Yachting event is cancelled over pollution fears

A MAJOR sailing championship, due to take place on Lough Derg last weekend, was cancelled because of fears of toxic pollution in the lake.

Mr John Tierney, the commodore of the Lough Derg Yacht Club, which was planning to host the 100 strong Mirror Western championships, expressed "grave concern" about a deterioration in the condition of the Shannon lake.

He criticised "the apparent lack of urgency" on the part of local authorities in Roscommon, Galway, Clare, Westmeath, Offaly and Tipperary North Riding, in addressing the matter.

He described as "very worrying" a recent bream kill on the lake, and reports of toxic pollution in the Castlelough area of the lake.

He explained, in a statement, that arising from "recent concerns about pollution on the lake", the club had sought and got confirmation from the Mid Western Health Board that in all recent tests the lake water in the Dromineer area - where the championships were to take place - was free of contamination.

However, last Wednesday, July 10th - three days before it was to start - the Mirror Association, governing body of the championship, became anxious about the event going ahead. In that day's edition of the Examiner, Dr Kevin James, of Cork RTC, had written that following tests on Lough Derg by his research unit, he had advised North Tipperary County Council to erect signs "banning all water sports, canoeing and any other activity which could result in people taking in large gulps of water".

The Mirror Association asked the Lough Derg Yacht Club for "an immediate definitive response" to the report. As there was not sufficient time to allow for this, the club felt it had "no option but to cancel the event". It would have contributed "a minimum of £40,000" to the local economy.

Mr Tierney said it was "extremely urgent" that politicians and local authorities, including the ESB, "face up to their responsibilities with regard to Lough Derg". The yacht club would, he said, be adding its voice to those calling for immediate action on the installation of tertiary treatment facilities at already chosen locations in the Shannon Basin, and "for which the necessary funds have long since been available". The club also believes work should proceed "immediately" on treatment facilities at Portumna, Scariff and Killaloe.

It called on the elected members of county councils along the Shannon not to allow the lake to deteriorate further "because of the inactivity of their respective councils".