Opposition is growing in Mayo to a claim by British-based landlord Mr Charles Baker to the ownership of about seven acres of land along the banks of the River Moy in Foxford.
The land had been designated for an ambitious project to mark the birthplace of the founder of the Argentinian navy, Admiral William Brown.
The Foxford Admiral Brown Society, with Mayo County Council, intended to develop a large memorial park to the Foxford native to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in 2007.
Mayo County Council had recently acquired a vesting order on the land and work on the memorial park was due to start next month.
However, the landlord, who owns extensive fishing rights along the popular River Moy, has objected to the council's ownership of the land running along the river bank in Foxford town centre.
Mr Baker has lodged his claim to the land with Mayo County Council. The president of the Admiral Brown Society, local businessman Mr J.J. O'Hara yesterday said the news was disappointing. "This will delay a community project that needs to be completed by 2007. We have worked very hard on the proposed Admiral Brown Memorial Park - and have acquired container loads of naval artefacts from the Argentine navy to be incorporated into the park," he said.
He added: "We understood that Mayo County Council had secured title to the land in question and the local authority is fully supportive of our endeavours, working with us on this whole project. We were totally devastated to hear, at this late stage, when the vesting order on the land is in place that Mr Baker decides to claim ownership."
Mr O'Hara said a petition seeking signatures supporting the project has started. " I am making a public plea to Charles Baker to withdraw his objection to the vesting order that will give the local authority clear title to the land."
Mayo county secretary, Mr John Condon, said yesterday he is confident the objection will fail.
"Before getting to this point the local authority has meticulously gone through each stage of advertising and seeking ownership of what was deemed a derelict site. I am confident that the objection will not succeed at this time," Mr Condon stated.