Crowds Gather in Clogherhead

by Sean Crudden Fri May 18, 2007 18:34

Every sitting TD in Louth was present including Fergus O'Dowd. The county manager, Martina Maloney, was absent due to pressure of official business but her predecessor John Quinlivan was present.

Arthur Morgan TD

The lifeboatmen were there. They set off two flares one each at significant moments of the ceremony.

Dermot Ahern TD

The first flare falls to earth.

When the tape was cut the crowd were invited to go ahead and view the pier at close quarters.

by Sean Crudden Fri May 18, 2007 18:46

It was gratifying to see retired members of Louth county council in the crowd including John McConville. His daughter Jacqui (Clogherhead) is a current member of the council. Some retired officials were also conspicuous.

Padraic Fallon who recently retired as county engineer for Louth poses co-operatively for the camera.

There were many children and young people in the crowd - witnessing a historic day in their community.

Two pipers provided the music.

The plaque unveiled tells the story.

Tommy Reilly MCC, Dromiskin, on the left and his friend Nicholas McCabe, Ardee, a former county councillor and former chairman of Louth county council.

by Sean Crudden Fri May 18, 2007 19:02

Noel Dempsey was immaculately dressed, composed and in good humour. He made no fuss when I asked him to pose for the camera with one or two people at the end of the pier.

Michael Curran, director of the community and enterprise section of Louth county council pictured with Nicholas McCabe and Padraic Fallon after the opening and after the shower.

Jacqui McConville the county councillor from Clogherhead pictured at the end of the pier with Noel Dempsey who performed the opening.

Paddy Donnelly senior executive officer in the infrastructure section of Louth county council pictured with the minister. Paddy was MC for the opening. On the right is James Neary, Dromiskin, a commander with the civil defence.

The police were watching and LMFM were there too.

James Dolan, Clogherhead, pictured inside taking shelter from the brief shower which fell as the crowd retreated from the pier.

by Sean Crudden Fri May 18, 2007 19:17

Piloting a scheme of public works like this to completion is no mean task and all those involved obviously felt a degree of self-satisfaction at a considerable and long-lasting achievement.

There was at least on Jaguar in the car-park!

Paddy Donnelly pleased with a job well done. Paddy is a former pupil of Dundalk vocational school and a past pupil of mine.

by Xina Fri May 18, 2007 19:49

God bless all our lifeboat crews who risk their lives in all weathers - please give them your support as best you can.

by Nuclear Watch Thu May 24, 2007 16:20

The work of lifeboat crews pictured above is to be commended. However, we should spare a thought for the future victims of another growing hazard on the Irish Sea, the most heavily poluted sea in the world due to Selafield and other nuclear powerstations, nuclear storage facilities and nuclear weapons.
The decision by Tony Blair to leave his mark on history by approving the building of more nuclear powerstations will turn the Irish Sea into a nuclear cess-pit.