ANTRIM

A horrified local councilor has expressed concern that puppies are being sold around local car boot sales and markets.

Alliance representative and dog lover Neil Kelly said he was “disgusted” when local people informed him of their suspicions.

Councilor Kelly was walking his own two beloved Red Setters, Finn and Molly, around the Enkalon car boot sale about a month ago when a local woman approached him.

Clearly distressed by what she had witnessed, the woman informed the local representative that she believed that a number of puppies were being sold, and also provided him with a photo of two dogs in a cage in the back of a vehicle at the boot sale.

[Source: Antrim Guardian]


ARMAGH

Glassdrummon man Martin Hearty was crowned Bard of Armagh at the annual competition at the City Hotel in Armagh on Friday night, November 22. In the performance of a lifetime, before an absolutely packed audience of 1,000 people from all over Ireland, Hearty was pronounced the winner to the delight of a large crowd of supporters from the wider Crossmaglen area.

Spokesman for the judging panel, Frank Galligan, from Donegal, said that Martin’s poem, “The Culchie Gangster,” not only involved the art of satire to a high level, but was delivered magnificently and he had brought out the sheer humor in every verse, holding off the serious challenge of renowned bards from Cavan, Kerry, Sligo, England and many parts of the North.

[Source: Examiner Newspaper]
 

CARLOW

The jury in the trial of Carlow man accused of raping and sexual abusing three young girls over 30 years ago had retired for a third night, having failed to reach a verdict.

The 51-year-old accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 91 charges of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault of three girls in a Carlow town between February 1978 and December 1986.

The man has been charged with 28 counts of indecently assaulting and 26 charges of raping a first complainant, his niece, from the time she was almost seven until she was 13 years old.

[Source: Irish Independent]

 
CAVAN

An 18-year-old from Cavan Town may see herself facing the wrath of Simon Cowell in the new year. Nadine Lyons has made it through the preliminary auditions for Britain’s Got Talent.

The popular T.V. talent show, which is in its eighth season, has been holding auditions all across the U.K., and Nadine attended the Belfast leg in the Europa Hotel. Speaking excitedly to The Anglo-Celt,  the raven-haired beauty exclaimed:

“It’s up in the air at the minute. I got through the first and second round auditions and now I’m waiting to see if I will be up in front of the judges. I think only a certain amount of people got to this stage, so it’s very exciting, I’m so happy!”

[Source: The Anglo Celt]


CLARE

M.E.P. Sean Kelly has called for the establishment of an online local skills database to promote Irish rural locations like Ennis, with a view to increasing the geographical spread of Foreign Direct Investment (F.D.A.).

“In order to encourage a more regional spread of F.D.I. in Ireland, we need to promote the advantages of our regions and the educated workforce people based there,” said Mr. Kelly, who is M.E.P. of the Year for Research and Innovation.

He noted how an excellent initiative running in the U.S. State of Indiana provides a working example of how Ireland could launch a skills database.

[Source: Clare Champion]


CORK

A friendly call service, which rings elderly individuals living alone across the city and brings a bit of warmth and kindness to their day, has extended their services to five days a week.

Friendly Call Cork brings a few minutes of cheerful chat to people who might not have anyone to call in on a day-to-day basis.

The service, which is free, also operates as a security measure for people, offering peace of mind to isolated or vulnerable individuals.

[Source: Cork Independent]

 
DERRY

Five Derry nursing students have been rewarded for their academic excellence and professionalism by the University of Ulster.

Jamie-Lee McGriskin was awarded the university’s Princess Macha Award for demonstrating outstanding performance in caring and communicating with patients and families during her student placement.

Sandra Laranjeira received the Northern Health and Social Care Trust Award for best academic performance in year one; the Royal College of Nursing Award for best academic performance in year two was presented to Karen Scott; the Western Health and Social Care Trust Management Award was presented to Ciara Devlin in recognition of her outstanding performance during her management practice learning experience; and the Institute of Nursing and Health Research Mona Grey Award for Excellence in Research went to Carla McClintock , recognizing excellence in research.

[Source: Derry Journal]


DONEGAL

Ramona Nicholas of Cara and Dragon’s Den was judged runner-up at the prestigious Businesswoman/Entrepreneur of the Year awards in the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham earlier last week.

