News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Fr Gerard MacCormack, Administrator, Navan is to be appointed PP Kingscourt, and will be succeeded by Fr Declan Hurley, CC, Navan. Fr John Brogan, PP Donore is appointed PP, Kilskyre; Fr Michael Meade, CC Mount Bolus is appointed PP, Donore; Fr David Brennan, CC, Bohermeen is appointed CC Moynalvey; Fr Barry Condron, CC Castletown-Finea is appointed CC Dunshaughlin.

(Source: The Drogheda Independent)

MONAGHAN

A total wipeout of fish stocks in a local river has been likened to “mass murder” with fish stocks now facing a bleak future taking years to recover. 
A stretch of the Ballintra River, known locally as the Castle River, was stricken with an unknown pollutant that has left one of Monaghan’s most popular fishing spots wiped out.
A spokesperson for the Northern Regional Fisheries Board stated: “A fish kill on the Ballintra River on Monday morning at 9am. Staff responded immediately. The length of river affected is approximately 10 kilometres from Drumgarran to Lough Major. Fisheries Staff have walked the river and have counted over 500 trout to date, together with other species including crayfish have been killed. A potential source has been identified, samples have been taken. The investigation is ongoing.””

(Source: The Monaghan Post)

 

OFFALY

Offaly County Council is to write to Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin to ask her to pay the Christmas bonus to social welfare recipients. Councilor Tommy McKeigue spoke of its importance for many people and said that shopkeepers had told him they were back in a situation they had never thought would return, of people seeking credit. There would be "huge debts" after Christmas, he stated. Councilor Percy Clendennen said that elderly people looked forward to the bonus. Cathaoirleach Noel Bourke said that the Minister had said she would review the matter.

(Source: The Offaly Express)

 

ROSCOMMON

A taxi driver in Roscommon town was seriously assaulted last weekend by a number of men he had carried to Athlone, bringing to two the number of serious assaults on taxi drivers in recent weeks. Driver Muhammad Arfan was violently attacked in the early hours of Saturday morning last after bringing a group of four men and two women, aged in their 20’s and early 30’s, from Roscommon to Athlone. Commenting on the serious attack, Kevin Bishop, the Roscommon Representative for the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation, expressed concern over the recent incidents. “Mr. Arfan is still physically quite sore and hurt and has his head bandaged and it will take a long time for him to recover from this mentally; this type of incident carries mental scars,” Mr. Bishop said.

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Nster.com