News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

The former Cavanman in London columnist with The Anglo-Celt has caused quite a stir following the publication of an article in which he claims he was sexually abused in the De La Salle national school in Cavan town but declares 'it did me do harm'.

John McEntee told The Anglo-Celt that he had received quite a bit of reaction to the piece, which was published in 'The Oldie', Richard Ingrams' humorous monthly magazine in Britain. He claims that he, and a few friends were "fiddled with" by a brother (Francis) in the school in the 60s.

McEntee emphasized that he was not trying to trivialize sexual abuse and concedes that what happened to him and others in the class "was wrong" but explains that he was far greater affected by physical abuse at the hands of another brother (Cyril) in the school.

"We were battered around the classroom, it was far more frightening," he said. "It's just another perspective. We had this older brother for Irish in the afternoon and I would go home and be banging my head against the wall and be covered in lumps and telling my mother that I had a headache to try and get out of the class," recalls John.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

Clare

The Cliffs of Moher outperformed the country last year when it came to the percentage increase in tourist numbers.


Between 2010 and 2011 the number of people visiting the North Clare attraction went up by more than 12% compared to a national increase in tourist numbers of just 7% in the same period.

“Part of the reason for this increase in numbers at the Cliffs was that the overall number of tourists visiting the country grew and that might have been down to the exchange rate and also the fact that we have seen some improvement in the global economy,” explained Katherine Webster, director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience. 


“The fact the Cliffs of Moher received publicity from the New 7 Wonders campaign as well as from a number of movies we have been involved in, including Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Burke and Hare and Leap Year which although it was not filmed at the Cliffs, everyone said it was, so all of those factors would have tied into driving additional visitor number.”
(Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

It has emerged that there were problems with one of the two engines on the passenger plane which crashed in Cork in February 2011.

Ireland's Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) has released an interim report on the crash.

Six people died when the plane being used by Manx2 crashed on approach to Cork airport after flying from Belfast.

The AAIUI have said they cannot yet issue a final report on what caused the crash.

The interim report gives more detail on the operation of the plane's engines. The aircraft was a 19-year-old Fairchild Metroliner.

It says that no pre-accident defects were identified in the plane's engines.

However, the report notes that: "There was a mismatch between the torques being delivered by the two engines."

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Nster.com