COUNTY COUNCIL ACQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF MONAGHAN ST LOUIS SITE

A substantial portion of the town centre property long occupied by the Sisters of St Louis in Monaghan Town has been acquired by Monaghan Co Council. Negotiations between the local authority and the religious order over the acquisition of buildings and land have been in train for some time and their successful conclusion was marked at Monday’s meeting of the Co Council when Director of Services Cathal Flynn read a joint statement of announcement. No definite purpose for the 11.5 hectares acquired has yet been determined but Monday’s statement made clear that their future use would be “for the benefit of the local community of all ages and adjacent schools”.

It is expected that a master plan for the future use of the property will be commissioned. The statement read by Mr Flynn on Monday said: “Monaghan Co Council has made the decision to purchase part of the St Louis Campus in Monaghan Town. The Sisters of St Louis warmly welcome this decision. “St Louis Convent lands, close to Monaghan Town centre, contain a cluster of recently vacated buildings that include a former school, chapel and living quarters including three terraced houses. The remainder of the site includes formal greenspace with gravel tennis courts, a lake with native woodland surrounds and a conifer plantation. “The site is mostly surrounded by the urban environment and bounded by Monaghan Town Greenway at its…