ANTRIM

Sufferers of asbestos-related cancer who cannot trace those liable to pay compensation can now access a government support fund – but only if they have been diagnosed with the deadly condition within the past week. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of internal organs, notably the lungs, and almost always arises from exposure to asbestos.

On Wednesday (July 25) U.K. Welfare Minister Lord Freud announced that victims will benefit from approximately $465m in payments over the next 10 years.
[Source: Antrim Guardian]

ARMAGH

The deliberate burning of a 40-foot truck loaded with cubes of fuel-laundering waste has been slammed by the local community. Residents of the Castleblaney Road in Newtownhamilton are also angry that the trailer had been dumped there almost four weeks before the arson attack in the early hours of July 26.

Two fire crews from Newtownhamilton and one from Crossmaglen attended the “protracted incident” at 1 a.m. on Thursday morning and eventually managed to bring the blaze under control.

People living nearby reported that the dumped vehicle was due to be removed from the area by the Environmental Health Agency the following day.
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]

CARLOW


A generous local man who turned $3.65 into $334,657 wants to share his Lotto success with the shop assistant who sold him the winning ticket.

The mystery EuroMillions winner, who pocketed the hefty prize in the draw on July 27, dropped into Costcutter’s, Tullow Road the following day to share a piece of his winnings with shop assistant Brendan Delaney.

“We don’t really know who he is. He just came in looking for Brendan and said he was going to give him a bit of money. I think he was still in shock,” said store manager Jason McSteen.
[Source: Carlow Nationalist]

CAVAN

Sean Quinn's daughter fears that the appointment of receivers to the assets of the Quinn children could damage the family's chances of getting their day in court, despite last Monday (July 30) having their living expenses granted. She made the comments at a rally in Ballyconnell the previous day at which 4,000-plus people turned up in support of the Quinns.

Receivers had been appointed to the assets of the Quinn children before last Tuesday’s High Court ruling on the families' living expenses.

The court approved the payment of monthly living expenses totaling almost $36,500 to the five Quinns and to three spouses.
[Source: The Anglo Celt]

CLARE

Parents in Clare are approaching St. Vincent de Paul in record numbers in an effort to manage back-to-school costs.

The traditionally quiet months of June and July have been busier than ever for the charity this year as families struggle with the cost of free education. Parents estimate they will spend $594 for each child attending primary school and $756 for a secondary school child, according to research published this week by the National Consumer Agency. The research also found that this year, 78% of parents are more concerned about back-to-school costs than last year.

According to Cathal Oakes from the Clare branch of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, this is reflected in the county.

“People are getting in touch at the moment about the cost of going back to school. One of the things we found is that traditionally the number of calls would be down in June and July but this year they are still very, very high,” he told The Clare Champion.
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK


Ryanair has announced five new routes from Cork to Eastern Europe, going on sale from August 2.
 
Speaking at the Clarion Hotel in Cork last Thursday morning, Ryanair's Michael Cawley confirmed that the low-cost airline will fly to five different cities in Poland and Lithuania – Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Vilnius.
 
"Our Cork winter schedule 2012 now grows to two based aircraft and 10 routes which will deliver over 850,000 passengers per annum at Cork airport, sustaining over 800 on-site jobs," said Mr. Cawley.

The announcement of the routes is to compete against Wizz airline, with Ryanair offering fares 50% cheaper.
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY


Around 200 passengers this past weekend explored Derry’s history and culture when a North American cruise ship docked in the city.

The Clipper Odyssey, which accommodates 200 passengers and crew, berthed at Fort George on Saturday.

It is designed to allow for intimate expedition-style cruising and enables it to reach unusual locations that are inaccessible for larger vessels.

The ship has been chartered by North American academic tour operator Academic Arrangements Abroad who specialize in prestigious art and history tours.
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL


Donegal County Council requested a Garda (police) presence at County House last Monday to coincide with a planned public protest outside of the July county council meeting.

As many as 90 protesters from the Donegal “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay” campaign protested outside County House on Monday as councilors held their regular July meeting inside. Gardaí stood at the front door of County House and three Garda patrol cars were in attendance during the protest.

A protest by members of the same group in December resulted in the council budget meeting being disrupted, after dozens of protesters entered the public meeting and loudly voiced their opposition to the government’s household charges.
[Source: Donegal Democrat]

DOWN

A 20-year-old man was beaten unconscious and a 17-year-old boy has been stabbed in an attack in Bangor, County Down.

