From Castlebar - County Mayo -

Local Papers Commentary
From the Connaught Telegraph 27 Oct 2004
By The Jaundiced Eye
30, Oct 2004 - 20:35

‘Good luck’ signs an own goal for well wishers

FOLLOWING Mayo’s defeat in the All-Ireland Football final well wishers have forgotten to remove the plethora of ‘good luck’ signs dotted around the county. Now the business community who showed their support for the squad are being asked to take down the hoardings. Mayo County Council Litter Wardens are advising people to remove their signs and, if goodwill fails, the local authority will look at the legal aspect under the litter and planning legislation. Environmental Awareness Officer, Ms. Sharon Cameron, said the council is not taking a hard line on this issue as the signs were initially put up out of the spirit of support for the football team.


The Good Luck Mayo signs stretch at least as far as Kinnegad you know. My favourite is the Sinn Fein one on the N5 that states "Our Day Has Come" with Mayo Colours juxtaposed against the Sinn Fein symbol of a dollar wrapped around an F. Anyone remember the old slogan Tiocfaidh Ár Lá? Well it didn’t come for the Mayo Team at least whatever about Sinn Fein’s performance in the last election.


Objection raised to new roadway

CASTLEBAR Town Council is proposing to construct a new road which will alleviate traffic congestion at the Lucan Street/Linenhall Street junction by providing a two-way access into the Castle Street carpark just north of the Military Barracks. The new road will run for 150 metres over the town river and into the carpark with provision for pedestrian and cyclist access.


This item apropos the planning hearing held about the new access road by the barracks. It seems two of the three objectors withdrew their objections shortly before the hearing. I reckon this new road access to the Castle Street Car Park will be one of the best investments in tarmac ever in the town! That pocket handkerchief roundabout at the Charles Street and Richard Street is a joke and now that the traffic lights are turned on again at Linenhall/Bridge Street the traffic is crawling again. This 150m of road will help.


 

Councillor Bourke won’t back Bev as independent

ONE of Deputy Beverley Flynn’s closest supporters during her time in Fianna Fail has revealed he will not be supporting her as an independent. Councillor Sean Bourke told a meeting of the Michael O’Morain F.F. Cumann, Castlebar, on Monday night that he will be backing the party’s candidate in the next general election and not Deputy Flynn if she stands as an independent.


There’s a comment piece too in this week's Connaught from the "Head on The Block" column that more or less paraphrases Gerry Collins great plea not to ‘bust up the party’ during another time of crisis within Fianna Fail. It seems to be quite hot and heavy stuff. But then there was always a feeling that internal party disputes are much more intensely fought than those between different parties. So will Bev set up a separate independent Fianna Fail party as Neil Blaney did in Donegal and take a bunch of FF grassroots activists with her? Or will she have to wait it out for a year or two and be brought back into the fold once again having been cleansed by the firesof Purgatory just in time for the next election?

 




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