Review of the year - July

Virginia Farmer to build Ireland’s first snail processing plant

There's no sign of things slowing down on Peter Monaghan’s Inis Escargot organic snail farm.

Not content with putting Cavan on the snail farming map, and having his produce hailed by some of the biggest names on the Irish culinary landscape, the canny agri-entrepreneur is now building the country’s first purpose built processing facility.

“This has always been the ambition, ever since I first got into snail farming. I set myself a roadmap for how I would progress the business, and this is where it’s going to,” Peter says when the Celt visited his farm at Fartagh, Virginia.

The high vacancy rate within Cavan Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) worsened significantly since the start of the year, with the average waiting time for a child receiving therapeutic intervention stretching out to two years.

Community at ‘boiling point’ - Councillor

The potential use of the White Horse Hotel to house refugees came under fire at July’s meeting of Cavan County Council. The debate arose on foot of a letter to the council from a group known as ‘Concerned Community of Cootehill’ who are worried about the potential impact of letting “unvetted” people into their community among other issues; although the relevant Department had said the property is being considered for ‘those fleeing the war in Ukraine’.

Graham bows out as new search begins

CAVAN were on the look-out for a new senior team manager after Mickey Graham handed in his resignation.

It was widely felt that Graham would stay on to see out the final year of the two-year extension agreed at the end of last season and sources close to the team confirmed that he had the backing of the senior group of players. However, Graham decided to step down and the three names were in the running to replace him: stalwart goalkeeper Raymond Galligan, former Cavan star forward Jason O’Reilly, and Micheál McDermott, who has won Senior Championships as a manager in four counties.

COUNCILLORS granted planning permission for a “flagship” €6.4 million tourism investment in west Cavan, which they hope will transform the region as a visitor attraction for generations to come.

Plans for the Shannon Pot Discovery Centre and Burren Park provide for a new single-storey Shannon Pot Discovery Centre, together with high level timber walkways, boardwalks and gravel pathway.

Two ‘gentlemen’ gone

TRIBUTES were paid to two family men who tragically lost their lives in a rally accident in July.

Gene McDonald (30s) from Barraghy, Cootehill and Dáire Maguire (40s) from Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, both lost their lives doing what they loved - competing in the Sligo Stages Rally.

The collision occurred at Carrowcushcly in Ballymote, Co Sligo, when their Ford escort went out of control and hit a wall.

‘It’s a life on the line and there’s no urgency’

THE family of a Cavan woman who went missing in Portugal over three years ago has expressed disappointment at the lack of progress on the case.

Jean Tighe was last seen in Portugal, leaving a hostel alone in the capital Lisbon in July 2020.

THOMAS Higgins, a talented artist from Drumalee Cross, in Cavan Town proudly exhibited his remarkable artwork at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin as part of the Connecting Artists 2023 programme.

One of ten artists selected from across the country, Thomas overcame a brain haemorrhage and left leg paralysis 11 years ago before finding solace and acceptance in art.