News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Archbishop of Dublin shocked at survey into public reaction to clerical sex abuse

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Carlow

When Linda Byrne, the first Irish woman to complete the Dublin City Marathon, crossed the finish line in record time, her Carlow boyfriend and his family were there to cheer her on.

Linda, who trains with the-Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club, has now qualified for the London Olympics and credits local lad Kevin Lawlor with pushing her that extra mile on the day.

“He’s been a great support. He was up watching me on the day and he was cycling to different spots along the route to watch me and cheer me on,” added Linda.

Twenty-four-year-old Linda was the first Irish woman to complete the Dublin marathon at Halloween. Her record time of two hours, 36 minutes and 21 seconds, means that Linda now qualifies for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“It’s very exciting. It’s been my goal the whole year; focusing on qualifying. Now I’m totally relieved and I can focus on the games.”

Kevin, from Pollerton, and his parents Mary Patricia and David, as well as his brothers Diarmuid and Ronan, were all at the finish line to cheer on Linda.

“They’ve been great support. I go to Carlow regularly on my holidays,” joked Linda, who admitted that St Laurence O’Toole’s track and the Oak Park forest walk featured prominently in her training regime.
“I’ve been training down there a good bit. It’s great to be able to use St Laurence O’Toole’s and Oak Park.”

Linda, who met Kevin in DCU three years ago, where they were both studying on athletics scholarships, will have a huge Carlow contingent behind her as she steps out in green, white and gold in London next year.

“It’s great. It’s amazing how much it means to everyone and the support I’ve received has been brilliant.”
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

One of the 26 staff who are to lose their jobs at Flair International in February has spoke of his dread at the prospect of having no work to go to. Currently there are 87 people employed by the Bailieborough factory, including the field sales team. The company last week stressed that this course of action is essential in order to save the jobs of the remaining 61 people.

The company says that the requirement to cut the workforce has been brought on by a number of factors, most notably the Irish sales of Flair's shower enclosures has dropped significantly during the last four years of recession. Growth in the UK and mainland Europe has not been sufficient to offset the fall in Irish sales.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

Clare

Clare Mental Health Services has apologized to a Sixmilebridge woman over its failure to deal properly with a complaint concerning her dissatisfaction with treatment of her husband, who was admitted as a voluntary patient to the Acute Psychiatric Unit of Ennis Hospital. 

Delores Keogh, Castlecrine, Sixmilebridge, has also described her shock and upset at receiving a “shameful” HSE letter as part of the release of medical records under the FOI act, which incorrectly stated her husband, John, who was 59 when he was admitted for treatment, was dead.

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Nster.com