25th May, 2000
Last Thursday night I attended a meeting of
residents who live within the area close to the Kinsale Road
Landfill, (otherwise known as a Dump). The meeting was held in
Nemo Rangers Hall, and it was filled to capacity, standing room
only. Politicians who attended numbered about eight or nine
including two T.D's, John Dennehy and Deirdre Clune. The meeting
was orderly, but the residents let the public representatives
know how they felt about having to put up with the dump for
twenty-six years. I know that the Celtic Tiger brings with it it's
problems too, like more rubbish every year, and it's a problem
that won't go away. However as I spent three years living in
Greenhills Court in the late 70's, I can understand the residents
frustration and anger at this situation which has been with them
for so long. I was at a meeting of Frankfield residents last year
during the local council elections. These residents were told
that the dump was to be closed in 2003. What they were not told
was that 40 acres would be kept as a recycling plant and that all
the rubbish from Cork City and County would be brought to the
Kinsale Road to be recycled. Refuse trucks on the Kinsale Road,
morning, noon and night, bringing waste to the Mother Dump.
It seemed a shame that there was nobody at the meeting from City
Hall. I'm not talking about the councillors, I'm talking about an
official who is going to be involved in the planning of this
recycling plant. Some of the councillors told the meeting that
the City Hall officials would not tell them what was going to
happen. Perhaps City Hall should have hired a P.R. firm for the
night, brought a screen and video to show people how recycling
plants work, and had a question and answer session with the
residents. A few councillors backed the residents, but then told
them they had not seen the plans!
Finally on this subject, it's not right to continue dumping
rubbish next to people's houses, attracting rats and flies and
causing sickness, while up to recently granting planning for more
development in the area. I think an independent medical report on
the consequences of living next to a super dump might go some way
to getting rid of this eyesore for once and for all.
Brendan Heffernan rang me tonight to ask me to mention that all
the members and friends of St Columba's hall wish the best of
luck to our Douglas Rose Audrey McGrath on Friday night at Jury's
where one lucky young woman will be chosen to represent Cork at
the Rose of Tralee Festival, we all echo Brendan's wishes to
Audrey on the night.
I'm sure a lot of our readers have heard of Harry Ramsden. Harry
opened the first fish & chip sit down premises outside Leeds
in the late 20's, seventy years later Harry Ramsden is a Plc (Public
Liability Company) with over 70 outlets world wide, Middle East,
Far East U.K and Ireland. It's a franchise operation (similar to
Colonel Sanders or McDonalds). Recently they got together with
Granada to open hot food outlets at service stations all over the
U.K. Now I'm told that a Harry Ramsden fish & chip restaurant
is to open in Douglas. The bigger ones in the U.K are open 363
days a year, usually seating about 150-200 patrons. Watch this
space for further details.
I knew the Civil War was gone out of Irish politics when a member
of Fianna Fail, Frank Dunlop was making political donations to
members of Fine Gael who were standing in local and national
elections. Think about it, a Fine Gael candidate being elected
with the help of a contribution from a Fianna Fail member. God
bless you Frank, it warms the cockles of my heart, we could learn
a lot from this man (although a few people wished we hadn't).
I called down today (Monday) for the official opening of Noonan
Cleaning Services new office in St Patrick's Mills The opening
was performed by Michael Martin T.D., Minister of Health, always
a smile and an acknowledgement from Michael and a credit to his
profession. The next Taoiseach without a shadow of a doubt and we
couldn't do any better (no I am not a member of F.F or F.G or P.D's
or Labour or any party), I just admire his professionalism as I
do all professionals, who are masters of their craft.
Finally Good Luck to John Roche and the staff at Riverside Cabs,
who are going from strength to strength. Riverside Cabs can be
contacted @ 361999.
Bye for now,
Michael O'Hanlon.
