What it Says in the Castlebar and Mayo Papers

March 14th, 2001

Connaught Telegraph

The Mayo News

The Western People

MacHale Park offered for U2 concert The Connaught Telegraph this week.

A top GAA club has offered its facilities for an additional U2 concert. Castlebar Mitchels said following the unprecedented and overwhelming demand for a second U2 gig, the club are offering their extensive facilities at MacHale Park as a viable location for the bands second Irish concert. The club already holds full planning permission from the local authority to hold six outdoor concerts on their grounds. According to club P.R.O. Finian Joyce the facilities include an all-seater stadium for up to 36,000 patrons with the capability of extending this capacity to 60,000 when on-pitch standing accommodation is included. He added " The town is easily accessible by road, rail and by air to Knock International Airport. Castlebar has a proven record of successfully hosting events of this magnitude. We have offered our facility to the promoters MCD and we await their response." Mr. Joyce added " MacHale Park had a history of hosting large sporting events with crowds up to 40,000 people for Connacht Finals." Mr. Joyce stressed that the views of all the residents would be taken into consideration and they would be kept fully up to date with the proposal once any talks commence with MCD.

Council get all clear in planning probe The Connaught Telegraph this week.

An internal investigation into the planning department of Mayo County Council has been completed. The probe was ordered by the Department of the Environment following revelations of irregularities in other local authorities throughout the country. Mr. Des Mahon, county manager, said the investigation revealed that planning matters within the county were above board. He stated "The result of the study was very positive from Mayo County Council's viewpoint. It showed there was nothing wrong." Mr. Gilbert Groake, acting county secretary, stated the investigation involved members of staff being asked specific questions in relation to planning.

Chorus 'tight-lipped' over pipe T.V. start-up date. The Connaught Telegraph this week.

The cable television age is finally coming to Castlebar albeit later than scheduled. Chorus Communications, a Limerick-based multi-television channel company, is hoping to have their $1.5m. cabling system up and running soon. But the firm is remaining tight-lipped about the exact details of their proposals. Consistent efforts to obtain a full statement from the firm's public relations department drew a blank. Mr. John Condon, Town Clerk, Castlebar Urban Council, said all restoration of footpaths, roads and green areas, dug up by Ashbourne Contractors on behalf of Chorus, had been carried out. However, a full inspection was being conducted by the Town Engineer, Mr. Cyril Atkin, before a decision is to be made in relation to a bond of £120,000 which had been submitted by the contractors in advance of the work. Stated Mr. Condon " If we feel the work is not of an acceptable quality and we have to carry out repairs ourselves, then we will be drawing down money from the bond." The installation work, which began in Castlebar back in October, caused huge anger and annoyance throughout the town. A team of 35 engineers and outdoor staff were employed in part of the project to provide piped television to 1,850 homes in the town by Christmas.

Mayo hospital beds ease suffering in Zambia The Mayo News this week.

Old equipment, instruments and appliances from Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar, are now being given a second lease of life - this time to develop the healthcare services in Zambia. Beds, trolleys and other equipment from Castlebar hospital - much of it no longer required because of recent upgrading - are being shipped to Zambia where Irish Missionary Sisters are delighted to put the materials to use in hospitals and healthcare clinics in that country. The current consignments have there origin in a project inducted over many years by the midwives at Mayo General Hospital, who collected and transported vital equipment to the Irish Sisters of Charity Missions in Zambia. The Mayo connection came via Sr. Margaret Kilroy, a native of Newport and a sister of Dr. Maeve Kilroy, obstetrician at Mayo General Hospital. Sadly, Sr. Margaret Joseph passed away last year but, in memory of her dedication and commitment to Africa, the nursing midwives are continuing to assemble and send containers of used hospital equipment to the hospitals she served and to the healthcare clinics set up in the outlying areas. The only problem now is that of paying for the transportation costs of this valuable and vital cargo. It costs nearly $5000 to freight the containers by road and sea to their final destination, and the organisers are seeking help from companies, organizations and individuals to help defray the cost. You may send a donation to Account No. 11414161 at Bank of Ireland Castlebar.

