still occasionally used to create new local government towns. The Local Government Act 1925 enabled existing town commissioners to dissolve themselves and for urban district councils to downgrade themselves to commissioners. Where commissioners ceased to exist, in the towns of Callan, Fethard, Newcastle West, Rathkeale, Roscommon and Tullow, their duties were taken over by the county council. However, the town still had a legal existence and separate rates were levied in its area, and the county council had to prepare accounts as commissioners for the town. For example, Newcastle West in County Limerick, whose commissioners were dissolved in 1941, received a grant of a coat of arms by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 1980 – the grant being to "Limerick County Council for the Town of Newcastle West". In 1994, these towns were abolished as distinct entities. The Local Government Act 2001 redesignated both town commissioners and urban district councils as town councils from 1 January 2002. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 abolished town councils. Municipal districts of the county council perform the functions previously performed by the separate town councils. List of Town Commissioners in Ireland 1922–2002 Ardee, County Louth Balbriggan, County Dublin Ballinasloe, County Galway Ballybay, County Monaghan Ballyshannon, County Donegal Bandon, County Cork Bantry, County Cork Belturbet, County Cavan, downgraded from Urban District 1950 Boyle, County Roscommon Callan, County Kilkenny, dissolved 1940 Cootehill, County Cavan, downgraded from Urban District 1950 Droichead Nua or Newbridge, County Kildare Edenderry, County Offaly Gorey, County Wexford Granard, County Longford, downgraded from Urban District 1944 Greystones, County Wicklow, created 1984 Fethard, County Tipperary, dissolved 1936 Kilkee, County Clare Leixlip, County Kildare, created 1988 Lismore, County Waterford Loughrea, County Galway Mountmellick, County Laois Muine Bheag or Bagenalstown, County Carlow Mullingar, County Westmeath Newcastle West, County Limerick, dissolved 1941 Passage West, County Cork Portlaoise, County Laois Rathkeale, County Limerick, dissolved 1926 Roscommon, County Roscommon, dissolved 1927 Shannon, County Clare, created 1982 Tramore, County Waterford, created 1948 Tuam, County Galway References Sources Primary Secondary Citations Local government in the United Kingdom Local government in the Republic of Ireland