MEATH County Council has been blasted for failing to purchase the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, which was demolished last week.
The Hollywood star often mentions the ‘Boyne Crest’ house on the banks of the Boyne in Navan, where he was brought up by his grandparents.
In an interview in 2022 with fellow FM104 presenter Thomas Crosse, he said: “Navan is deep in my heart on the banks of the Boyne.
"Across from the town my grandfather, God rest him, built a little bungalow that was my home. I don’t know if it is still there?”, which Crosse said it was.
However, the derelict house on privately owned land on Convent Road, Athlumney, was razed last week to make way for a new two-story dwelling, which was granted planning permission by Meath County Council in August 2022.
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The demolition of the house has caused anger and frustration among locals and the cathaoirleach of the council, Cllr Tommy Reilly, who was highly critical of the council's failure to buy the site.
He said: “I can’t believe this. I’m bitterly disappointed. I’d actually go as far to say that it is a national disgrace.
“Meath County Council are going around buying up properties left, right, and centre, which are of no significance and here they let this property go, which is of huge significance to the town, being the childhood home of one of its most famous sons.
“I’m appalled that it has been knocked. I’m appalled that permission was given, but it was given by Meath County Council and the house wasn’t a listed building or anything, so the owners had every right to demolish the property.
"I’m sure the council would have been able to facilitate the owners with an alternative site if they had shown an interest in trying to acquire it.
"I will be raising the matter with the council but it’s a bit late now.
"That property should have been bought and turned into a museum for all Meath’s noted actors.
"It was only last week that Meath County Council passed a motion for a walk of fame in the county to celebrate our actors because five out of the 13 Irish stars along the Hollywood walk of fame all hailed from the Royal county.
"And to get this news that Pierce’s house has been knocked, just as we celebrate the first Irishman, Cillian Murphy, to get an Oscar, is so gut-wrenching.”
'Missed opportunity'
Local man Michael Carolan said the site was also home to a bat colony and the area was rich in wildlife.
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He said: “A digger went onto the site last Thursday and that was it. Meath County Council missed an opportunity to acquire the house and create a centre of creative development like the Ledwidge Cottage in Slane.
“Pierce’s grandparents raised him at that house while his mother went to work as a nurse in England. He lived there until his grandparents died when he was about nine and then he went to stay with his aunt and uncle in St Finian’s Terrace in the town until his mother came back for him.
“It was here that his imagination and creativity was honed by his grandparents.”
'Gutted'
Thomas Crosse, who interviewed Pierce in 2022, added: "That is so sad. I’m gutted about this.
"After the cameras stopped rolling, we had a great chat about Navan and he talked about the house again and how it was where he got the grounding to go on in his life in acting.
"He was teary-eyed at the end and I think it is such a pity that the town couldn’t have bought this house years ago as a showcase to the 007 and Black Adam star and all the others from Meath who have done our county proud."
The 007 actor visited the town in recent years on separate occasions with his mother May Carmichael (nee Smith) and his wife Keely Shaye Smith.
