€6.5 million in loan repayments due next year by council

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

Mayo County Council will be spending €6.5 million in repaying loans due next year, it emerged this week. Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne questioned the level of spending on loans the council would have to make next year at the October monthly meeting, when the councillors were discussing the Local Government Audit Service Statutory Audit Report for 2014.

Responding to Cllr Kilcoyne's question, Peter Duggan, head of finance for the council, said: "I have just the draft figures on local repayments for next year are in total about €9.4 million, of which €2.8 is directly recoupable from the Department, so the net cost is about €6.5 million for next year."

Council chief 'very happy' with return from expenses spending

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

The chief executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes, said he was "very happy" with the return the council got from its spending on hospitality on council credit cards. The issue was raised by Fine Gael councillor Jarlath Munnelly on Monday, during a discussion on the Local Goverment Audit Services Statutory Audit Report for 2014. Cllr Munnelly pointed out an item in the report compiled by Hugh Neville, an auditor with the Department of the Environment and Local Government, that read: "Expenses paid through credit cards for senior management, including a sample of invoices processed through the expenditure system for hospitality were examined by me in the course of the 2014 audit. While improvements continue to be made, the information supplied in some cases was not detailed enough. Given the poor state of the finances of the council, the level of hospitality and related expenses currently incurred by the council should be capped."

McConville and Rochford to lead special seminar in Westport

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

Ex-Armagh and Crossmaglen GAA legend Oisin Mc Conville, All Ireland club winning coach Stephen Rochford, and current Mayo and Westport GAA stars Kevin Keane and  Lee Keegan will lead out a strong team of GAA personnel at a special seminar to explore what it takes to “mind yourself” under the pressures of modern day involvement in GAA and sport in general.

The seminar will take place on Thursday October 29, at The Ashleigh Suite, Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, with registration at 7.30pm.  It will be chaired by Westport native and well known Irish TV director Pierce O'Reilly. Along with local Minister of State for Sport and Tourism Michael Ring, Mayo GAA team doctor Sean Moffatt, Mayo GAA's health and wellbeing officer Seamus Tuohy, and Michael Gallagher from MG Inspires will also attend. The event aims to explore all aspects of sporting life including topics such as, Sport and physical health, Sport and mental health, Sport: The culture of alcohol, Reaching your potential, The demands of high performance athletes.

Graça Machel to deliver the second annual international human rights lecture of The Mary Robinson Centre

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

One of the world’s leading women’s rights activists will visit Ballina next month, when Graça Machel delivers The Mary Robinson Centre’s second Annual International Human Rights Lecture on Saturday November 28.

Newline works begin in Castlebar

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, stopped by Newline in Castlebar on Monday morning to see the work that has begun on widening the street. Commenting on the works, An Taoiseach said: "As far back as I can remember Newline has been a bottleneck for the town of Castlebar.

Mayo Association in Dublin to hold business lunch

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

Mayo Association Dublin is hosting its annual business lunch at The Intercontinental Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, on Friday November 13 at 12.30pm. The cost of a place at the lunch is €60, to reserve a place send a cheque made payable to Muintir Mhaigh Eo Átha Cliath to Mr Martin Snee, Treasurer, Muintir Mhaigh Eo Átha Cliath, 3 Priory Walk, Whitehall Road, Terenure, Dublin 12, confirming the number of places to reserve.

The Mayo Leprechaun

Thu, Oct 22, 2015

One beautiful June evening, after a hard day’s work turning a large field of hay, my friend and neighbour Joe Blewitt asked me would I go over to Tully’s for a pint. He didn’t have to ask me the second time because we had worked up a huge thirst over the course of the day. There was a large crowd in Tully’s that night, and all the events of the day were discussed at some length. It was the night before the Connacht final between Mayo and Galway and it was really the topic of the day. Who was going to win? There is always tremendous confidence in Mayo, and most people there that night thought Mayo would win; some of the older people issued a note of caution and said that there was no such thing as a bad Galway team and cited some examples of years gone by when Mayo were raging hot favourites only to come a cropper to an unfancied Galway team.

The night wore on and it didn’t seem long before the barman was calling last orders and a sing-song was just after breaking out.  Mike Huane sang “The Boys of Wexford”, Joe sang “The Whistling Gypsy”, and Paddy Pender sang “The Green and Red of Mayo”.  Just as Walter Boyce was about to sing “The Boys from the County Mayo” somebody shouted that the guards were outside. The barman Padraig Tully ushered us into a small room at the back of the house and it wasn’t long before the brown bread and tea were flowing.  Padraig began carting in drink to us, there was a lovely fire on and we drank there to our hearts' content.

Thousands gather to pay last respects to Garda Tony Golden

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

The late Garda Tony Golden, who was killed in the line of duty last Sunday, was laid to rest yesterday in St Paul's Cemetery, Heynestown, County Louth, following his funeral Mass which took place in St Oliver Plunkett's Church in Blackrock. Garda Golden, who was a native of Ballina, was given a State funeral which was attended by thousands of mourners including President Michael D Higgins and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Other dignitaries who attended his funeral included Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan, political representatives from all parties, the chaplains to the Garda and the Defence Forces, Bishop of Killala John Fleming, and Father Gerard O'Hora, Parish Priest of Ballina.

A crowded and tragic weekend

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Last Saturday, I was in Mayo for the morning to attend and speak at a giant coffee morning that Lisa Chambers was having to further her campaign for the next General Election.

Council SPC urges that steps be taken to secure future of Westport House

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Mayo County Council's Economic Development and Enterprise Support Strategic Policy Committee threw their weight behind finding a solution to securing the future of Westport House. The committee held a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss the future of the attraction after NAMA placed a loan attached to the estate up for sale as part of its Project Arrow portfolio.

Zombie walk for Áirc

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Áirc is a charity that supports children with disabilities in Mayo, and on Halloween night, Saturday October 31, will be holding its second annual Zombie Walk in the town.

Timmins for Renua meeting in Ballina

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Renua Ireland Mayo will be discussing its recent pre-budget submission at a public information meeting which will be held at The Twin Trees Hotel, Ballina, at 7.30pm on Tuesday October 20. The principal speaker will be Billy Timmins, TD for Wicklow-East Carlow and Deputy Leader of Renua Ireland.

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