Time to see Roosky not as a village in decline, but as a village waiting to be rediscovered

Some places become woven into the fabric of your memories, and for me, Roosky is one of those places.

I remember it fondly from the late 1980s and 1990s, when our regular journeys from Mullingar to Boyle would bring us through the village. Roosky was always a welcome stop. There was something wonderfully simple about sitting on the stone wall by the river with an ice cream, watching the boats come and go and marvelling as the bridge lifted to allow them through.

It was, in many ways, a little picture of Ireland at its best — the Shannon flowing quietly by, boats arriving and departing, people stopping for a chat, and a village that seemed to have a life and character all of its own.

But Roosky has suffered its share of misfortune.

The fire at Hanly’s Meats in 2002 was a devastating blow to the area. I remember the scale of the employment that was lost, and how significant the business had been to the local community. And there the enormous site has remained, empty, for more than two decades. Sometimes I find myself wondering: if a site of that scale had been available for the National Children’s Hospital, it would be open by now! Perhaps that is fanciful thinking, but an empty site for so many years in a community that has experienced so much loss is difficult to ignore.

Then came the closure of the Shannon Key West Hotel some 15 years ago — another enormous blow to the village. Now, according to local reports, the hotel is finally due to be put up for auction. One can only hope that this may mark the beginning of something new for a building and a location that have been vacant for far too long.

And last week brought another difficult moment for Roosky. Tighe’s Centra, just over the bridge on the Roscommon side of the village, closed its doors. For many, it was much more than a shop. It was a family-owned business that employed local people and was part of the fabric of village life. I will miss the chats, the laughs and the familiar faces. Closing a family business that has been such an important part of the local community must have been an incredibly difficult decision, and I hope they know just how much they have been appreciated.

There is a line from Cheers: “You wanna go where everybody knows your name.” As I get older, I understand that sentiment more and more. We all need somewhere we belong. Somewhere we know the faces behind the counter. Somewhere a passing conversation can brighten your day. Somewhere you are not simply a customer, but a familiar face. I am sure the people of Roosky feel that loss deeply as they look for their next place to gather, to meet and to belong.

And yet, Roosky is not without hope.

Look at McGuire’s — a phoenix from the flames. A family-owned filling station that has grown into a wonderful business and stands as a reminder of what can happen when people believe in a place. To me, McGuire’s is more than a successful business. It is a beacon.

It says that perhaps there is still an opportunity here.

There is a village. There is the Shannon. There are boats, roads, passing traffic and a community. There is history and, importantly, there is a sense of place. There must surely be potential for someone — or some group of people — to look at Roosky not as a village in decline, but as a village waiting to be rediscovered.

I think back to that child with the chubby legs (They are still chubby by the way!), sitting on the stone wall with an ice cream in hand, looking out over the Shannon. Watching the boats. Watching the bridge rise and fall. Watching the sunlight glisten on the water.

That child didn't see an empty hotel. They didn't see a vacant industrial site. They didn't see closed doors. They saw Roosky.

And selfishly, perhaps, that child wants to preserve it. I want that child — and the generations that come after — to be able to sit on that same stone wall on a summer's day, ice cream in hand, and feel the same comfort I felt all those years ago.

I want them to see boats on the Shannon, hear the laughter of families, recognise familiar faces and watch a little village thriving once again.

Roosky has had enough doors close. Perhaps now it is time to open some.