The awards were hosted by Image magazine, along with R.T.É. Radio1, Enterprise Irl. Independent Newspapers, Electric Irl. and Brown Thomas, and recognized the many Irish women who continued to shine in business regardless to of the economic climate or the challenges they face in business.

The event was attended by over 350 of Ireland’s businesswomen.

[Source: Donegal Democrat]


DOWN

An announcement by H.M. Revenue and Customs (H.M.R.C.) two weeks ago to slash 250 jobs across four of its Northern Ireland offices has been lambasted by local S.D.L.P. M.L.A.s Dominic Bradley and Karen McKevitt, who accused the department of “riding roughshod over” and “ignoring equality legislation.”

The implementation of the voluntary redundancy scheme will mean the closure of the Newry office, resulting in 134 job losses locally. A further 24 voluntary redundancies will affect H.M.R.C. staff in Enniskillen, 77 in Derry and 5 in Belfast.

H.M.R.C. has blamed an increase in customers choosing to do business with them online for the job cuts as it reduced the need for physical sites.

[Source: Examiner Newspaper]


DUBLIN

Two members of the Irish Defence Forces face being discharged from the army for taking part in a violent fight after a "night of binge drinking" in a city center night club.

Andrew Gilmore (25) and Michael Kearney (30) were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last Friday after Judge Martin Nolan indicated that he is considering a "deferred sentence" provision which would leave the army free to impose a sanction other than dismissing the soldiers.

Gilmore, of Gormanstown Army Barracks, County Meath and Kearney, of Carlton Crescent, Strabane, Co.  Tyrone, Northern Ireland, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Central Bank Plaza, Dublin on February 9, 2012.

[Source: Evening Herald]


FERMANAGH

The movie, Philomena, has proven to be a box office hit – not least at Enniskillen Omniplex – and one Fermanagh actress had the pleasure of being part of the harrowing true story of a young woman who searches for her adopted son.

Rachel Wilcock, originally from Letterbreen was a student at Collegiate Grammar School before graduating from Webber Douglas Drama School in 2005 and moving to London to pursue her career. In her first feature film Rachel played, in her own words, a “small role,” but told the Herald it was a truly unforgettable experience.

“I played the character of a young girl named Maimie, described in the script as ‘a fallen girl.’”

[Source: Fermanagh Herald]


GALWAY

There is no threat to the capital program for Galway city’s public hospitals.

That’s the message from Tony Canavan, the chief operating officer of the Galway Roscommon Hospital Group.

He was addressing last week’s meeting of the H.S.E. West Regional Health Forum following a query from Galway mayor and chair of the forum, Clr. Padraig Conneely.

[Source: Galway Bay FM]


KERRY

A 19-year-old man has been charged in connection with the death of a woman in County Kerry.

A postmortem examination carried out on the body of Susan Dunne, whose remains were found last Wednesday at her home near Lixnaw in north Kerry, indicated that she died from injuries sustained in a violent attack.

The man appeared at Killarney District Court at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

It is understood he faces a single charge of murder.

[Source: RTE News]


KILDARE

A 58-year-old construction worker was remanded last Thursday evening after he was charged in connection with seizures of about $272,000 worth of drugs in Dublin and Kildare earlier last week.

Detectives attached to the Garda National Drugs Unit seized a quantity of cannabis at Ryebrook Business Park, Leixlip, County Kildare on Tuesday, November 26.

In a follow-up search in Finglas, in Dublin, cocaine and heroin were also recovered. Two men had been arrested and one of them appeared before Judge Ann Watkin at Dublin District Court.

[Source: Kildare Nationalist]


KILKENNY

An attempt to beat the world record for the most people dressed as nuns in the one place will be made in the beautiful Rose Garden of Kilkenny Castle on Saturday, December 7 at 1 p.m.

The Kilkenny Nun Run Gathering is not really a run but a chance for people to come out and support three great causes: Pieta House, The Samaritans and St. Vincent de Paul.

All you have to do is turn up in your nun’s outfit and enjoy the winter wonderland created on the parade with snow globe and amusements.

[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

There was a great festive feel in the air on Portlaoise last weekend with the holding of the annual street market.

