He expressed his concern for the area as rural decline continues to burden the area
Much has been made of the ongoing rural decline and struggling pub scene across the country, as premises' continue to close and buildings often lie in states of dereliction.
A local Athy historian, who has grown up in Athy, is worried for his the town, given the negative changes that it has experienced over the last 100 years, particularly with respect to nightlife.
Speaking on Kildare Today, he said that at one stage, the town had 42 pubs:
"At one time here in Athy, we had up to 42 pubs in 1924, and as late as 1968 we still had 34 pubs, but we're down to about seven or eight pubs now, and not only are they closed, but they're lying there vacant.
"It gives an awful look to the town centre, we need to do something to try and reverse the decline in retail and in the town itself."
He also admitted that changes such as drink driving laws have contributed to the stark changes:
"Maybe the very strict enforcement of the licensing laws and drink driving laws make it difficult for people who are afraid of losing their licenses, I'm not sure what has exactly changed, but there's been such a decline.
"There has been a huge change in social activity in Athy and every other town, they're all suffering the same problem."
Frank recounted his own upbringing in the 1950s and 60s, from the concept of the "corner boys" who sat outside local shops amid the unemployment of that era, to the wide range of pubs and buildings owned by local people, in a time when the area's population was a mere 4,000 people, compared to today's figure of approximately 12,000.
As a final word, he believed the area needed to work together to "get the town moving again", praising the local people's willingness for change in the town, but that leadership was needed to achieve future success.
The full interview can be heard below:
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