27 August 1997
Local funding in place as green light awaited
By Tom Gillespie
Over 5,000 people turned out on Monday to show their support for Castlebar'S bid to become Ireland's first Information Age Town. They packed into the local Mall in a massive show of solidarity in what could only have impressed the Telecom Eireann panel of adjudicators.
The carnival-like atmosphere engulfed the entire town as Castlebar was en-fate for this very special day. It was all part of the campaign by the Castlebar Information Age Town (CIAT) Steering Committee to demonstrate that the entire region was one-hundred per cent behind the project.
Earlier the adjudicators Mr. Alfie Kane, Chief Executive Telecom Eireann; Mr. Jerry O'Sullivan, Head of Group Public relations, Telecom Eireann; Mr. Dan Flinter (Forbairt); Mr. Sean Scanlon (UCD) and Mr. Dan O'Hare, President DCU were given a highly professional presentation by Regina McGarrigle and Rory Casey of CIAT.
All of the questions asked by Telecom were addressed in the submission and in a question and answer session details of extensive local funding for the project were outlined. The judges were taken on a tour of the town and visited Baxter Healthcare, Volex, The Regional Technical College, the County Library, the Credit Union and St. Patrick's national school.
