A large scale clean-up operation had to be undertaken next to one of the county’s top beauty and tourist spots — which included the deployment of an abseiling team — Ballina District Court heard on Tuesday.
Environmental officer with Mayo County Council Liam Rabbitte outlined that a complaint was made about illegal dumping at a site at Glenurla, Ballycastle, where 1.34 tonnes of litter had been dumped over a cliff face. The site is visible from the historic Ceide Fields.
Mr Rabbitte said that a professional abseiling team from Kerry had to be hired to manoeuvre down the cliff face to reach the rubbish — which comprised household and agricultural waste — among which a shotgun was found. A crane was then hired to clear the area and environmental officers sifted through the waste.
Evidence belonging to Elizabeth Ginnelly, 1 Cois Abhainn, Carratigue, was discovered as a Sky Magazine with her address on it was found.
Ginnelly’s solicitor, Peter Loftus, said that the defendant, who was not responsible for all of the rubbish, had paid €5 for a coal man to remove her rubbish and she had not dumped it over the cliff.
Judge Mary Devins said that she could not understand why people would make such a beautiful spot “so ugly and filthy” and the judge said that “Dr Caulfield’s father would be turning in his gave” knowing that his legacy had become a dump.
Noting that €500 towards costs had already been paid, the judge convicted and fined the defendant €300.
