Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A COMMUNITY GROUP in Gougane Barra, in west Cork, has succeeded in its campaign to halt plans to erect seven 178.5m high wind turbines immediately south of the tourist destination and less than three kilometres from the iconic St Finbarr’s Oratory in the Lee Valley.
A ‘Save Gougane Barra’ public appeal raised over €60,000 towards the costs of community committee Coiste Forbatha Bheal Átha an Ghaorthaidh in fighting the legal case against the proposed wind farm.
The committee had indicated that the turbines would have been “visible from the Gougane Barra skyline, altering the magic and tranquility of this unique place of peace and pilgrimage forever.”
The group had been contesting a decision by An Bord Pleanála to overturn a decision by Cork County Council to refuse a planning application for the Wing Leaf Ltd turbine wind farm.
At the end of April, leave was given to appeal An Bord Pleanála’s decision through a judicial review in the High Court.
In a statement the campaigners said that the planning authority has indicated that it will not be continuing its defence of a legal action brought by the group, to contest An Bord Pleanála’s decision to overturn Cork County Council’s planning permission refusal.
Campaign spokesman Neil Lucey of the Gougane Barra Hotel expressed his delight at the result.
“We feel that justice has been done, common sense prevails, and democracy (is) restored in this situation. We thank the people locally, nationally and an internationally, who believed in us, supported us and were also there. We wish to recognise the great work of Joe Noonan of Noonan Linehan Carroll Coffey LLP and their legal teams for an outstanding effort.”
Over 12,000 people had signed a petition in opposition of the project on Change.org with campaigners saying that the international support they received played a huge part in sustaining the impetus they needed in order to have this positive outcome. Individuals from 42 countries had signed the petition.
Meanwhile, Cork County Council’s original refusal of permission for the wind farm stated that it would “provide for a highly intrusive, visually domineering form of development that debases the integrity and the landscape character.”
However, when granting permission to the €30 million project in February, An Bord Pleanála said that the wind farm would make a positive contribution to the implementation of Ireland’s national strategic policy on renewable energy and its move to a low energy carbon future.
The planning authority said it did not agree that the proposed development would detract from the existing character of the area.
The planned development would have led to the construction of the highest ever wind turbines in Co Cork.
Supporting infrastructure would have included a 38kV electricity substation, battery banks, quarries, deforestation, access roads, site draining and widening of an access junction on the Shehy Mountains overlooking Gougane Barra.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Surly now we need to follow the example of Canada and Germany etc and offer all people under 60 the option of receiving either Pfizer, moderna or j and j instead of AZ . Hopefully this poor woman will pull through
@Mike Kelly: ( Pfizer & Moderna ) vs ( AstraZeneca)
Pfizer & Moderna have 95% efficacy + 2nd dose in 4 weeks + more effective on various strains + safer. Whereas AstraZeneca has only 62% efficacy + 2nd dose in 12 weeks + does not cover SA and Brazil strains + less safe.
When there is an obvious big difference in these 2 vaccines – It seems Pfizer costs more but is also the far better vaccine as per reports. Although some other countries have banned AstraZeneca including UK with restrictions, why is Ireland still sticking with this AstraZeneca vaccine? Why is there such inequality in vaccination rollout and why is Ireland treating some citizens differently? Why are the already vulnerable, high risk & immune suppressed people being given this risky & less effective AstraZeneca vaccine? Can’t understand the logic… As we have waited over 1 year by now, then I would rather wait another few more days and get the safer & more effective Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccine.
@Mike Kelly: Pfizer & Moderna Vs AstraZeneca
Pfizer & Moderna have 95% efficacy + 2nd dose in 4 weeks + more effective on various strains + safer. Whereas AstraZeneca has only 62% efficacy + 2nd dose in 12 weeks + does not cover SA and Brazil strains + less safe.
When there is an obvious big difference in these 2 vaccines – It seems Pfizer costs more but is also the far better vaccine as per reports. Although some other countries have banned AstraZeneca including UK with restrictions, why is Ireland still sticking with this AstraZeneca vaccine? Why is there such inequality in vaccination rollout and why is Ireland treating some citizens differently? Why are the already vulnerable, high risk & immune suppressed people being given this risky & less effective AstraZeneca vaccine? Can’t understand the logic… As we have waited over 1 year by now, then I would rather wait another few more days and get the safer & more effective Pfizer/Moderna/J&J vaccine.
@Paul Mahony: exactly what I’ve been wondering, it’s been about protecting the most vulnerable but not with the most efficient vaccine apparently, hopefully the strains it doesn’t offer protection don’t keep increasing. Basically government willing to risk a few dangerous clots than have Covid figures increase and because of the constant giving out about slow rollout they seem obsessed about the the numbers lately and if that means AZ so be it!
Was reading about it there on a different site and it says she has been in the stroke ward for a week, it was her sister who contacted the paper so otherwise when would the public have been told as they said up to today there was none here.
@Niamh Brady: if someone had a reaction to flu jab which also happens would you expect to read it in paper or on news, her sister jumped on the bandwagon and there is not 100% prove she got clot because of vaccine yet
@nelliekel: She is a healthcare worker, perfectly healthy and was sick since day after getting the jab, I think it’s pretty obvious. Now she can’t return to work for 3 months at least and not be left alone for six weeks as needs observation. 1 case is 1 to many as far as I am concerned. Also don’t presume sister jumping on bandwagon, she just wanted to let people know anonymously as government said no cases reported yet.
@nelliekel: they could have said she had a blood clot WITH the vaccine or confirmed to have been vaccinated. not FROM the vaccine..that the safe way out
@Niamh Brady: a lot of healthy people get slight flu symptoms from each of the vaccines, it’s quite a leap to go from there to a serious rare blood clot, so no, it’s not really pretty obvious
Hope she makes a full recovery. I am 61 and recovering from cancer and due to get that vaccine on Tuesday so I will follow my doctors advice and the science and go forward with the vaccine.
@Barry Buckley: AZ still recommended for your age group across the world, even where they have restrictions on it.
Hope she is ok, poor woman.
Blood clots % risk vs 1 to 2% chance of being affected by a flu like virus, everything in life is gambling
@Hugo Bugo: It’s not like there’s no other alternatives available. It doesn’t have to be a gamble for those at risk of clots from AZ. Like Germany, Nerherlands, Canada, a decision could be made to give people under 55/60 one of the other vaccines
A few countries don’t vaccinate with AZ under 60 anymore. The UK don’t vaccinate under 30 with AZ for the moment.
Hope she is ok, nightmare for the poor woman.
@Niamh Brady: article says she has been successfully treated and will be discharged in the coming days. Still must have been a nightmare all the same.
I hope that woman in the Mater recovers well.
have your say