'Ugly' Castlebar sewer pipe crossing river has 'destroyed' Mayo river

THE placing of a sewer pipe over the Castlebar River in the centre of Mayo's county town has destroyed the river and inhibited what can be done to improve the river as a public amenity.

That is the opinion of Castlebar councillor Ger Deere who made the comment at the monthly meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District during a discussion on restoring the natural habitat of the town river.

Independent councillor Harry Barrett raised the matter when he proposed that the local authority commission a habitat management plan for the river in order to be able to draw down funding to carry out work on it.

Cllr Barrett described the current condition of the river as something from an 'industrial' age and wanted to improve the habitat in order to enjoy the amenities it can offer the local population and visitors to the town.

“Coming into town and seeing the state of the town river it is absolutely neglected and speaks of a bygone era where we did not respect our waterways. That is what it says. It could be an awful lot better because tourists today want experiences and be able to fish and kayak in Castlebar and experience the best we have to offer. We have a fantastic resource and it should be developed to the maximum of capacity.

Habitat plan

“I AM asking that we apply for funding to carry out a habitat management plan so we can apply for funding to reinvigorate the Castlebar town river and invest serious money and make it a resource to be proud of. I want people to benefit from what it can offer and be able to take kayaks right through this town out to Turlough and be able to see fish go through that river again. It has massive potential for this town,” he said.

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The Castlebar River travels from Islandeady through the town towards Turlough and is a tributary of the River Moy.

Cllr Deere said he fully agreed with Cllr Barrett that there is huge potential with the river but travelling from Lough Lannagh to Turlough in a kayak is not possible because of the sewer pipe crossing the river near the Castle Street car park.

“It would be lovely to go from Bilberry to Turlough but you can't because no other local authority would have given planning permission to put in the ugliest sewer pipe.

“We destroyed that river and inhibited what we could do with the river because of that ugly sewer pipe. It cuts right across the river and if you are in a kayak you have to get off. We have a problem with it and has to be dealt with,” he commented.

The meeting heard that in a seven month period four years ago, local tidy towns groups retrieved 38 shopping trolleys from the river and Fianna Fáil councillor Al McDonnell said that spending millions on cleaning the river would be a waste if people did not respect it.

“It is fine to spend millions of euros but if it doesn't have the ultimate respect of people adjoining it you are wasting your time,” he said.