Easkey undertaker David McGowan has another aircraft for the glamping site he is developing in Enniscrone.
Enniscrone is ‘shocked’ by hotel fire
People in Enniscrone were “shocked and saddened” by the fire at the local Ocean Sands Hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Irish Water urges home owners to check pipes
Public consultation on plan to deal with lead in water Irish Water is urging all homeowners in Sligo whose houses were built before 1980 to check their internal plumbing for lead pipes and is seeking the public's on measures it plans to reduce problems from lead pipes. Public drinking water supplies are lead free but lead, which poses a serious health risk, can dissolve in drinking water from internal lead pipes which are common in older homes and buildings. Irish Water says it is confident that lead piping has been removed from the public water distribution mains but the utility estimates that approximately 180,000 homes in Ireland and hundreds of commercial and public buildings still have internal lead plumbing, including lead service pipes from the water main to the stopcock. Of the homes affected around the country, about 40,000 are thought to have shared backyard (common service pipes) which Irish Water will be targeting the replacement of over the next 5 years. Irish Water is issuing this advice as it launches an 8 week period of public consultation on its draft ‘Lead in Drinking Water Mitigation Plan’ which runs until September 21 next. Exposure to lead is a known serious health risk particularly affecting young children. In recent decades, lead has been removed from petrol and paint but people with lead plumbing in their home can be exposed to low concentrations of lead as it dissolves in drinking water. Because of the known health risks, the limit for lead in drinking water has been reduced to a very low level in EU Drinking Water Regulations (10 parts per billion). Sampling by Irish Water has shown that this limit can be exceeded (in some cases significantly) where water flows through lead pipes. Public side pipework, as far as a property boundary, is the responsibility of Irish Water but all pipes within the property boundary including those in the home are the responsibility of the property owner, except for those 40,000 served by common backyard mains where responsibility is shared. The best and most effective way of dealing with lead in drinking water is to replace all lead pipes and home owners should seek the advice of a plumber if they are unsure what material the pipes in their home is made from. The Department of the Environment has established a grant scheme to assist low income households to replace lead pipes. Outlining the options available to Irish Water to assist the public in reducing the health risk from lead pipes Managing Director of Irish Water, Jerry Grant said, “While full lead replacement is the best option, this has taken decades in other countries. For that reason, and following the experience of other countries who have addressed this problem much earlier than Ireland, we have identified an option to treat the water at the treatment plant in order to reduce the risk. "A food grade product called orthophosphate can be added to drinking water at our plants to coat old lead pipes in people’s homes and reduce exposure and consequent health risk until the pipes are replaced. This option is extensively used in Britain, Northern Ireland and widely across North America. "Before Irish Water can commence this practice in Ireland it is obliged under environmental legislation to consider the potential impact on the environment. This will involve individual assessment for each Irish water supply. "The ‘Lead in Drinking Water Mitigation Plan’ is Irish Water’s contribution to the overall national strategy for lead pipe removal. We are now asking members of the public to look at the plan and give us their feedback on our proposed approach. In the meantime, we are also urging all property owners in Sligo, especially those with young children, to check for lead pipes and to have them replaced if at all possible.” Consultation on lead in water plan Public consultation on the ‘Draft Lead in Drinking Water Mitigation Plan’ will run for 8 weeks until September 21 during which time the draft plan and associated environmental reports are available to view online any time at www.water.ie/lead and during working hours at the planning counters of the Local Authority offices. Comments and feedback can be sent to Irish Water by 5pm on September 21 by email to lead@water.ie or by post.
Winners of iYeats Poetry Competition Announced
Winners for the Hawk’s Well Theatre’s iYeats Poetry Competition 2016 have been announced. This year’s judges were poets Moya Cannon and Colin Dardis.
Sligo community spirit saves stranded bikers
The generosity of Sligo people helped a stranded German couple to continue their tour of Ireland on two wheels.
Beezneez reprise ‘Lovely Leitrim’ to mark 20 years
Beezneez Theatre Company hit a significant landmark in 2016, when they celebrate 20 years of national touring, during which time they have become one of the most popular touring companies in Ireland.
The mark the occasion, Beezneez is responding to constant requests by presenting a revival of John McDwyer’s first play, “Lovely Leitrim” and are delighted to be visiting the Hawks Well Theatre with this production. It is fair to say that the first production of “Lovely Leitrim” put Beezneez on the map as a touring company and introduced McDwyer as a playwright. “Lovely Leitrim” has been followed by seven successful stage plays from his pen, including the other two parts of The Leitrim Trilogy, Callaghan’s Place and Unforgiven.
Beezneez toured “Lovely Leitrim”, three times to full houses and widespread acclaim and the revival has been greeted just as rapturously. John McDwyer, who directs his own work, describes the rehearsal process as a ‘back to the future’ experience.
“With so many of the original cast available and keen to be involved again, it has been a surreal experience in the rehearsal room but we have all been anxious to take a completely new view of the work and with the themes of the play, unfortunately, as relevant again as they were twenty years ago, we know that our audiences will relate to the play.”
