EVERY SMALL VILLAGE POST OFFICE IS IN THE SAME BOAT. THE LOCAL PEOPLE SHOULD SUPPORT IT OR THE VILLAGE WILL DIE. THIS PAGE WAS NOT MADE BY THE BALLINAHOWN POST OFFICE STAFF BUT BY NOEL O'GARA A LOCAL RESIDENT WHO AVAILS OF THE SERVICE AND WHO WOULD NOT LIKE TO LOSE IT IF THE POST OFFICE DECIDE TO INCLUDE THIS SMALL OFFICE IN THEIR LIST OF 80 SMALL POST OFFICES EARMARKED FOR CLOSURE. IF THEY DECIDE TO CLOSE ANY OFFICE THERE IS USUALLY NO GOING BACK ON THEIR DECISIONS SO IT IS BEST TO LOOK FOR A WAY TO RETAIN AND KEEP OUR LOCAL SERVICES BEFORE THEY ARE CHOPPED. BALLINAHOWEN POST OFFICE WAS PICTURED JUST BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO BE MY LOCAL POST OFFICE BUT THE SUGGESTIONS HERE APPLY TO ALL SMALL OFFICES IN THE COUNTY AND INDEED NATIONWIDE. I WOULD BE INCONVENIENCED IF I HAD TO DRIVE TO ATHLONE EVERY TIME I WANTED TO CATCH THE POST OR PAY SOME BILLS AND MOST TIMES I VISIT THE POST OFFICE THERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS SOMEBODY AT THE COUNTER AVAILING OF THE SERVICE WHETHER SOCIAL WELFARE, PENSIONS, PASSPORTS LICENCES ETC ETC. ALL THOSE FACILITIES WILL BE GONE IF IT IS ALLOWED TO CLOSE AND PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE BIG TOWNS AND LOSE THE CONVENIENCE OF A LOCAL OFFICE.

without a post office the local people will need to post their mail and collect their pensions etc in the nearest town at considerable inconvenience. Then the local shop will suffer from fewer customers and may close the petrol and diesel pumps and the air service. Then the coffee shop and craft shop will suffer from fewer visitors and the village will only have the pub left. Local people should help with a small donation to supplement the income of the post office because in small villages their volume of business is hardly enough to ensure that the postmaster can carry on the service from the income generated in small offices. If about one hundred homes subscribed fifty Euros per year that would generate five thousand Euros and it might help to top up the postmaster's income to keep the service. That would mean one Euro per week to keep the village alive and two Euros would generate ten thousand per annum from just one hundred houses that use the service. A small price to pay for keeping your village alive.

THE POST OFFICE IS THE HEART OF EVERY VILLAGE SMALL POST OFFICES ARE THREATENED WITH CLOSURE IF IT CLOSES YOUR VILLAGE IS DEAD PLEASE HELP TO KEEP YOUR VILLAGE ALIVE €1 PER WEEK WILL KEEP THE SERVICE OPEN FOR YOU