Debate to ask 'What did the Council ever do for us?'

Letterkenny’s Council headquarters. What has the council ever done for us though? That will be subject of a Culture Night debate.

A DEBATE will take place in Letterkenny on Urban District Councils and Town Councils as part of Culture Night.

The event is being organised by Letterkenny Community Heritage Group and will take place on Friday, September 22.

The title of the debate is ‘What did the Urban District Council / Town Council ever do for us?’

The Group has hosted debates over the years including whether Wolfe Tone was arrested in Letterkenny or Buncrana.

They also debated whether the old part of Letterkenny is in fact the oldest part of the town.

Last year the group decided to discuss a more contemporary topic when they debated the issues that arise when naming streets, roads and other public places, after people.

They questioned whether someone’s contributions to their area and their community should be recognised like this or is it unfair on others who do not have their contributions remembered.

This year it is all about the Urban District Councils which were abolished following the Local Government Act of 2001 and the Town Councils which were mothballed after the Local Government Reform Act 2014.

The panellists on the night will be Kieran Kelly, Tom Crossan and Pat McArt.

Kieran Kelly is the author of Letterkenny: Where the Winding Swilly Flows, Tom Crossan is a former Town Councillor and Pat is former editor of the Derry Journal.

Mr Walsh said rather than it being a formal debate where there is a proposer and a seconder it is instead an opportunity to present a variety of opinions.

“It is meant to be a light-hearted evening,” he said. “I am hoping it will be stimulating and entertaining.”

The event will start at 7.30pm in the Dillon’s Hotel and is free to the public.

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