Furious row erupts in Kells over tourism group's remarks

A major row has erupted between Kells Town Council and the Kells Tourism Forum over comments made by the tourism body last month, with local town councillors describing the forum this week as "insulting" and "an embarrassment". Kells Town Council is demanding a retraction of comments by the Kells Tourism Forum that "members of the council were actively working against the campaign for the restoration of the Book of Kells". However, yesterday (Tuesday), indications were that the foum would refuse to retract the comments, which were made in letters to local media last month. At a meeting of the council on Monday night, councillors unanimously agreed to write to the forum looking for a retraction of the comments. In an escalation of the row between the two bodies, the tourism forum came under fire at the meeting, as councillors suspended standing order to discuss the recent comments. Councillors accused the forum of showing enormous disrespect to the council and the cathaoirleach and concern was expressed that they were undermining the council's ongoing negotiations with Dublin's Trinity College. The meeting heard that the cathaoirleach, Cllr Brian Collins, had been harangued in public and it was claimed that a member of the forum had shouted at Presidential candidate, Michael D Higgins, that he would never get a vote in Kells. However, yesterday (Tuesday), the Kells Tourism Forum chairman, Aidan Wall, said it should be a standing policy of Kells Town Council and Meath County Council to get back one or two volumes of the Book of Kells, because the people want it and it would be good for the economic life of Kells and Meath. During Monday's meeting, area manager Kevin Stewart said he had met with Trinity College twice this year and the college authorities had responded positively to the council's approach. He explained that they had discussed the possibility of Kells craft workers selling their work in Trinity, signposts from Trinity to Kells and a joint ticketing arrangement. Mr Stewart said the council has an application for funding to refurbish the Kells Heritage Centre with Failte Ireland and a decision on that application was imminent. He said that when there was a favourable outcome to that application, they would be able to go back to Trinity and begin talks on any return of the Book of Kells. He said everyone wanted to see a return of the Book to Kells and its use to maximise economic benefit to the town. He stressed the importance of having a good relationship with Trinity College and added that having two campaigns was unhelpful, especially if they appeared to be at odds with one another. Cllr Tommy Grimes had called for a suspension of standing order to discuss the issue. He was critical of the councillors who were also members of Kells Tourism Forum and told them they were not doing justice to the agreement the council had reached earlier this year to allow the manager proceed with negotiations with Trinity College. Cllr Sean Drew said that every councillor wanted to see the Book of Kells returned to the town. He said he was very disappointed at the "enormous disrespect" shown to the council cathaoirleach and to the council by the forum and he asked the councillors who are also memberd of the forum if they were fully supportive of the forum. Cllr Conor Ferguson said the return of the Book of Kells was of economic value to the town and he was supportive of what the council was doing and what the forum was doing. He couldn't understand why the council couldn't appreciate the work of the tourism forum, which was made up of B&B owners and hoteliers. "I've the fullest faith in officials but if another group also wants to do something, the best of luck to them," said Cllr Ferguson. He apologised to the chairperson if he had undermined him, but said at the forum meeting that he had expressed his full support for the council. Cllr Sarah Reilly said it was totally ridiculous that they couldn't work together. If the differences between them got out, then it would set the campaign back another 10 years, she said. She said she was fully supportive of asking the forum to retract the comment about councillors working against the campaign. Cllr Oliver Sweeney said it had never been his intention to undermine the council and said it was important to provide a united front. He felt saddened the chairperson didn't think he had his full support. Cllr Brian Collins said that, last year, the forum had "lectured" a meeting of Kells Town Council for an hour-and-a-half, but never mentioned the Book of Kells. "The first I had heard of their campaign was when I was told it was on the news," he added. He said he was disgusted at the letter published in the media in which comments were made that council members were actively working against the campaign. Cllr Brian Curran said he had felt physically sick when he saw the letter and accused the forum of undermining the council's efforts. He said the council had set aside money from very tight budgets for tourism projects. He added that the forum was an "embarrassment", having "hijacked a local authority conference and a presidential election candidate".