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14.10.04

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann - Autumn Programme

Friday October 22nd Adult traditional music session in Slevins from 9p.m.

Friday November 5th Adult traditional music session in Brady's from 9p.m.

Friday November 19th Adult traditional music session in Hatchett from 9p.m.

Friday December 3rd Adult traditional music session in Slevins from 9p.m.

Our big event Saturday December 11th. We are having a concert in the Community Centre, Dunboyne. All the adult and children musicians in our branch will take part with guest artists also. More information on this at a later date when we know the agenda.

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18.07.04

Please feel free to use this sample letter to draft your's.

Chief Planning Officer
Meath County Council
Dunshaughlin Area Office
Drumree Road
Dunshaughlin
Co. Meath

Planning Reference: Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal Ltd. DA 40152

Dear Sir/Madam,

We wish to strongly object to the above planning application by Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal Ltd. (PTWDL) to intensify the business at the Dunboyne site from 5,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes per year based on the following observations:

1. This site is situated on agricultural land adjacent to Dunboyne Industrial Estate. The land is outside the designated development boundary of the village as noted by the first planning officer who reviewed the planning application for this site under ref. DA 20269.

2. A recycling bring centre for bottles, paper and cardboard goods is not an unwelcome addition to our village. The main purpose of this facility was to provide recycling opportunities for local householders, now this appears to have changed with plans to accept waste from outside Meath. If planning permission is granted for 50,000 tonnes per year the prediction is for 80% to be derived from builders' skip waste or commercial (from outside the local area) and only 20% domestic. This must surely conflict with the proximity principle.

3. Daily traffic movements at 5,000 tonnes included 5-6 trips of a skip lorry. With 50,000 tonnes PTWDL predict a skip lorry entering/leaving the site every 10 minutes. The site will be open 11 hours a day, 6 days a week (8am to 7pm). It is unreasonable to state that this traffic will not access the site through Dunboyne village.

4. An increase in the waste licence to 50,000 tonnes automatically increases the likelihood of hazardous material on site. Dunboyne has no fire service so in the event of a fire or explosion we do not believe that a fast enough response could be given considering the proximity of nearby houses.

5. Our estate of 143 houses was built quite recently and contains a high percentage of toddlers and young children, some of whom are asthmatic. We believe the maps and photo in the application
misrepresent our proximity to the waste site and are deeply concerned about living so close to dust and noise pollution, vermin and hazardous waste. We are concerned about the cumulative effects of these over time on our children's health. Our largest green play area is situated only 40 metres from the waste facility and separated by a wall from the site access road.

We thank you for reading our objection letter and respectfully request that you take our observations into account when making your decision. Please find enclosed a cheque for the sum of €20.

Yours sincerely,

Name 1. ____________________ Signed_____________________

Name 2. _____________________ Signed_____________________

Your Address:__________________________________________________________________

12.07.04

Events at Dunboyne Library: tel. 01 825 1248. dunboynelib@meathcoco.ie

'Mapping Joyce' Exhibition to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the publication of the outstanding work of fiction of the 20th century, James Joyce's Ulysses.
Story-time for 4-7 year olds Friday mornings 11am
Inter Library Quiz Heats 8 - 13 years. Wednesday 14th July 4pm - 5pm
Sign up at the Library desk. Details available from Library.
Local author Annett Holliday will be reading from her acclaimed first novel Happily Ever After, published
by Poolbeg, and talking to readers about writing. Wednesday 21st July 7pm
Storytelling with Niall de Burca (age 6-11 yrs) Thursday 22nd July 2pm - 3.30pm
Booking required. Details available from Library staff.
Japanese Origami with Saeko Ogiso (age 6-11 yrs) Friday 23rd July 2pm-3.30pm. Booking required. Details available from Library staff.

27.05.04

To: The Webmaster, DCRA website

Dunboyne needs an independent Independent!

I was delighted to see that the community in Dunboyne is putting up a genuinely independent candidate for the Dunshaughlin area in the forthcoming local elections. Maria Murphy's arrival on the scene is most welcome. It is to be hoped that her election will begin the process of restoring some confidence in local democracy and in what the concept of what "Independent" actually means

The facts are that Dunboyne has been very badly served by the outgoing councillors. To a man and woman, they breached their commitment to our community in so blatant a manner, that they did not even deny it. Instead they went on to attack those who reminded them of their behaviour. When it came to discussion about the provision of facilities for local bodies, these councillors were quite prepared to disregard the views of the community. To facilitate developers, these councillors were prepared to exploit any issue or any group that they could. They targetted certain groups with offers of facilities, in the expectation of votes in return.

