Gallagher takes break from presidential campaign for son Bobby’s first day at school
BUSINESSMAN Seán Gallagher maintains that his son starting his first day back at school took precedent over the Presidential race.
Mr Gallagher announced last week that he intended to contest the presidential election for a second time having lost out to Michael D Higgins in 2011.
He aims to speak to the media this week about his campaign having firstly spent the past week focusing on his son’s return to school.
‘In our home this week the Presidential election was the second most important event taking place,’ said Mr Gallagher.
‘Bobby (5) was preparing for his first day back at school at St Laurence’s National School in Greystones and I made a promise to myself and my family that his first day back at school would be the most important thing all of us as a family did this week.
‘Opportunities to speak with the media about the election will come again next week once I formally start to speak at scheduled council meetings, but an opportunity to make sure that Bobby had his special day uninterrupted by anything else will only come around once.
Meetings and conversations with councillors throughout the country continue in preparation for a series of council meetings next week’.
Mr Gallagher, his wife Trish and their children Lucy and Bobby moved to County Wicklow in 2013, firstly settling in Enniskerry before moving to Delgany where they currently live. Dear Editor,
I walked the Wicklow Way recently – 100km from Tinahely to Dublin, over five days.
I met many friendly, helpful people, and found great places to eat and sleep. However the overall experience was poor and I would not recommend this trail to other walkers. The problem is that so much of the Way (approximately 70%) is through or skirting sitka spruce plantations.
Walking for hours in these monoculture forests is not attractive, it is boring; they are dark, viewless, with no apparent wildlife, no birdsong.
These commercial plantations have spread unchecked across the wild, beautiful mountains and glens of Wicklow. They have pushed out the broadleaved trees, the sheep, and the people.
Around Glendalough pockets of native trees (oak, Scots pine, holly, ash and birch) have been allowed to survive, but this is just a token gesture in the bigger afforestation picture. Current government policy is driving this plantation of Wicklow, to the benefit of Coillte, the State forestry company, and investors, Irish and international, who receive generous grants. Sitka spruce plantations have minimal effect on reversing climate change; carbon is released when the uplands are drained for planting, and again when the trees are thinned and felled.
The Government and Wicklow County Council appear to want to turn these mountains into one giant sitka spruce plantation. They are killing the goose that has laid the golden egg; destroying the open, majestic scenery that tourists and walkers come in search of. State policy could radically change to push the planting of native trees, to cultivate habitat rich woodlands, to return to mixed sustainable farming, to create a world class landscape for future generations to enjoy and make a living from. I am surprised that the people of Wicklow Dear Editor,
I know that my remarks stated in a letter previously about the all day free parking in the Brook, Arklow have been completely ignored, in my opinion given the reverse victory sign.
All these weeks later the free all day parking continues, showing a disrespect for all who live here.
Just two minutes away up Laffin’s Lane is a car park.
Sadly, inaccessibility continues to all the services provided to us living here in The Brook.
However, I must add that I have noticed one of the business people respectfully has taken on board the situation and now parks in the paying car park mentioned above. Edward Tyrrell,
The Brook. Dear Editor,
How wonderful to read on The Wicklow People about the good news for Arklow concerning future employment in the locality.
After the demise of NET, Noritake, Arklow Pottery, the fishing fleet, the coastal shipping fleet, the paint factory, the pipe factory, the plastics factory etc etc, won’t it be exciting to see Arklow return to its former employment glory again.
The sooner, the better, for our youth. Sincerely,
Joe Ryan,
The Four Courts,
Arklow.