Review of the Year - April

‘Mistakes were made’

MISTAKES were made in November 2018 when members of Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board approved a plan to amalgamate two secondary schools in west Cavan to make way for a new school in Ballyconnell. The admission came at an April meeting of CMETB when the plan was formally scrapped over five years later and following major public outcry and controversy.

‘THAT WAS SWEET!’

“Sweeter than 2020,” was the reaction of Cavan manager Raymond Galligan as his side pulled off a classic championship ambush against Monaghan on the hallowed ground of St Tiernach’s Park.

Back then, as goalkeeper, Galligan kicked a famous winning point and, now on the sideline, the Lacken man helped plot another victory over Cavan’s fierce local rivals, this one the third in succession in the championship and by the widest margin since a 12-point Cavan win in 1972.

The mystery of the exotic duck

Three Muscovy ducks were spotted at Bailieborough Town Lake and there is much suspense as to whether they arrived in Co Cavan while migrating and perhaps got knocked off course or were they captive birds that were released into the wild?

Artist Stuart passes away

TRIBUTES have been paid to the late Imogen Stuart, the German-Irish sculptor whose work ‘Arch of Peace’ adorned Cavan Town’s Market Square for many years.

SOLICITOR SUSPENDED FROM PRACTICE

A CAVAN based solicitor has been suspended from practising after an emergency Law Society committee hearing found he had been “dishonest” in his handling of almost €300,000 of client monies.

The Law Society of Ireland confirmed the suspension of Ronan O’Brien of Ronan O’Brien & Co Solicitors of Church Street, Cavan, in a notice issued to the Celt for publication. Mr O’Brien was suspended from the roll of solicitors by order of David Barniville, the High Court president.

A fun look at futility

Renowned photographer Enda Burke opened his exhibition ‘Far Away & Close To Home’ at Townhall Cavan. The show included a real life exercise bike perched on a rug in the middle of the gallery space in front of an 1980s’ telly stuck on RTÉ. The set up invited the viewer to create their own Burke style image.

HELLO TAXI!?

“I’VE been spat at, called every name under the sun and I have been assaulted. I had a fella one night in the back of the car who grabbed me by the throat.”

Patrick Coyle has been working as a taxi driver in Cavan Town for 12 years. He was responding to figures published in April showing there are now just 141 taxi licences in County Cavan, down 14% from 165 live licences pre Covid.

Family’s fear after IWA shuts day centre

Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Centre managers in Cavan were set to meet with HSE officials for crunch talks over the service’s future. It followed an announcement that the local day centre had to close its doors to more than 30 regular service users, and switch to an ‘Outreach only model’, due to low staffing and resources.

One service user was Kaitlin Conaty (25) whose conditions render her non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair.

“It’s been a lifeline,” says Kaitlin’s dad Brian, who was promised 26 hours care per week for his daughter. “That’s never been fulfilled. She only ever got about 15 hours.”

NUMBER OF THE MONTH

22

The number of Derelict Site Notices served in respect of properties on Cavan Town’s College Street alone