It is widely accepted that the image and perception of politics and politicians has rarely been lower. There are many new young voters who need to be convinced of the relevance and importance of politics, at both local and national level. I hope they come out in large numbers to make their views known. This area badly needs a new breed of politician. It is time we binned the old style of politics and those who practice it.

The willingness of people like Ms. Murphy to go forward for election is to be admired, because people like her are entering a system where conniving, game-playing, nod-and-wink behaviour is endemic.

What is important is what Ms. Murphy can bring to the job - drive, honesty, motivation to do the right thing, not burdened by political baggage, and not allied with vested interests. She will be in a position to make her own informed and independent decisions.

I wish Ms. Murphy the best of luck. It won't be easy job but in time, her election will prove to be one of the best decisions the people of Dunboyne and in the Dunshaughlin area will have made in a long time.

K.Kelley

10.05.04

A Comhaltas Special - A Date for your Diary

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Dunboyne Branch, are having a night of Irish songs, music and literature of the American Civil War. This lecture is to be given by Derek Warfield (leader of the Wolfe Tones). The lecture will be backed-up with relevant musicians. It will be held upstairs in Slevins Pub on Tuesday 15th of June at 8pm. Tickets only 5Euro available from Pearse Warfield (Chairperson CCE Dunboyne 087/2922261), Teresa Dunne (Secretary CCE Dunboyne 8252298 or at Slevins Pub. This lecture will be followed by a traditional music sessiun.

Please Also Note:

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Dunboyne branch, are having a traditional music session on Thursday May 20th from 9p.m. onwards in Slevins Pub. All musicians, singers and listeners welcome.

06.05.04

Comhaltas for Kids

"Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Dunboyne Branch, are having a Children's Traditional Sessiun this Sunday, May 9th from 4-6p.m. upstairs in the Community Centre. There will be a raffle and refreshments." All musicians and singers welcome.

06.05.04

Two Talks - At the Dunboyne Library

Saturday May 22 11.30am

You want to Pierce What?: A talk by Kate Byrne, Clinical Psychologist, on
communication between parents and teengagers.

Thursday May 27th 8pm

Drugs Information: A talk by Sgt. Alan Dowley

22.04.04

Comhaltas Invitation

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Dunboyne Branch, are having a traditional music session on Tuesday night next in Slevin's Pub from 9p.m. onwards. All musicians and singers welcome.

15.04.04

Dunboyne Castle: An Bord Pleanala Oral Hearing

An Bord Pleanala will conduct an oral hearing on the application for development of Dunboyne Castle and Lands made by Menolly Homes Ltd. This hearing will begin on Tuesday 20th April, at 10.00 am at the Leixlip House Hotel, Captains Hill, Leixlip. This hearing is open to the public. You can express your support by your attendance.

08.04.04

Comhaltas Easter Special

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Dunboyne Branch, are having a Traditional Music Sessiun from 4-6p.pm on Sunday April 18th in the Hatchet Pub, Summerhill Road. All musicians, singers welcome. Flute classes are starting on April 20th in the Primary school. We already have tin whistle, fiddle and accordion classes set up. Anyone interested in these classes or for more information on C.C.E. Dunboyne Branch please ring 8252298. Thank you.

30.03.04

A Comhaltas Special

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Dunboyne Branch are having a Children's Music Sessiun this Sunday April 4th upstairs in the Community Centre from 4-6p.m. All musicians, singers, dancers etc. are very welcome. There will be refreshments for all and a raffle with plenty of Easter goodies. For more information on Dunboyne Comhaltas please ring Teresa on 8252298.

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25.03.04

An Taisce Bashing

To: The Editor, Irish Times
From: Kildare Meath Wicklow Planning Alliance

Madam

I refer to "Calls for Cut in Powers of An Taisce" (IT, 15.03.04). An Taisce is criticised for acting in accordance with its mandate and is criticised, wrongly, because according to Mr. Dick Roche, T.D. An Taisce did not act in respect of a planning application for Powerscourt. He calls for retaliation against An Taisce on both counts.

Mr. Roche is wrong in asserting that An Taisce is "unelected" and "unanswerable" and in so doing is himself an example of being elected and irresponsible.

The question as to whether An Taisce has a place or not in planning legislation is irrelevant. It is a non-Governmental organisation and certainly enjoys a critical role in our democracy in respect of planning. If politicians cannot accommodate such an organisation then they will be using their "status" in an anti-democratic way and so will abuse their elected role.

