Castlebar Has Made a Date With The Future

On Sunday 27 July 1997 Telecom Eireann announced that Castlebar is one of only four towns short-listed for Ireland's Information Age Town Competition. This prestigious and valuable competition could be worth up to £15M to Castlebar if we win.

The aim is to install advanced Information Age Infrastructure in the winning town in order to provide a test-bed for the new Information Age. This will give Telecom and associated commercial companies a significant insight into what will happen when this type of technology is installed on a widespread basis rather than just in the homes of the privileged. The winning town will benefit in having low-cost access to a whole range of new technologies but will also have to play its part in providing feedback to Telecom and other Information Age companies involved in the project. It is expected that a number of high tech companies will be more than interested in taking part in the experiment. The facilities envisaged would rival those of 'the Valley' (i.e. silicon valley in california) if Castlebar wins.

The Castlebar Information Age Town Committee heartily thanks the people of Castlebar who contributed to the initial submission and made it possible to get this far. Virtually all business, clubs and societies in the town have made submissions for the competition proposal. This has paid off and now Castlebar has now been selected from 51 towns as one of only four towns reaching the next stage of the competition. The judges visited Castlebar on August 25th as part of the process of making their final decision.

The Gardai estimated that there were about 5000 people on the mall at 5 pm when he judges appeared on the public platform. The crowd demonstrated above all else that the people of Castlebar are fully behind the project. Because of this widespread enthusiasm and commitment Telecom need have no worries that the project will be a roaring success if Castlebar is chosen as a pilot testbed for the up and coming Information Age.

The judges were given a presentation in the Council Chamber in Aras an Contae by Regina McGarrigle and Rory Casey and then shown a number of key projects including the Information Age Centre on Ellison Street, the computer education programme for the Boys of St Patricks National School (which is already in place from Infants to 6th class), The Mayo Library / Microsoft centre of excellence project, the IT facilities and projects under way in Baxter, Volex and the Hospital.

Castlebar Information Age Town

* The people of Castlebar have made a date with the future. Telecom Eireann is promoting an Information Age Town Competition and Castlebar has been shortlisted down to the last four towns in the competition. The town is busily preparing for the last stage of the competition.

Castlebar is buzzing with excitement about the Telecom competition. Thousands of people have already visited the Information Age Centre on Ellison St. to see some practical examples of the new technologies proposed and to surf the Net free of charge. Support is coming in from all over Mayo.

* The potential value of the project to the town is £15 million in infrastructure alone! Winning this project would give Castlebar an amazingly high profile throughout the world and provide a very strong attraction for information technology investors.

* The new technology available will dramatically improve quality of life for all the people of Castlebar and surrounds. As a result the competition has gripped the imagination of everyone here. Everyone is talking about it.

* Because of the nature of the Castlebar Information Age Town proposal, EVERYONE will benefit regardless of age or means - there will be no 'haves' and 'have nots' in Castlebar.

* Castlebar's young people will be computer-literate when they leave school opening up more opportunities for them and giving them a great headstart.

* New investment and job opportunities will be attracted to Castlebar if it becomes the 'Information Age Town'.

* The judging panel visited Castlebar on Monday 25th August. The final decision will be known by the end of September.