Walking enthusiasts will have a unique opportunity to explore the countryside off the Great Western Greenway this June bank holiday weekend at Burrishoole Walking Festival. For the past 25 years Burrishoole Walking Festival has been revealing a piece of hidden Ireland to local and international walkers. Established in 1987, the festival is organised by an enthusiastic bunch of local volunteers, with farmers swapping their wellies for walking boots to act as guides through lands that they know best.

The lower Moy fisheries did not produce many fish over the past week; Ballina Salmon Anglers’ water yielded seven while the Moy Fishery reported no catch for the week. The mid Moy fisheries produced a few fish, and at Coolcronan, Sandra Fleming, N.Ireland, was the first angler to catch a salmon off that fishery, winning her the Coolcronan Cup. Sandra caught a fine 7lbs salmon on a spinner. This was shortly followed by Tommy Whiteside, who took the second of the season, a fish of 8lbs on worm.

The apparent poisoning  of White tailed Eagle found on the shores of Lough Beltra in County Mayo has been condemned by Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.  The young Mayo eagle, which had been released in Killarney National Park in 2010, was carrying a satellite tag to track its movements, and when the tag showed the bird was not moving about, a search was carried out by National Parks and Wildlife Service staff and the Golden Eagle Trust.

The Gourmet Greenway, Mayo’s only food trail, celebrated its first birthday this week with the announcement of six new members – almost doubling its size - and the welcome news that the initiative has contributed over €1million to the local economy.  At a special birthday dinner at Mulranny Park Hotel, attended by Sunday Independent food writer Lucinda O’Sullivan, six new members were announced, bringing the Gourmet Greenway membership to 13 – almost double since its launch.