Parade cancelled The Mayo News.

The annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Castlebar has been cancelled because of the foot and mouth precautions. Mr. James Bohan, Secretary of the Organising Committee, said that there was no other option, given the prevailing advice about public gatherings. He said that while many individuals and organisations would be disappointed at the cancellations, the national interest had to be the first consideration. " Everything possible must be done to minimise the risk of the disease, which would have such a devastating effect on the economy" he said. The parade Chairman, Mr. Johnny Mee, said that it was hoped that the parade could be rescheduled for a date later in the year

Objections put cable car hopes up in the air The Mayo News this week.

The residents of Inishbiggle, off Achill, have received a setback in their campaign to have a cable car connection to the Achill mainland. Just when it seemed that the island community's 16-year campaign for the cable link were about to be successful, it had to be put on hold because of planning objections by landowners. The objections have put a halt to plans by Mayo County Council to advance the project and a public enquiry will now have to be held.

Mayo Islands to be transferred to Galway under Govt proposal The Western People this week.

A Government proposal to provide a Public Service Obligations contract linking Mayo islands Inisturk and Clare Island to the mainland will have the effect of severing connections between the islanders and their natural hinterland and transferring them to Galway. That is the view of Mr. Patrick Joyce, a native of Clifden and a helicopter engineer with CHC at Shannon, who is concerned that a study currently being carried out by Air Transport Group, Consultants at Cranfield University, is biased in favour of a fixed wing aircraft service. He claims the use of a helicopter to service Inisturk and Clare island would be more efficient and cost effective than an alternative being pursued by the Government in favour of fixed wing aircraft. Mr. Joyce, who has established his own company HeliWest, so that he could tender for the services, wants the terms of reference for the Consultants altered so that equal consideration can be given to a service provided. "The Government proposal is to build airstrips which are unnecessary to operate aircraft that are too big to carry the people of the islands to places they don't want to go to," he said. " A helicopter service will provide for the needs of the islanders in a cost effective and efficient manner with less impact on the environment." He has already met with representative of the Inishturk and Clare Island communities to outline his views on the issue and expects to take up the matter with the recently appointed Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and Islands Junior Minister Mary Coghlan, this week.

Claremorris man is new Trinity Provost The Western People this Tuesday.

Professor John Hegarty, from the ancient Carmelite village of Ballinasmalla near Claremorris, is the new Provost of Trinity College. He will take over from Prof. Tom Mitchell, a native of Belcarra, who will complete his ten-year term in August. John Hegarty's elevation to the top post is a remarkable achievement for Mayo coming in the aftermath of Tom Mitchell's historic selection ten years ago. Prof. Mitchell was the first Catholic provost in the history of Trinity College. He was later honoured with the Mayo Person of the Year and has since given a decade of distinguished service at the helm in Trinity. John Hegarty joined the staff at Trinity College ten years ago and served as Dean of Research for the past five years. During that time he played a key role in raising millions of pounds for research projects, a fact that made a major impression on many of his colleagues. There were five seeking the £100,000 a year post. The winner also gets to reside in the Provost's House at No. 1 Grafton Street during his term of office. It is understood that John Hegarty had over 100 votes to spare over David McConnell in the final run-off among the college's 520 permanent staff who were eligible to cast votes.

It's going to be the quietest St. Patrick's Day ever!

With the foot and mouth scare leading to the cancellation of sporting, cultural and many social events it will be one of the quietest St. Patrick's Days ever in the country and County Mayo will not be an exception! All parades in the county have been postponed until later dates while sport fixtures in all codes and many social and communities events have all been put off until the scare eases. One of the big casualties is the All-Ireland GAA Club Final, to have been held at Croke Park on Saturday and involving Crossmolina. It has been postponed to a later date. The Kiltimagh St. Patrick's Day Parade which has been one of the biggest in Mayo in recent years, and which attracted many United States visitors, as well as the Quaker City String Band from Philadelphia, has been put off until later.

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