The Portlaoise Christmas Market took place Sunday, December 1 and ran from the Market Square down to Ryan’s Pub this year. The Main Street was pedestrianized for all of that Sunday, except from Ryan’s Pub to the lower square was open for traffic and parking.

All shops were open for business in Portlaoise the first Sunday of December and there were plenty of music, market stalls, street entertainment, art workshops for children, and amusements.

[Source: Leinster Express]


LEITRIM

The village of Newtowngore was celebrating a major achievement last month with the successful completion of improvement works including the provision of public lighting, a footpath and landscaping.

The project was first started in 2000, but was shelved due to a lack of funding. It was restarted in 2008, but in 2011, the Newtowngore Town Development Association became a driving force behind the works.

[Source: Leitrim Observer]


LIMERICK

A former Limerick hurler who chased armed criminals down a rural road has been called a hero.

George Boyle returned home on Tuesday, November 26, around 3 p.m. to find his Murroe house being ransacked by intruders.

Three men, aged in their 20s, fled from the scene towards an awaiting car and Mr. Boyle ran after them. Due to celebrate his 55th birthday on Saturday he is in excellent physical condition.

One of them had grabbed a hurley, but this didn’t deter Mr. Boyle. When he reached the car about 100 yards down the road, he pulled one of the criminals out of it before being cowardly struck from behind by another one. He was hit over the head with the hurley. His arm was also broken in the vicious attack.

The former Limerick intermediate hurler received up to 20 stitches to the head wound and lost a lot of blood. Mr. Boyle returned home last Wednesday after surgery on his arm.

[Source: Limerick Leader]


LONGFORD

Local authority housing chiefs could save taxpayers thousands by leveling some of Longford’s worst affected ghost estates.

Head of Longford County Council’s unfinished estates unit Terry Rooney explained to councilors how he thought public monies would be ring-fenced to deal with the issue.

“My understanding is, that when money is allocated, it will be used to demolish estates where there was no bond in place,” he said.

[Source: Longford Leader]

LOUTH

Dundalk people have donated over $14,000, clothing and food to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Hundreds of people donated food and clothing to the local Filipino community that were operating from a unit on Clanbrassil Street two Fridays ago.

The generosity of the local people was evident as hundreds donated what they could.

Dundalk man Brendan Marmion told the Dundalk Democrat that the people of the town have been very forthcoming with donations.

[Source: Dundalk Democrat]


MAYO

The family of a Westport man who died from injuries he sustained in a car accident in Sligo two weeks ago, have described him as a “happy-go-lucky young man who loved life and always had a word for everybody.”

Twenty-one year-old Alan Sweeney-McBride had only decided at the last minute to accompany his friends to Sligo on Wednesday evening, November 20. He passed away in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin three days later, surrounded by family.

He sustained severe head and brain injuries in a single vehicle accident at Collooney on the dual carriageway just outside Sligo sometime shortly after 2 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21.

[Source: The Mayo News]


MEATH

An elderly Navan couple owes their lives to a carbon monoxide alarm, which alerted them two weeks ago to high levels of the lethal gas in their home at Kilcarn Court.

John Carey said he and his wife, Mary, are lucky to be alive and stressed the importance of having a carbon monoxide alarm in the house as well as using fully competent plumbers to install heating systems.

“Thank God for the alarm. Only for it, we wouldn’t be here,” he said.

The couple was asleep in their home in the early hours of Monday, November 18, when the voice alarm was activated.

[Source: Meath Chronicle]


MONAGHAN

Deputy Heather Humphreys has welcomed the decision by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan T.D., not to introduce any changes to the pay and file tax regime for 2014.

The Fine Gael T.D. for Cavan/Monaghan is a member of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform. Speaking on the matter, Deputy Humphreys said the decision will be welcomed by small businesses in Cavan and Monaghan, and around Ireland.

"These businesses do not have the means to pay earlier and had the pay and file deadline been brought forward, as had been suggested, it would have created cash flow difficulties for businesses.”

[Source: The Anglo Celt]


OFFALY

Irish company R&R Mechanical has secured a contract to supply cooling units to power plants in Australia.

The Tullamore-based project was being officially announced by Minister of State for Public Service Reform Brian Hayes last Thursday.

R&R has finished the assembly of its cooling units after four years' work, according to the Tullamore Tribune, with the intention of transporting them to New South Wales early next year.

