News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

What's going on in your home county in Ireland

ANTRIM

Dozens of jobs were dangling by a thread last week after the Planning Service sensationally refused to throw a lifeline to one of the key tenants helping Junction One keep its head above water.

The retail landscape across Antrim has been decimated during the economic downturn, with businesses big and small going to the wall.

Now one of the rare success stories could be facing a similar fate after County Hall controversially decided to enforce arcane planning rules that could prevent them from trading at their current Antrim headquarters.

B&M Retail have been doing brisk business at the retail park since they pulled down the shutters at Castle Mall.

But when it was pointed out that they would require a slight amendment for their planning approval to continue with mixed retailing at their new premises few believed that civil servants would do what the recession had failed to.
[Source: Antrim Guardian]

ARMAGH

The community in Bessbrook is shocked and saddened by the tragic death of a young woman in the village pond on Thursday evening, January 24. Sheena Robb was out for an evening walk by the pond when she fell into the water. A group of young people discovered the woman shortly after 6:00 p.m. and contacted emergency services who performed C.P.R. at the scene. Despite the attempts by paramedics to revive her, the mother-of-two later died.

Mrs. Robb lived opposite the pond and was a well-known and popular neighbor and friend to many.
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]

CARLOW

The two firms behind the Shaws department store chain enjoyed contrasting fortunes last year, writes Gordon Deegan.

The firms operate 15 department stores across the country. Accounts recently filed by Shaw & Sons show that the firm's losses soared 54 percent from $1,026,743 to $1.57 million in the year to the end of January 2012.

The increase in losses follows revenues at the firm – which operates seven of the department stores – slipping from $31.6 million to $31.3 million.

Separate figures show a connected Shaw firm, which operates four department stores and Hadden's Shopping Centre in Carlow, returned to profit last year.
[Source: Irish Independent]

CAVAN

A daughter and two sons-in-law of bankrupt businessman Sean Quinn were paid sums totaling about $1,195,000 over a year under employment contracts with Russian companies in the family's international property group, the Commercial Court has heard.

Colette Quinn was paid some $460,000, while her brothers-in-law, Stephen Kelly and Niall McPartland, were paid about $350,000 and $380,000 respectively. The money was paid into accounts held by the three with Ocean Bank in Moscow and was withdrawn from A.T.M.s here and via Visa cards.
[Source: The Anglo Celt]

CLARE

Donnagh Gregson of the Bunratty Cookery School is the new chair of the Clare Tourism Forum, succeeding Barbara Faulkner in the role.

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Nster.com