Children’s summer camp moved over mushroom factory stink

A CHILDREN’S summer camp hosted by the Killeeshil GAA club has been forced to move following concerns about the ongoing smell from a nearby mushroom compost factory.

Dozens of underage players from the club were taking part in the week-long coaching camp. But it has now been moved to the Tyrone GAA Centre at Garvaghy after parents pulled them out due to what have been described as ‘unbearable conditions’ at the club’s grounds.

It’s the latest occasion on which activities have had to be prematurely abandoned or cancelled due to the smell, which has been severely affecting sporting and community events and local residents in the area since 2019.

Cabragh Concerned Residents Association said that the camp was one of the events that the children look forward to each year.

“Several children were forced to train in unbearable conditions at the Killeeshil GAA pitch, with one parent describing it as a ‘disgrace’ that no agency is stepping in to protect them. Another parent could barely tolerate 10 minutes at the community centre,” the CCRA said.

“Meanwhile we’ve been informed that Sawgrass has told elected councillors – but didn’t inform the community or CCRA – that they are planning maintenance works which will further increase odour emissions in the coming weeks – this is expected to be a significant increase in odour emissions right in the heart of summer. This is completely unacceptable.”

The organisation has now formally called on the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Mid-Ulster Council to use their enforcement powers to stop operations at the factory until what they say are proper controls put in place to minimise the impact on the community.

“It is not acceptable that local children and families must continue to suffer because of inaction,” they added.

After consultation with club members, parents and coaches at the site of the Killeeshil camp on Tuesday morning, the decision was taken to relocate the camp to the Tyrone GAA Centre.

“This was to ensure the enjoyment for the children at the camp and make sure they had a positive camp experience which had been adversely  affected by the smell from the nearby factory.”