Man fined €600 for growing cannabis

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

A chef was fined €600 at Castlebar District Court this week for growing six large cannabis plants. Michael Lanigan, 56 Lakeview, Castlebar, Co Mayo pleaded guilty to the charges in court. In evidence the court heard that Garda Michelle Sweeney went to Lanigan’s home on foot of a warrant at 4pm on June 27 2008 where Lanigan’s partner let the garda into the house. After searching the property Garda Sweeney found six large cannabis plants growing in the attic of the house.

What a Few Can Do

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

What a Few Can Do is a photographic exhibition by Dublin-based photographer, Elaine Harvey. The exhibition is showing in Mayo County Library, Castlebar until Friday November 28.

Chinese restaurant owner fined for employing illegal worker

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

A Chinese restaurant owner was fined €500 for employing a Chinese man without a a work permit at Castlebar District Court this week, while the worker was fined for working without a permit.

The employer Lin Ho, with an address at the Mandarin Kitchen, New Antrim Street, Castlebar appeared in court alongside Ng Seng, his employee, of the same address.

Castlebar businesses brand their ‘quarter’ of town

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

Castlebar Quarter Shopping is the new name for the 24-strong group of retailers in Castlebar’s Hopkins Road and Lannagh Road area who have come together to brand their side of town in an effort to set Castlebar as the premier shopping destination of the west.

Mayo vintners urge shoppers to Go Local

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

The Mayo branch of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) is lending its support to a campaign that aims to promote the importance and value of supporting local businesses, produce and services and encourages active participation in local community groups.

Gay people isolated and discriminated against in Mayo

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

A new report has highlighted that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people living in Mayo and throughout the west of Ireland are being discriminated against.

Probation report for woman who stole clothes

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

Judge Mary Devins adjourned sentencing of an 18-year-old woman who was involved in the theft of €64.07 worth of clothing until February for a probation report to be prepared. Samantha McDonnagh, 7 Thomas Street, Castlebar pleaded guilty to the charges in court. Garda John Gallagher in his evidence to the court said that he was called to Tesco supermarket, Castlebar on November 1 2008 at 2.45pm in relation to a theft of clothing by McDonnagh and two other individuals. He told the court that he viewed CCTV footage which showed McDonnagh and two others, one of whom was a young child, walk into the store where she picked up several items of clothing in the shop and proceeded to remove the tags from them and put them into a holdall bag which was then given to the young child to hold as they walked out of the store. Garda Gallagher said when he spoke to McDonnagh she admitted her involvement in the crime. Judge Devins adjourned sentencing until a probation report was prepared for McDonnagh.

Castlebar factories revisited in new radio series

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

Another exciting series of radio documentaries on the different aspects of Castlebar town will commence shortly on CRCfm. This new series is a follow-up to the highly successful Hey Days & Ould Stocks. In total four documentaries will be broadcast that will trace the history of Castlebar’s bacon factory, hat factory, the town’s cinemas and dance halls.

Nigerian woman with no documentation remanded until December

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

A 22-year-old Nigerian woman was remanded in custody until December 3 while the Gardai and other authorities try to establish who she is and the action the state will take. Edith Johno was arrested by Detective Garda Declan Sweeny when she failed to produce a passport or immigration documentation in Castlebar last week.

Solicitor for Ms Johno, Aidan Crowley, told the court that his client had travelled from Lagos, Nigeria on September 28 in the company of a man and woman she was introduced to by her aunt. The couple gave her a passport with her picture on it and an Irish travel visa, they travelled to Ireland via Amsterdam. Once she arrived in Dublin the documentation was taken off her and she was brought to a house in Dublin where she was kept for five days. She was then transported to Castlebar where she was placed in another house where she stayed for a period of time in the company of another individual. She had never left the house until she was arrested by Detective Garda Sweeny and she was remanded in custody to the Dochas women’s centre in Mountjoy prison.

Westport Marine touched so many lives

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

The 32-year-old Westport man Robert McKibben who was killed last week in Afghanistan has been described by his family as someone who had “very definite plans of how he wanted to live his life”.

Man fined for possession of cannabis

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

A man was given the probation act and fined €150 at Castlebar District Court this week for possession of €25 worth of cannabis. Nicholas Canning, 3 Church Villas, Castlebar was a passenger in a car that was stopped at Cloggernagh, Islandeady at 12.30am on May 12 2008 at a Garda checkpoint. The garda who stopped the car got a strong smell of cannabis from the car and proceeded to search the car and found an amount of cannabis in the pocket of a hoody in the car. Canning admitted that it was his and the cannabis was for his own personal use. Canning pleaded guilty in court to the charge before him, and gave an undertaking that he would abide by the court’s probation ruling and was fined €150 which Judge Mary Devins directed to be paid to the Motor Neurone Association.

Santa has a special request for his Ballinrobe visit

Fri, Nov 21, 2008

Santa Claus has issued a novel appeal to children in the south Mayo/north Galway area in advance of a scheduled trip to Ballinrobe on Sunday November 30 — before you get Christmas presents this year, please give some first.

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