Discretion used in row over town square honour

LISTOWEL Town Council, which recently got into an embarrassing controversy over proposals to honour literary giants Bryan MacMahon and John B Keane, is to adopt a more discreet approach to the issue.

The council has decided to appoint a sub-committee to consider the issue and will have full consultation with the MacMahon and Keane families.

Recently, the families issued a joint statement hitting out at the “unseemly, politically inspired” debate surrounding a proposal to call the square in Listowel after the late Dr MacMahon.

The intervention of the families arose from heated arguments at public meetings of the council over how best to honour the Listowel-born writers.

Town manager Michael McMahon told a town council meeting on Monday night that a “lot of unfortunate discussion” had taken place Councillor Ned O’Sullivan said it was regrettable that the issue had brought the council into disrepute.

The controversy started when the Fine Gael Mayor of Listowel, Denis Stack, last year proposed renaming the square the Bryan MacMahon Square.

Meanwhile, the council is to have discussions with Listowel Rotary Club about erecting a statue of John B Keane in the small square.