As the election campaign intensifies, promises aplenty are being made by candidates.
But what about events that have happened since the last election, events that have had a severe impact on people and communities.
In the past two years, one of the campaigns most passionately fought by some communities throughout the north west were those to retain local post offices.
One such place was Gurteen in south Sligo, where the coming election almost coincides with a year that has passed since the post office there closed.
It’s a decision still deeply resented in the area, as parish priest Fr Joseph Caulfield explains.
He says the post office was effectively ‘killed off.’
Fr Caulfield says the post office was at the centre of the community.
Damien and Fiona Tansey run the Centra store in Gurteen.
Fiona outlines the affect the closure of the post office has had on the village.
Damien Tansey believes local politicians were ‘railroaded’ by An Post in respect of the decision to close the post office.
He agreed it was a ‘psychological blow’ to the area.
