DAY OF ACTION AGAINST MINING IN MAGHERACLOONE OCCURS AS PLANNING APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED TO MONAGHAN COUNTY COUNCIL

By Veronica Corr

As 3pm on Saturday last, 12th February approached, members of Drumgossatt/ Knocknacran Residents Group, backed up by members of CAIM (Communities Against the Injustice of Mining) from all over the country, walked down the L4900 from Drumgossatt National School to kick off their Day of Action against mining in the area. There are two planning applications before Monaghan County Council at present, both were submitted by Saint-Gobain Ireland (Gyproc), one concerning the proposed opencast mine incorporating former underground workings.

The opencast mining application (File no. 2234) includes provision for the new Magheracloone Mitchells GAA club, as they lost their grounds and facilities to the land subsidence event in September 2018, which was caused by the collapse of former underground mine workings below the site. Magheracloone Community Centre, located on the same grounds was also deemed unsafe to return to and a new facility for them is the subject of the other planning application (File no. 2223) currently before the Local Authority for consideration.

Speaking to The Northern Standard before live speeches were aired over the public address system, Breda McGuigan made it clear that the residents group were neither against the GAA or Community Centre, rather they were staging…