This article is from page 15 of the 2012-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
THE felling of the last tree in the village of Ballyvaughan has provoked an angry row within the local community – with a number of local groups claiming that it was cut down illegally.
The tree was located in front of L’Arco’s Italian Restaurant in the village – a premises owned by former Clare TD, Madeline Taylor Quinn, and her husband George Quinn.
Clare County Council confirmed to The Clare People yesterday that no permission had been sought for any tree felling work to be undertaken in Ballyvaughan on or before February 29, when the tree was cut down.
A spokesperson from the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns committee said the people of the town are furious that the tree was removed.
“There is a lot of upset and anger among the people up here.
“Every member of the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns Committee has been inundated with calls about it so we decided to contact Clare County Council and see what could be done,” said a committee member form Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns.
“The council agree that the situation needs to be rectified. People are really very angry about this situation and want this rectified.”
A spokesperson from the Ennistymon Area Office of Clare County Council contacted the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns Group last week, confirming the council intention to seek to restore a new tree to the site on the village main street.
In a statement released to The Clare People yesterday, the Ballyvaughan Community Development Group said they were very “upset” that noone in the village was notified before the tree was cut down.
“We are very upset that the tree has been cut down.
“The Community Development Group are surprised and upset that this happened and also with the manner in which this has taken place,” said the statement.
“We now want to work with everyone involved in this situation and insure that a solution is found which would see a tree being reinstated for the village.”
The tree itself was planted more than 25 years ago and is the last of more then a dozen trees which were planted in the village at that time.