All eyes will be on the skies of Westport this summer

Fri, Mar 31, 2017

It certainly will be destination Westport this May as the town hosts an airshow, loop-the-loops will swirl around the sky, and pilots will conduct nifty tricks with precision and a daredevil attitude, creating a day for the whole family to enjoy along Westport Quay on Sunday, May 14.

Recovery mission continues in Blacksod

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

An operation to recover the three missing crew members of the Rescue 116 helicopter, which crashed into the sea off Blacksod in the early hours of Tuesday morning, was continuing yesterday afternoon, as this paper went to print. Captain Dara Fitzpatrick (45), who was recovered in a critical condition on Tuesday morning after the crash, passed away in hospital later on Tuesday. Ms Fitzpatrick, a mother of a three-year-old son, was spotted in the sea by the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter at daybreak on Tuesday and was picked up by the Achill based lifeboat and brought ashore.

Temperance, teanga and throw-ins

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

Though a feast day on the Catholic calendar since the 1600s, St. Patrick's Day only became a public holiday in Ireland in 1903. Prior to the early 20th century and a structured national approach to honouring the saint, the Briton was resurrected from time to time and pushed to the front of many campaigns. The feast day's events, which drew large crowds, were always managed either directly, or were heavily influenced, by the local Catholic church. That is not surprising, Patrick was a Christian after all. Many pre-Famine St Patrick's Day events were organised by the temperance movement, headed by Fr Theobald Mathew. The movement encouraged the Irish nation to pledge to abstain from alcohol for corporal and spiritual betterment, but sometimes with mixed results. The St Patrick's Day teetotallers procession through Castlebar in 1841 was not one of that organisation's high points. The march was to be a show of strength, an opportunity for the Rev Gibbons to display his and his members' accomplishments. Frustratingly for Gibbons, a large number of the group arrived to take up their places in the parade’s ranks while under the influence, having soundly violated their pledges. The non-teetotaller band abandoned the depleted parade midway through to join the town’s festivities, causing the temperance leaders to consider organising a teetotal band of their own that they could depend on.

Do you want to put a smile on a sick child’s face?

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

Do you have two to three hours to spare weekly? Would you like to make hospital a happier place for a sick child? Children in Hospital Ireland (CHI) would love to hear from you. CHI is one of Ireland’s leading children’s charities providing play and fun for sick children in hospital around the country for 45 years.

Be road safety smart this St Patrick's Day

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

The road safety office and Oifig na Gaeilge of Mayo County Council and An Garda Síochána are partnering throughout the county this weekend to encourage everyone celebrating St Patrick's Day to act responsibly and designate a sober driver. St Patrick’s Day falls in Seachtain na Gaeilge so the message is "Go dté tú slán", or in English, "Arrive alive" which will be displayed around the county on VMS roadside signs. Also leprechauns are coming out of the woodwork to assist road safety professionals and the gardai in Mayo to spread the road safety message in novel road safety campaign.

Big Start campaign informs Mayo County Council of crisis in early years sector

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

A delegation from the SIPTU Big Start Campaign attended a meeting of Mayo County Council last week to inform councillors of the problems and growing crisis within the early years education sector. Thirty councillors heard from early years educators within their local communities how services are struggling and workers are demoralised. There were 13 early years professionals present in the gallery.

Get on your bike for breast cancer research

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

The eighth Mayo Pink Ribbon Charity Cycle for Breast Cancer Research will take place on Saturday April 29. The cycle will be lead by legendary cyclist Sean Kelly and Mayo Pink Ribbon patron, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.

Are you up to the Nephin challenge?

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

The Up and Over Challenge will take place over the Nephin Mountains on Sunday, April 2, where participants will be tested on a route that will bring them on a 5km run from Lahardane village to the forest at Carrowskeehan, then up Nephin mountain, before the descent back towards Cloghbrack, and a further 5km run back into Lahardane village.

The event will get under way at 11am at Lahardane Community Centre and all funds raised will go towards Glen Nephin Men's Shed, Lahardane Tidy Towns, and Nephin Valley Restoration Group. Entry costs €30 per person or €100 for a group of four. For more information or to register, log on to www.upandoverchallenge.com.

New BUMBLEance service available to sick children in Mayo

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

BUMBLEance, a children’s ambulance service, is celebrating the launch of the latest vehicle to join its fleet. The new children’s ambulance will service sick children and their families in the northwest of the country.

Mayo PPN information evenings for community groups

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

Mayo Public Participation Network (PPN) is organising a number of information evenings for community groups this March and April. The first series of meetings in March will take place in the four municipal districts in Mayo and is open to groups registered with Mayo PPN, in these areas. The April meeting will take place in Castlebar and is open to all groups registered with Mayo PPN.

In March there will be a series of information evenings for community groups in the four municipal districts. The municipal district in which your group operates in is the correct meeting for your group to attend. Two area meetings will take place next week, the West Mayo Municipal District information evening will take place in Hotel Newport on Tuesday, at 7pm and the Claremorris Municipal District information evening will take place on Thursday, at 7pm, in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris. The following week will see the Ballina Municipal District information evening taking place on Tuesday, March 28, at 7pm in room one of the Newman Institute, and the Castlebar Municipal District information evening will take place on Thursday, March 30, in the Macalla Hall in Lough Lannagh Holiday Village in Castlebar.

Consultants commence work on Croagh Patrick path upgrade

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

The Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group was formed in November, 2015 as a community response to concerns over the condition of the mountain together with concerns around safety, liability of shareholders and landowners, the status of the Croagh Patrick as Ireland’s Holy Mountain, and the absence of structures to manage the impact of growing numbers of recreational users on the natural environment, habitats, and ecosystems of the area.

Westport gears up for national Tidy Towns conference

Thu, Mar 16, 2017

Westport is no stranger to success at national Tidy Towns awards over the years, and next weekend, Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25, the town will host the 2017 National Tidy Towns Conference. The conference is a unique opportunity for Tidy Towns groups around the country to learn from and share their experiences with other Tidy Towns communities nationwide. There will also be guidance on the preparation for the 2017 competition and it will feature three lectures from three national tidy town adjudicators.

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