McHale Road residents should compromise - Matt Cooper

McHale Road residents should compromise - TV3’s Matt Cooper


Edwin McGreal

With decisions still pending from An Bord PleanΡla on the planning controversies at McHale Park in Castlebar, one of Ireland’s leading current affairs commentators has called on the McHale Road residents to compromise their position while a local councillor has renewed calls for the media tower at the centre of the dispute to be knocked.
Author and broadcaster Matt Cooper (pictured) was speaking shortly after Sunday’s Connacht Final at the venue and while he did acknowledge the residents’ concerns, he argued that occasions like last Sunday demonstrate the ‘greater good’ of the McHale Park redevelopment to the town and its economy.
Cooper was in Castlebar to present TV3’s coverage of the Connacht Final and the station’s base was in a temporary structure beside the unfinished media tower.
The media tower was built one metre higher and three metres wider than the planning permission granted and an appeal over the tower and an inquiry over the floodlights at McHale Park are currently with An Bord PleanΡla.
“I know there have been issues with the planning in relation to the media box but, to be honest, is it going to make that much difference if it is a metre or two lower?,” asked Cooper, when speaking to The Mayo News.
“That is a peculiarly Irish thing - to get the planning (permission) and then to get the measurements wrong when building it. I know it may be regarded by the residents as something of an eyesore but when you think about the benefits to the local economy of having the ground here for Connacht finals, I think for what the improvements of McHale Park bring to the town, surely it is a small enough price to pay.”
Decisions on both the media tower and the floodlights were due this week but an An Bord PleanΡla spokesperson yesterday told The Mayo News that both decisions are ‘likely’ to be pushed back to a later date. Local councillor Michael Kilcoyne, who has been a vocal supporter of the McHale Road residents, maintains that the media tower should be ‘removed’.
“I am still of the view that if the County Board behaved in a more conciliatory fashion, we wouldn’t be in front of An Bord PleanΡla now. But they have shown sheer arrogance and I and the residents would be of the belief that the tower should be taken down altogether and we await the decision of An Bord PleanΡla with interest. It is a fine stadium besides but the tower is a monstrosity,” Cllr Kilcoyne told The Mayo News.
However that is something Cooper reckons would be a ‘shame’.
“If somebody has to be slapped over the wrists for getting the measurements wrong, fair enough, but it would be an awful shame to tear the thing down, wouldn’t it? I know people can’t be taking advantage (of planning) and there would have been examples around the country where people might have sought to take advantage of lax planning.
“But this is a public facility for the benefit and the use of people in Mayo so I think it would be an awful shame, given the serious financial position that most sporting organisations are in, if something that is gone up there (the media tower) isn’t finished off and I’m sure the residents can see the greater good in relation to it.”
But Michael Kilcoyne slammed Cooper’s views.
“It is easy to comment about something that doesn’t affect you. Clearly Matt Cooper is not living in front of such a monstrosity and I doubt he would buy a house near such a structure either.”
Sunday’s Connacht Final saw an official attendance of 23,531 at the Castlebar venue and the game was the first live game at the venue since the new stand was finished. Matt Cooper was fulsome in his praise for the venue and the pitch, newly laid by Killeen Sports Ground and maintained by Castlebar Mitchels clubmen like Phil Heneghan and Ger Feeney.
“We were here two years ago when we did the (Connacht) Final between Mayo and Galway and the place really has been transformed from what we found here at that time. It is a rather unique ground with all the stone seating, giving it the all-seater, which gives it a certain distinctiveness as well. But the brand new modern stand looks really, really good.
“I remember two years ago walking across the pitch after the match and thinking ‘God this really isn’t of the standard you’d expect for inter-county football’. But the pitch today just looked absolutely beautiful. They’ve obviously done a fantastic job in relaying the pitch and you could see it today.”
Mayo GAA Secretary SeΡn Feeney confirmed to The Mayo News that the county board will receive 10 per cent of the gate receipts from Sunday.
“It was a hectic week and we will review what improvements we can make. The seating in the stand may be a problem in that we may need to free up another aisle but it was great to get the game.”

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AUDIO TV3’s Matt Cooper says McHale Road residents should compromise