Westport winners collect Lotto cheque

Fri, Oct 31, 2014

Mayo’s latest Lotto winners — a syndicate of four people from Westport — collected a cheque for €250,000 at Lotto headquarters in Dublin on Wednesday.

The syndicate, who plan to keep their win private, won the top prize in the Lotto Plus 2 draw on October 22.

Mayo winners fly the flag at regional Best Young Entrepreneur finals

Tue, Oct 28, 2014

Three young Mayo entrepreneurs are flying the flag for the county at the regional finals of the inaugural Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition, which is offering an investment prize-fund of €2 million.

New ten year ‘vision’ proposed for Main Street

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

A Castlebar councillor wants to see the county town’s main thoroughfare transformed into a vibrant and hip boulevard, dotted with cafés, bars, attractive squares, cobbled laneways, and a lively night time economy under roofed sections.

Nominations open for Mayo Person of the Year and Meitheal award

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

The Mayo Association Dublin has opened up the submission process for the Mayo Person of the Year and its Meitheal awards. The Mayo Person of the Year has been awarded to a number of well known Mayo people over the years, including last year Ballina’s John Walkin, the well-known angling enthusiast, who played a major role in turning Ballina into the salmon capital of Ireland, and the year before Castlebar’s Michael Feeney, founder of the Mayo Peace Park.

Outwest helpline celebrates eleven years of service

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Last month marked the 11th anniversary of the Outwest helpline operating in the western region. This friendly and confidential service emerged 11 years ago after the Outwest group recognised a need for a listening ear to assist the LGBT community of the greater western area with their fears and concerns surrounding their own sexuality. The helpline has also has become a source of comfort and reassurance for concerned friends and family of LGBT people in the west.

MEP wants childcare facilities to be exempt from rates

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands North West, Matt Carty, has this week called for the Government to change the legislation in order for childcare facilities to be exempt from commercial rates. Speaking this week Carthy said: “Commercial rates on community and private childcare facilities increase the costs on parents, many of whom are already struggling. Numerous childcare providers and anxious parents have been in contact with me in relation to their increased concern on this issue and many local authorities have supported Sinn Féin motions calling for the exemption of childcare facilities from commercial rates.

Thank you from Tommy O’Donnell’s parents

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

The parents of Tommy O’Donnell, a three-year-old boy from Belmullet who suffers with lissencephaly, which means that for his short life he will remain with the physical and mental ability of a five month old baby, have this week said thank you to everyone who has offered them support in recent times.

O’Mahony urges people to check the register

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Mayo Fine Gael TD, John O’Mahony, is calling on people to ensure that they are included on the Register of Electors for Elections and Referendums. Deputy O’Mahony said that with the uncertainty surrounding the timing of the next General Election, it was vital that people made sure that they were included on the Register of Electors. “It’s possible to check if your name is on the Register by logging on to www.checktheregister.ie  and if it’s not there then you have until November 25 to ensure that it is included.

Second meeting planned on petrol stretching scam

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

A number of groups, which have sprung up across the region in response to a major petrol stretching scam, may be joining forces in an effort to get answers and action on the issue.

Local choristers get a Handel on Messiah

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

The soaring and iconic ‘Hallelujah’ chorus of Handel’s Messiah is rumoured to have moved King George II so much at the London premiere of the work in March 1743, that the monarch jumped to his feet in admiration, compelling the rest of the audience to follow suit.

Sinn Féin councillors hit out at ‘politically motivated’ campaign

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Two Mayo Sinn Féin representatives have hit out this week at what they described as a calculated campaign to use an alleged sexual abuse victim as a political pawn to stop the rise of their party.

Calleary hits out at Government inaction in Mayo

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo Dara Calleary says he is extremely concerned about investment opportunities in the country following the release of IDA figures, which reveal there was only one site visit organised by the agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment in Mayo this year. The data has found that there have only been five site visits in Mayo since 2011, compared to more than 1,300 visits nationally.

Deputy Calleary commented: “This figures are further proof that job creation in Mayo is slipping further down the political agenda. In 2013, there were a mere three IDA sponsored site visits in the county, but to date this year there has only been one. Mayo is being left behind as the Government concentrates investment opportunities in Dublin, Leinster, and the cities. Rural areas are being overlooked. Reports of a recovery are not being felt here in Mayo. People here are the victims of the Government’s flawed economic strategy, which has led to the emergence of a two tier recovery. There were almost 11,000 people on the Live Register in Mayo last month but ministers are continuing to ignore the situation here, a fact which is reflected in the low number of IDA backed site visits.”

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