The Stonehenge-like structure built on Achill Island by controversial developer Joe McNamara has been praised as 'genius' and a piece of public art.
Mr McNamara is due to return to the High Court today over the unauthorised development. But a local politician, who visited the site several times last week, feels it would be a "terrible" decision to tear it down.
Mayo County Council currently has the matter before the High Court, but Cllr Michael McLaughlin (FG) believes it could become a major tourist attraction.
"People will travel from all over to see it and I think it could be one of the major tourist attractions in the west of Ireland. If left it will still be standing strong in 5,000 years and will continue to pose questions and generate debate, that's what good art does.
"It is public art in my opinion. There's a fine line sometimes between genius and madness but I certainly think this is genius."
Joe McNamara, known as the 'Anglo Avenger' after a series of high-profile protests against Anglo Irish Bank, was released from jail on Monday night after spending the weekend there.
He was found in contempt of court last Friday by Judge Roderick Murphy for ignoring two injunctions served by a Mayo County Council planning officer to stop work on the structure the weekend before last.
The structure, the purpose for which remains unclear, was erected without planning permission between November 25 and 27.
Cllr McLaughlin, a member of Westport Town Council, the nearest large town to Achill Island, argues that while planning was clearly breached, the structure is worthy of an exception.
"I know there are planning breaches and, by the letter of the law, it should come down. But I think an exception should be made," he said.
"First of all, from an engineering point of view, it is a fantastic piece of work. He did it all himself and I wouldn't say it is even one quarter inch out of place and he got it built in one weekend.
Last Friday Judge Murphy told McNamara that he will be invited to 'purge his contempt' at today's court sitting and 'deal with the matter of what appears to be an unlawful development'.
It is understood that McNamara is preparing to apply for retention planning permission for the development.
Edwin McGreal
Read the article @ The Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label achill island planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label achill island planning. Show all posts
Friday, 9 December 2011
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
McNamara behind mysterious 'Achill-henge'
THE MAN who was arrested after he drove a cement mixer against the gates of Leinster House is responsible for a Stonehenge-type structure on a hilltop on Achill Island.
Developer Joe McNamara had been before the High Court in Dublin on Monday, where he gave undertakings demanded by Mayo County Council that he would cease unauthorised road construction in an area of scenic value on Achill Island. It was not explained what exactly he was doing.
Now it has emerged that Mr McNamara is behind the clandestine project on the hilltop. Construction appeared to continue over the weekend, often in fading light, with locals oblivious as to what was being built.
Read the article @ The Irish Times
www.bpsplanningconsultants.ie
Developer Joe McNamara had been before the High Court in Dublin on Monday, where he gave undertakings demanded by Mayo County Council that he would cease unauthorised road construction in an area of scenic value on Achill Island. It was not explained what exactly he was doing.
Now it has emerged that Mr McNamara is behind the clandestine project on the hilltop. Construction appeared to continue over the weekend, often in fading light, with locals oblivious as to what was being built.
Read the article @ The Irish Times
www.bpsplanningconsultants.ie
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
New bridge at Achill to open this week
THE FIRST vehicles are expected to be rolling across a new bridge to Achill Island in coming days.
The €5 million swing bridge at Achill Sound replaces the old structure called after Michael Davitt, founder of the Land League, which was provided in 1947 after the pivotal mechanism of the first bridge, built 60 years earlier, had become stuck and corroded.
Before 1887, the narrow sea channel at Achill Sound could only be crossed at low tide on foot or on horseback.
Now, the third major bridge in Achill's history is ready to go into service for the inhabitants of the island and the tens of thousands who visit every year. The swing mechanism allows pleasure boats fishing boats and other vessels pass.
The old bridge had begun to give problems.
Michael Mongan, senior engineer with the council, said: "The elements were again taking their toll on the mechanism. You could open the bridge to allow vessels through but you ran the risk of not being able to close it again."
SIAC Construction began work on the project in September last year. Work proceeded slowly throughout the winter as overhead high tension wires had to be re-routed underground.
The opportunity was taken to complete a phase of the Achill Sound sewerage scheme in conjunction with the new cabling.
Mr Mongan said the bridge would be commissioned this week, meaning that the equipment which will pivot the bridge will be powered up and tested. He said he did not foresee any difficulties.
There will be a kiosk at the bridge with automatic controls on it, a one-person operation. There will be barriers for traffic such as exists at railway level crossings or similar to those on one of the Shannon bridges at Tarmonbarry.
The weight of the new structure is about 200 tonnes.
"It is important to keep it as light as possible so that it can swing easily on its central pier," Mr Mongan said.
Work is now under way to remove about 25,000 tonnes of material used to build the temporary causeway which was in place throughout construction.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The €5 million swing bridge at Achill Sound replaces the old structure called after Michael Davitt, founder of the Land League, which was provided in 1947 after the pivotal mechanism of the first bridge, built 60 years earlier, had become stuck and corroded.
Before 1887, the narrow sea channel at Achill Sound could only be crossed at low tide on foot or on horseback.
Now, the third major bridge in Achill's history is ready to go into service for the inhabitants of the island and the tens of thousands who visit every year. The swing mechanism allows pleasure boats fishing boats and other vessels pass.
The old bridge had begun to give problems.
Michael Mongan, senior engineer with the council, said: "The elements were again taking their toll on the mechanism. You could open the bridge to allow vessels through but you ran the risk of not being able to close it again."
SIAC Construction began work on the project in September last year. Work proceeded slowly throughout the winter as overhead high tension wires had to be re-routed underground.
The opportunity was taken to complete a phase of the Achill Sound sewerage scheme in conjunction with the new cabling.
Mr Mongan said the bridge would be commissioned this week, meaning that the equipment which will pivot the bridge will be powered up and tested. He said he did not foresee any difficulties.
There will be a kiosk at the bridge with automatic controls on it, a one-person operation. There will be barriers for traffic such as exists at railway level crossings or similar to those on one of the Shannon bridges at Tarmonbarry.
The weight of the new structure is about 200 tonnes.
"It is important to keep it as light as possible so that it can swing easily on its central pier," Mr Mongan said.
Work is now under way to remove about 25,000 tonnes of material used to build the temporary causeway which was in place throughout construction.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
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