FUTURE PROTECTION OF MUCKNO AMENITY MUST BE PRIORITY SAY TOWNSPEOPLE

The future protection of Castleblayney’s Lough Muckno into the future must be the governing priority in any new development plans, a local group has stated. The Friends of Muckno organisation has delivered its assessment of the recent analysis conducted by consultants Fehily Timoney of the “Vision” plan presented to Monaghan Co Council in 2021 outlining options for the future use of Hope Castle and the surrounding Muckno estate.

The group has welcomed aspects of the consultants’ assessment and set out their views in detail in the following statement: The Lough Muckno Park/Hope Castle estate is a treasure in Co Monaghan – in terms of heritage, biodiversity, recreation and tourism. Some major decisions will soon be taken by Monaghan Co Council as regards the development of tourism facilities on the site. These decisions will be informed by various reports.

The Friends of Lough Muckno group believe it is important that the public be aware of the key considerations that will ensure that any development will protect the lake, park and castle for this and future generations. In August 2021 Monaghan Co Council and Fáilte Ireland made public their ‘Vision’ proposals for the development of the Lough Muckno estate in Castleblayney as a tourist destination. In December 2021 Monaghan Co Councillors voted in favour of a planning and environmental appraisal of these proposals, to which Monaghan CoCouncil would contribute the sum of €150,000, a figure to be matched by Fáilte Ireland.

Monaghan Co Council appointed the consultants, Fehily Timoney, to carry out the appraisal, the report…