It’s emerged the Post Office in Newcastle will remain open despite previous announcements by An Post that it would cease operations on January 31st.
A meeting was held last night, organised by the Newcastle Save Our Post Office Committee.
In 2018 An Post made the decision to close 8 rural post offices in Tipperary – Ballingarry, Clogheen, Littleton, Templetuohy, Newcastle, Gortnahoe, Upperchurch and Coolbawn.
Due to much research and campaigning on the issue by Cllr Marie Murphy, the company made a u-turn on the decision regarding the post office in Clogheen at the end of November last year.
That left 7 on the chopping block – until last night.
Post mistress in Newcastle Village Catherine McCarra, who was due to finish in the role, has now made the decision to stay in place and to continue her many years of service.
She informed locals and the members of the Save Our Post Office Committee at last night’s public meeting in the village.
Local TD Mattie McGrath welcomed what he described as a ‘public spirited decision’ and said that it marks an important need for the wider community to get behind the Post Office and to embrace a real and meaningful ‘use it or lose it’ approach.
However he criticised An Post, and the Independent Assessor who made the decision to formally close Newcastle Post Office, for what he described as a total lack of engagement.
Deputy McGrath says he’s now working on long term viability of the service.
