Mulranny road collision

French national appears in court charged with causing fatal Mulranny road collision


Neill O’Neill

ON the same day – last Thursday – that 25-year-old Yvonne Moran from Rosturk was laid to rest in her native village of Mulranny, a 27-year-old French national appeared in Westport District Court charged with dangerous driving causing her death.
Mr Remi Duclos appeared before Judge Mary Devins charged contrary to Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act (as amended) 1961. He was bailed on his own bond of €750 to appear in court again on November 6. Gardaí requested this time to complete their investigations into the accident.
The court was told Mr Duclos, who has an address listed at 3 The Courtyard, Park Inn Hotel, Mulranny, remains in temporary employment at the hotel.
He was granted legal aid and told that he must sign on in Westport Garda Station once a week until his next court appearance.
Ms Moran died in Mayo General Hospital at 9.20pm on Monday, September 15 last, less than 24 hours after she was injured in a collision at Rosgalive, outside Mulranny village, one mile from her home.
Judge Mary Devins offered her sympathy, and that of the court, to Ms Moran’s family, and to An Garda Síochána, of which the deceased was a member based in Ballymote Co Sligo.

Westport Town Council

Westport Town Council has called on the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD to protect the Cregganbaun and Doolough region from mining.

A motion proposed by Labour's Cllr Keith Martin and supported by Sinn Fein's Cllr Dave Keating was adopted unanimously by the council at this week's December meeting of Westport Town Council.

In the resolution the area is described as one of "great national and international significance as an environmentally sensitive, culturally and religiously important area" and highlighted the intrinsic value of the area as a tourism feature.

The resolution also lends its support to the concerns of local groups opposed to the Mining.

Speaking on the motion Cllr Martin said that the motion spoke for itself adding that he believed that the proposed for a small scale "seven dwarf type mine" was a front for the introduction of whole scale mining in the area. Cllr Dave Keating said that the proposal by the mining company was for a tourism mine which he described as an Oxymoron.

At the request of Cllr Martin a copy of the resolution is being sent by Westport's Town Clerk to Minister Ryan.



a) That this Council, whilst welcoming sustainable and environmentally friendly development, industry and the harnessing of natural resources, which leads to job creation and investment in and around Westport, shares the concerns of the interested parties such as Mayo Environmental Group and Westport Tourism Organisation in relation to the proposal to mine for gold in the Cregganbaun and Doolough region and calls upon the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD to protect this area of great national and international significance as an environmentally sensitive, culturally and religiously important area with a massive intrinsic tourism value.

Councillors walk out of Ballina meeting

Councillors walk out of Ballina meeting
TUESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2008
Councillors walk out of Ballina Parkside residents’ meeting


Anna-Marie Flynn

TWO town councillors dramatically walked out of a meeting between Clúid Housing Association and Ballina’s Parkside Residents’ Committee last week in a move described as ‘totally and completely unprofessional’.
In the latest twist in the proposed €11.5 million regeneration project, an update meeting between residents and Clúid personnel became heated after an initial question and answer session, during which residents queried issues raised at a Council meeting of October 15 last, Cllr Mary Kelly suggested the format was not appropriate.
During the session, the frustration of residents was relayed with one tenant going so far as to walk out of the meeting amid claims he was ‘fed up with constant promises’.
Cllr Kelly told Residents’ Chairperson Jean Brown: “You need to start looking forward and not back. This format is not going to work, with people going back on things that have been said before. It’s time to move forward and try and overcome this,” she said.
Ms Brown rejected the comments made by Cllr Kelly that residents were ‘always looking backwards’.
Cllr Frances McAndrew said she agreed ‘whole-heartedly’ with the comments of Cllr Kelly, saying a lot could be achieved if the parties looked towards future progress. Both councillors left the meeting together after speaking to the floor.
Cllr Johnnie O’Malley did not take the same line laid down by his party colleague Cllr McAndrew, and told the meeting he felt the ‘frank exchange of views’ was a necessary part of the process. “People have to let off steam. These people are representing other residents and have to vent the feelings the others have expressed. Clúid has lost credibility in this. The residents could not speak in the Council chamber and they have a right to do so here,” he said.
Speaking after the meeting, Jean Brown told The Mayo News she felt the walk-out by the two councillors was ‘totally and completely unprofessional’. “They should stand down as public representatives if they are not prepared to represent the people fairly. As part of our meeting we were well within our rights to question Clúid on matters arising from their meeting with the Council and we did so in the format we chose.”
Ms Brown also extended thanks to Cllrs Peter Clarke, Mark Winters, Padraig Moore and Johnnie O’Malley for ‘constant assistance and respect shown to us’