Local Notes: Work on former bank in Ballyhaunis nearly complete
Fr Stephen Farragher and members of his family at the recent celebration of the 40th anniversary of his ordination, from left: Tom Pollard (brother-in-law), Della Farragher (sister-in-law) Fr Pat Farragher (brother), Helen O'Sullivan (sister) David Farragher (brother), Fr Stephen Farragher, Claire O'Sullivan (sister) and Ray O'Sullivan (brother-in-law)
Mayo County Council will be renting all the apartments in the former Bank of Ireland building in Ballyhaunis, according to the head of the building firm behind the project, who thinks the building will be occupied in the coming months.
Tenants for the six apartments have been identified by the council from its local housing list, explained Tom Corrigan, director of Achill Formwork and Construction Co, which completed the works on the building.
“There are six apartments, five one-bedroom apartments and one two-bed,” he told the .
The lease is directly between the project developer Sayvale –with whom Mr Corrigan’s company is partnered on the Ballyhaunis redevelopment - and the council under the Repair and Leasing Scheme.
“This is our sixth project in Mayo under that scheme,” said Mr Corrigan. “We aim to have the inside work on the old bank completed in the next day days. We are looking then for the electricity connection to be installed. The kitchens are all installed.”
Mr Corrigan extends appreciation to the locals and local businesses for their patience while the works were underway.
“We tried to keep the obstruction to local footpaths to a minimum,” he explained.
A government website describes the Repair and Leasing Scheme as follows: “If your vacant property is suitable for social housing, the cost of necessary repairs is paid by the local authority or approved housing body (AHB). You then lease or make the property available to the local authority or AHB, who will use it for social housing. You will get an agreed rental payment from the local authority or AHB and the value of the repairs will be gradually offset against this rental payment over a specified period.”
The companies behind the redevelopment of the former Bank of Ireland building in Ballyhaunis is planning another major development in the town.
Kaizen Project Management Co is submitting a planning application to complete ten apartments in the former Johnston’s machinery yard on Knox Street.
Kaizen is a firm run by the management of Achill Formwork and Construction Co, which redeveloped the former Bank of Ireland building in the town. Dublin-based Sayvale is run by Austin Currie Jnr, a former banker whose firm has investments in social housing projects nationwide.
Local readers will be familiar with Johnston’s Machinery, for several decades a prominent farm machinery dealer with clients across the region.
Local meat processor Dawn Meats has confirmed that while some of its lamb processing operations in Ballyhaunis have been moved to Kildare the local abattoir is operating as normal.
“Dawn Meats can confirm that following an operational review, lamb cutting operations have ceased at the company's plant in Ballyhaunis,” the company told this column. “All members of staff have been retained and deployed in other roles on site.
"The lamb abattoir at Ballyhaunis continues to operate as normal and there will be no change to the service provided to our loyal suppliers of high-quality grass-fed lamb. Indeed, there is a growing demand from customers across Europe and globally for this excellent product.”
Dawn Meats acquired Kildare Chilling two years ago. The acquisition was subject to a Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) review that looked at the potential impact on competition in the sheep meat sector of the acquisition.
Farmers groups raised concerns about the potential future impact of the purchase on prices paid for sheep and cattle. Dawn Meats employs nearly 300 workers in Ballyhaunis, many of them drawn from the local Brazilian and other immigrant communities.
A British-based traveller with family connections to the Ballyhaunis area is one of several calling for water fountains at Ireland West Airport.
“There is no water fountain despite a €10 development charge on every passenger,” the traveller wrote to this column. “You’re forced to either buy a bottle or go and ask the barman in the pub if he’d give you a glass which is not ideal if he’s busy or you’re not buying anything in the bar.”
The passenger also vented his frustration on the popular website Trustpilot, which allows people to post reviews of commercial and public facilities.
Another airport user on the site wrote in recent months of Ireland West Airport: “Absolute disgrace that there was no filtered water available to customers. Especially considering they are charging every passenger an additional 10 euro charge to pass through the airport. We had to queue at the bar for tap water.”
Spokesman for the airport, Donal Healy, told this column: “There are plans for a water refill station in the next phase of developments. However passengers can for their water bottles refilled free of charge at any of our catering outlets at the airport.”
There were also positive comments about the airport on Trustpilot, including one from a lady who explained that staff had gotten her through the airport security process in seven minutes after the bus dropped her off with just 13 minutes to make her flight.
Popular Ballyhaunis menswear and shoes retailer Phillips was the choice of the newly-elected president of Swim Ireland, Frank Breslin, when he got outfitted for his new role recently.
Head of the governing body of the sport, which produced several medals at the most recent Olympics, Breslin called to the Claremorris outlet of Phillips for a new look.
“Phillips Menswear styled Frank with a selection of formal and casual outfits for official engagements and a blazer with a Swim Ireland crest,” explained Tracy Phillips, who helps with marketing at the family owned company. “Phillips are delighted to be chosen to style Frank and wish him every success with his presidency."
Phillips has been investing much effort in its online activity, with much success.
“We’re still enjoying online success both in Ireland and abroad,” explained Ms Phillips. “Even to the UK, despite the changes Brexit brought. Online is still growing thankfully...
"There’s definitely a mutually beneficial relationship between in store and online. Customers are very comfortable now shopping online these days. Occasionally, if they’ve have any queries, they’ll either phone or get in touch via our social media.”
Primary schools in the Ballyhaunis area will receive their second capitation payment of the year, the first payment with the increase in funding which will see schools receive €224 per pupil, up from €200 last year. A higher rate is paid for children with special needs.
While local TD and Minister of State Alan Dillon announced the increase, the new sum is €162 short of what’s required, according to the INTO.
Congratulations to Caroline Hession, Bekan, winner of €1,000 in the Ballyhaunis GAA 50/50 draw on June 29th on an envelope sold in the Club App.
An Iranian human rights campaigner has lauded the decades-long efforts by former Ballyhaunis politician Jim Higgins to bring democracy to Iran.
“Jim is a long standing supporter of the Iranian opposition,” said Amir Seifi, an Iran-born human rights activist and supporter of the National Council of Resistance in Iran based in Dublin.
A refugee who moved to Ireland in 2001, Seifi campaigned with Higgins against the Irish government’s decision to re-open an embassy in Tehran in 2021.
“The regime portrays this as somehow legitimising it [regime]. The Iranian regime seeks to dehumanise and demonise the opposition,” said Seifi, who stressed that any armed activity conducted by the group’s affiliates is confined to inside Iran. By contrast, he added, various terrorist activities in Europe and elsewhere have been attributed to the regime.
In the wake of the recent bombing of Iran by Israeli and US militaries, Seifi said he is “...absolutely optimistic that the regime’s days are numbered".
He explained “It’s often overlooked that the biggest problems of the regime are inside the country, they create external crises to take attention away from the problems inside the country.”
Iran, said Seifi, is suffering from “widespread corruption” and economic mismanagement.
“The regime has no solutions," he concluded.
