84-year-old postmaster in Cork fighting to keep post office open turns down severance package
An 84-year-old postmaster in Co Cork fighting to keep his post office open has turned down a severance package from An Post.
John Murphy from Kishkeam says closing the post office would sound the death knell for the local community.
Almost 400 postmasters around the country have been offered retirement and redundancy after a report showing hundreds of branches are no longer financially viable.
But postmaster John Murphy says post offices are about more than money.
"There are two or three villages around me where the post office is gone," said Mr Murphy.
"They are deserted now. It would remind you of nothing but a ghost town in America long ago.
"Now [there is] only house. Empty houses. There is no business left.
"The whole heart of the community goes. There is nothing there."
Last week, Mr Murphy told the Irish Examiner that he planned to keep going for as long as he can.
"The severance package [being offered by An Post] is good. But it would be a huge body blow to the village if I was to close. As far as I’m concerned I’ll keep it open as long as I can."
He added that if the post office closed, the nearest one is 8km away and this could present difficulties for people collecting their pension if they don’t have their own cars.
"We don’t have a bus service here anymore,” he said.
