What it Says in the Castlebar and Mayo Papers

Aug 15th, 2001

 

Connaught Telegraph

The Mayo News

The Western People




Tesco Donates £300,000 to Irish Cancer Society Anger In Charlestown as By-Pass Debate Heats Up Ahern to Start Election Campaign in Mayo?



Education Minister Blames Rutted Roads for Nation's Fleet of Rickety Schoolbuses Chamber President wants Civil Services Relocated to Westport Balla Celebrates Successful Festival Weekend



Over 100,000 Pilgrims To Visit Knock this Week Go Lakes Mystery Hill-Walk Changing Face of Castlebar

Last Week's News Headlines



 



Tesco Donates £300,000 to Irish Cancer Society
The Connaught Telegraph
this week.


Tesco Ireland has recently donated £300,000 to the Irish Cancer Society after various fundraisers involving customers and staff over the past year. This was the largest amount ever given to the charity from a company and Mayo stores contributed £2,740 of this amount. Barry Dempsey of the Irish Cancer Society was "thrilled" to receive the donation, which will help establish community-based counselling throughout the country. Tesco also raised cancer awareness over the past year tackling issues such as early detection and reducing cancer risks. Managing Director of Tesco Ireland, Mr. Maurice Pratt, said "Our customers have shown tremendous generosity and enthusiasm throughout the whole year. It was great to be able to involve our staff and customers in such a focussed fundraising effort."

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Education Minister Blames Rutted Roads for Nation's Fleet of Rickety Schoolbuses
The Connaught Telegraph
this week.

The Minister for Education, Dr. Michael Woods, says that the state of some rural roads is subjecting school coaches to "considerable structural stress". Dr. Woods outlined his views on the state of the school transport system in a letter to Fine Gael spokesman for Public Enterprise, Jim Higgins, who has been constantly critical of the service. According to the information supplied by Minister Woods, two school buses in Mayo, which were chosen at random, have suffered a litany of faults and failings. Reacting to the Minister's information, Deputy Higgins stated "The situation is an absolute disgrace and totally unacceptable". He added that when the issue had been brought up in January last year, following a school bus accident in Milltown, Co. Galway, Bus Eireann were adamant that they could stand over the safety of school buses. The two buses that were chosen at random however, "speak for themselves". Deputy Higgins called for an immediate assessment of school buses as it is "simply not good enough that hundreds of thousands of pupils will return to school in two weeks in ramshackle buses which should not be on the road."

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Over 100,000 Pilgrims To Visit Knock this Week
The Connaught Telegraph
this week.

A steady flow of pilgrims has already begun to filter into Knock for the annual Novena which officially got under way on Tuesday, 14th August. One of the biggest ever crowds is expected this year at the Marian Shrine as it is the first annual National Novena of the Millennium. Pilgrimages to the Knock Shrine have, in recent years, grown in popularity particularly in the USA. Thousands of visitors have already been to Knock this year from the USA as the apparition that occurred in Knock 122 years ago has generated much media attention and publicity in spiritual literature in America recently. Many foreign pilgrims who have made their first ever trip to Ireland have expressed a very strong appreciation of the place and have marvelled at the wonderful sense of reverence and tranquillity which they have found at Our Lady's Shrine. The Novena takes place every afternoon and evening until Wednesday, August 27th.

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Anger In Charlestown as By-Pass Debate Heats Up
The Mayo News
this week.

A Charlestown businesswoman has expressed her anger and dismay at the proposed by-pass planned for Charlestown. Ms. Helen Wall believes that the Council is intent on going ahead with their plans despite local objectors. One of Ms. Wall's main objections is the effect that it will have on the Church Street side of the town which she believes will be cut off from the N5. However, Fine Gael County Councillor, Mr. John Flannery, welcomed a public meeting that was held in the town last Friday, suggesting that it went a long way towards informing the people about the development. Mr. Flannery added that good roads are needed these days and that problems they have already come across have been brought to the attention of the design office and that he believes the route planned is the best one on offer. The plan will go before Councillors at the October meeting for ratification and any objections that people may have should go to the relevant officials before that time.

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Chamber President wants Civil Services Relocated to Westport
The Mayo News
this week.

