Mayo stench

mayo | environment | news report

Thursday June 24, 2004 05:06

by Hudie

Stench of offal too much for defiant convoy

MORE than 250 travellers who ‘invaded’ Ballyhaunis over a week ago were continuing to camp in the town Monday night. Despite abandoning one car park after two trailers of rotting meat were parked beside their caravans, the Travellers were refusing to leave the town and appeared to have settled in their new location on the outskirts of Ballyhaunis.

The 50 or so vehicles, some of which are registered in Counties Cork, Limerick and Kildare, and others with Northern Ireland and English plates, arrived on Saturday evening, June 12th, blocking access to the Muslim’s Mosque in the town.
The Travellers had been camped in a car park adjacent to the Dawn Meats factory and showed no signs of moving until two trailers of stinking offal were ‘conveniently’ parked beside the unofficial halting site. The stench from the decaying meat was so bad that several Travellers claimed they had to seek medical assistance from local doctors.
Unable to bear the revolting stench any longer, the Travellers packed up and moved to a new site on the Charlestown Road in the East Mayo town on Friday evening. The site, formerly the location of the Connacht Gold Mart, was recently purchased by John Murphy of Grasscare Machinery Ltd. Yesterday (Monday) evening the Travellers remained at the site and showed no signs of moving despite calls from local politicians and businessmen, who are outraged by the arrival of the Travellers.
According to local residents the town of Ballyhaunis has been “like a ghost town” since their arrival. Some pubs have been closing their doors early in the evening, while others are remaining open, with security men manning the doors at all times.
It is also understood that the national smoking ban has gone out the window in some pubs in the town, as a number of publicans are anxious to keep the front doors closed in an effort to keep the Travellers out.
Supt. Ken Brennan of Swinford Garda Station explained that a formal letter of complaint from the owner of the site had not yet been received.
“We must receive an official letter of complaint. As soon as we do, we can demand they move on under the current legislation,” he said.
When contacted by the Western People, Mr Murphy refused to comment on the matter.
Cllr John Cribbin, from Ballyhaunis, said he was outraged by the presence of the Travellers and told the Western People that he found it totally unacceptable in this day and age. He went on to explain that they are “not ordinary Travellers from the locality, but wealthy people with luxurious caravans.” He urged people not to do business with them.
Mr Donal Shanaghy, President of the Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce, stressed that the current situation in Ballyhaunis cannot be fully addressed on a local level.
“This is a national problem, once they leave Ballyhaunis, they’ll go somewhere else. It needs to be solved at a national level. The Government must act now.”