Mr. Roche accused An Taisce of wielding "power without responsibility". This is not true and is an insult to the many people throughout the country who are in membership of An Taisce and the many more people who support it. The Minister should withdraw this insult or prove it.

Mr. Roche in his role as Minister of State for Europe was gaining respect. This type of scurrilous attack on An Taisce undermines both his integrity and credibility.

The "no comment" from the Minister for the Environment amounts to approval for Mr. Roche's outburst. This creates the suspicion of a choreographed attempt to discredit An Taisce. Certainly it is in character with the lack of regard and of lack of tolerance for participative democracy shown by these Ministers which we have come to expect.

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12.03.04

"TREASURES OF THE BOYNE VALLEY"

Fr Gerry Rice P.P Kilcloon will be speaking about "Treasures of the Boyne Valley" by Dr Harbison in Dunboyne Library on the 23rd March at 8.00p.m.

The Talk is hosted by Boyne Valley Honey who sponsored the publication of the book. There will be slides from the book to accompany the talk and copies of the book available to buy on the night.

This is a free event and everyone is welcome.

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29.02.04

New Virus Hits Local Newspapers!

It appears that that a new type of virus has appeared, which attaches itself to local newspapers. There were some indications of this virus in recent months but its arrival was only definitely confirmed in recent weeks. The virus is provisionally named as the "P" (political) virus. The virus has appeared in both photographs and text.
This virus it not very intelligent being highly attracted to the inane and mundane but it is all pervasive. The Echo has certainly been infected but other local papers could well be prone to this particularly sinister virus.
There is a fear that the number of sustained attacks from this virus will increase in coming months. Experts do not as yet have the fix but the hope is that this particularly intrusive virus may have run its course by the end of June 2004. All media are warned to keep their anti-virus software updated on a daily basis and implement as robust a firewall as possible.
There is a fear that it may even have a multimedia transfer capability. There are serious concerns that this virus will even mutate to local radio. Were this to happen the only hope is that the opportunities for this to occur will be limited.
The population at large are asked to be on the alert for this latest unwelcome development which could result in very serious and adverse consequences for all aspects of life in the Dunshaughlin area for decades to come.

B. Boru

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21.01.04

DUNBOYNE MUSICAL SOCIETY

Calling all Singers, Actors and anyone who has always wanted to get up onstage and strut their stuff!

Or perhaps you have been a member of other musical societies and would like something more local.

Well, Dunboyne Musical Society has just been formed. We are producing a show for May 2004 in the Community Centre and hopefully annually thereafter.

If you are interesting in joining, or just helping out, please call Fiona Gleeson, Chairperson 8252299, or Sinead Crabbe, PRO, 8015624

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01.11.03

Minister Cullen's Criticism

J. Kelly

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05.02.03

To the Letters Editor, Irish Times

Dear Madam,

Residents from many counties around Dublin have been following the recent judicial review of the Meath Development Plan through the High Courts and now, at the end, have very mixed feelings. The basis of this challenge by Tony McEvoy and Michael Smith was that the current Meath County Development Plan contravenes the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area and actually encourages the further sprawl of Dublin into the hinterland region. They appear to have presented a most convincing case to support this over several days in the High Court and Justice Quirke remarked in his judgement that "elected members have decided to zone large amounts of land for residential purposes in dozens of small towns in a manner that appears to be quite inconsistent with the recommendations of the guidelines”
Yet, somewhat surprisingly, at the end of the day the Plan still stands and the SPGs are thus in tatters! What, I wonder is the response of the Department of the Environment and Local Government to this sorry state of affairs! Are we to continue with the pretence that the strategic plans for this region will be implemented? Are we living in cloud cuckoo land?

The Guidelines are not perfect; but they are all that we have to give the country a chance of developing in a genuinely equitable and balanced way. If Ireland chooses to compete in the global market for its economic salvation it will depend on its only large city functioning efficiently. However, we all know that the volume of commuting workers makes this increasingly impossible. At the same time anyone living in Kildare Meath and Wicklow looks forward with trepidation to major developments planned to make a quick buck for a few on excessive amounts of land zoned in recent years. We know from hard experience that physical and social infrastructure such as public transport and schools stand little chance of improvement on a similar time scale. It also follows that for as long as there is no legislatively enforced effort by central government to limit to Dublin's growth, peripheral parts such as western Ireland will be starved of infrastructure and development. Counties away from the eastern fringe will be struggling to keep jobs and people.

