Council chief to give full report on progress of Mary Robinson Centre

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

The chief executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes, has said he will give the members of the council a full report on the progress of the project once the tenders for the project have been opened. He told the monthly meeting of the authority on Monday he expected to be able to give that report in either December of January.

Castlebar councillors annoyed at slow pace of works

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

A number of councillors in the Castlebar Municipal District hit out at the slow pace of getting works done in the area at the October meeting of Mayo County Council this week. Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne lashed out saying: "It's backwards we're going. To try to get work done is really impossible. Down in  Curradrish, which is just outside this town, the footpaths there were started by the town council, two and half years ago and the work still isn't finished, and that's shameful. People who go out for a walk around that area, walking on broken chippings, there have been a number of accidents and there will be a number of claims to this council. I don't know what's happening, it has to be done. I've been given several assurances and if it's not done then, we'll fill the seats there [public gallery] with people from that area, meeting after meeting at this and at the Municipal District until it is done. Because it's not good enough and it's not right and promises were made and the money is allocated."

Celine King aims to be the Queen of Swing

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

Celine King, of Mayo Kettlebells, has qualified for the third time to represent Ireland at the Kettlebell World Championships in Kazakhstan from October 26 to October 30. Ms King has previously won World Championship gold and is competing to win her second World title.

Blessed are the feathers and fur

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

Last Saturday October 8 the now annual blessing of pets took place in Knock Shrine, the event was organised by the Family Centre at Knock Shrine which decided to run it again this year. Owing to the the nature of the creatures that were being blessed, the event was held outside the Family Centre at the Shrine.

It is time to see Mayo in a new light

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

The stars are aligned for astronomers, astro-photographers, astro-physicists, stargazers, and rocket makers to visit Newport over the Bank holiday weekend, October 28 to 30. The town is set to host the first Mayo Dark Sky Festival and it promises to be a weekend of discovery and enlightenment for everyone.

Blueshirts march on Cooneal

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

At the January 1933 general election Éamon de Valera’s Fianna Fáil retained power by increasing its seat count to 77. Since its first general election in 1927, the party had increased its Dáil representation at every subsequent contest. In order to halt Fianna Fáil’s march, opponents of de Valera formed a new party in September 1933 by merging the bulk of the membership of the pro-Treaty Cumann na nGaedheal with two smaller conservative groupings, the National Centre Party and the National Guard (a fascist group known as the Blueshirts). Fine Gael — The United Ireland Party was formed and immediately began the process of holding Cumann na nGaedheal’s core support and growing its membership base.

In early February 1934, a UIP (as the party was often referred to) rally took place in Cooneal in north Mayo. The main speakers were Patrick Belton, TD for Dublin North, and Michael Davis, TD for Mayo North. Belton had a personal hatred of de Valera ever since his own expulsion from Fianna Fáil for breaking party policy and taking the Oath of Allegiance in order to enter the Dáil in 1927. At the Cooneal rally, Belton did not hide his loathing of de Valera. Flanked by Blueshirts in berets from Ardagh, Lahardane, and Knockmore, Belton took to the stage wearing a Blueshirt uniform under his coat. It was an act of defiance and a show of support for General Eoin O’Duffy, who as leader of the Blueshirts, had been arrested in Westport a few weeks previously for wearing the group’s uniform. Listing his own nationalist credentials, among them the swearing of Michael Collins into the IRB, Belton commended O’Duffy’s actions in Westport when he insisted the general “was fighting for the expression of the will of the majority of the Irish people against a dictatorship of the people led by de Valera”.

26,000 Mayo arthritis sufferers denied services says Harkin

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

Twenty six thousand arthritis sufferers in County Mayo continue to be denied rheumatology services despite a HSE commitment in July to provide a consultant at Mayo University Hospital.

Coast Guard in early morning rescue off Mayo coast

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

The Coast Guard was called to evacuate an injured crewman from a vessel off the Mayo coast early yesterday.

World darts champ to take on challengers in special fundraiser for Achill girl

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

World darts champion Gary Anderson will be in the Castlecourt Hotel in Westport on Tuesday November 1 for a special fundraising darts night.

The night is being held in aid of six-years-old Caoimhe Cafferkey from Achill Island who was born with a rare condition and requires further surgery in the UK in the coming months.

Mayo company shortlisted in National Organic Awards

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

The North Mayo Heritage Centre has had one of its products shortlisted for the upcoming National Organic Awards, organised by Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.

Mayo County Council to share in €350k collaborative arts funding

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

Mayo County Council is to receive funding for a cultural diversity programme it is undertaking with two other local authorities around the country.

Volunteering opportunities galore at Volunteer Expo 2016

Fri, Oct 07, 2016

Almost 20 local voluntary organisations will be exhibiting at a major volunteering event taking place in GMIT Mayo (St Mary’s Hall, Castlebar campus) next week.

The Volunteer Expo, which takes place on Tuesday October 11 from 11am to 1.30pm, is a collaboration between the GMIT Chaplain’s Office and Mayo Volunteer Centre. The event is an opportunity for people to get an overview of the huge range of ways to get involved and make a difference in County Mayo. Information stands will showcase volunteering opportunities in areas such as health and disability, environment, children and youth work, arts and music, sports, and many more.

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