Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Sinking feeling for Ulster GAA club
School closed and GAA pitch ruined Abandoned gypsum mine collapses
A RURAL community was in lockdown last night as a sink hole opened when the roof of an old mine collapsed.
The terrifying incident happened in the Magheracloone area near Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan – causing a primary school to be evacuated.
The sinkhole has left a gaping gash across the land, splintering the wall of a community centre wall and running through the pitch of Mageracloone GAA Club.
Councillor Colm Carthy, who is the chairperson of the municipal district, said a loud noise woke residents on Sunday night. He added: “I have spoken to one local who had a neighbour who was woken late last night to a load bang.
“He thought someone was trying to rob his car or something like that. He thought no more about it until he heard the news this morning.
“It is the old part of the gypsum mines and the excavation would have been done when regulations wouldn’t be as strict as they are now.
“It is not known how wide and cavernous the underground area is and the locals will at a minimum be expecting Gyproc [the mine’s owners] to come back to them with detailed proposals to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”
He said people are shocked in the area but he reassured them council officials would carry out a full investigation.
Cllr Carthy added: “The area where this sinkhole occurred, the crack in the earth, is where the old mines used to be.
“They are no longer being mined so thankfully there are no casualties. The GAA pitch has been damaged and the community centre, which is adjacent to the pitch is also structurally damaged.
“There is a massive big crack along the side of the wall there.
“I have spoken to the chair of the community centre and they are waiting for details from Gyproc who are carrying out a survey at the moment.”
The council’s engineering unit is also carrying out its own survey at the moment. The main road in the area is closed while the probe is carried out.
The local Drumgossatt National School was forced to shut and released a statement on its Facebook page.
It said: “Due to the collapse of the gypsum mine in the area of the community centre, the school will close immediately. Can parents
They are no longer mined so thankfully there were no casualties CLLR COLM CARTHY CO MONAGHAN YESTERDAY
please collect children as soon as possible. Please spread the word.”
Gyproc, which invested £7.17million in the Co Monaghan site, confirmed that they were monitoring the situation.
A statement read: “Having completed an initial assessment across our entire underground mine working area we have identified five properties located at the perimeter of the impacted area.
“Our assessment indicates all areas outside of this zone are unaffected. We are working with the residents of those properties to assess the potential impact from the incident. We are currently assessing the situation with the assistance of geological teams to ascertain both the reason for and the extent of the subsidence.
“Our main priority is the safety of local residents, our employees and ensuring no significant environmental impact.”
A garda spokeswoman said officers were in the area and roads would be closed for 48 hours.
She said: “Gardai are at the scene of an incident at Magheracloon, Co Monaghan.
“The Kings Court to Carrickmacross road R179 is currently closed and diversions are in place.
“A local school has been evacuated as a precaution.”