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March 2012

Building works near the by-pass If, like our intrepid reporter, you have been wondering why these red and white poles decorate the country side just next to the Limavady by-pass, you need to wonder no more. Limavady Council in partnership with the Rivers Agency are installing canoe steps next to the fish counter, which blocks the access to the Roe at this point. Similar work is being done at Swann's bridge. This will give access to eight miles of flat water -ideal for those who like to exercise their arms and shoulders rather than their legs!

Visits to Limavady Workhouse Limavady Arts Centre and LCDI ('Limavady Community Development Initiative' for those who like their names awkward) arrange occasional tours of the former Limavady Workhouse, better known to locals as 'The ex Roe Valley Hospital'. Our intrepid reporters went on one such visit and can heartily recommend it to all those interested in the fascinating history of our little town. On the right, for instance, is the group of visitors admiring the very well preserved women's dormitory of the old institution. The tour was guided and kept well informed by Damien Corr, who is Manager of the above mentioned long-named outfit. Future visits will be arranged. Readers wondering why there is no supporting link to an article about this important bit of Limavady history can be assured that the editor realizes that they have a point and will take remedial action sooner or later!

The new look of Market Street Work on Market Street is progressing at a very steady pace. From the Main Street end of the thoroughfare one can already get a good impression of what it will look like when finished. And as they say around here: "It doesn't look at all bad, sir!"  If someone could now find a way to remove all those bill boards, people might even be able to walk along and look at the shop windows - rather than at the next obstacle waiting to be tripped over.

The bombs of  Benone Yet another wartime bomb has washed up on Benone Beach. It is the second bomb in two weeks and the third in the last few months. It is thought that these dangerous customers  come from Beauford's dyke. This is a 200 meter deep trench in the Irish sea about halfway between Bangor and Stranraer - as the seagull flies. The good news is that nobody has been hurt so far. The bad news is that after the last war more than a million tons of surplus ammunitions were dumped in that trench. It looks like three down, several hundred yet to go! Our photograph shows Benone Beach as seen from Downhill. Note for readers from far away lands. Benone is not pronounced 'Ben one' but more like 'Ben own'.

The Lough Foyle Ferry is running again Below is a notice taken from the website of the Lough Foyle ferry company: The Lough Foyle Ferry Service will commence our 2012 season on Friday 16th of March, we will operate on weekends until April, when a full timetable will resume. We would like to thank all our customers for their continued support and wish everyone travelling with us in 2012 a very happy crossing. Our picture shows the ferry in better days. (And the ferry is not the big white ship in the background!)

The sky at night The night of the 17th this month was one of the first clear and starlit nights over the valley in ages. As we know that many of our readers have been known to take the odd look at the sky at night, we didn't want to withhold this nice view.  You are looking from Benevenagh across Myroe. Above Lough Foyle and the lights of the distant city, the planets Venus and Jupiter provided a beautiful spectacle. The last light of the Sun is brightening the sky above the hills of Donegal. The local views are hard to beat!

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