Tag Archives: Mayo

St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge

RTE reports:

Kildare-Mayo set for Newbridge at 7pm on Saturday, RTÉ understands.

Kildare and the GAA have been locked in a stand-off since Monday afternoon when the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) scheduled their round-three qualifier tie with Mayo as part of a double-header with Cavan and Tyrone at Headquarters [Croke Park].

Kildare insisted that the home advantage the draw provided them had been taken away without their consent and Lilywhites [Kildare] boss Cian O’Neill told RTÉ Sport Monday night that his players would not be anywhere but Newbridge on Saturday night.

For their part, the GAA had maintained that St Conleth’s Park [in Newbridge] would not be the venue as it holds only 8,500 and they are anticipating a crowd of 18,000 to 20,000.

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

Kildare-Mayo set for Newbridge at 7pm on Saturday (RTE)

Related: ‘We’ll be in St Conleth’s Park’: Kildare adamant it’s Newbridge or nowhere for Mayo qualifier (Irish Examiner)

Top (from left): Journalist Ken Foxe, document he obtained under FOI, and Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring

Last Sunday.

Ken Foxe, in both The Sunday Times and the Irish Mail on Sunday reported that the Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring allocated almost €120,000 to a project – involving pedal-powered carriages on a disused railway line – in his constituency “despite warnings from civil servants it could set ‘problematic precedents'”.

Mr Foxe reported: “One official said the project appeared to have the least merit of four proposals that were seeking extra funding.”

He also wrote the Kiltimagh Velo project received the single largest funding allocation of any local authority project last year.

Further to this…

Yesterday evening…

Mr Ring spoke to Midwest Radio about the project and said he wouldn’t be apologising to Mr Foxe, the Irish Daily Mail [sic] or The Sunday Times for any decision he makes regarding funding allocations.

From the interview…

“First of all, I have to say, that I’m the minister of the department and I make the decisions, as minister. That was Ken Foxe and the Daily Mail and The Sunday Times. I didn’t see Ken Foxe reporting that I gave €2million to inner city Dublin before Christmas in relation to projects that need to be done there – particularly in disadvantaged areas.

“But when a few euros come to Mayo, they seem to have a major problem with it. Ken Foxe and the Daily Mail and The Sunday Times seem to have a problem with any funding coming into Mayo, so, in future now, do I have to correspond with Ken Foxe and anybody else when I’m putting funding into Mayo.

“The answer to that is no. I will make the decisions as I make the decisions…

“…I make decisions on the basis of the decisions that come before me and I have no problem making big decisions, that’s my job, as minister. I make decisions every single day.

“I make decisions in relation to my department and I will continue to do that and I won’t be apologising to Ken Foxe, I won’t be apologising to the Daily Mail, and I won’t be apologising to The Sunday Times and I won’t be apologising to anybody in relation to any decisions of allocations of money I make in rural Ireland.”

Ring freewheels into ‘problematic’ Mayo funding row (Ken Foxe, The Sunday Times)

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From top: Irish Coast Guard helicopter; Marine map of search site off Mayo coast this morning.

A Irish coastguard helicopter has gone missing off the west coast of Ireland with four crew members on board. A search is underway six miles to the west of Blacksod Bay in County Mayo to find Rescue 116.

One of the four crew members has been found among debris in a critical condition,…. The search party reportedly includes helicopters and local fishing boats.

Irish coastguard head says hopes ‘fading fast’ for missing helicopter crew (BBC)

The helicopter was providing top cover for the Sligo-based R118 helicopter, which was involved in an medical evacuation of a fisherman over 100 miles off the Mayo coast.

The R116 was preparing to refuel at Blacksod lighthouse when all contact was lost and disappeared from radar. Its last known location was approximately eight miles off the coast at Blackrock lighthouse.

Once contact was lost, an extensive search and rescue was put in place, involving the Achill and Ballyglass lifeboats along with R118.

