News from around the Irish counties

Source: The Evening Herald

FERMANAGH

A group of members of Longford Historical Society, who attended this year's 'Twelfth' in Lisbellaw as guests of the host Orange Lodge, were guests of the chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Bertie Kerr last Tuesday at a function at Enniskillen Castle. The Longford group had met their hosts during a visit to World War One battlefields in Belgium. Its spokesman said his members were 'more than happy' to attend and see the tradition and ceremony of the Orange Order. James MacNerney added: "We felt it was important to come in the spirit of reconciliation. "We all have to live together on this island, and we have to respect each other's traditions."

Source: The Fermanagh Herald

GALWAY

Galway City Council management has moved to reassure the public that essential services will be maintained, despite the city's looming financial crisis. City Manager Joe MacGrath was responding as the true extent of the city's budgetary troubles were revealed in a mid-year financial report. The worrying document was furnished to city councilors last Friday and shows that the council has been doubly hit by the current economic crisis, with a significant drop in income coming alongside a greater demand for waivers and subsidies.

Source: Galway Independent

KERRY

Government deal maker Jackie Healy Rae admitted last week that he is not in a position to force Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen into assisting Kerry's beleaguered farmers who were hit by the closure of the REPs 4 scheme. Addressing over 250 angry farmers at an IFA protest outside his Killarney clinic last Saturday, the Kilgarvan man was heckled continuously as he addressed farmers from the back of a lorry just hours after the government announced the early closure of the grant scheme. Amid heated calls of "go, go, go" from the assembled farmers, the Kilgarvan man said that the government could still pass votes without his support.

Source: The Kerryman

KILDARE

The Oxegen music festival has been branded a success, with the organizers and gardaí (police) having quashed fears that the 80,000 revelers could cause damage to the town of Naas. Tidy Towns chairman Councilor Seamie Moore has praised Oxegen organizers MCD and the gardaí for their roles in ensuring that Naas remained orderly and tidy throughout the weekend. “There was a great effort made,” he stated, noting that complaints made after the recent AC/DC concert had been addressed.

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