Looking back at 2022 - April

A special vigil was held in Carrick-on-Shannon on Easter Monday to show support for the families of the two men murdered in Sligo the previous week and also to stand in solidarity against all forms of hate-related crimes.
Aidan Moffitt, who was originally from Ballaghaderreen and Michael Snee from Sligo town were found dead in their homes after being horrifically attacked.

This month also marked a major change for Carrick-on-Shannon's Main Street as it emerged that The Bush Hotel was sold and under new management. Joe and Rosie, and the Dolan family are stalwarts in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim and indeed the Irish tourism industry.

Bornacoola girl, Rachel Mallon preparing to fly out for her spinal surgery in April 2022 after a successful fundraising campaign to help meet the costs involved in travelling over for the surgery. Rachel, a first year student in Mohill Community College, underwent the operation for severe scoliosis of her spine in London.

This month also saw confirmation that two prospecting licences for base metals, gold and silver, have been granted in north Leitrim.
There had been hopes that numerous submissions objecting to the two licences would see a reversal of plans to grant them.
However, Minister Eamon Ryan said he was satisfied to grant the two licences to Flintridge Resources for base metals, gold (ores of) and silver (ores of).

News of more roadworks planned in Carrick-on-Shannon made the headlines again in April 2022. The works for the Destination Towns project included the provision of a new bus stop shelter on the N4 and new footpaths from Cryan's Hotel to the new medical centre.

Kinlough Men's Shed were regional winners at the Grand National-themed Flogas/Men’s Shed ‘Reimagine Drogheda’ competition at the Millmount Museum in Drogheda. Here Steve Hoey is presented with the regional winner's cheque by Nina Carberry and John Rooney, managing director, Flogas Ireland

This month North Leitrim was also in the news with local TDs expressing their annoyance and anger at the “completely unacceptable” wait for compensation for those impacted by the Shass Mountain landslide. Farmers and foresters affected by the slippage are still waiting for compensation some 20 months after the incident.

The landslide occurred on Shass Mountain near Drumkeerin on June 28, 2020. An area of upland blanket bog, including an area of the adjacent forestry plantation, moved downhill.

As a result liquefied peat, vegetation and trees slid downhill towards the Difagher River and down towards Lough Allen.
The resulting slide inundated the Dawn of Hope Bridge with the slippage traveling some 7km downstream inundating farm and forestry land.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine mapped the areas affected with the overspill calculated to impact some 24.09ha in total.
More than 20 farmers and eight foresters were still adversely affected by the damage.