Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon / County Donegal on the Net News Vol.4 No.2 October, 2002 Holiday In Donegal in 2002-2003!
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Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon / County Donegal on the Net News Vol.4 No.2 October, 2002 Holiday In Donegal in 2002-2003! |
| Déjà vu in Donegal The Alternative to Pylons Group (ATP) and Coiste Timpeallachta Ghaoth Dobhair have expressed outrage at articles which appeared in the Donegal Democrat newspaper on the 17th of October regarding the 'power crisis' in the County. The articles amounted to no more than unsubstantiated ESB propaganda. Do the ESB and the County Councillors suffer from some form of collective amnesia? In December 2000 the State, taxpayers, the County Councillors, the ESB, ATP, Coiste Timpeallachta Ghaoth Dobhair and An Taisc went through a prolonged and detailed examination of the facts as presented by experts at a two week long Oral Hearing to An Bord Pleanala (See ATP). This democratic process came to the conclusion that putting a 110kv line with over 450 pylons across West Donegal was not a reasonable solution and on July 2nd, 2001 the Board rejected the ESB's proposals pursuant to the Local Government Acts; the National Development Plan and the County's own Development Plan. Prof. Mike O'Carroll, a world authority on electricity who addressed the Oral Hearing on ATP's behalf, has stated his disappointment that, over a year after An Bord Pleanala's decision, the ESB have 'slide back' to their original proposals and that there appears to be no progress in their thinking with regard to the use of alternatives to pylons. The ESB still dismiss all alternatives out of hand. They dismiss interconnection with Northern Ireland in spite of recently having been given 300 million Euro of public money to invest in the new Coolkerragh power station in Derry in which they have an 84% stake. This new facility will be twice as efficient as the old one and must surely point to an option to link the power supplies between Derry and Letterkenny. Prof. O'Carroll suggests that the ESB's preferred overground pylon option from Binbane to Letterkenny via a new substation at Derrybeg is principally to facilitate the EXPORT of wind power from Donegal and rather than augment the power supply with this proposal they seek merely to increase their profits. The ESB should be open about their real agenda. According to Prof. O'Carroll wind farm developers should be charged with the cost of undergrounding this extra connection infrastructure consistent with EU Environmental Policy of 'internalising' costs of impacts in accordance with the 'polluter-pays' principle. As it happens there are currently twenty proposals to erect wind farms in Donegal. Prof. O'Carroll has restated that the existing 38kv line can supply the needs of the West of the County as proven by the exisiting supply and demand figures. The need to augment the power at Killybegs and Letterkenny should be done as a matter of urgency by connecting Binbane with Killybegs by underground cables and creating local power generation at Letterkenny. There is no need for the ESB's proposed substation at Derrybeg save to facilitate wind farm developments and the only people who would benefit from it are the wind power developers. Would they be so interested in building wind farms on our beautiful mountains if they had to pay for the costs of undergrounding the line needed to take away the power? The ESB is statutorily obliged to provide quality electricity supply and as their proposals have been rejected by An Bord Pleanala it is incumbent upon them to seek suitable alternatives which are acceptable to the residents and the environment in Donegal. If you wish to help the ATP Campaign by making a donation to the Appeal fund send a cheque or postal order to: ATP GROUP, Account no. 82529441, Bank of Ireland, Dungloe, County Donegal, Ireland. Ar Chreag i Lár na Farraige le Lillis Ó Laoire Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Sin a deirtear. Agus is fíor freisin a rá gur tír gan anam tír gan cheol. In Éirinn tá an ceol fite fuaite le gach gné den saol againn, agus gan mórán airde tugtha ar an fhíoras seo. Sa saothar spreagúil Ar Chreag i Lár na Farraige 'sí an cheist seo, brí an cheoil, atá faoi chaibidil. Oileán Thoraí, oileán an rí gan choróin atá ina luí amuigh ó chósta thiar-thuaidh Thír Chonaill. Cé nach mór a achar, is mór an mhaoin cheoil atá neadaithe ann, le traidisiún amhránaíochta atá fós beo agus ina chuid lárnach de shaol an oileán. In Ar Chreag i Lár na Farraige déanann an t-údar scagadh ar chleachtadh na hamhránaíochta i measc phobal an oileán. Déanann sé an cleachtadh sin a shníomh isteach i gcomhthéacs shaol an phobail céanna, ar thóir réiteach na ceiste: Cén bhrí atá leis an cheol? Tá suas le ochtó grianghraf sa leabhar, agus tá dlúthdhiosca ag dul leis ar a bhfuil idir amhráin agus cheol ón oileán. Tá amhráin ar an CD ó amhránaithe móra Thoraí, leithéidí John Tom Ó Mianáin, Jimí Mhary Bhilí, Teresa Mhic