Ten out of ten for Ballinrobe Racecourse

Thu, Sep 24, 2015

Balinrobe Racecourse secures additional race meeting, bringing the total number to ten fixtures for the 2016 season.

Good start but more needed to breathe life into rural market towns

Thu, Sep 24, 2015

Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Deputy Michelle Mulherin, has welcomed the €30 million Village and Town Renewal Scheme announced this morning by Minister for Rural Affairs, Anne Phelan which includes funding totalling €225,000 for three projects in Mayo.

Government provides €181,000 for community centres in Mayo

Thu, Sep 24, 2015

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that €181,000 being provided for community centres in Mayo will be put to extremely good use. This is part of a €3.2 million funding announcement by the Department of Social Protection to support the operation of community centres and facilities for 91 not-for-profit companies nationally.

See what's going on your area in Community Diary

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Castlebar markets
Castlebar summer market continues this Friday morning, September 18 from 9am until 2pm in Castlebar Tennis Club, Lanagh Road. Go along and see a large selection of local handmade crafts, local homegrown vegetables and home-cooked foods including brown bread, tarts, spelt bread, scones, cupcakes, eggs, and vegetarian spring rolls. For more information call (087) 1622177.

Reshuffle of management in the council to start next month

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

A reshuffle of the senior management in Mayo County Council will kick in at the start of next month, the chief executive of the council, Peter Hynes, told the elected members of the council at their September meeting this week. The reshuffle will see two new full time directors of services who were appointed recently, Joanne Grehan and Thomas Gilligan, taking over their new roles.

Public fail to make any submissions on LPT

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Mayo County Council did not receive a single submission from any member of the public in relation to raising or lowering the Local Property Tax in the county. Under the legislation regarding the tax, local authorities have the choice to raise or lower the tax by 15 per cent either side of the set rate. The council advertised in July of this year for submissions from the public on the issue, but they did not receive a single submission from the public on the issue during this consultation period.

Peter Duggan, the head of finance for the council, made the revelation during his presentation on the LPT at the September meeting of the council on Monday. He outlined the council's overall financial situation to the members in the presentation in which he said the council expected to see a shortfall in net income of €4.3 million in total next year compared to last year.  The shortfall is made up of a gross reduction in income of €5.3 million, with an increase in the council's payroll costs of €1 million under the Landsdowne Road Agreement, along with an increase in other provisions of €1 million, less a reduction in expenditure fully recoupable from third parties of €3 million, leaving a net figure of a €4.3 million reduction.

Retired priest dies in Achill accident

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

A retired Church of England priest lost his life in Achill last Sunday night after his car was caught in a flash flood on the island. Rev Dr Roger Grainger (81) was driving towards his home in Dugort when his car was hit by a flash flood at 10pm on Sunday night. Despite efforts by locals to save the former priest and actor, who had made appearances in a number of television shows, they were unable to save him after his car was swept into a drain, submerging it.

Naval divers joined search for missing fisherman

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Divers from the Irish Navy yesterday joined in the search for missing fisherman Daniel Doherty who went missing off the Mayo coast last Friday. The 23-year-old fisherman went missing after he went out to work on lobster pots from Rinroe Pier. His boat was found later that evening without any trace of Mr Doherty. Members of his family had asked for every assistance to be made in helping locate him.

Globetrotting professor touches down in Mayo for cycling adventure

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Andy Hopper, Professor of Computing Technology at Cambridge University, flew his single engine six seater Cessna Centurion 210 aircraft from his farm strip in Cambridge, UK, together with his bicycle, to Lough Conn Airfield at Cloghans on Saturday September 5 and spent the weekend cycling along the Wild Atlantic Way. 

Motorists urged to slow down for recovery vehicles

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Tow truck operators have begun a campaign to highlight road safety needs for road users when passing breakdown vehicles. Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do every day. When a vehicle breaks down the danger only increases, according to Pat McEveney, a tow truck driver who has been assisting stranded motorists for 25 years.

“When people are going past you at a fast speed and they’re only two feet away, it’s quite dangerous,” he said. Over the years, several tow truck vehicles have been hit but Mr McEveney feels he’s been lucky. “I myself was hit recently. I’ve had a few other close calls also.” While tow truck drivers employ emergency lights and safety vests, it’s not always enough.

Community input sought for Local Development Strategy

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

Planning is now underway for the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020. It is expected that by January 2016, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will decide on who will deliver the new LEADER programme in Mayo.

The Mayo Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), comprising Mayo County Council, South West Mayo Development Company, Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Company, and Comhar na nOileán Teo, are coming together to draw up a county wide plan, a Local Development Strategy for the new LEADER programme. They are now seeking the input of communities for the community aspect of the plan. In this community-led process, a series of consultation meetings are being organised throughout the county. These give every area and community an opportunity to have its needs and ideas for local projects included in the community element of the County Mayo Local Development Strategy. This strategy will lay out how LEADER funds for the whole county will be used over the duration of the programme, until 2020.

Funding for new Castlebar pool approved and ready to roll

Fri, Sep 18, 2015

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny, along with Minister Michael Ring, today approved €7,695,000 for the construction of the new Swimming Pool and National Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Castlebar. Speaking at the signing the Taoiseach said, "Castlebar has waited over 30 years for a new swimming pool and I am delighted that we are now very close to the construction phase. This state of the art  4,000 sq/m complex will contain an eight lane 25m pool along with a learner pool, gymnasium, aerobics studio and associated facilities. I want to thank Minister Ring for working closely with myself and his department on this project. This is a state of the art facility and will be among the best in the country."

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.