The Last Post for Cootehill Courthouse

The last post rang out for Cootehill Courthouse (right) yesterday (Tuesday), when the final sitting of the district court took place before it moves to Cavan Courthouse from next month. Presiding Judge Sean MacBride said he was sorry to announce the closure of the courthouse but he had to so for health and safety reasons. Cootehill District Court would now be held on the first Thursday of every month in Cavan town with the family law sitting moving to the fourth Tuesday. He said: "Cootehill and Bailieboro courthouse had an effect on my health, while Castleblayney has also been closed and moved to Carrickmacross." There were now three courts in Cavan: Virginia to look after the south of the county, Cavan to cater of the centre of the county and Ballyconnell to deal with the west of the county. "These three courthouses have the proper facilities to dispense justice. It had been proposed to have only one courthouse in Cavan but I have fought to maintain the three and have been successful." He pointed out that there were only two court sittings in Leitrim - in Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton, two in Sligo - Sligo town and Tubbercurry, while his native Donegal has also been cut back. "It doesn't give me great pleasure to have to close this courthouse here today but we have to comply with health and safety. The public now have dignified places to go to and consult their solicitors." The outspoken judge added that both Cootehill and Bailieboro were not suitable as courthouses because of rising damp. He had just recovered from a serious illness when he contracted swine flu. The conditions in Bailieboro were appalling with fungi growing on his bench as well as dry rot, he added. "The conditions were barbaric." Twenty years ago the size of Cootehill Courthouse was double what it is now but the floor area was reduced by 50% and offices were built to accommodate administration staff for the council. Ten years ago the medical profession moved out and it was not good enough to expect a judge to sit in such conditions. "This would not be tolerated in any civil society," said Judge MacBride. Under these circumstances he was left with no options but to close the courthouse. They now had three good courthouse with the proper facilities. "I share the pain of the Cootehill losing a courthouse and I know what it's like to have a courthouse close." He was not talking down to the people of Cootehill and was telling them the truth, he concluded.