Nothing much has been heard of the National Spatial Strategy since its presentation some weeks ago, nor we can predict, will we. Unless Ministers are prepared to stand over the work of their departments and ensure that the first regional plan, the Strategic Planning Guidelines, is more than just another book on the shelf, then we can expect just more of the same throughout the country. However, if the future development of the Dublin and Midlands East regions could be encourage in the interest of the common good and not, as in the words of Justice Quirke, "influenced more by pressure and lobbying by interested parties such as local landowners" then we could begin to attend to the inevitable problems of Ireland's rural society in a modernising Ireland.

From Judy Osborne, Chairperson, Kildare Meath Wicklow Planning Alliance 03.02.03

08.01.03

Flood Comment

The County manager, Mr. Tom Dowling, has concluded that the floods were caused by the volume of rain (Meath Chronicle 12/12/2002) and did not arise from building on flood plains.

There was a letter in a recent edition of the "Weekender" newspaper where figures from official sources demonstrated that, on previous occasions, including the floods of 1954, even though there was more rain at that time, it actually had lower volumes of run off water than during the recent floodings! It would be very helpful and instructive for us all if Mr. Dowling would examine the same figures and give us his interpretation of them.

There appears to a growing acceptance that climate change is happening, one of the consequences of which may be increased rainfall. If this were to be the case, then there is an absolute need to cease all but essential development in the whole Dunboyne area. It would appear that the developments signalled for Dunboyne Castle and at the Green belt (a significant portion of which was underwater again recently) and the industrial proposal at Clonee potentially pose a very high risk. Serious consideration should be given to abandoning all present and future non-essential developments.

Paddy Kelly

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12.12.02

Restoring

I think the council should take a good look at Dunboyne and see what's happening to my home town. New buildings, new roads, new estates,......but what about our park, our Protestant graveyard and the castle, these are the things we should be looking at and restoring not building on and erasing our history.

Nicola Leonard

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26.11.02

Where Were You?

Twice in two years! Surely the entire resources of the Garda Siochana should have been deployed at the time it became clear that floods were a possibility. Where were the army? Only in the Taoiseach's constituency! No way in and no way out of Dunboyne from early afternoon until the following day and no one seemed to give a damn. Where were FCA? No sight of a Fire Brigade. Numbers and resources available to the Civil Defence were completely inadeqaute. Where was the evidence that services were all working to a carefully prepared and practised plan?
The response of Meath County Council to the flooding two years ago was to rezone huge acres of land to build over 2,500 houses and so aggravate future flooding. What will your response be now? Shame on you.

Rage & Anger

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07.11.02

Power Failure in Dunboyne

I was wondering if anyone else had problems because of the power failure on Tuesday night.

As you are aware I'm sure there was a major drop in electrical power to the majority of homes in Dunboyne ...I live in Millfarm and as a result of this power dip my boiler has broken down ..This morning I had to have the central circuit board replaced and I am waiting on a plumber to have a new circulatory pump installed ....I have contacted my insurance company but it is quite possible they will not pay for this.

I'd like to know if anyone else has complained and if there is anything that we as a community can do about this .

Thanks in advance for your help.

Contact:Email : teyssima@ie.ibm.com

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06.11.02

Congratulations

Your site continues to be a source of inspiration to local community groups.
elsewhere.

Craig Bishop
Wicklow

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08.09.02

The Meath Development Plan Challenge

The outcome of the recent High Court Judicial Review challenge to the Meath Plan provides a dismal prospect for the containment of urban sprawl throughout Leinster in the years ahead. The failure of this challenge would also appear to be a death notice for the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area. This professionally-crafted strategy provided an eminently sensible spatial framework for the future development of the region.

The Guidelines were to underpin publicly funded infrastructure ranging from roads, rail, water, waste water treatment and were also designed to maximise the efficiency of social investments such as in education and recreational facilities. So important were they that they were enshrined in the recent Planning Act and the Minister wrote to the county councils concerned requiring their Development Plans to be amended to comply with the SPGs.

In the adjudication of the Meath Plan, the judge's comments state that: "The evidence strongly suggests that, in a number of respects the Meath plan does not comply with the guidelines, and indeed, that in some of its provisions it has substantially departed from the guidelines policies and objectives."

In the light of the verdict on the Meath plan, one can only conclude that no legal constraints now exist on local authorities in the Dublin region and that, again as the judge comments in respect of Meath, " ...most land-zoning decisions…appear to have been influenced more by pressure and lobbying by interested parties such as landowners, than by regional or other planning considerations."

