Snippets - 15 January 1997



Connaught Telegraph 15 January 1997


SUPERMAC OUTLET FOR BALLINROBE

A Supermacs family restaurant is to be opened in Ballinrobe with the creation of up to 20 new jobs.

The announcement has been welcomed by the Ballinrobe Town Traders as a "great start for 1997". The restaurant will be sited at Robe House, owned by Joe and May Murphy at the Cornmarket and will be in operation in February.

Recently the national chain opened an outlet in Claremorris which has proven highly successful.

Mr. Martin Murphy, chairman of the Ballinrobe Town Traders said this was a great boost for the town.

He added: "The Supermacs chain is identified with progressive towns and we are delighted they have decided to set up in Ballinrobe."

CURRY WOMAN DIES AGED 103

The death has taken place at the age of 103 years of Mrs. Mary Ellen McGuinn from Broher, Curry, Co. Sligo.

A former national school teacher, Mrs. McGuinn received countrywide publicity last year, when she joined Mayo GAA team manager John Maughan on a Rehab organised Peace Link at Croagh Patrick.

In November she attended as special guest at the Mayo people of the Year Awards in Castlebar when she surprised John Maughan after he had been presented with one of the awards.

The remains of Mrs. McGuinn were be laid to rest yesterday (Tuesday).

TV DEFLECTOR GROUP TO CONTEST ELECTION

West of Ireland TV deflector operators, in a bid to stay on air, are to make their campaign a general election issue. They will meet tonight (Wednesday) to devise plans to fight off moves to have the plug pulled on the service they are providing to thousands of rural homes.

For over a decade they have been relaying cross-channel stations. But court moves by MMDS and cable companies could black out the pictures. Now they will consider if they should select a candidate to contest the general election.

Spokesman Joe Gibbons stated: "Neither the Government or opposition parties have addressed our situation.

"Judging by the success of the RTC independent candidate in the last Mayo West by-election we feel we would a widespread support throughout the region.

"We provide a cheap effective reliable deflector service. The introduction of MMDS or cable would send installation and viewing cost spiralling."

£5 MILLION WESTPORT TOURISM PROJECTS IN JEOPARDY

What would have been a major boost to Westport , the tourism capital of Mayo, has been seriously put in jeopardy by the failure of members of the local urban council to allow a material change in the town's development plan.

Officials required the go-ahead for the demolition of part of the annex building to the old Garda station at James Street - a structure which despite its listed building status - is in fact an eye sore.

This would have given access to the planned £4m all-weather leisure centre at the town park, a development which will now have to be put on hold.

Likewise planning permission for the proposed £1m Tourist Office and Heritage Centre earmarked for the old Garda station will have to be refused.

Other access options were examined but according to expert advice the route through the annex was the optimum.

Do those Councillors who voted against or abstained realise the consequences of their actions? The leisure centre cannot go ahead without an entrance and planning permission must be refused for the Tourist/heritage centre.

Now in an ironic twist the councillors have agreed to meet in private to consider alternative access options. What can they come up with behind closed doors that they could not discuss openly with the press in attendance. While the decision to refuse the demolition was carried by a 3-2 vote, it nevertheless, required SIX councillors to vote in favour of the proposal which sought a material change of the town plan.

Councillors are always complaining about a diminution of their powers. But would this decision by the Westport elected representatives encourage any Minister to give them more powers when FOUR of the NINE did not vote on this important issue.

Westport has proven itself as the major tourist centre in the West of Ireland. If both these proposed developments -- the leisure centre and the tourism/heritage centre -- were to come on stream, it would have consolidated Westport's position.

It appears the actions of the councillors now means that the town is to lose £5m in EU funding. There are other towns in Mayo, particularly Ballina, would give anything to get such a financial boost. You can be sure a dilapidated annex would not stand in their way.



Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - January 1997