Mayo famine cottage now a major NY attraction
The Irish Hunger Memorial at Battery Park City, New York, which opened last week, has at its focal point a famine cottage from Mayo which was dismantled, shipped to and rebuilt in New York. Chris and Tom Slack from Carrodoogan, Attymass, near Ballina, who donated the family cottage, to the $5m project were present and expressed their delight at the finished product. People travelled from Attymass and the Bofield Band performed at the event. "As we remember the tragedy of the Irish famine, we must dedicate ourselves to fighting and eradicating the scourge of hunger in the 21st century", President McAleese said. The opening was also attended by Governor George E. Pataki, James F. Gill, chairman of the Battery Park City Authority and Brian Tolle, the artist who designed the memorial. Edward Cardinal Egan did the Invocation and Hon. Rudolph W. Giuliani, Hon. Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York and members of Irish Repertory Theatre were also present.

Corrib gas pipelaying put on hold
The development of the Corrib gas field is being put on hold. Enterprise Ireland Managing Director, Mr Andy Pyle, said "The work which was due to commence later this month has been postponed pending a detailed review of the Corrib project following the takeover by Shell of Enterprise Oil", he said. Despite the postponement, if there was a satisfactory outcome to the planning application now before An Bord Pleanála for the Bellanaboy terminal, the gas could come ashore by late 2004, eighteen months behind the original deadline.

Higgins and Burke secure Senate Seats
Former Mayo Fine Gael TD and Minister, Jim Higgins was swept to victory in the Senate election last week. The Ballyhaunis man finished second behind Fianna Fail’s Liam Fitzgerard on the Labour Panel. Senator Paddy Burke was the first Fine Gael candidate elected but unfortunately there was no happy endings for Dr. Tom Moffatt, Frank Chambers (FF) and Ernie Caffrey(FG).The Ballyhaunis senator is now odds-on favourite to be the Fine Gael front-runner in the Connaught-Ulster constituency for the next European Parliament elections in June 2004. Paddy Burke secured a high first preference vote which left him on safe ground from the first count. The two Fianna Fail candidates, Dr. Tom Moffatt and Frank Chambers polled disappointingly in this Senate election.