The 2003 Derrybrien landslide occurred on October 31, 2003, on the side of Cashlaundrumlahan, a hill near Derrybrien in County Galway, Ireland. It was focused around turbine 68 in the Derrybrien wind farm, and disrupted further construction.
The landslide dislodged 450,000 cubic metres (16,000,000 cu ft) of peat after days of dry weather. [1] While initially coming to rest 2.50 kilometres (1.55 mi) away, it moved further three weeks later when rains came, entering the Derrywee River (Abhainn Da Loilioch), [2] and eventually spilled 20 kilometres (12 mi) away into Lough Cutra. [3] The lake was also the source of the townland of Gort's drinking water, and this caused disruptions to supply. [2] An impact assessment on the wildlife within the lake determined that more than 50 percent of fish in the lake had been killed due to this pollution, about 50,000 fish of all ages and species groups had perished. A smaller peat slide near turbine 17 had occurred prior to the main movement on the 16th but it did not result in the suspension of the construction of the wind turbine farm. [3]
In 2004, the engineering and construction companies (associated with the wind farm development) were convicted of being responsible for the pollution, [4] while the charges against the wind farm company itself were dismissed. [5] In 2008, the European Court of Justice ruled against the Irish government, noting that an environmental impact assessment should have been undertaken before the project was allowed to proceed. [1]
Ireland is an island in Northern Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. The island lies on the European continental shelf, part of the Eurasian Plate. The island's main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by coastal mountains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil, which is 1,039 metres (3,409 ft) above sea level. The western coastline is rugged, with many islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays. The island is bisected by the River Shannon, which at 360.5 km (224 mi) with a 102.1 km (63 mi) estuary is the longest river in Ireland and flows south from County Cavan in Ulster to meet the Atlantic just south of Limerick. There are a number of sizeable lakes along Ireland's rivers, of which Lough Neagh is the largest.
Slievecallan or Slieve Callan, also historically called 'Mount Callan', is a mountain with a height of 391 metres (1,283 ft) in west County Clare, Ireland. It is the third highest mountain in the county. There is a small lake and two megalithic tombs on the south side, and traditionally the mountain was used for Lughnasa gatherings.
The primary natural resources of the Republic of Ireland include natural gas, petroleum, peat, copper, lead, dolomite, barite, limestone, gypsum, silver and zinc. Key industries based on these and other natural resources include fishing, mining, and various forms of agriculture and fish farming. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is charged with the legislative protection of Ireland's natural resources.
Mannok, formerly the QUINN group, is a business group headquartered in Derrylin, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The group has ventured into cement and concrete products, container glass, general insurance, radiators, plastics, hotels, and real estate. It was formed by Seán Quinn in 1973, developing from a small quarrying operation in Derrylin into a large organization, employing over 8,000 people in various locations throughout Europe.
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Ciarán Cannon is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway East constituency since 2011. He previously served as a senator for the Progressive Democrats and was the last elected leader of that party. He served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2020. He served as a Senator from 2007 to 2011, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
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The environmental impact of electricity generation from wind power is minor when compared to that of fossil fuel power. Wind turbines have some of the lowest global warming potential per unit of electricity generated: far less greenhouse gas is emitted than for the average unit of electricity, so wind power helps limit climate change. Wind power consumes no fuel, and emits no air pollution, unlike fossil fuel power sources. The energy consumed to manufacture and transport the materials used to build a wind power plant is equal to the new energy produced by the plant within a few months.
The Kerry bog slides natural disaster occurred in the Maghanknockane area of Lyrecrompane, County Kerry, Ireland in August and September 2008. The original bogslide extended over four kilometres on 22 and 23 August destroying an estimated 10 hectares of bog, engulfing two bridges and led to the closure of a section of road; it was reported that it could take anything up to six months to fix the road. The plot of land owned by Moss Moore which inspired John B. Keane's play The Field escaped the disaster by only a couple of kilometres. Comparisons were drawn with the occurrence of an earthquake as it was claimed that a 30-metre (98-foot) wide section was missing from the hill. The event was likened to the 2003 Derrybrien landslide in County Galway.
Derrybrien is a tiny village in County Galway, Ireland. It lies along the R353 road in the Slieve Aughty Mountains. The village church is dedicated to Saint Patrick and is part of the Roman Catholic Parish of Ballinakill and Derrybrien.
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Killeenadeema is a civil parish in County Galway, Ireland. It contains most of the Derrybrien mountains, which hold the Derrybrien Wind Farm.
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