Lovely Leitrim tells the story of the Gallagher family who farm on a Leitrim hillside. Armed with the certainty of motherhood, Mary Gallagher is convinced she knows what is best for her family in the event of her death.
Her insistence on being granted her dying wish ultimately fragments her family and results in a cataclysmic evening in a London pub where her eldest son finally makes peace with himself and with the world. The unbridled wit of the dialogue sugars the sadness of a passing way of life.
Well known Co. Sligo actors Maurice Kehoe, Peter Davey and Michael Roper are among the returning actors in this production and Cliffoney’s Anthony Brennan, Louise Maloney from Ballisodare and Kieran Brennan from Tubbercurry make their Beezneez acting debuts.
“Lovely Leitrim” plays in Hawks Well Theatre on Saturday and Sunday, August 6 and 7, at 8pm. Beezneez are ever popular visitors to Sligo and patrons will be aware that early booking is always advisable for a Beezneez show. Book online at www.hawkswell.com or through the theatre box office on 071-9161518.
HSE apologise to Ballymote family over baby’s death
A solicitor for the family of a baby girl, who died just 16 months after her birth, has said no money would compensate for her loss but an apology from the HSE was “priceless”.
Bloggers Boot Camp with Tríona O’Donnell
On Thursday next, August 4, the Hawk’s Well Theatre will run a workshop led by popular style blogger Tríona O’Donnell.
Social welfare official found not guilty on coercion charge
An official at the Department of Social Protection in Sligo has been found not guilty by direction of the trial judge on a charge of coercion at Sligo Circuit Court this morning, Tuesday.
No decision on Carew
DESPITE wanting another year in charge of the Sligo Senior Gaelic football team, Niall Carew is anxiously awaiting a Sligo GAA County Board review of the campaign just completed before he will get the go-ahead to take the Sligo hot seat for a third term.
In August of last year the Kildare native was handed a two-year term by the County Board after his debut in the Yeats County delivered a Connacht final appearance and a place in the last 12 of the All-Ireland series.
At the time, County Board secretary Gerry O’Connor explained the decision to award Carew and his backroom team a further two campaigns in charge.
“We did not want any change to the routine at the moment. Niall has just had 12 months in charge and we feel that progress has been made.”
“We expect that Niall has plans for the future and he, and his staff, deserve another two years to see where we go from here.”
For more on this story, see this week’s Sligo Weekender newspaper. In shops now!
Bridie brings home gold, silver and bronze
Sligo woman Bridie Nicholson touched down in Dublin Airport on Sunday last with more baggage than when she had left – in the form of three medals from the European Transplant Championships.
Packed programme of events revealed for upcoming Sligo Festival
The launch of the official programme for the first annual Sligo Festival took place in Kennedy’s Bar last weekend.
The event was attended by a capacity crowd of figures from across the local art and political scenes who have lent their support to the festival.
Rory Concannon and Karl Kelly, two of the organisers, spoke briefly once again about their ambition to bring a new annual summer fair to the county which showcases Sligo’s rich culture through a plethora of platforms including street performances, exhibitions, family events and live concerts.
The 34-page programme covers every aspect of the festival down to the finest detail and promises to cater to all tastes.
Trad enthusiasts missing the party atmosphere of the Fleadh can look forward to two weeks of music sessions across the town, beginning in Thomas Connolly’s this coming Monday (July 25 and August 2), followed Shoot The Crows (July 26 and August 2), Lillies Bar (July 27 and August 3), McGarrigles (July 28 and August 4), Early’s Bar (July 28, July 30, August 4 and August 6) and Foley’s Bar (July 30 and August 6).
If you have ever been curious about the art of crafting beer, then there will be a unique opportunity right on your doorstep as Thomas Connolly hosts an introduction to craft beer and craft beer tasting on Thursday, August 4 at 5pm.
Photographers will also have an opportunity to get creative as the Sligo Pic Fest returns. The online photography competition welcomes entries from everybody, with the only stipulations being that they show Sligo at it’s best and that photos are uploaded to the Sligo Festival Facebook page accompanied by the tags #sligopicfest and #sligofestival. There a prizes to be won along with the finalists having their photos framed and displayed in venues around the town.
The competition opens this Sunday (July 24).
Family’s looking for a day of fun need look no further on Sunday, July 31 when O’Connell Street will be closed to traffic to host a range of exciting activities including interactive galleries, puppet shows, face painting, street and music performances.
The Blue Raincoat Theatre will be active throughout the festival with performances at the Factory Theatre (1.10pm on weeks from July 25-August 5), The Sligo Courthouse (12 noon-6pm on July 30).
The festival will wind down with three nights of free performances at the Stephen Street Car Park starting with local musician Kieran Quinn playing one of his ever-popular theme nights (Thursday, August 4) followed by The Strypes, Jerry Fish (Friday, August 5) and The Stunning (Saturday, August 6).
This of course is merely the tip of the iceberg as many other events make up the festival, all of which can be found in a downloadable version of the programme, available on www.thesligofestival.com.
