The beautiful City of Sligo has been the scene of a curious dispute which yesterday came before the Vice-Chancellor. In the year 1861, the Town Council being desirous of erecting a Town Hall, applied to the Harbour Commissioners to contribute to the expense, offering in return to allot them suitable offices in the building.
This proposal the Harbour Commissioners accepted, "on condition that the Town Council under their seal and hand would give a right to the Harbour Commissioners of suitable offices for the transaction of their business in the proposed building." They contributed a sum of £500, and afterwards another sum of £400, towards the erection of the Town Hall, and until the 4th of April last appear to have enjoyed without molestation the privileges for which they had paid.
On that day the Queen arrived in Ireland, and the Harbour Commissioners, to mark the joyous occasion, hung out a flag from their boardroom window. Thereupon the Mayor of Sligo, to whom the emblem of Union was apparently offensive, forcibly entered the boardroom and directed the Corporation employees to remove it, and subsequently the Corporation declared that the Harbour Commissioners had no right to exercise any control in any part of the Town Hall.
The Commissioners then took legal action for a declaration that they were entitled to the exclusive use, control, and enjoyment of the offices allotted to them. Unfortunately, the Corporation entered no defence. Otherwise there might have been some very pretty arguments advanced.
The Corporation deserves no sympathy in the particular case in point; but it is not difficult to imagine a situation in which it might be a grave embarrassment to a public body not to have full control of its own premises. As it was, the Vice-Chancellor found no difficulty in making the order asked for; and now for all time, unless the Corporation buys them out, the Harbour Commissioners of Sligo will enjoy an imperium in imperio, and on festive occasions the facade of the Sligo Town Hall will be adorned with a pleasing diversity of bunting.
The Irish Times, December 14th, 1900