be made to protect it and to reach out to potential contract operators before it’s too late,” he added.