Holly Cairns tours Castlebar with Mayo election candidate Aidan Browne

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns visited Castlebar today to meet with the party’s local election candidate Aidan Browne and discuss issues affecting the community.

Aidan, who is standing for the Social Democrats in Castlebar, said:

“With the 2024 Local Elections just over two months away, I’m grateful that Holly has taken the time to come to Mayo to meet with me and members of the community.

“Today I had an opportunity to discuss with Holly some of the local issues affecting Mayo, and specifically Castlebar.

“This includes uncertainty surrounding future funding for the Linenhall Arts Centre. The council has slashed the budget for the arts centre, leading to fears it may have to cease operation.

“I attended a public meeting last year at the TF Royal, where local musicians and performers pleaded for more venues and community spaces in Castlebar. The loss of the arts centre would be a serious setback for the area and would almost certainly damage Linenhall Street, which has become the centre of Castlebar’s nightlife.

“All of this ties into a wider point that Holly and I are concerned about – the amount of dereliction and vacancy in the area. If the arts centre goes under, it will result in another important building in the town being left empty.

“We must tackle the perception that Castlebar is being hollowed out as it will hurt investment in the town.”

Speaking at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar, Holly Cairns said:

“It is such a pleasure to be in Mayo today to meet with Aidan and learn about some of the local issues he feels strongly about, such as the future of this wonderful centre which has served as a vital creative hub in Castlebar for many years.

“This is a time of growth for the Social Democrats, and I'm excited to see strong candidates like Aidan standing for the party in this year’s local elections.

“Aidan would make a fantastic councillor for Castlebar and would work tirelessly on behalf of the local community. I wish him the very best of luck with his election campaign and hope that as many people as possible will support him on June 7.”