Feb

6

A little bit off-topic perhaps. Are people out there wondering the same thing as myself? The improvements - road widening and new pavements - between the first and second Sea Roads, is taking forever.

I stand to be corrected, but I believe this work to be in progress now at least 4 years. The current phase of development - new walls, pavements, etc - is ongoing for at least the last 18 months.

I wonder how many people actually ring the Borough Council and enquire as to finish dates for projects like this? Frustrated, I took some video footage on my mobile a few weeks back (travelling into Sligo town).

Disclaimer : Yes I know - I should not really be doing this while driving…

Feb

1

This clothing collection flyer arrived in the letter box this morning - they’re really beginning to annoy me at this stage.

No charity number or indeed mention of charity - only the word “donation”. The mobile number or VAT registration number (why??) provided are not real.

These flyers are being collated by Donncha on clothing collection - these particular doves are down in Cork as well it seems.

If you really do want to give unwanted clothes to charity, then bring them to SVP or other recognised charity shop

Oct

10

From the Ocean FM website this morning :

 Sligo County Councillors have requested senior executives of the council to provide them with a full report on the Culleenamore controversy by the November meeting of Sligo County Council.

The decision was taken by councillors who attended last night’s meeting of the Culleenamore community group, after the group presented the councillors with their case.

The controversy surrounds the Council’s plan to build a fence at the beach near Strandhill.

Objectors do not want this fence because they say it would block a public right of way that is part of the original road from Ballisodare to Sligo via Strandhill and a popular public amenity.

A spokesperson for the Culleenamore Preservation Group, Seamus May says he hopes this case will not have to go to court..

Jul

17

A recent trip (well, before the last 2 months of rain) to the Glen revealed this fern monster. Each frond is approximately 2 metres long - the blurry photograph does not really do it justice.

Giant Fern 2

It has been suggested to me that this is the Broad Buckler Fern (Dryopteris austriaca) - information like this is difficult to pin down online.

Last weekend I purchased Complete Irish Wildlife in an effort to have a backpack friendly reference for walks. It’s pretty comprehensive guide to all things relating to wildlife, flora and fauna on the island of Ireland. For example, did you know that we have over 70 different types of moths?

Anyway, according to page 276 of this guide this fern is “favouring damp woods, heaths and mountain slopes, usually on acid soils.” Sounds right, though the description of frond length up to 1m does not tally.

If this is not a Broad Buckler Fern, could someone put me straight?

Jul

7

Looking in this weeks Sligo Champion, about the recent protest over the removal of the community room upstairs in the maritime centre. As far as I know, this is the only room available to local groups to have meetings, and presumably was part of the initial (planning) condition for the building of the centre.

Anyone know the background to this ?

Apr

28

Sligo Field Club are planning an outing to Strandhill on 9th May, meeting @6.15 at St Ann’s Church. St. Ann’s itself and Rathcarrick House are the purpose of the visit - more details when they are available.

I’ve been to a number of Field Club events over the past number of years, and they are extremely good. Lots of interesting people, with a great depth of local knowledge.

Apr

27

The following extract is taken from CSO figures published on 26th April 2007, from this file.

Strandhill, Co Sligo - Census Figures

2002 Census : 1,002 persons
2006 Census : 1,413 persons (686 male, 727 female)

Population Increase 2002-2006 : 411 (actual) or 41%

Apr

9

Old Post Box

April 9, 2007 | 4 Comments

I took this photo back in 2005.

Slightly obscured by the ivy, you can just see the “R” and “VII” - Edward the Seventh - who reigned from 1901 to 1910.

Are there any more of these in Strandhill or Ransboro?

Mar

16

What with St Patrick’s Day almost upon us, it seems timely to mention the legend surrounding the founding of the early Christian Church at Killaspugbrone (the Church of Bishop Bronus).

The eponymous Bishop was the son a local chieftain, and a companion of St. Patrick. Patrick seemingly lost a tooth on the site, and Bronus took it upon himself to build a Church on the site.

Ask about Ireland have a good piece on this history, including the fact that the Shrine currently resides in the National Museum of Ireland. This description comments that the shrine is

“…a handsomely decorated shrine of wood, in the form of a horse shoe, satchel, or reticule, eleven and a quarter inches wide by nine wide, and somewhat wedge-shaped..”

A reticule is a small bag for money or other small items, and it does seem like that Patricks teeth (when they fell out..) were prized.

Nice story - and a good illustration of the local heritage that is all around us.

Mar

15

On Friday 9th March, the Dorrin’s & Cummeen Conservation Group (DCCG) were invited to meet with representatives of Sligo Airport and their consultants. Councillor Higgins, Chairman of the Board of Sligo Airport, billed this meeting as the start of a consultation process between Airport personnel and representatives of the local community.

The meeting started with the expert consultants to the Airport giving presentations on why the extension to the East Side was the only feasible option. It became clear that despite this meeting being a consultation process, the Airport were not in favour of changing their plans despite the opposition voiced in two recent public meetings in Strandhill and over 70 objections to Sligo County Council’s Planning Section. The airport also suggested that it would have to close if it did not extend the runway to the East.

A spokesperson for the Dorrin’s & Cummeen Conservation Group addressed the meeting and asked the Airport Company to withdraw the current application for planning permission. He said this would instill confidence in the consultation process between the Airport and the Strandhill community.

He also stated that the application for planning permission submitted by the Airport was comprehensively flawed. The vast majority of Strandhill residents are deeply concerned about building a runway extension on Dorrin’s Strand with the consequent damage to the ecology, wildlife, heritage, and access to recreational activities. Local residents also have grave concerns for the access road to Coney Island and the massive damage to the local fish farming industries by the proposal to divert the channel from its current course.

In response to the request to withdraw the planning application, Councillor Albert Higgins, Chairman of the Airport Company, stated that such a decision would need to be considered by the airport company and that he would bring this DCCG request to the board.

The DCCG concerns with the inadequacy of the Environmental Impact Statement were supported by the Sligo Co. Co. Planning Department who had written a lengthy letter to the Airport seeking further information on a wide range of issues concerning the application.

keep looking »

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