They were assaulted by two men and a woman in Silverstream Avenue shortly after 8:30 p.m. last Friday week.

Police believe the 20-year-old was hit on the head with a hammer. The teenager was stabbed in his side.
[Source: BBC News]

DUBLIN

A complaint was made to Gardaí (police) after a judge has been accused of insulting Polish people.

Judge Mary Devins had suggested in court that social welfare was a "Polish charity."
 
She has since apologized, saying the comment was directed to a specific group of individuals involved in an "alcohol-fuelled incident.”

But Killian Forde, of the Dublin-based Integration Centre, described her original comment as "absolutely disgraceful" and said her apology was insufficient.
[Source: Evening Herald]

FERMANAGH

It is an exciting time in the Noble household. Tom and Mary are packing their bags before setting off for London to watch their son, Gavin, compete for Ireland in the Olympic Games. And with their other four children also joining them to cheer on Gavin, it is going to be a real family affair when the men’s triathlon gets underway next Tuesday, August 7.

“We are very excited and very proud as well. Gavin has been through a lot with injuries and disappointments over the years so I would have to say that we admire him very much as well,” Tom explained.

Gavin hasn’t been able to get back to Enniskillen since he qualified for the Olympic Games and the whole family is looking forward to celebrating his Olympic achievement.
[Source: Fermanagh Herald]

GALWAY

It may be a quiz question in years to come – who was the first Irishman to feature at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics? And former Irish rugby star Noel Mannion owes his latest claim to fame to the fact that Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle is proud of his own Ballinasloe roots.

Boyle’s opening sequence featured sporting highlights from around these islands – but the Irish clip he used was of Mannion’s legendary try against Wales at the Cardiff Arms Park back in 1989.

Nobody got a bigger shock than the former Irish number eight last Friday night when he arrived home from coaching the Ballinasloe juniors just in time to see his part in the Olympics.
[Source: Galway Bay FM]

KERRY

Retired Kerry South TD Jackie Healy Rae has scotched reports that he will not pay back a pension overpayment of almost $18,290.

It had been reported in national media over the weekend that Mr. Healy Rae said he was not in a position to repay the monies owed.

However, when contacted by The Kerryman, the retired TD said he would repay the money if a genuine error had been made: "I will pay it back. If they gave me money that isn't mine then I will pay it back," stated the retired politician, who was a TD for Kerry South for 14 years until he stepped down prior to the 2011 General Election.
[Source: The Kerryman]

KILDARE


Quick action by a man who found a pipe bomb shoved through the letterbox of his home in the village of Suncroft saved him from serious injury and prevented damage to his home.

The man, who is the sole occupant of the house at Church View, had a narrow escape after the device exploded seconds after he tossed it into the garden.

The incident happened at 11:10 p.m. on July 25 when the man, who is in his mid-30s, heard a noise at his front door.

When he went out to investigate he discovered a package containing the pipe bomb, which was about four inches in length, on the floor. The man quickly picked up the object and threw it out into the garden where it exploded.
[Source: Kildare Nationalist]

KILKENNY


Kilkenny native Grainne Callanan has been recognized for her outstanding performance in her recent accountancy examinations.

Grainne, from Ballyfoyle, Kilkenny, placed ninth in Ireland for her results in the recent Final Admitting Examinations (FAE) held by Chartered Accountants Ireland. The FAE exam assesses the student’s total competency and is an important milestone in a student’s career as a Chartered Accountant.

“Grainne is a dedicated and talented student,” said Ann Donegan, Head of Faculty at Griffith College Dublin’s School of Professional Accountancy.
[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS


AIB branches in Portarlington and Abbeyleix are among 67 nationwide that are to shut down in what the bank has termed “changing in response to customer needs.”

However, AIB, who also announced it is raising its standard variable mortgage interest rate by 0.5%, insists there will be little inconvenience to their customers in Portarlington and Abbeyleix, informing them that both branches will relocate to the branch at Lyster Square, Portlaoise.

They’ve also pointed out that a recent deal struck with An Post, which has agreed to extend banking facilities, will also be beneficial.
[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM


Sister Rose Donohoe CSJP, a native of Aughnaglace, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, recently celebrated a very special achievement, her 75th Jubilee since her profession in the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.

In a moving ceremony held on June 23 at the Sacred Heart Church in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A., Sr. Rose and six other members of her community marked their various anniversaries from 25 years through to 75 years.

