News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Waterford

Over the past 25 years, one family of 17 has never missed a single day of school and between them they have 158 attendance certificates to prove it.

Josie Moran, from Kilcohan Park, has always emphasised the importance of a good education for her twelve children and then later on, she sent the same strong message to five of her eleven grandchildren that are now going to school.

Every year, for the past 25 years, Josie has looked on proudly as all of her children and grandchildren have had their shining attendance records recognised and celebrated by successive Mayors of the city.

Josie said, "Every time one of them brings home a cert, there’s another photo and they’re nice to have – it just makes me very proud of them all. I know that they’ll be able to say that they went to school for their mother."

Josie only attended school until she made her Confirmation, and when she married her husband Pierce 30 years ago, they both felt that the best gift they could give their children was a good education.

Josie said, “I made my Confirmation and finished school then, so it was important to me to put my children through school the best I could, and I’m delighted now that all of the grandkids are going through school as well.”

She added, “If the kids don’t get a good education, then what else do they have behind them.”

Right through the years, Josie and her husband Pierce have encouraged the children to go to school and praised them when they did well. Josie said, “If you encourage them and praise them, they want to do well to impress you, and then they start enjoying school and they want to do well for themselves. They all did well in school and in time their certs could get them a job down the line – they will always have something to fall back on.” Josie said, "You would see children who would have been off school for more days than they were there, and that really annoys me.
(Source: Waterford News & Star)

Westmeath

Athlone District Court Judge Seamus Hughes has warned of the serious damage being caused by heroin in this area and called for tough action to be taken against the 'drug lords' who supply it.

"There is a trail of destruction being left behind by drug dealers," commented Judge Hughes during a case involving an 18-year-old heroin addict at the district court on Wednesday last.

"It is heartbreaking to see people like this young man in court. I fear dearly for the lives of these young people.

"The toughest possible action needs to be taken against the 'drug lords' who are supplying heroin in this town. They should be hounded out of the place."

Garda Inspector Aidan Minnock said he agreed fully with the judge's remarks.

Another case last Wednesday involved a 26-year-old woman who is on a methadone treatment programme but is continuing to take heroin. During this case, the judge said he had noticed an increase in the number of females coming before him with serious drug problems.

​
Nster.com