Rape ordeal puts community on alert
The Gardai in Castlebar are investigating the sexual assault of a local woman in the early hours of last Tuesday morning when a man gained entry to her bedroom through an upstairs window. The man is described as being of slim build, around 6 foot tall, aged mid-30s to late-40s and spoke with what sounded like a Northern accent. The break-in took place around 2am and according to the gardai, the attack lasted a number of hours. Tests taken at the scene have been sent to the Garda Forensic Unit for examination. The Gardaí are appealing to the public for assistance. Anybody with any information or who may have seen a man fitting the description in the area between Barrack Bridge and the Kingsbridge Inn prior to 2am and after 4.30am on August 6th last should contact the Gardaí immediately.

Chambers and Moffatt insist they’re not going to walk away: Fianna Fail duo deny ‘quit’ claims
Dr. Tom Moffatt and Councillor Frank Chambers, two Fianna Fail members who were defeated in the Dáil and Seanad elections this year said they have no intentions of walking away from politics. Dr. Moffatt, who served as Junior Minister for Health in the last government hopes to be involved with Fianna Fail again but it will be the party’s decision whether or not he is selected to stand in the next general election. Councillor Frank Chambers, who served a full term in the Senad and who lost out to Beverley Cooper Flynn for the last seat in the last general election said he has many good friends in politics and have a lot of work to do over the coming years as a councillor for the Westport Electoral Area. He has not given consideration to contesting the directly elected Mayor of Mayo elections in 2004 yet but he definitely hasn’t ruled it out.

Board’s ‘secret’ decision backfired
Two members of the Western Health Board tried to get the authority to back off in the row over proposed closure of St. Mary’s Church in Castlebar. Dr. Pat Costello and Deputy Beverley Cooper Flynn failed in a bid to stop the board defending a Circuit Court injunction taken by representatives of the Catholic Church in the town against the decision to shut down the chapel on health and safety grounds. 22 members of the board mandated the chief executive officer to fight its decision to transform the church into a library. At a behind closed door meeting last February, the decision taken cost the board a big sum of money in legal fees. The court action taken by Castlebar parishioners against the Western Health Board was successful and the church is to remain open.