Debris from the helicopter, including the aircraft door, have been located close to the aircraft’s last known location.

Search continues for missing helicopter crew (Mayo News)

Meanwhile…

Update:

Meanwhile…

davidsletter

Typo!

Ahead of Sunday’s GAA Football final replay between Dublin and Mayo.

Maria Brosnan-Barrett writes:

A heartwarming story that I really want to share with GAA fans…

My son, David Barrett (6) has been to every Mayo game this year, apart from the drawn final. We struggled to get tickets and it was breaking our poor little man’s heart. We had to take down the poster of Aidan O’Shea from his room as he was so upset.

Then an incredible thing happened…

My husband was having a pint in our local pub Mulvihill’s, when he started telling the story to our local barman Darragh (a Corkman better known as “Hightower” on account of his small stature!).

A stranger sitting on his own at the bar overheard the whole story, and fell into conversation with my husband about GAA, the price of milk, and all kinds of other things.

He left the bar late in the evening and said to my husband “your son’s name is David, right?” My husband replied yes.

He never knew anything about the man, apart from the fact that his name was Conor and he had very pronounced dimples when he smiled.

Two days ago, a letter arrived to Mulvihill’s addressed to “Master David Barrett, Mayo’s biggest fan” and Hightower’s jaw nearly dropped when he saw a ticket to the final in the envelope!

Little Davey wrote him a letter (above) and I just want to let Conor know, if he ever sees this, that his kindness will never be forgotten.

Mmf.

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Yesterday.

Mulranny Beach, Mayo.

Jim O’Callaghan writes:

Went down for a jog on the beach last evening. Could not believe what I saw. !  Barnacle geese all the way from Greenland. They are born in Greenland and because it’s too cold there ,they come to Ireland for the winter.

On the way ,they stop off in Iceland for refreshments . 2,500 of them winter on Inishkea Islands ( means Goose Islands) just behind Achill’s  Slievemore More . These ones came over to Mulranny for a spin. In my second photo,  you can see them learning to surf the little waves !!!

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Unsuccessful Independent general election candidate for Mayo Gerry O’Boyle

Further to yesterday’s post…

The Mayo News reports:

A defeated Mayo candidate in the general election is to launch a High Court bid to have the constituency’s result declared null and void and a new election called.

Independent candidate Gerry O’Boyle received just 126 first preference votes, but he claims ‘there was a thousand votes robbed off me’.

Mr O’Boyle further claims that he lost a lot of votes in Claremorris and Ballyhaunis, claiming votes went ‘missing’ sometime between the polling stations closing on Friday night and the count starting in the Royal Theatre in Castlebar on Saturday morning.

Ballyhaunis-based O’Boyle said he is lodging High Court application papers this week and applying to get the ‘General Election Mayo four-seater recalled as a new election’.

“I’ve had people contact me from all over the county who said they voted for me and it didn’t come through. I’m not in this to get a seat. I know my vote wouldn’t be that high, but I expected to get 1,000 to 1,200 first preferences,” Mr O’Boyle told The Mayo News last night.

“For instance, in the Crossboyne box I have nine dead certs there, and only one vote came up on the tally. We have a whistleblower in relation to what I am saying, but I am not willing to say any more about the whistleblower, as there is a legal case pending. We’ve enough evidence. Independents were targeted. You might think I’m mad, but I’m not. It was a total fraud,” he added.

…“Something went wrong. I’m not a whinger. I’m a fair sport player. I can take my beating. I’m not a child throwing my rattle out of the cradle. I know I’m right here,” he said.

Independent candidate claims election was ‘rigged’ (The Mayo News)

Previously: Hold The Mayo

Pic: Gerry O’Boyle (Facebook)

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Mary writes:

Just spotted these tweets about reporters having to pay to access the press area of the count in Mayo at the weekend. Is that normal? Do all reporters have to pay at every count centre?

Anyone?

Pic: Ferghal O’Connor