Claifeartaigh agus Éamonn Mac Ruairí. Leabhar údarásach atá in Ar Chreag i Lár na Farraige, agus bíobla úr d'amhránaithe ar fud na tíre agus do lucht an cheoil go gineareálta, a nochtaidh cruinne shaibhir chultúrtha Oileán Thoraigh dóibh. Cuirfidh an bailiúchán seo gliondar ar aon duine a bhfuil ceol ina chroí. Cathal Coinín agus Cairde Beaga Eile le Gearóidín Breathnach Cnuasach álainn de scéalta do pháistí óga ón scéalaí agus ón amhránaí cáiliúil seo. Tá carachtaeir áille cruthaithe ag Gearóidín, agus neart diabhlaíochta ar bun acu uilig. Tá Cathal Coinín dána ag ligean air go bhfuil sé tinn ionas nach gcaithfidh sé dul ar scoil. Tá Áine ag iarraidh a thaispeáint don mhúinteoir gur ise an duine is fearr sa rang ag dul den Bhéarla, ach n'fheadar an fios di cad is brí leis na focail mhóra atá á n-úsáid aici? Tá Séimí ag súil go mbeidh pizza deas ag a sheanmháthair dó nuair a fhilleann sé ón scoil, ach síleann sise go mbeadh brúitín níos fearr dó. Agus cad faoi na luchóga nach n-itheann aon fheoil? Cuirfidh an bailiúcháin seo gliondar ar pháistí, agus is féidir leo éisteacht le Gearóidín á léamh ar an dlúthdhiosca a ghabhann leis an leabhar. Oireachtas na Gaeilige in Gweedore The Annual Oireachtas na Gaeilige will this year take place in Gweedore from October 30th to November 3rd when several thousand are expected to attend from all over Ireland. This Irish language cultural festival includes Sean Nós singing; poetry and literature competitions. |
 Lough Finn, Fintown, October, 2002 © EIS for proposed Super Dump at Meenabol The site at Meenabol, Fintown of a proposed landfill dump is to undergo an Environmental Impact Study over the next few months before the County Council opens a public consultation process. This sparsely populated area is one of intense beauty and the idea of locating such a dump in this area is madness! Email your objections to . Body Found at Donegal Castle A medieval corpse has been found at Donegal Castle in Donegal Town, prompting archaeologists to suggest that the site was a burial ground prior to the Castle being built in 1474. Excavations are continuing under the auspices of Dúchas, the national heritage body. Ceili Dancing in Ballybofey The Twin Towns Ceili Club will commence dancing lessons in Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey on Monday night, the 4th of November at 8.30pm. Classes cost 3 Euro a night. Save the Swilly Update A seminar on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) held in Letterkenny on October 7th, was attended by a cross-section of fishermen, anglers, tourism providers, fish farmers, representatives from CLAMS, the Northern Regional Fisheries Board and politicians. Dr Andrew Cooper's 'Scoping Study for an ICZM strategy for Lough Swilly' (download it from Lough Swilly.com) has taken the debate on the future development of Lough Swilly on to a different level. Dr Cooper cited various bays where ICZM in one form or another has been established, including Bantry Bay, Strangford Lough and the Firth of Forth. It was clear from his presentation that a body of substance, such as the Donegal County Council, will have to be persuaded to 'own' the process if ICZM is to succeed in Lough Swilly. What is needed is a genuinely neutral, independent body with enough authority to command the respect of all parties, and with the ability to deliver results. There are many issues in Lough Swilly that require genuinely independent aribitration, and which are not being adequately addressed by existing mechanisms. The next step is to persuade Donegal County Council to accept some responsibility in the process, and indeed to take the lead. Local elections come around again in 2004 - ask your local representative what he/she is doing to address the issues confronting Lough Swilly. If you have any thoughts on the concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management for Lough Swilly, make them known through Lough Swilly.com. A Tornado hits Dunfanaghy Residents in Dunfanaghy awoke on Thursday 24th of October to find that a tornado had visited the village the previous night. Eye witnesses said that a terrible hailstone shower preceeded the tornado which uprooted trees and caused a wall to collapse near the old Workhouse. While the village frequently experiences severe storms in winter this was the first time in living memory that the village was hit by a tornado. Eating Well in Donegal Two Donegal butchers are shortlisted for the prestigious National Butchers' Sausage and Pudding Competition to take place in November. Connell McLoone of Ardara received a silver medal for excellence in the speciality sausage section of the regional finals as did Walsh Butchers, Donegal Town. Ten Donegal businesses are listed in the new John and Sally McKenna Bridgestone Vegetarian Guide to Ireland. Four restaurants are recommended for vegetarian food - Castlemurray House and McGrory's in Dunkineely, the Green Gate in Ardara and the Mill Restaurant in Dunfanaghy. Also listed are shops where good organic and vegetarian produce is available in Donegal. |