Latest news with #ArklowMunicipalDistrict
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos as Arklow celebrates its cultural diversity at Africa Day festivities
Beginning with an opening speech from Cllr Peir Leonard, followed by a brief history of Africa Day and a prayer by Pastor Solomon Aroboto, the joyous day featured a variety of activities for all to enjoy, from the amazing Tony Byrne and his drum voices, to Fionn Ó Conchúir, the host with the most as Gaeilge, the No Wahala Dance Crew and more. Delighted to have hosted what was the second Africa Day celebration held in Arklow, following on from an indoor event in 2019, an organiser thanked everyone in attendance and those who contributed to the hugely successful day. 'We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed, came and made the day great,' they said. 'A special thanks to Cllr Peir Leonard for her support throughout, Pastor Solomon for the opening speech and presentation of the history of Africa Day and Arklow Municipal District for the space. 'Thanks to An Garda Síochána for making sure everything went smoothly and enjoyable for all, the management of the Royal Hotel for the extra support and space provided and all participants who represented their countries and traditions and engaged with the public. 'A big thanks to Ciste Spreagtha for the funding provided, Rachel of the Colour Club for face painting the young ones and, last but not least, the organising committee for making this great day happen.'
Irish Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Wicklow's All-Ireland referee John Keenan honoured with Cathaoirleach's Award
Hosted by Arklow Municipal District and supported by the local elected members, the presentation ceremony saw the inter-county referee and proud Aughrim native welcomed, along with his family, friends, and colleagues, to accept the esteemed honour. During the ceremony, Arklow MD cathaoirleach Cllr Pat Kennedy presented John with a piece of crystal in recognition of his achievements. After beginning his refereeing career in 2007, John was chosen to officiate the All-Ireland Hurling Final in 2023, which was held at a packed Croke Park. This match is remembered as one of the finest examples of a hurling final, and his contributions to the game are highly regarded. He has represented Wicklow at all levels of refereeing and continues to dedicate his time to the sport. Commenting on John's distinguished career, unwavering integrity, and deep respect for both sporting codes, particularly hurling, Cllr Kennedy said: 'Over the years, we've watched John officiate some of the most intense and high-stakes matches in hurling. 'From Leinster Championship battles to All-Ireland showdowns, his presence in the middle of the field brought calm to chaos, authority without arrogance, and decisions made with conviction' 'Beyond the sidelines and stadiums, John has contributed something even more valuable, a model of refereeing built on respect. Respect for the game, respect for the players, and respect for the craft of officiating' Wicklow County Council chief executive Emer O'Gorman extended her congratulations to John Keenan on his achievements, acknowledging the 'unwavering support of his wife Annette, daughters Emma and Ava, and his extended family, including his father Liam'. Arklow MD manager, Leonora Earls, emphasised the importance of recognising members of the community who have represented the District with distinction, noting that John's contribution continues through his 'mentorship and the guidance he offers to those aspiring to follow in his footsteps'.
The Journal
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Ireland's first 'permanent' Pride rainbow road crossing faces erasure due to lack of maintenence
AN ACTIVIST WHO campaigned for Ireland's first ever 'permanent' Pride rainbow crossing has described his local council's decision not to maintain the crossing as 'an act of erasure'. The crossing features prominently on Arklow's Main Street, with two rainbows stretching across the road at the traffic lights in front of the town's post office. The rainbows were painted in December 2021 at a cost of €1,500 following five years of campaigning led by Dave Thomas, filmmaker and co-founder of Wicklow Pride. During the unveiling, Thomas hailed the crossing as 'very symbolic of inclusion and accepting diversity'. Despite this, the local council has decided to allocate no funding towards its maintenance, citing conflicts with road safety compliance. With the Arklow crossing in urgent need of refurbishment, local councillor Peir Leonard raised the issue during the Arklow Municipal District meeting earlier this month. She asked whether the crossing could be included on the road marking list and also enquired about funding that may have been specifically allocated for its repainting. In response, district engineer Avril Hill stated she was not aware of any funding that had been ring-fenced for the project. Hill added that a notice of motion has been passed with regards to 'recognising Pride in the community', and said that the council is 'moving away from Pride crossings towards something else that is more prominent'. Advertisement She went on to say that the crossing is not compliant for people with additional sight needs, and explained that the council is 'not looking to refresh it' as it is not complying with standards. In a statement after the meeting, Dave Thomas said that the lack of funding for maintenance was 'a devastating blow' to the LGBTQIA+ community in Arklow. 'This is not just about paint on a road. It is about what that paint represents – equality, dignity, and recognition,' Thomas said. 'To remove it now, at the start of Pride Month, sends a toxic and deeply harmful message, not just to us here in Arklow, but to LGBTQIA+ people across Ireland. It feels like abandonment.' Thomas added that it is a 'failure' by the local council to 'stand by our community'. The crossing has faced protest from homophobic and far-right groups, including a threat by the so-called 'Proud Boys Ireland' group, who threatened to spill white paint over the crossing in 2022 . 'We cannot allow Ireland's first permanent Pride Rainbow Crossing to be scrubbed from existence. To do so would be an act of erasure, not just of colour on tarmac, but of the lives, identities and contributions of LGBTQIA+ people across this country,' Thomas said. Arklow remains an outlier in Wicklow, as it remains the only town in the county to feature a Pride rainbow crossing. In 2023, Wicklow County Council had voted to to create permanent Pride rainbow crossings in each of its municipal districts, but these have failed to materialise. Council officials have since cited the absence of national legislation as a reason for the delay in installing further crossings across the county. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Decision not to re-paint Arklow Pride crossing a ‘betrayal of LGBTQIA+ community'
Council say crossing doesn't comply with guidelines 'To now backtrack just days before the start of Pride Month sends a damaging message of exclusion and neglect' The man behind Arklow's Pride rainbow crossing has said that Arklow Municipal District's recent decision not to maintain it because it conflicts with current guidelines and legislation represents 'a profound step backwards and a betrayal of the LGBTQIA+ community'. The first permanent rainbow crossing in the Republic of Ireland and the only of its kind in County Wicklow, Arklow's Pride crossing was created in 2021 on the back of years of campaigning by filmmaker, co-founder of the Wicklow Pride Festival and LGBTIQA+ crusader Dave Thomas.
