Statue becoming a ‘Big’ town talking point

How the iconic statue of Irish country music legend Big Tom McBride in the centre of Castleblayney can continue to command visibility while work takes place on the restoration of the nearby Market House surfaced briefly for consideration at the July meeting of Monaghan County Council. The memorial, a big draw for visitors to the town, has disappeared from view behind protective hoarding while work gets underway on transforming the derelict Market House into a community hub as part of the €15 million project to regenerate the town’s Market Square.

Sinn Féin councillor Paul Gibbons welcomed the commencement of the Market House works but posed a question on the lips of many of his fellow ‘Blayney residents when he asked: “Where is Big Tom going to go?”

“Back on the road again?” suggested Cllr Seán Conlon (SF). “I think the family would prefer he go out to Oram for the next two years,” responded Cllr Gibbons, referring to a campaign gaining momentum in the Castleblayney area for the statue to be temporarily relocated from the town where the singer made his name to his nearby village birthplace. Director of Services Cathal Flynn said the fate of the Big Tom statue will likely be discussed at the next meeting of the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District. “There is a fair campaign online to try to get him out to Oram for his 90th birthday on September 18,” Mr Flynn observed.