Tuesday, 29 November 2011 15:44

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Sir,

I WISH to bring to the attention of your readers the latest saga regarding Castlebar Military Barracks. Two weeks ago the Government announced the closure of Castlebar together with three other barracks, Mullingar, Clonmel and Cavan. The Castlebar closure was confirmed by the military authorities at a meeting in the town on Friday week last. This is a terrible upheaval for all the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) personnel and their families at all these locations due to the trauma of having to move many miles from their bases. Castlebar Barracks like the others is home to the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) which was previously known as An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiuil (FCA) and while the effect for us is not as immediately telling, as it is for our full time colleagues, it is nevertheless hard to swallow. We were advised that the barracks must be vacated on or before the end of March 2012 and that a suitable property was being sought for rent in the town. This to accommodate the PDF cadre personnel in support of the RDF presence across Mayo

Monday, 08 August 2011 09:53

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Sir,

CASTLEBAR Town Council paid a significant honour to Islandeady sports star and European senior gold medal winner, Ray Moylett, of St Ann’s Boxing Club Westport, at Lough Lannagh Village, when Ray was accorded a civic reception by The Mayor of Castlebar, Councillor Eugene McCormack.

As a fellow Islandeady native, Mayor McCormack said Castlebar recognised the tremendous honour Ray brought to the county and to his sport of amateur boxing.

The Mayor and the Town Council have by their support recognised the standing of Irish amateur boxing, Ireland’s leading Olympic sport, a recognition that is missed by the national press and the state broadcasting media RTÉ.

Peter Mullen, former Irish champion and international boxer, now coach and mentor at St. Ann’s club, referred in his speech to the achievement of Ray’s parish of Islandeady, as the lynchpin between the progressive towns of Westport and Castlebar, providing The European champion, The Town Mayor and The Taoiseach of Ireland.

In the history of the Olympics Games, 23 Olympic medals were won by Irish athletics, 12 of those Olympic medals have been won by Irish boxers and of those Olympic medal holders only one, Paddy Barns, Beijing Olympic bronze medal winner, has won an European Gold, like Ray Moylett.

In the 100 years history of Irish amateur boxing, the six European gold medals were won for Ireland before this year’s double gold wins of Ray Moylett and Joe Ward, of Athy, were won for Dublin and Belfast boxing clubs.

This year’s Irish wins of two of the 10 European gold medals contested in the 2011 European Championships, by the top 57 European Boxing nations shows the strength of this leading Irish Olympic sport, a 32 county Irish sport.

This double European gold medal win for Ireland was only achieved once before in 1939, by the great Dublin boxers Jimmy Ingle and Paddy Dowdall, when the European Championships were held in Dublin for the official opening of the National Boxing Stadium on St. Circular Road.

Ray Moylett set the pace in Turkey for Ireland to celebrate the centenary year of Irish amateur boxing.

Sincerely yours,

Sean Horkan,

Turlough,

Castlebar.

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 14:50

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Sir,

I TRAVELLED from Dublin for the privilege of attending the funeral of Mr. Michael 'Minister' Waldron in Ballyhaunis.

I did so to honour the person who had died and his family. But another very important reason for me was the opportunity to witness whether the sense of community was alive and well in my hometown.

As someone who has lived in Dublin for over 40 years, I realise that community here is a most nebulous affair, if it exists at all.

My journey home was well rewarded as the cultural community that I once belonged to, Irish, Catholic, GAA, Nationalist, town and country turned out in force.

I, and others like me - a large contingent came from Coventry - was afforded an opportunity to dip into our past and its vibrant cultural presence.

Fr. Stephen Farragher, P.P., and John Prenty of the Connaught Council both spoke eloquently on behalf of everyone.

One of them ended by truly saying: 'Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann'.

Sincerely yours,

Anthony J. Jordan,

52 Gilford Road,

Dublin 4.

Monday, 20 June 2011 13:39

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CONGRATULATIONS to Mairtín O'Máicin on his recent Beo go Deo article highlighting the lack of respect that is shown to our national flag and the way in which it is abused.