News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

What's going on around Ireland

CLARE

It is very much a case of Donegal’s loss is Clare’s gain following the appointment of Dr. Austin Stack as Professor of Medicine at the University of Limerick.

Dr. Stack has joined existing nephrologists Dr. Casserly and Dr. Cronin at the dialysis unit in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick and at the Fresenius unit on the Dock Road.

He was consultant nephrologist at Letterkenny General Hospital in Donegal where he was highly-respected.

The Clare branch of the Irish Kidney Association (I.K.A.) has welcomed his appointment to the Mid-West area, while he has been enquiring about the kidney association in Clare, as he was familiar with the work of the Donegal branch.
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

The Jack Lynch Tunnel fully reopened last Friday, two weeks ahead of schedule to facilitate the free flow of traffic in the run-up to Christmas.

The tunnel has been closed nightly from 9:15 p.m. to 7 a.m. with the exception of Fridays, as part of an E.U. directive for additional fire protection. The work, which commenced in September, was originally scheduled to take six months but later reduced to three months.

“We’re delighted to announce that the work, which was originally scheduled to take six months, has been practically completed in less than three," said a spokesperson for the Jack Lynch Tunnel management team.
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY

He’s best known for playing tough guys with a penchant for violence but movie star Ray Winstone was anything but when his latest film, “Ashes,” enjoyed its Irish premiere at the Foyle Film Festival last Wednesday evening.

The London-born movie star was in Derry along with “Ashes” director Mat Whitecross to promote the film, which was screened at the Brunswick Moviebowl. He started off by telling the Journal that City of Derry Airport is one of the nicest airports he’s ever been to.

“It’s a great airport – don’t ever change it. I couldn’t believe it when we arrived on Wednesday because we walked off the plane, walked through a door and we were there – it was great.”
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL

A Kilcar man, who had spent all his working life living one mile from his workplace in Lanesborough, lost his life in a workplace accident in the early hours of Wednesday, November 21.

John O’Donnell (59), a native of Shalway in Kilcar, was working at the E.S.B. power station in Lanesborough, County Longford, where it is believed he got trapped in machinery in the plant.

Gardaí (police) were alerted to the incident at the E.S.B. power station in Lanesborough shortly before 1 a.m. on Wednesday and the late Mr. O’Donnell was taken to Mullingar General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
[Source: Donegal Democrat]

DOWN

Police have arrested two men in connection with a huge blaze which tore through coal storage sheds in Newry’s Albert Basin on Friday night, November 16. The Albert Basin site is situated between Newry Canal and the Clanrye River, and contains a number of disused storage sheds.

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Nster.com