Antrim

Massereene Barracks is ready to re-deploy its troops, but this time they'll be a little closer to home. Troops and civilian staff of the 38 Rifles Regiment are preparing for the imminent move to RAF Aldergrove. Speaking to Antrim Guardian, Ken Johnston, Chief Press Officer for the MOD and the Massereene Station Staff Officer said that the links with Antrim would not be lost with a move 'around the corner'.
(Source: Antrim Guardian)

Armagh

Months after the revelation that he helped cover up for one of Ireland's most notoriously abusive priests, the country's top Catholic churchman, Cardinal Sean Brady, says he has "moved on" and will not resign. "I've moved on there, I think, and I got a lot of support in my decision," he told CNN in a rare interview. Brady was part of an internal church investigation into Father Brendan Smyth in 1975, he confirmed early this year. He did not report his findings to the police and asked two teenagers who gave him evidence to sign oaths of secrecy.
(Source:CNN)

Carlow

A local musician, blind since birth, has defied all the odds to be named among the country’s top bodhrán players.  Martin Lawlor (38) a native of St Patrick’s Park, Rathvilly, won third place at the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil in Cavan recently, a remarkable achievement given the tough competition he faced from musicians the country over. “I’m over the moon about it. Even to get to the All-Ireland Fleadh was an achievement but to win third place and a silver medal is fantastic,” said a delighted Martin.
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

A computer hacker took advantage of a brief lapse on the part of a Cavan email user last week and nearly stole €3,000 because of it. Pastor Ivan Watson of Cavan Baptist Church is asking the public to be vigilant - his contacts received an email purporting to be from him and seeking financial help because he had been robbed in France. During his stay, the message claimed, his money, credit cards and phone were stolen, and what he required was €3,000 to help him complete the programme and get back home.
 (Source: The Angle Celt)

Clare

Newmarket’s Tim O’Connell is one of a handful of Irish people ever to reach the world’s lowest point as part of an expedition that descended the 2,191m Krubera-Voronja cave in August. Tim was one of a group of four Irish men to take part in the expedition, in which they were joined by cavers from France, Lithuania, Serbia and Spain. Krubera-Voronja is located in Abkhazia, a region that has declared independence from Georgia but which is still claimed by Tiblisi.
 (Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

Heroin addicts in Cork are not getting fast access to Methadone Treatment Programs, which could be causing some to overdose. Cork's Methadone Treatment Program currently has 150 members, while there are a further 14 people waiting to access the program, according to the HSE. However, to be included on the waiting list, people must be assessed, and one city councilor says the low figures are merely due to delays in the assessment procedure.
Source: (Cork Independent)

Derry

Republican Action Against Drugs have warned young people in Derry not to get caught up in what they describe as "hero worship for co-called hard men." The vigilante group made the comment as it claimed responsibility for a shooting incident in the Bogside last Tuesday night. A number of shots were fired at a house in Dove Gardens during the incident. No one was injured in the shooting, however, PSNI officers were attacked with stones and petrol bombs when they arrived to investigate.
 (Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

Friends and family, neighbors and customers gathered in the church hall on the main road in Carrigans last Tuesday to wish good luck to Bernie Moore, just months after crowds packed the same hall in an unsuccessful campaign to keep her as the village postmistress. An Post terminated Bernie's contract last week, ending months of pressure that began in February 2009, when three armed men raided the post office. An Post terminated Bernie's contract last Tuesday, ending months of pressure that began in February 2009, when three armed men raided the post office.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down

Police have been urged to crack down on anti-social elements which surround Eleventh Night bonfires after it emerged that the Fire Service has shelled out £3.7m in the last five years.
Last year nearly £1m was spent by the Fire Service as crews tackled nearly 300 incidents during May, June and July in the lead-up to the July bonfires.  Fire crews were dispatched to 1,352 bonfire connected incidents between 2004 and 2009, according to new figures that emerged from an Assembly question asked by SDLP MLA Thomas Burns.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Dublin

Gardai have quashed rumors that evil rapist Larry Murphy is hiding out in an affluent north Dublin suburb. Rumors were rife among locals in Malahide that the convicted rapist was being housed in a B&B close to the castle. But gardai have confirmed that he is not currently in Malahide, adding that they cannot give information on where he is. Local Garda station has been inundated with calls from residents and they too have confirmed to me that this individual is not staying in Malahide or indeed anywhere close to the town."
(Source: The Evening Hearld)