Sr. Rose is one of 14 children born to Patrick Donohoe and Bridget Cooney. She was the fourth oldest of a family which included 10 children who survived childhood including siblings Andrew, Patrick, Michael, Peter, Frank, John Joe, Malachy, Mary (Gormley) and Terrance.

The family were well known locally and were often referred to by their nickname, the Bone Setter Donohoes, in tribute to Patrick Donohoe’s skill in helping to treat broken bones in an era before A&E’s and x-rays.
[Source: Leitrim Observer]

LIMERICK

Two men were arrested last Thursday in connection with a shooting incident in Askeaton on Wednesday night, in which two men were injured.

The pair was arrested between Shannon and Limerick city August 2, and at time of press were currently being detained at Henry Street Garda (police) station.

Two men aged in their late 20s and 30s were injured during the shooting incident at the Quay in the town at 10:15 p.m.

The shooting, which happened on the public street, is believed to be linked to a local dispute.
[Source: Limerick Leader]

LONGFORD


A Carrigallen youth was found guilty of the manslaughter of a pensioner whom he claimed sexually abused him, following a five-day trail at the Central Criminal Court that concluded July 27.

Brendan McGovern (19), Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim was found not guilty of the murder of John Golden (73), Nedd, Doogarry, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan, but guilty of manslaughter and was remanded on bail until next October when it is expected that he will then be sentenced.

The incident occurred at Mr. Golden’s home in September 2010. He was found lying unconscious under a bed by a neighbor, a number of days after the assault and was subsequently transferred to hospital, where he died one month later.
[Source:  Longford Leader]

LOUTH


An RTE program has reiterated an appeal for witnesses to the murder of Irene White, who was brutally killed in her home in 2005.

According to the Cracking Crime program which aired last week, Gardaí (police) are crucially seeking three people who were seen in the area of the Ice House on the day of Irene’s murder.

Irene White was stabbed to death in her kitchen in one of the country’s most brutal murders, yet no one has yet been brought to justice for the gruesome crime.

Gardaí from the Serious Crime Review Team, otherwise known as the “Cold Case Unit,” say of the 60 joggers and walkers in the area on the morning of April 6, 2005, three remain unaccounted for.
[Source: Dundalk Democrat]

MAYO

Shell’s giant tunnel-boring machine remained overnight last Tuesday on the back of a truck that jack-knifed at an isolated Co. Mayo crossroads early on Tuesday morning. That was despite efforts by large tow-trucks to move it.

The truck is part of a large convoy, flanked by Garda (police) vans and outriders, as well as other security personnel that left Dublin Porton July 29, transporting sections of the boring machine. Local residents from the nearby villages of Rossport and Carrowteigue have been unable to travel to work or make hospital appointments due to the incident, which blocks a junction on the L1203 and R312 roads. The road is also a tourist route along the Atlantic edge leading to the Céide Fields interpretive center.
[Source: The Mayo News]

MEATH

The decision of Allied Irish Bank to close two of its Meath branches – Dunshaughlin and Dunboyne – had been met last week with widespread criticism from business and political interests in both towns.

The bank said that the closures of 45 sub-branches and the amalgamation of six branches from this October are being done as part of a wide review of its retail operations and a cost-cutting program currently underway. It claims that changes in population and customer banking usage as well as improvements in technology have led to a fall in demand for "traditional" bank services.
[Source: Meath Chronicle]

MONAGHAN

A man in his late teens died after the car he was driving lost control in County Monaghan.

The crash happened at Maghernakill on the Castleblayney-Dundalk Road shortly after 05:00 a.m. on Monday, July 30.

Gardaí (police) said the teenager lost control on a bend.

A girl in her late-teens who was a passenger was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
[Source: BBC News]

OFFALY


An “incorrigible burglar” who targeted a string of midlands pubs, including locations in Offaly, has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. According to his own counsel, Eddie Wing (31) was a source of significant criminality in the Midlands area before he was caught and charged with five burglaries committed over a two-month period.

While last March a jury found Wing of Roscrea, Co. Tipperary not guilty of the manslaughter of Matt Farrell during a burglary of his pub in April 2009.

