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6th September 2000News from the Western People |
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Mayo to Dublin via Boyle and N4By Christy LoftusA novel proposal to provide interim relief for Mayo motorists travelling the N5 through Roscommon has been put forward by the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Annie Mai Reape. Expressing concern that Mayo could fall further behind other parts of the country in terms of economic development because of the poor road insfrastructure, Cllr Reape disclosed that she had been part of a delegation to the National Roads Authority (NRA). The delegation impressed on the NRA chief executive Mr Liam Tobin the necessity of speeding up plans for the improvement of the N5 from Longford to Westport. The NRA has estimated that it could be twenty years before the road is constructed to acceptable National Primary status. "We made it clear that such a time scale was not acceptable. The benefits to be gained from a booming economy will not come to Mayo if we do not have a good road infrastructure." said Cllr Reape, "We asked that plans for construction work and investment be brought forward." The NRA has agreed to speed up the design and advance land purchase necessary for the re-development of the N5 but, even at an accelerated pace, will still take up to ten years before work on the road will be completed. And it is that timescale that has prompted Cllr Reape to call on the NRA to study the feasibility of constructing a new road from Charlestown to Boyle and connecting with the main Sligo/Dublin road. She pointed out that the top priority for Mayo was to construct the N5 from Swinford to the county boundary. However, even with that stretch completed, there will be a considerable delay before the N5 through Roscommon can be planned and constructed. "In that situation I have asked the NRA to consider the feasibility of constructing a new stretch of road from Charlestown, via Gurteens to Boyle, giving an option to Mayo road users, driving to Dublin," said Cllr Reape. "Such a new road could be constructed in a relatively short time and would ease the problems for motorists on the currently grossly congested N5 through Roscommon. "It would provide Mayo motorists with the alternative of accessing a good road much earlier in their journey to Dublin and would relieve at least some of the congestion through Longford town." The meeting also considered the Westport -Castlebar section of the N5 and the major works planned for the N26 (Swinford-Ballina) at Rehins. "I am satisfied that these two projects are moving along satisfactorily and I thank our engineering staff for their commitment to bringing these schemes to fruition," said Cllr Reape who paid tribute to her predecessors and particularly Councillor Al McDonnell "who took it on himself to force the pace of development on the N5. "We cannot afford to wait fifteen years to secure a proper road into the county. The development of the county for industry and tourism depends on good access. "The people of Mayo deserve no less and will not tolerate any further delays in constructing this vital piece of infrastructure. I intend to establish regular contact with the NRA and the Dept of Environment and Local Government to ensure that this road in not neglected any longer," she added. First commercial jumbo jet lands at KnockBy Michael ComminsSmooth as a bird, the big jumbo jet came into land at Knock Airport on Saturday evening. It was almost 7.30 p.m. when she swooped in over Roscommon and Mayo. A sharp left-hand banking movement and the runway was there below her. No one would have been prouder of this historic occasion that Msgr. James Horan who transformed a Mayo blanket bog into an international airport capable of taking the biggest planes on earth. He would have been beaming in all his glory were he there to see such an auspicious occasion. This was the very first time that a commercial jumbo flight had touched down at Knock Airport. On board were 423 passengers, all members of the Elphin Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. The pilot and members of the Air Atlanta (Iceland) crew were given a rousing round of applause as the plane sped down the runway. Roscommon shocked by Ballinagare fire tragedyBy Michael ComminsThe communities around Ballinagare and Tulsk in Co. Roscommon are in mourning this week for the three members of the Spellman family who lost their lives when fire gutted their two storey farmhouse in the village of Tobberrory last Friday night/Saturday morning. Those who died in the tragedy were John Joe Spellman and his wife Kathleen, both in their eighties, and their son Sean (48). All three were asleep upstairs when the fire broke out. Another son, Enda, who is in his late thirties, was downstairs and he raised the alarm by rushing down the country road to a neighbour's house. Elphin Fire Brigade was alerted and other units also raced to the scene. But such was the intensity of the heat that they were unable to do anything to save the lives of the trapped victims. There was palpable shock throughout the region and much further afield as news of the sad tidings spread. Neighbours described the family as "sound as a bell" and ordinary, decent and gentle 'salt of the earth' country people. The sense of helplessness in the face of the calamity was registered on the faces of many in the locality. In Tulsk Church, Fr. Austin McKeown spoke of the sense of loss and shock that had engulfed the area. He conveyed the sympathy and support of the community to the three sons and two daughters of the Spellman family as they tried to come to terms with their great loss. President Mary McAleese, whose own people come from nearby in Co. Roscommon, rang Fr. McKeown to convey her sympathy to the family and neighbours. She said she was also arranging to have a special Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the Spellman family members and that the surviving members be given the strength to cope with their very sad ordeal. Supt. Tom Commons of Boyle Garda Station, a native of the Crossmolina area, said at the weekend that they were keeping an open mind as to the cause of the fire. Fertiliser curb boost for Mayo's lakesThe proposed Mayo bye law on the spreading of chemical fertilisers will represent a major step forward in the protection of waters from excessive phosphorous loadings which have been causing severe problems in several catchments including the Lough Conn/Moy catchment, the North Western Regional Fisheries Board says. Mr. Vincent Roche, Chief Executive Officer of the North Western Regional Fisheries Board says the regulations are necessary in order to ensure that excess fertiliser is not spread on lands which do not require it. The draft rule says: "No person shall spread chemical fertiliser containing phosphorous on lands in County Mayo without a permit from Mayo County Council." The permits will be issued in accordance with current Teagasc guidelines and the current Code of Good Agriculture Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates based on representative soil tests from the farm in question. The regulations are in line with similar ones being introduced in other counties and Mr. Roche adds that he understands they will be put before a meeting of Mayo County Council in the coming months. "It is to be hoped that they will obtain the full support of Councillors given the increased public concern in relation to deterioration in water quality and, in particular, enrichment arising from excessive discharges of nutrients from land," he adds. Royal approval for Mid-West Radio!Captain Mark Phillips has lent his support to Mid-West Radio! On a visit to Ashford Castle, Captain Phillips told chauffeur Michael Walsh from Ashford, Cong, to leave the Michael Commins Show on as they drove from Tuam towards Caherlistrane. "Mark comes to the area at least once a year to conduct a Riding School Clinic. He always enjoys his visits to the Galway Blazers and the Tuam Hunt. I usually drive himself and his friends when they are over in the area," says Michael Walsh. "I had the Michael Commins' show on the radio when they joined me for the trip from Tuam to Queally's in Caherlistrane. I like the country and western and traditional music myself. I was going to lower down the programme when he said "leave that on". "They went into Queally's for a drink and when he came back out he asked me to put on the programme again. He said he enjoyed the very informal nature of the show as well as the country and Irish music and ballads. "What intrigued me most was that here was a man who has often featured on Sky News and BBC and who has attended many a glittering Gala Shows over the years and yet he was feeling very much at home and comfortable listening to a local accent on Mid-West Radio and really enjoying the music. We had the programme on all the way back to Ashford Castle," said Mr. Walsh. Programme presenter, Michael Commins, a reporter with the "Western People", said at the weekend that he was pleased to hear that Captain Phillips enjoyed the Late Show. "I suppose you never know who is listening in when you go on the air. Sometimes people think you put a lot of effort into preparing the show. In my case, I seldom have a clue what record I'll play at the start of a programme. It's a very easy and old-style format. I'm not into production or any of that kind of stuff. Just let it happen. I hope Michael Walsh will have the programme on again the next time Mark Phillips is in the area!" |