Fermanagh

A Dublin priest has been jailed for four years for sexually abusing three sisters in their Co Ferrmanagh home almost 50 years ago. Fr Eugene Lewis (76), was found guilty by a jury at Omagh Crown Court in May of 11 counts of indecently assaulting the three Co Fermanagh sisters separately and on differing dates between August 1963 and September 1973. Lewis, the former provincial superior of the Society of Missionaries of Africa, based in Dublin, had denied the charges.
(Source: The Irish Times)

Galway

The engineering team behind the renowned Green Dragon boat is working behind the scenes at Galway Docks as part of a plan for it to take to the seas again by the end of the year. In recent weeks, engineers from around Europe were in Galway working on redesigning the Volvo Ocean Race entrant, while representatives from Let’s Do It Global – which owns the boat and also secured the Volvo Ocean Race ‘grand finale’ for Galway in 2012 – have just returned from a trip to arrange sponsorship in China.
(Source: GalwayCity Tribune)

Kildare

An art structure symbolizing togetherness has brought residents of an estate in Athy closer. The seat on the green in Ardrew was designed as part of the Percent For Art project and it was unveiled last week as part of a closing celebration for the project. Resident Delores Grady told the Kildare Nationalist that the idea for the seat came about through workshops facilitated by professional artists.
(Source: The Kildare Nationalist)

Kilkenny

Kilkenny Castle is rated in the top six 'Favourite Irish Heritage Properties/ Landmarks' in a nation-wide survey commissioned to coincide with Heritage Week. The castle is tied for fourth place along with the Rock of Cashel and Kilmainham Gaol. Topping the category in first place is Newgrange, followed by Dublin Castle in second place and Christchurch Cathedral in third. The survey was commissioned by Ecclesiastical Insurance Company, a specialist insurer of heritage property, to mark National Heritage Week.
(Source: Kilkenny People)

Laois

Thousands of school-children across Laois went back to school last week which also saw a new era for many students and teachers in Portlaoise with the opening of three new schools. History was made on the Borris Road in Portlaoise last Tuesday, when the sounds of first year students rang through the halls of the two new secondary schools. The Presentation girls of the 'new' Scoil Chríost Rí could be heard taking part in a very lively induction in their school hall, courtesy of the sixth year pupils.
(Source: Leinster Express)

Leitrim

Last month on August 27th the end of an era was marked in Glencar as the post office which had been in the Rooney family for three generations and 110 years closed its doors for the final time. Family and friends gathered alongside postmistress Dympna Rooney as the door was closed for the final time. The significance of the closure was explained by local historian Brendan Rooney who said, "There is now no post office, no public house or creamery in the area. It was the last place where the public could meet."
(Source: Leitrim Observer)

Limerick

Gardai in Bruff are investigating a forest fire which has wiped out 10 acres of woodland in County Limerick.The blaze took hold at Glenanaar Wood, Kilfinane at approximately 2.30pm last Thursday causing an estimated €50,000 worth of damage. Several units of the fire brigade from Kilmallock, Limerick city and surroundings areas fought the blaze for five hours.
(Source: Limerick Leader)

Longford

The Longford News has ceased publication. Staff at the newspaper in Longford Town were informed of the news last week.The Roscommon Champion and the Athlone Voice are also to cease publication from last Wednesday. Staff at the three newspapers were informed of the decision last week  The Longford News has been an institution in Co Longford since it commenced publication in 1936. It is believed the newspaper employs six people in Co Longford.
(Source: Longford Leader)

Louth

Last Friday Moffett Engineering Limited celebrated their 65th year in business with employees and invited guests reminiscing on their own history and that of the site on Ardee Road.To mark the event Moffett hosted an historical display of equipment and photographs, highlighting the long and distinguished history of innovation and engineering excellence dating back to the mid 1800s.
(Source: Dundalk Democrat)

Mayo

Promising Westport apprentice jockey Conor Hoban made the headlines on Sunday last at The Curragh when excelling on Hujaylea in one of the biggest handicaps of the year, the Irish Cambridgeshire.17-year-old Hoban, son of Ger and Patricia Hoban of Centra Westport, who still has a 7lb claim, produced the gelding with a well-timed effort to lead inside the final furlong in the €100,000 event.
 (Source: The Mayo News)

Meath

The Transformation Programme for the North East Region involves widespread and fundamental change to maximise clinical outcomes and ensure safe services for patients. As part of the reconfiguration of services in the Louth Meath Hospital Group it has always been planned to integrate the general surgery service at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan (OLH) into an expanded Louth Meath Group wide Department of Surgery. The HSE has taken the decision that with immediate effect all acute/emergency surgery will cease at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.

