Local Papers Commentary
Castlebar Council to discuss parking meters in town
The matter of parking meters on the main commercial streets of Castlebar has been raised again by the Town Council. Drivers who wish to park on these streets will be charged 50cents per hour if the meters are put in place. The meters are already in place in Ballina and are a good source of income for the town council there. However some concerns were voiced at the meeting. One of these concerns was that people might park in some of the more residential streets in the town such as Lower Charles Street and cause problems for residents there. Also there was the problem of people who live on the streets that the meters will be on. The Council is to read a draft report on the matter and decide one way or the other in a few weeks time.
Castlebar Walking Festival visitors to soar after FMD cancellation.
After last year's cancellation of the Castlebar Walking Festival, it was thought that numbers would be down. However there has been an enthusiastic respond so far. Six hundred foreigners are set to come to Castlebar for the festival. The main co-ordinator of the event, Elaine Devereux, said that fifty Israelis, a huge number of Dutch nationals, twenty Americans and lots of Japanese are coming for the event that starts on July 4th. As the 4th of July will be Independence Day for the Americans, the Welcome Inn hotel, which is the Headquarters, will be decorated in Stars and Stripes for the Americans.
Drop in priest numbers leads to Mass changes
Due to the decline in people joining the priesthood, changes had to be made in the diocese of Tuam. The parishes of Westport, Tuam, Castlebar, Irishtown and Clare Island/Inishturk are to lose a priest. Fr. Denis Carney said that the church had no choice but to make changes. At the moment there is only one man training to be a priest for the diocese of Tuam. Changes in the times of masses will also be put in place.
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