[Source: Irish Independent]


ROSCOMMON

A major Garda (police) search for a mother and three children, who were missing from their Roscommon home overnight, has been called off after they were found safe and well.

The mother was pulled over by a P.S.N.I. patrol at the Lochside petrol station in the center of Enniskillen, County Fermanagh shortly before 9 a.m.

"She wasn't actually in here," said a member of staff at the Texaco garage on the Tempo Road.

"A police car was behind her and flashed the lights at her car and she pulled in here.”

[Source: Evening Herald]

SLIGO

Pat Flanagan was last Monday night appointed Sligo's new football manager, five months on from Kevin Walsh's departure.

It is expected he will be supported in the role by the county's 2013 minor manager, Glenn Young.

It is the last inter-county football management role to be filled ahead of the start of the 2014 season.

[Source: Irish Independent]


TIPPERARY

Tipperary students were awarded an All-Ireland Scholarship toward their third level education recently. The awards ceremony took place at University of Limerick where the C.E.O. of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, was guest of honor.

This is the sixth year for the scholarships. A total of 125 students from both North and South of Ireland were presented with a third level scholarship certificate. Sponsored by J.P. McManus, the scheme is set to provide financial assistance to many high-achieving students who completed their Leaving Certificate or A Levels in 2013. The awards are administered by the Department of Education & Skills and Department of Education in Northern Ireland.

[Source: Tipperary Star]


TYRONE

The theft of eight bull calves from a field in Caledon is the latest in a seemingly endless line of livestock thefts in the Clogher Valley area.

In the most recent incident, eight bull calves, worth more than $8,000, were taken from a field in the Killynaul Road area of the village.

The victimized farmer has described the incident as "disgraceful" and says the police don't seem to know where the cattle are going.

The theft of the eight calves, valued at about $1,00 each, occurred sometime between 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, and 3 p.m. the following day, as the farmer, who did not wish to be named, recalled.

[Source: Tyrone Courier]

 
WATERFORD

The gates of St. John's Priory were officially reinstated and opened on Monday, November 18, by the mayor of Waterford, Clr. John Cummins. The regeneration of St. John's Priory has been an ongoing project by Waterford Civic Trust for the past 3 years. In partnership with S.O.L.A.S. and Waterford City Council, Waterford Civic Trust has overseen the painstaking work that has unearthed this rare gem in the city.

Last Wednesday, the entrance to the old priory and, in particular, the gates stand proudly on one of the main routes into Waterford City as an attractive link to Waterford's rich heritage. The work on the priory has been carried out by participants on a S.O.L.A.S. Local Training Initiative Scheme. At the event the L.T.I. trainees also received their F.E.T.A.C. certificates.

[Source: Waterford Today]


WESTMEATH


Mullingar horse trainer Dot Love has been nominated for an Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2013 Horse Racing Ireland Awards.

Originally from Denmark, Dot moved to Ireland over 40 years ago. She was nominated after winning the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National, Ireland’s most valuable steeplechase, with her horse, Liberty Counsel.

A big field of 28 lined up to battle for the big prize on Easter Monday at Fairyhouse in April and locally-owned Liberty Counsel, the 50/1 outsider, recorded a fairy-tale success for Dot and jockey Ben Dalton.

[Source: Westmeath Examiner]


WEXFORD


A man, convicted of the manslaughter of eight illegal immigrants found dead in a shipping container in Wexford in 2001, was released from custody in Belgium two weeks ago.

Bekim Zogaj (33), a Serbian national, was arrested in 2012 after 10 years evading police following his conviction. However the Belgian court of cassation released him Tuesday, November 19, when it emerged that documents relating to the case file had gone missing.

Almost two years after the discovery of the corpses at a Wexford industrial estate, Mr. Zogaj was one of a number of individuals charged with people- trafficking and manslaughter at a court in Bruges in 2003.

[Source: Irish Times]

 
WICKLOW

Wicklow have welcomed back Dean Healy to their football squad, despite the stinging criticism he leveled at the county board in August, when he announced that he was quitting the inter-county game.

Healy fired a broadside at the board over a number of welfare issues and problems that arose for the squad in 2013 and declared his intention not to play for Wicklow again. But the 22-year-old has had a change of heart and has been persuaded back to the fold.

[Source: Irish Independent]