€15.6 million funding approved for Mayo roads

A total of €15.6 million in funding has been approved for new road projects in Co. Mayo,Mayo TD and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring has confirmed. Some €1.56 million has been allocated to five projects in the county for larger works under the specific improvements scheme. ...

Over 20 homes in Mayo found with high levels of cancer-causing radon gas

Fifteen per cent of Mayo homes recently tested for radon were found to have high levels of the cancer-causing gas according to figures released by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). One home in Ballina had more than five times the acceptable level. Over 300 homes from across the country have been identified by the RPII as having high levels of radon in the last seven months. ...

Erris residents in danger of being cut off as road starts to collapse

The Ard Mor Road, Binghamstown, is almost impassable - and is one of just 168 LIS roads in the Belmullet Electoral area alone that are waiting to be repaired, according to a Mayo Sinn Fein councillor. Cllr Rose Conway-Walsh is calling for the reinstatement of the  Local Improvement Scheme to provide the funding so that local residents can repair the road that is not the responsibility of the local authority. ...

Help for homeowners struggling to pay for septic tank upgrades

Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin, has warmly welcomed the confirmation given to her by Minster for the Environment, Phil Hogan, that homeowners who face difficulties in paying for upgrades to their septic tank could receive financial assistance from the State. And she has criticised opposition TDs for painting a negative picture in relatin to the septic tank registration fees. ...

Castlebar protests against Govt payment to Anglo bondholders

Despite the bad weather conditions, more than 100 people gathered in Castlebar on Wednesday to show their opposition to this government paying out €1.25 billion to yet another unguaranteed, unsecured Anglo bondholder. The lunchtime protest, organised by Mayo Sinn Féin was attended by a broad range of individuals, members  of communtity and voluntary organisations, young people, students, business owners, as well as members of Mayo Sinn Féin. ...

Gortskehy flew primary schools' flag for Mayo at BT Young Scientist Exhibition

Gortskehy N.S. was the only primary school in Mayo representing the county at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition in Dublin.  Throughout the day, the pupils from fifth and sixth class demonstrated an experiment on acids, bases and the pH scale.  Their project included the building and programming of a lego robot with colour and ultrasonic sensors to aid in the experiment.  This proved to be a big attraction.  ...

Mayo teacher wins Outstanding Volunteer Award

Mayo teacher, Declan Askin, from St. Gerald's Castlebar, was presented with the Outstanding Volunteer Award at the national First Lego League Championships 2012, sponsored by SAP at the Radisson Blu in Galway at the weekend. Mr Askin was attending the awards with a group of Castlebar students who were competing. ...

Time to look to River Moy for hydropower once again

For much of the 20th century some of the biggest industries in Ballina were powered by renewable energy that came from hydroelectric power generated by the River Moy. And now a member of Ballina Town Council says that at a time when Ireland is desperately seeking out new sources of renewable and green energy, it is time once again to look to the magestic river to supply some of Ballina's energy needs. ...

Mayo Strength and Conditioning Academy coming to a town near you

The Mayo Strength and Conditioning Academy has just been launched and aims to provide qualified, safe, strength and conditioning training to teenagers of all sports throughout Mayo. Owned and promoted by well-known athlete and fitness trainer, Paul Ginty of  PG-Team Fitness in Ballina, the academy is open to male and female athletes and even non-athletes between the ages of 13 and 19. ...

Hollywood glamour for Western Care Candlelight Ball

The 12th Annual Candlelight Ball in aid of Western Care was officially launched by Cllr. Eugene McCormack, Mayor of Castlebar. The Candlelight Ball takes place on Saturday 11th February in Breaffy House Hotel and will have a Hollywood Romance theme this year. The Western Care Candlelight Ball has become a solid fixture in the Castlebar social calendar. Now in its twelfth year,  it is a fantastic nights entertainment for everyone who attends. ...

Vote for Mayo students to win Doodle 4 Google competition

Six Mayo students have been named as finalists in the fourth annual Doodle 4 Google art competition. They are now amongst 75 Irish students in with a chance of seeing their doodle on the Google Ireland Homepage for all to see. Everyone in Mayo is now being urged to visit  google.ie/doodle4google  and vote for their favourite. ...

Plans for new N26 back on track as NRA to seek alternative route

The proposed new N26 road that would link Ballina and all of North Mayo to the N5 is back on track, Mayo Fine Gael. TD Michelle Mulherin has revealed following a series of meetings involving Deputy Mulherin, the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar TD. A Strategic Transport Study for the N26 Phase II will now be conducted to identify an alternative national road connection to Ballina. ...

GMIT in talks to create Ireland's largest tech university

The five institutes of technology in the Border, Midlands and West (BMW) region are at an advanced stage in discussions regarding the establishment of a technological university. Given Government approval, a Border Midlands West Technological University (BMW TU) would create the largest higher education institution in Ireland with 27,000 students. ...

Mayo on the crest of a green energy revolution

Renewable energy produced in North Mayo could help secure the Ireland's energy needs and also provide up to 10 per cent of Britain’s electricity requirement, say the developers of a wind and wave energy project at Glinsk mountain near Belderrig in North Mayo. The company behind the project, Organic Power Ltd of Skibbereen, Co Cork, says construction work on the scheme would create hundreds of jobs. ...