A PROPOSAL has been made for work to begin again at a mine that collapsed beneath a GAA club in Co Monaghan.
Magheracloone Mitchells GAA, near Carrickmacross, lost its pitch after sinkholes appeared in 2018.
The local community centre was also destroyed in the collapse, which resulted in two sinkholes, one of which was around 30 feet wide, and gaping cracks which split the pitch down the middle.
The entire site had to be abandoned forcing the GAA club to play home games over the border in Co Louth.
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The mining company said the sinkhole was caused by the collapse of pillars in the mine under the club's ground.
It has now emerged that Monaghan County Council is due to rule next week on the planning application by Saint-Gobain, owners of Gyproc, for renewed excavation at the old gypsum mine at Drumgoosat.
It has been reported that the company says there are significant gypsum deposits left in the mine and it wants permission to reopen Drumgoosat for 30 years.
However, concerns have been raised as the company wants to use open-cast mining methods, scooping out the material from above rather than going back underground.
Issues around dust, noise, vibrations from blasting and loss of property values have all been raised as well as the fear of further subsidence.
Among those to raise concerns is the principal of the nearby Drumgossatt National School.
Breege Brennan said: “Such a proposed operation should be at least 1,000m from a facility such as a school where many lives could be negatively affected on a daily basis by its activities".
