Connaught Telegraph - County Mayo

Some articles from the Connaught Telegraph from 1996 to 1999

Visit the Connaught Telegraph website for up-to-date news from County Mayo.

 

Protester 'bunkered' Garda golf outing

 Our Logo

23 September 1998

 

BY TOM KELLY

GARDAI from throughout Mayo found themselves 'in the rough' when they turned up to play in an outing at Achill Golf Club.

They discovered that plans to run the competition over 18 holes on the nine-hole seaside course had been 'bunkered' by a man who parked his truck directly in front of the first green.

When a local Garda Sergeant approached him to remove his vehicle as players waited to tee-off, he was told the van would not be moved from the commonage site at Keel.

It was learned that the owner of the truck had deliberately parked it on the golf course to disrupt the event involving over 80 players.

The organisers of the outing were told the reason for his action was in protest at the stand by the Mayo Garda authorities last June to pave the way for Esat Digaphone to erect a 40 ft. high mobile telephone mast on the top of Keel Garda Station despite strong local opposition.

The row over the mast had come to a head when a large force of Gardai blocked protesters seeking to stop the mast being erected.

In spite of the unexpected backlash, the Mayo Garda Golf Society refused to pull the plug on the Achill outing. They decided to start the competition on the second tee-box and play it over 16 holes. It was won by Castlebar Garda, Willie McAndrew, with an impressive score of 39 points.

 

Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - September 1998