Dodsboro Post Office to remain open until January
By Brendan Grehan
DODSBORO Post Office in Lucan has been given a lifeline by An Post until next January.
The Post Office was due to close this month with the retirement of the current postmaster.
People protesting last month outside Dodsboro Post Office
On Wednesday, An Post announced that the current postmaster has agreed to stay on until January and they will be advertising for a new postmaster to take over.
Last month the “Save Dodsboro Post Office” campaign organised a public demonstration with over 300 people outside the post office.
They also collected 2,300 signatures calling for the post office to remain open and sent them to the CEO of An Post, David McRedmond.
The group also sent a letter to the then Minister for Communications, Denis Naughten T.D. A number of local politicians were also involved in the campaign including TD’s Frances Fitzgerald, John Curran and Gino Kenny and County Councillors, Ruth Nolan, Ed O’Brien, William Lavelle, Liona O’Toole and Danny O’Brien.
Caroline Brady from the “Save Dodsboro Post Office” campaign said she was overjoyed with the news.
She said, “I’m absolutely thrilled. I’m overjoyed. It shows that the community can get together and hold on to a service that is so important. We didn’t want the post office moved 30 minutes walk away.
“We are now going to make sure that the best possible application for a postmaster goes into An Post.”
The local suspicion was that An Post planned to relocate the post office to Supervalu, a 25 minute walk away.
We will be advertising for a new postmaster
A Spokesman for An Post told The Echo: “The current Postmaster has agreed to stay on untiI January. We will be advertising for a new postmaster.”
Deputy John Curran welcomed the announcement.
He told The Echo: “This is great news for the people of Dodsboro, Lucan, that An Post have agreed to keep the post office open and for services to remain at Dodsboro Post Office until January 2019.
“This was all facilitated by the existing operator agreeing to continue until a new operator was in situ.”
He added: “In the meantime, An Post will be advertising for a new Post Master over the coming weeks so that a new Post Master will enter into a new and permanent contract hopefully resulting in a long term commitment to providing a post office service in Dodsboro.
“After campaigning with local residents and customers of the Post Office over the last few months, it is very welcome news for me to hear that the local community have been successful in securing Post Office services in Dodsboro, Lucan.”
