News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

What's going on in your home county in Ireland

She says it is important to promote what the “Banner County” has to offer, adding that much work has been done on making The Gathering a success in Clare.

“I suppose that what we would be facing is that everyone is trying very hard to promote their county and we have to try and show that Clare is the county to come to above others. We are handling The Gathering quite well and I think we have the fifth-highest amount of events in the whole country, so we’re doing quite well on that.”
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

A Cork family faces a move to the U.K. in order to avail of a new wonder drug that will extend the life of their son, Pierce.

The Colemans from Blackrock say that they will have to emigrate if the government does not sanction use of the new lifesaving drug for cystic fibrosis (C.F.) sufferers.

They were devastated when the drug Kalydeco was recently rejected by the National Centre for Pharmaeconomics on the grounds that it was not cost-effective, but if there was a significant cut in price, that could change.

Seven-year-old Pierce suffers from C.F. and the new drug would greatly increase both the length of his life and standard-of-living.

The drug is available in the U.K. under the N.H.S. John and his wife, Linda, are angry that the drug may not be made available to their son.
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY

Advisers to Martin Luther King III – the son of the assassinated civil rights icon – plan to visit Derry next month, the Journal has learned.

The news follows a recent meeting in Washington, D.C. between Mr. King and Derry Presbyterian minister Dr. David Latimer.

The First Derry Minister has invited the American human rights activist to Derry for a major citywide peace-building event planned for May 19.
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL

Lightning struck a house near Laghey last Wednesday morning, setting a kitchen on fire.

A fierce storm hit the south of the county at around 6 a.m., with thunder, lightning and hail storms reported in most areas. Power went out in parts of Tullaghan, County Leitrim, just south of Bundoran.

A Garda (police) spokesperson said that lightning struck a house at Bridgetown, at approximately 6 a.m.
[Source: Donegal Democrat]

DOWN

Five prominent Hill Street traders were feeling triumphant on Friday, January 25, when their campaign to highlight their anger at being taken to court by the Planning Service prompted the intervention of Environment Minister Alex Attwood, who overturned the “ridiculous” action.

The Newry businessmen had been threatened with legal action by the Planning Service who issued the men with a summons to appear in court next month in connection with a “Welcome back to Hill Street” banner, which the traders had erected after the disruption caused by the Public Realm Scheme, which took place on Hill Street and Monaghan Street last year.

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Nster.com