So now we know where we stand. Let us not be fooled by aspirational rhetoric about sustainable development any longer. More specifically, we now also know that no legal framework exists within which the forthcoming National Spatial Strategy will be enforceable. Ireland will continue to be planned by the local lobby.

One can only congratulate the two individuals who brought these matters to light in the public interest only to see their case rejected. Let us remember their courage in doing what should have been done in the public interest by those we elect or appoint for the purpose.

John Sweeney - Member of the Kildare Meath Wicklow Planning Alliance

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06.09.02

Dunboyne Village

We are so lucky to live in one of the most naturally beautiful villages in Ireland, which has so much potential for enhancement, and as I travel quite a bit around the country I have observed how a number of similar villages have improved in the Tidy Towns Competition, with community effort.

First of all I want to thank and compliment those marvelous people in the Tidy Towns Committee who work away quietly and almost unnoticed by most of us to enhance the village. I am particularly impressed by the wonderful floral displays in the hanging baskets on the lampposts and tubs.

I would like to add a few suggestions, which with a little more support from the community would further enhance the appearance of Dunboyne.

1. The erection of Welcome to Dunboyne signs on all of the five roads into the village. These could be set in a little simple flowerbed around 18 inches high build with natural stone. There is presently no sign on Station Road from Clonee and I would suggest it be located in the grass verge at the entrance to Sean Boylans house Clonee side of the hump-back bridge.

2. Tidy Towns Competition
· A high profile launch of a new Keep Dunboyne Tidy Campaign with Meath County Council.
· We should set our target high to win a prize in the Tidy Towns Competition in the next three years.
· Draw up a three-year plan involving all residents associations sports clubs and other voluntary organizations together with the Traders in the village, with a major drive in our schools.
· Erect signs around the village to remind people to stop littering.
· Enlist the support of some of our well-known people like Sean Boylan and some of the top players from all the sporting bodies soccer, GAA, athletics, cycling ECT.
· At the same time Meath County Council would have to implement a proper cleaning service including weekends when most needed as their part of the new initiative.

3. A Plan would also have to include regular weekly grass cutting of the Village Green and along Station Road , eradication of all weeds from kerbs, poles etc.

Yours sincerely,

Mehaul Kelly

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15.08.02

Heavy Traffic Pollution

As residents of the Summerhill Road, we would like some information/suggestions on how/who we can lobby to have some kind of restriction placed on the HGVs using the R156 through the centre of Dunboyne (similar to the 3 tonne weight limits placed on vehicles entering Maynooth).

We're sure most people have noticed a serious increase in the number of trucks travelling to and from Keegan and Readymix Quarries in Rathmolyon over the past number of years. Surely there must be a route they can use to get them on to the M4 or N3, (roads designated National Primary routes as opposed to our designated regional roads).

The visual, noise and dust pollution created by the almost constant stream of trucks from as early as 6 a.m. most mornings until 7 or 8 p.m. in the evenings has all but destroyed any semblance of a village atmosphere in Dunboyne, not to mention the terror inflicted on anyone attempting to walk the Summerhill Road, (which is mostly without a footpath), where these trucks thunder along, apparently feeling free to build up speed beyond 30 mph once they have made it through the traffic lights in the village on their way to Rathmolyon, and, conversely, rarely slowing down to 30 mph at the speed limit signs on their way in to the village from Rathmolyon.

We as a family are becoming more and more disillusioned with living in what feels like the middle of a Heavy Goods Vehicles racetrack.

We have written numerous letters to the Council, met with John Bruton and all to no avail.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Bernard Walsh and Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh

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22.05.02

Some of the younger residents in Beechdale have got together to organise a 5 a Side competition for all over the age of 16 in the estate. Response has been excellent with nearly 50 people of all ages and standards interested.

The competition will be run on the "Green" in the first week in June with goalposts supplied by the soccer club and referees coming from other estates mostly Woodview.

We would like to increase knowledge of the event, which would enable us to expand it to all ages next year and encourage other estates to do the same.

Contact name Fiachra Kirwan 217 Beechdale or Geard Robinson 234 Beechdale

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20.05.02

I am pleased that DCRAWEB has raised the question that no one seems to ask in public: is there corruption in Meath with regard to planning and development issues? Arising from conversations I have had with friends and aqauintances there seems to be a real and urgent need for a judicial investigation into such matters in County Meath. Any suggestions about how this might be brought about?

Tony

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