NIGHT SKY Switching off unnecessary street lighting could make Mayo the astronomy capital of the country.
A call to turn out the lights
People and Places Michael Commins LET us launch a crusade here and now to make Connacht the dark province! It is time to switch off much of the late night street lighting that serves no purpose at all.
Let us lead the way in making this region of Ireland a paradise for astronomers, the astronomy capital of the country. And let others follow our success.
The explosion in light pollution has been quite horrendous over the past decade. Those ugly orange glows in the night sky, now emanating from towns across the region, are having a major impact on the beauty of the night sky as seen and appreciated by countless thousands down through the centuries.
Light pollution must be controlled and a new awareness of the absolute beauty of the night sky must be restored before things are allowed to escalate much further. Anyone driving from London towards Hollyhead late at night and going through much of the heart of England cannot but notice the appalling consequences of the ever-present and invasive light pollution that must also be having an extraordinary impact on wildlife and nature.
Day after day, we are being told to turn off lights and switches in the home while, at the same time, there is horrendous waste of energy through public lighting all over the country. Back In the 1950s, the public lights in many towns were switched off around midnight. A similar scheme should be brought forward immediately.
There is no need whatsoever for public street lighting in most towns after 1am, certainly from Monday to Thursday. The public lighting on ring roads around towns such as Castlebar and the lights on by-passes near villages and towns (for example, Claremorris, Knock, Kilkelly and Charlestown) are a total waste of money and energy in the middle of the night. They are also huge contributors to light pollution.
The night sky has always been a source of fascination for human beings. Poets and philosophers have serenaded the greatest sight available to the human race. “Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels” – Longfellow; “This magical roof fretted with golden fire.” – Shakespeare; “Soothing the home-bound navy’s peaceful way, and rocking e’en the fisher’s little bark as gently as a mother rocks her child.” –Campbell.
Nearly all of the west of Ireland, with the exception of Galway city, has a glorious chance to lead the way in pioneering a night-time revolution in reducing light pollution and returning the night hours to the way nature meant them to be.
Such a move would be widely welcomed not only by those who have a major interest in astronomy but by the vast majority of people who are deeply and genuinely concerned about the ever increasing (and needless) spread of this awful light pollution in the night time sky.
GAA memories of 1964 in Mayo AFTER losing to Dublin in the All Ireland senior football final of 1963, the men from Galway were more than anxious to return to Croke Park the following year in search of the Sam Maguire Cup. The Connacht final saw them come up against long time rivals Mayo and the game was played in Tuam, preceded by the minor decider between the same two counties.
Galway, the defending provincial champions, proved too strong for Mayo on the occasion and emerged easy winners on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-5. This legendary team was to dominate the inter-county series over the next three years, winning the famous three in a row for the Tribesmen. The names of that famous era still command a special place in the hearts of GAA followers all over the country.
For the record, the men who donned their county jerseys on Connacht final day, July 19, 1964 in Tuam were – Galway: Johnny Geraghty; Enda Colleran, Noel Tierney, John Bosco McDermott; John Donnellan, Sean Meade, Martin Newell; Mick Garrett, Mick Reynolds; Cyril Dunne, Mattie McDonagh, Seamus Leydon; Christy Tyrell, Sean Cleary, John Keenan. Subs: M Moore, K O’Connor, T Sands, B Geraghty, G Prendergast and Tommy Keenan.
On the Mayo team were John McGuinness; Willie Casey, Vincent Nally, Brendan Reape; Eamon Walsh, Michael Walsh, Eddie Melvin; PJ Loftus, John Morley; Joe Langan, Johnny Farragher, Michael Connaughton; Frank McDonald, Mick Ruane, Davie Doris. The subs were Joe Foye, Cormac Hanley, Ray Clarke, Mixie Clarke, Patsy Griffin, Martin Fitzpatrick, Joe Hennigan and Patsy Dolan.
It is of interest to note that the name of centre half-back Michael Walsh did not actually appear on the official programme. He was listed as Michael Wallace. At the time, Michael, who is now the top man at DeCare International (formerly Delta Dental) in the USA, was a clerical student in Maynooth. There were strict rules governing the participation in sport while in the seminary and one way around the rule was to adopt a name. Thus Walsh became Wallace for that period of his intercounty career. That ‘rule’ ended in 1971.
Earlier in the day, Mayo had triumphed in the minor final on a scoreline of 2-7 to 1-3. Three members of that panel were later ordained to the priesthood. They were JJ Cribbin, who is now PP in Milltown; Benny McHale who is in Dunmore, and Michael Lally who died in recent years. The Galway corner forward, John Kelly from Dunmore, later played senior football with Leitrim. Mickey Gannon of the Carrentryla Slashers club, died a few years ago in America.
Mayo: J Costelloe; PJ Golden, C Loftus, M McNicholas; J Ryan, M Shannon, J Earley; J Gibbons, A Kelly; S Smith, P Kilbane, J Moran; J Coughlan, JJ Cribbin, M Lally. Subs: B McHale, T Kean, M Flatley, S Gallagher, S O’Dowd, S Feeney.
Galway: F McLoughlin; L O’Rourke, R Varley, B Hanley; C Cunnane, P Halloran, K Garvey; F Canavan, M Meade; O Geraghty, J Duggan, D Lillis; M McPhillips, P Madden, J Kelly. Subs: G Higgins, J Ivers, J Brophy, M Naughton, M Gannon, PJ Melia.
Thanks to Tom Lally from Garrafrauns for forwarding the match programme for the Connacht finals of 1964.
