Looking back at 2022 - January

Proving that the housing crisis is steadily worsening, even in rural areas, house price figures for the end of 2021 showed an increase of 19% year-on-year for Leitrim. This is one of the biggest increases in the history of the county and shows that demand for property is far out stripping supply.

Ongoing problems with Leitrim's most northerly bridge, Lennox's Bridge, were once again highlighted in January with local councillor, Justin Warnock, noting the increase in accidents on this bridge in recent years. He said it is clear that the bridge is not suitable for the volumes of traffic travelling between Leitrim and Donegal and called for an urgent safety review of the bridge.

A unique plaque that commemorates Manorhamilton's former and famous Castle Street Fife & Drum Band was erected in a pillar of the Fair Green wall at the top of Castle Street in 2019. In January 2022 the plaque was officially recognised during a ceremony that was attended by band members' relatives, Ger Mitchell Kelly, Michael and Cathal O'Connell, as well as artists Jackie McKenna and Mary Byrne. An inscription on the plaque states “in commemoration of Castle Street Fife & Drum Band that marched these roads between 1954 & 1976” Picture: James Molloy

The impact of Covid-19 was still very much in evidence at the start of 2022 with the local hospitality sector hit hard by rising infection numbers and pandemic restrictions. Across the county's towns and villages, pubs, hotels and restaurants closed their doors temporarily for January and into February because of the difficult start to 2022.

Leitrim was united with the rest of the country in grief following the murder of Ashling Murphy. Candlelight vigils were held in various locations around the country in honour of the 23-year-old teacher who was attacked and killed while jogging along the Grand Canal just outside Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Planning continued to remain an area of concern in Leitrim with members of Leitrim County Council expressing frustration with the current impasse during discussions on the creation of the new County Development Plan. We learned that there are 3,500 vacant houses in the county and 1,500 holiday homes. The meeting also heard there are over 180 townlands across Leitrim where no one is living and the solution to one-off rural housing in Leitrim is a long way off, if it is even ever possible.

Glenfarne Cllr Sean McDermott submitted that the Council re-consider sites in areas of low population that fail the T90 tests as the “accumulative environmental impact of wastewater systems is negligible.”
He said it was “time to make a statement” to get the attention of the top level. He said the current planning laws are “killing us.”

Leitrim's Karl McDermott and Ethan Clancy lift the Connacht Hurling League Shield after Leitrim defeated Mayo, for the first time in 40 years, in the Connacht Hurling League Shield Final in January in the NUI Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome in January.

He outlined that in a two year survey, a neighbouring county (Cavan) with a population of 65,000, had seen eight people in every 1,000 of the population granted permission for a one off house.
But Leitrim with a population of 32,000 in the same time period had just two people per 1,000 approved.

There was some good news for the county however with the announcement that over €2m in funding was being made available for walking and cycling routes throughout the county.

The investment is part of major spending on walking and cycling infrastructure in the county and is seen as a major draw for not just tourists but also for those commuting and living in Leitrim.