All roads lead to Burrishoole for 25th annual walking festival

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. ...

Sandra hooks first Coolcronan salmon of season

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. ...

Minister condemns killing of White-tailed Eagle in Mayo

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. ...

Mayo Food Trail doubles in size for first birthday

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. ...

Online support for Project Maths launched in Mayo

A new Irish website, www.TheMathsTutor.ie, providing online support for Project Maths, has been launched in time for the 2012 exams.  Project Maths is the name given to the new maths syllabus being rolled out by the Department of Education for  both the Junior and Leaving Certificate courses.  This year’s Leaving Cert students are the first full cohort to sit exams based on Project Maths. ...

Mayo students reveal the science behind nail polish and safety helmets

Mayo exhibitors were among more than 230 second level students from the region whoshowcased their impressive scientific discoveries and explorations at SciFest@IT Sligo on May 4th. The exhibition was part of a series of one-day science fairs that will take place this year at Institutes of Technology across the country. Almost 100 science projects were displayed at SciFest@IT Sligo with the students delving into a range of investigations. ...

Killala bishops speak out on uncertain future facing rural schools

The uncertain future facing many small rural schools in Ireland has been highlighted by both His Lordship Most Reverend John Fleming, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killala - and The Very Revd Patrick Rooke, Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry.  Bishop Fleming has said that any decisions regarding the review of small schools need to be made, first and foremost, with the child’s best interest at heart. ...

Mayo mother, Bridie McLoughlin, is Connaught/Ulster Carer of the Year 2012

The Carers Association's Connaught/Ulster Carer of the Year Award 2012 was presented at a special ceremony on Friday evening to Mayo carer, Bridie McLoughlin, at the Westport Plaza Hotel. Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, Cllr Christy Hyland, presented Bridie with both her Mayo Carer of the Year and Connaught/Ulster Carer of the Year 2012 Awards. ...

McCullagh is victorious on Mayo Autocross

Reigning Mayo Autocross champion Peter McCullagh carried on from where he finished 2012, with victory on Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday. The Maynooth driver was the class of the field in his Mitsubishi Evo 9, recording a comfortable winning margin of over two seconds over his rivals after a fine final run over the challenging 4.6 kilometre circuit at Harrington’s Quarry, The Valley, Swinford. ...

Castlebar nurse wins top award for her contribution to nursing

Patricia Barrett-O’Boyle, a Public Health Nurse in Castlebar, received the prestigious Gobnait O’Connell Award at the Annual Delegate Conference of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. Patricia was nominated for this award, which commemorates the late Gobnait O’Connell, by her nursing colleagues in the Castlebar Branch. ...

Tourism boost for Westport as coach tours back Grainne Mhaol show

Westport’s hugely popular traditional music summer show ‘The Legend of Gráinne Mhaol’ at Hotel Westport received a timely boost this week with the news that a number of international tour operators are scheduling the show into their summer itineraries this summer. Promoters from The Legend of Gráinne Mhaol show were in Dublin at the Meitheal Irish Travel and TradeFair Show at the RDS and met several key tour operators from around the world to discuss the possibility of tour groups travelling to Westport in the coming months. ...

Photography competition for secondary schools

The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life has launched a new secondary school level photography competition, ‘Power & Privilege Today.’ The museum challenges secondary students to capture the image that they think best conveys the idea of ‘Power &  Privilege Today’ in 2012. Is it a big house, a new car, or the latest pair of trainers - or is it something more subtle? ...

Belmullet woman helps generate renewable energy options

As energy prices soar and more and more people consider renewable energy options, Belmullet IT Sligo student, Karen Barrett, chose a timely theme when picking her end of year project. Karen (29) and three fellow students built a wind generator which will now be used as a research and teaching aid at the Institute. ...

All roads lead to Connacht Spring Show in Ballinrobe

All roads lead to Ballinrobe Racecourse on the May 19th and 20th for the inaugural Connacht Spring Show which promises to be one of the best shows to be held in the West of Ireland in recent years.  Incorporating the Connacht International Sheep Shearing Championships, the Spring Show will boast a comprehensive and diverse range of exhibitions and displays.  Foremost among them will be the large farm machinery show. ...