(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Offaly

An Offaly volunteer is set to return to help in the rebuilding effort in Haiti this October as part of Haven's 'Build it Week'.Last year Rath native Louise O'Brien went as a volunteer to work alongside 250 others in helping to build a community in the Ouanaminthe area of Haiti. The project this year will be focusing on an area north of Port Au Prince where an earthquake hit on January 12 this year leaving 1.3 million Haitians homeless and over 230,000 people dead.
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

A final year student from Roscommon town has gone forward to complete in the highly-prestigious global James Dyson Award. 22 year-old John Burke and is among twelve Irish finalists who are in the running for the global James Dyson award. John, a student at University of Limerick, has made the shortlist for his invention - "Roll- Clean Wheelchair Tyre cleaning device", a brush mechanism device that removes dirt from the wheels as the user operates the wheelchair.
 (Source: The Roscommon Champion)

Sligo

An Garda Siochana in Sligo have issued a warning to elderly people living in the Sligo area to be on alert for people posing as workmen calling to their homes."It has come to Garda attention, that a number of persons are posing as competent workmen and calling to the homes of elderly persons in the Sligo area and are fraudulently obtaining cash from these vulnerable people," said Crime Prevention Officer Sgt Jim Fox in a statement released last week.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

The annual Tipperary Food Producers Long Table Dinner attracted 250 diners last Wednesday evening to create the longest virtual dinner table.The event took place across four strategic locations in Tipperary as part of National Heritage Week. Diners were transported back 1,500 years for the Long Table dinner however a very futuristic element of linked filming by Tipperary Institute took place at the event to link the four locations creating the longest virtual dinner table.
(Source: Tipperary Star)

Tyrone

Once again the Board of Governors, Principal, staff, parents and pupils were absolutely delighted with this year's A Level results.The results keep up the excellent reputation for high achievement at Post-16 in St Patrick’s College. Principal Mrs Rosina O’Neill commented, “I am delighted with yet another outstanding performance by our sixth form students at A and AS Level.
(Source: Tyrone Times)

Waterford

Although there was champagne and an effort to get a party feel going for the final hours of trading at TK Maxx last Monda, there was a sense of disbelief as the once bustling store lay barren and empty. With signs saying the store will reopen in Railway Square in October, the staff has been given various options to either work in other stores or take leave in the meantime.
(Source: Waterford News $ Star)

Westmeath

The depth of the crisis in the pub trade locally was laid bare this week as it emerged that hundreds of people in the pub trade in the county have lost jobs or had working hours reduced over the past three years.  As new figures from the Revenue Commissioners revealed that some 31 publicans in Westmeath have still to renew their licences this year, local pubican and Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) representative Paul Donovan said the bigger issue is the number of jobs lost in the industry over the past three years and the fact that nothing is being done about it.

(Source: Westmeath Independent)

Wexford

The recession is being blamed for a huge upsurge in domestic violence which has seen Wexford Women's Refuge struggle to cope with all requests for help and accommodation. A pregnant woman and her two children even had to spend a week sleeping on a sofa there due to there not being enough beds to go around. 'It's been a hectic summer so far. We've been inundanted with famillies,' said Betty Doyle, the manager of the refuge, this week.
(Source: The Wexford People)

Wicklow

A rural community in Wicklow is hoping to create the world's first rural zero carbon district. The plan will see the areas of Ballynagran and Glenealy switch to green power, transport and production within 10 years creating a carbon free zone. While the initial steps are simple such as switching to energy saving light bulbs and energy audits the long term plan is much more ambitious and by 2020 it is hoped to have windmills, solar panels and rainwater harvesting installed.
(Source: The Wicklow People)