Mayo's Bon Secours inmates

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

In a little under five years time, Ireland will roll out the red commemoration carpets for a year long celebration to mark the centenary of the Irish Free State. In the decades preceding the independent state, unionist politicians and their constituents vigorously, and even militantly, opposed any form of self-determination for Ireland as they believed Home Rule under a Catholic majority would mean Rome rule. The fears of those unionists were realised. The Free State, like the British state before it, inadequately supervised Catholic institutions tasked with caring for sections of Irish society and thereby put at risk the very children of the nation that independence was destined to cherish. The Free State's successors were equally culpable of neglect as each fed its own citizens to an ultra conservative, practically unregulated, system of 250 Church-run industrial schools, reformatories, orphanages, hostels and homes from the 1920s up until the 1990s. Since the 1990s, criminal cases and inquiries have established that thousands of children were abused by hundreds of priests and several Catholic religious orders were found to have participated in or concealed child abuse. 

Run the runway at IWAK this May for a good cause

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK) this week announced its second annual charity 5k runway fun run will take place on the runway at Ireland West Airport on Saturday May 27, following the success of its first runway fun run last year.

Mayo’s volunteer drivers cover 50,525km for Irish Cancer Society

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

The Irish Cancer Society’s volunteer driver service has said that 356 journeys totalling a travel distance of 50,525km were covered by 46 Irish Cancer Society volunteer drivers in Mayo last year. This is a free transport service and is available to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments in Mayo University Hospital and University Hospital Galway.

Gail Flinter, patient travel and financial support manager with the Irish Cancer Society, said: “The volunteer driver service allows cancer patients access to free transport to and from their chemotherapy treatments, removing the stress, difficulty, and financial burden of travelling at a challenging time. This is a local service with local drivers driving local patients to and from their treatments.

Daffodil Day launched in Mayo

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

Daffodil Day committees in Mayo launched Daffodil Day 2017 this week, to support the growing number of people being diagnosed with cancer in Ireland. Friday, March 24 is the 30th anniversary of Daffodil Day and volunteers in Mayo will be out in force once again to raise crucial funds to help those affected by cancer.

Councillors lay out the case to protect GMIT Castlebar campus

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

It was the one topic that everyone wanted to have their say on and throw their support behind this week at the March meeting of Mayo County Council. The future of the GMIT campus in Castlebar has been a major topic of discussion around the county in recent weeks and it was no different inside the council chamber. Some 25 councillors spoke on the topic in a debate that lasted well over an hour, and the one strong message coming from all of those who spoke was that everything that could be done to ensure the survival and the future growth of the third level facility in the county would be done.

New BUMBLEance service available to sick children in Mayo

Fri, Mar 10, 2017

BUMBLEance, a children’s ambulance service, is celebrating the launch of the latest vehicle to join its fleet. The new children’s ambulance will service sick children and their families in the northwest of the country.

Allergan makes €42 million investment in operations

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

Allergan marked 40 successful years of business in Ireland this week confirming an additional investment of €42 million in its Irish operations in 2017. The company employs approximately 1,700 people in Ireland with the vast majority of those in its Westport plant. It also announced details of a new €50,000 Innovation Award Programme with Irish colleges around the country. 

Portwest acquires major Australian workwear business in €7.5 million deal

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

Leading Westport based clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer Portwest Limited has acquired Melbourne company Prime Mover Workwear for a sum in excess of €7.5 million. This is a significant step in Portwest’s strategic geographical expansion across the globe and similar acquisitions in other areas are anticipated. Owned by brothers Cathal, Harry and Owen Hughes, Portwest confidently expect turnover to reach €350 million by 2020, consolidating its position as the fastest growing workwear company in the world.

Gardai looking for help in finding missing man

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

Gardai in Castlebar are seeking assistance in locating a missing person, Ronnie Maloney (DOB: 29/06/76) who has been missing from Castlebar since the middle of January. Gardai have carried out numerous efforts and enquiries to date and have been unable to locate him.

Conway-Walsh shows Seanad pictures of Mayo home knocked to the ground by Pyrite

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

In the Seanad this week Senator Rose Conway-Walsh showed pictures of a Mayo home which had been destroyed by pyrite. She used the photos she received from one home owner to demonstrate the urgent need for the expert committee to finalise its report and for the Government to put a redress scheme in place.

Man killed in Keenagh road accident named

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

The man who was killed following a road traffic accident at Keenagh crossroads on Wednesday morning was named locally as Matty Merrick, a mail contractor with An Post.

GMIT history can teach us valuable lessons

Fri, Mar 03, 2017

Why should we study history? Well, frankly, history is the study of human nature, and history most definitely repeats itself. History can teach us lessons so that we are forearmed when facing situations, better informed when planning to proceed. The history of the long campaign to establish the Regional Technical College (RTC, now the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT) campus in Mayo contains, I believe, guidance on how the Castlebar based college can be rescued from those who oppose its survival.

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