Giant windmills hardly a tourist attraction

IT is both interesting and ironic that the entrepreneurs behind the proposed wind farm on Slieve Callan in Co Clare say the venture might become a tourist attraction (Irish Examiner, February 16).

Each of the 31 masts will stand at 90 metres high, but the 45m wings, pinioned at the 80m mark, will ensure the windmills reach 125m into the sky. This is higher than the Spire on O’Connell Street, Dublin, which is a tourist attraction, however outlandish.

It would take Usain Bolt 12.5 seconds at world record speed to run the length of one of these proposed monster windmills, were gravity not a deterrent.

From my observations of submissions to the relevant local authority, many people seem to express surprise at not being informed of the plans by those who aim to have the gargantuan mills erected on their lands.

Indeed, one co-owner of a designated site for one of the mills is highly indignant at being left out of the loop altogether. All this when the area is part of a designated scenic route where plans for a far smaller windfarm were previously rejected.

Michele Savage

Glendale Park

Dublin 12