The Westport Chamber of Commerce have called on the Government to favourable consider the town of Westport when it is finalising its plans for decentralisation. Dr. Oliver Whyte, President of Westport Chamber of Commerce, told the Mayo News that he was delighted that civil servants in Dublin had expressed an interest in Westport. Dr. Whyte added that the workers could be assured of a warm welcome from the business community and the community at large if they should be relocated here.

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Go Lakes Mystery Hill-Walk
The Mayo News
this week.

Part of the Go Lakes 2001 festival includes a Mystery Hill Walk which will take place on Sunday next August 19th. The Lake District in Ballinrobe is the location for the festival and people taking part in this particular event in the festival will meet at the Tourist Office, Cornmarket, Ballinrobe at 10 a.m. The group will return to Cornmarket around 5.20 p.m., in time for the opening party of Go Lakes 2001 in Ballinrobe. The party will include open-air music and a special lighting display.

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Ahern to Start Election Campaign in Mayo?
The Western People
this week.

The beginning of election campaigning seems to be in our midst as Mr. Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach, is set to visit Erris early next month. The occasion will be used to rally party members and to urge them to recover ground lost in the previous two elections. The Taoiseach is also expected to visit a number of other areas in the Mayo five-seat Constituency in which Fianna Fail have two seats and Fianna Gael have three. Dr. Tom Moffatt, Minister of State, said yesterday that An Taoiseach would be assessing the situation in Erris and Mayo first-hand and would be stressing the achievements of the Government nationally and, especially, in Mayo. An Taoiseach will address all major issues, particularly ones affecting Mayo.

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Balla Celebrates Successful Festival Weekend
The Western People
this week.

Balla was the recent location for a weekend of sunshine and entertainment as the Balla mini-festival took place. On Friday night a Power.com race night was held while on Saturday young athletes from around the locality took part in the Sheebeen 1 km road race. A 10 km road race/walk took place later on in the day in which over 250 athletes took part. Sunday night was the night of the first ever "Rose of Carrindine" competition which Elaine Burke of Knock won. After the contest, the Brose Walsh Showband entertained a large crowd as the newly crowned Rose showed off her Robert Blaco prize and Marian Monaghan's fashion. Monster Bingo and a Ceile Mór brought the successful festival to a close on Monday night. The organisers were extremely happy with the festival and thank everybody that helped them and who made the weekend possible.

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Changing Face of Castlebar
The Western People
this week.

An interesting article in the Western People this week includes a page on how Castlebar, the County Town of Mayo, has changed in the past few years. The article, written by Christy Loftus and accompanied by colourful photos taken by David Farrell, explains how the monuments and art works located around Castlebar came about and the history and explanation of the thinking behind them. The policy of providing art works such as this in Castlebar commenced around 1992 when Ireland held the EU presidency. Former Minister and Commissioner, Mr. Padraig Flynn, allocated a grant to the County Council to construct a sculpture with a European theme. From this came the standing stones and a table and chairs that are now located in Knockthomas, designed by Sligo man Fred Conlon, and symbolising the sharing that is central to the EU. The most recent artwork is that in the controversial Market Square development http://www.castlebar.ie/photos/dailyphotos/market-square/3july2001/. The sculpture, designed by Ballina-born Colm Brennan, is made from bronze and symbolises the emergence of peace after war with doves emerging from pikes. Another monument that Castlebar has received in the past months is that designed by Galway man John Coll and commissioned by the De la Salle Association in the town to commemorate the work done by the order http://www.castlebar.ie/photos/muirsind/De-la-Salle/index.html Other works of art include the monument outside the Fire Station, various plaques around Castlebar marking the famous "Races of Castlebar" which complement the long-standing '98 memorial and John Moore Grave at the Mall. Also on the Mall opposite Daly's hotel is a fountain which was donated to the town by Mrs. Helen Hooker-Roeloffs O'Malley http://www.castlebar.ie/photos/dailyphotos/nightwalk/. The "Linenstream" sculpture at the Westport roundabout, which representing Castlebar's history in the linen industry greets visitors travelling to Castlebar along with "Shimmering" on the Station road roundabout which is an artist's impression of heat rising http://www.castlebar.ie/photos/muirsind/roundabout/roundabouts.html The full account of Castlebar's sculptures is on page 24 of the Western People.

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