'Signgate' erupts in Castlebar ahead of historic rugby game in Mayo

Councillors in the Castlebar Municipal District have gone to war with their colleagues in Mayo County Council over a sign welcoming Connacht and Munster teams to the county town.

Members of Castlebar Municipal District expressed their anger at the monthly municipal district meeting after hearing that a sign they erected ahead of the historic URC rugby clash in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park was removed and replaced.

The original sign placed on The Mall in Castlebar stated 'Castlebar Municipal District welcomes Connacht and Munster Rugby to Castlebar' but it was subsequently removed and removed with a similar sign saying Mayo County Council welcomes Connacht and Munster Rugby to Castlebar.

READ: Mayo cousins relish historic Connacht match in MacHale Park

Castlebar councillor Blackie Gavin raised the matter and demanded what happened to the original sign and who moved it.

“I want to compliment the work being done by the Castlebar Municipal District but I am after seeing that the sign has been changed to Mayo County Council welcomes. Why has the sign been changed? What is going on? It was up for the last couple of days but our sign is gone. Someone has taken our sign,” he said.

Catahoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Cllr Donna Sheridan commented that they were all in agreement that they should instruct whoever took their sign down to immediately put it back up.

“It is very unfair given the amount of work the outdoor staff have done to tidy up the town. They have done amazing work as have the staff in the office ahead of this weekend's rugby. I want to thank them so much and I want to ask who took down the old sign and who put down the new sign. What has Mayo County Council other than the municipal district done for the rugby at the weekend for them to remove the sign. We want our sign back,” she said.

An estimated crowd of 25,000 is expected to be in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar on Saturday afternoon for the first professional rugby game to be played in the home of Mayo GAA.

Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke said it was great to see the historic rugby match coming to Castlebar and praised President of Connacht Rugby, Castlebar man Jimmy Staunton for the foresight of bringing it to Castlebar.

“There is a great buzz around the town and it is great to see. It will be good for business with a lot of them with increased bookings for the weekend and it is a fantastic opportunity for Castlebar to showcase the town,” he said.