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Planners do U-turn on Wicklow social housing to provide for elderly and single parents
Developed as part of Bundle 6 of the NDFA's Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme, the proposed estate – named Potter's View – is on a 3.1-hectare site in Tinahask Upper, directly connecting to an approved 74 social home (Potter's Bay) development. At the December Arklow Municipal District meeting, representatives from Wicklow County Council's (WCC) housing department and the PPP scheme outlined the designs. Alarmed by the number of car parking space and one-bedroom homes (52), several councillors were concerned they would not meet the needs of single parents, or people who are unwell, disabled or elderly and may need a carer, family member or visitor to stay with them. After successfully petitioning to alter the housing mix, WCC senior engineer Helena Fallon and executive engineer Aideen Klauer returned to the May Arklow MD to show councillors the amended plans. Ms Fallon noted that the department was 'not happy' with the changes and 'took some convincing to get it over the line', with Ms Klauer saying: 'We've taken on board concerns that you raised, and one of the major ones was the mix of one-beds, which was 52 out of 128. 'The PPP have made amendments and reduced the one-beds to 38, and they've increased the two-beds from 38 to 52. 'They've done that by taking three two-story duplex blocks and swapping them for three three-story duplex blocks. So, the footprint is the same, and the number of units is the same. They've just changed the configuration. 'There was a lot of toing and froing with the department because, as you know, the figures for one-beds are almost 50pc on the housing list, but your concerns were that there were too many one-beds and not enough two beds. So, we flipped it. 'The other item was car parking spaces, and in the original design, there were 148 residential,' she added. 'We've added 14 extra residential spaces. So, taking in the creche, the creche staff spaces and drop off spaces, that's 169 parking spaces for the whole development. 'It did mean that the open space was reduced from 15.4pc to 13.7pc. So there's less open space, but there's more parking. 'Another thing to note is that we were working on the AAP1 (Action Area Plan) Master Plan with three developers in the area, and that has been approved by planning to give the bigger picture of the area. 'I enquired with the roads section about the large port/distributor road down at the bottom, which all fits into AAP1 and AAP2. They are setting up a framework for consultants, so that design will hopefully progress.' Thanking Ms Fallon and Ms Klauer for the presentation, councillors Peir Leonard and Sylvester Bourke said they were delighted with the amendments and that their concerns were listened to, with Cllr Bourke enquiring about the possibility of more parking to the east of the Potter's View site. Ms Klauer noted that the land was hoped to be developed for housing, with Ms Fallon saying that, since the department is funding the scheme, they have to make a strong a case as possible, adding that they 'couldn't really make a case for a car park to be east, not on land that we're eventually going to be building on'. After Cllr Miriam Murphy expressed her desire that 'nobody should have to live in a one-bedroom home', Cllr Pat Fitzgerald highlighted the 911 people on the social housing list in Arklow, before asking about a start date for the PPP project. 'The site beside us, the 74 units, will move faster, and the intention is to put the Part 8 out for the PPP project possibly at the end of summer, which would come before the full council at the earliest in November or December,' Ms Klauer responded. 'The other thing to note is that there is an ESB capacity issue in Arklow, so we need to get the application in fast,' Ms Fallon added. 'The PPP can't apply until the Part 8 is in, so we need to get it started as soon as possible. It's an extremely serious situation, which is why we need to get this Part 8 going soon to secure the capacity.' Responding to Cllr Warren O'Toole's query about a timeline for the 'relief road', Ms Fallon said she'd hesitate to make an estimate but, since it was a big project and a sizeable road, 'you could be talking eight years'. Ms Fallon and Lauers' presentation culminated with an overview of a Wicklow County Council site in Barndarrig, which had a Part 8 for three group houses back in 1995. Following concerns from local residents about the rest of the site, Ms Fallon said they had promised to produce a master plan for the whole site. 'Because of planning considerations under the LAP (Local Area Plan), we'll only do a maximum of 10 homes in these villages at one time,' she continued. 'We split it up into two phases. So, phase one is three group houses, and there's going to be seven houses to the south, then phase two will be the northern side. 'Phase one, which is the first Part 8 we're going to do, is three group houses and seven social houses. Two three-beds and five two-beds for the social housing, and the three group houses will be two three-beds and one two-bed. 'The next phase is going to be 10 social houses. That's four three-beds, three two-beds, and three one-beds. 'The idea is to get a good mix for everybody in the community. The three one-beds would be particularly good for age-friendly in particular, because they're all on one level.'