On Monday (July 30) Superintendent Pat Murray told Padráic Hogan BL, prosecuting, that Wing committed the break-ins to fund the drugs habits of a local group of heroin users. He took a total of $13,367 worth of cash, cigarettes and jewelery during the burglaries.
[Source: Offaly Express]

ROSCOMMON

Gardaí (police) have urged homeowners to secure their property and to be extra vigilant over the holiday season. This follows a recent spate of burglaries in the Roscommon and South Roscommon area.

Sergeant Ciaran Carroll last week urged homeowners, in isolated rural areas in particular, to take extra precautions and to ask neighbors to look in on their properties while away on vacation.
[Source: Roscommon Herald]

SLIGO


The director of the Yeats International Summer School has described the crumbling condition of a childhood holiday home that inspired W.B. Yeats and his brother Jack as a “scandal.”

Prof. James Pethica said W.B. Yeats had stayed in Elsinore in the seaside village of Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, frequently as a child and as a young man wrote part of The Celtic Twilight there. Jack B. Yeats’s watercolor Memory Harbour immortalized a scene close to Elsinore.

A smuggler known as “Black Jack” built the house in the 1830s and it was later purchased by William Middleton, Yeats’s grand-uncle. In later life, the poet recalled stories of secret tunnels and buried treasure that had thrilled him as a child.
[Source: Irish Times]

TIPPERARY

A war of words has erupted between Sinn Fein and Labour on Nenagh Town Council over the manner in which certain projects around the town have been announced.

Following last Monday’s council meeting, Clr. Seamus Morris issued a statement in which he accused the Labour Party of having “poisoned the atmosphere in the Nenagh council chamber with their antics of trying to claim everything in sight without recourse to their council colleagues.”

He claimed that other councilors had to “put manners” on Labour’s Virginia O’Dowd and Mayor Lalor McGee over what he claimed were their party’s “attempt to claim the ‘town park’ project.”
[Source: Tipperary Star]

TYRONE

Investigations are continuing after two police officers in the Cookstown area were suspended from duty having been arrested in connection with alleged corruption.

Five other PSNI officers from the same team have also been moved to other duties.

A full investigation by the police service's anti-corruption unit is underway. The two officers have been released on bail and are currently suspended from duty.

At the time of going to press no other details had been released as to what charges the officers could potentially face if charged.

Speaking last weekend, Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said all staff members in the PSNI were expected to behave professionally, ethically and with the utmost integrity.
[Source: Tyrone Courier]

WATERFORD

A man, who viciously attacked another male, stabbing him in the eye with a screwdriver and causing him brain damage, is to serve four years in prison.

In handing down a seven-year sentence, three years of which were suspended, Judge Mary Ellen Ring said the horrific nature of the damage done to the injured party had left his life irrevocably changed.
[Source: Waterford News & Star]

WESTMEATH


An Athlone native is one of the driving forces behind a new mathematical study which concludes that the famous Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge may be more closely linked to real-life societies than previously thought.

Ralph Kenna, originally from St. Brigid's Terrace, Athlone, who was recently appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics in Coventry University in the U.K., is one of the authors of the new study published in European Physical Society's Europhysics Letters.

The study, co-authored with another Irish physicist, Padraig McCarron, takes a numerical look at how interactions between characters in the ancient Táin Bó Cúailnge, Homer's Iliad and the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf compare with real social networks. All three myths are said to have been passed down orally for many generations before being committed to paper.
[Source: Westmeath Independent]

WEXFORD

Up to 3,000 people are expected to take part in a fundraising walk for murdered Wexford woman Nicola Furlong (21) this August Bank Holiday Monday.

The Pink Walk the Walk event will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Wexford and involve a circle of the town, totaling less than three miles.

Charlotte St. will be closed for the day and there will be a barbecue by Richie Doyle and live music from Aaron Berry at The Stores who penned the song This Is Not Goodbye from words Andrea Furlong spoke in her tribute to her sister at her funeral in Curracloe last month. The pub is sponsoring the event along with Sam McCauley’s and Beat FM.
[Source: Wexford Echo]

WICKLOW


Cerebral palsy sufferer Dylan Walsh has returned to Wicklow town from the U.S.A. having undergone two potentially life-changing surgeries.

He was accepted for SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy) surgery in America, an operation that will allow him to stand and walk short distances independently.

He is now recuperating at home and his dad Gerard has some words to share with everyone who backed the “Dylan's Dream to Walk” fundraising campaign.

“It is down to the fantastic support we got that has made this possible for Dylan.”
[Source: Wicklow People]