ANTRIM

A furious Ulster Unionist Assemblyman has accused the D.U.P. of cynically exploiting a sensitive planning application in Randalstown.

M.L.A. Trevor Clarke and South Antrim M.P. William McCrea have been broadly supportive of the 92 residents who have objected to an extension at the John Mulholland Motors showroom on Castle Road.
County Hall gave it the green light; however, despite continuing concerns about the impact that a new access road will have on residents living nearby.

Nevertheless, the approval was granted and was then formally rubber-stamped by Antrim Borough Council.
[Source: Antrim Guardian]

ARMAGH

Widespread anger and revulsion has followed an attack of vandalism on the football pitch at Crossmaglen Rangers G.F.C.

In a clearly calculated and pre-meditated attack, weed killer was sprayed on the football pitch, defacing its surface with offensive and obscene language and graffiti.

It’s believed the perpetrators may have entered the premises sometime overnight on Monday, July 29 to carry out the deed.  With the effects of the weed killer not becoming apparent on the grass surface for several days, it was mid-week before club officials noticed anything untoward.
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]

CARLOW

In life they were inseparable, always by each other’s side – no matter where they went. And now in death, the bright young Chada brothers will forever be side by side, as they were buried together on Friday afternoon, August 2, close to their family home.

Two hearses carrying two small white coffins drove side by side through the village of Ballinkillen, traveling the short distance from the Chada home to the nearby St. Lazerian’s Church.

Despite having their own rooms, Eoghan (10) and Ruairí (5) were so close that they used to sleep together in the one bed. This closeness was echoed throughout the funeral mass, in kind words spoken by the extended family, community and parish priest.
[Source: Carlow Nationalist]

CAVAN

Lawyers acting on behalf of Cavan nanny Aisling McCarthy Brady, who is charged with murder in Boston, Massachusetts, have accused the State prosecution of acting improperly in the case and, as a result, have asked for a judge to dismiss the charges against her.

Ms. McCarthy Brady (34) has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder of a baby, Rhema Sabir (1). Ms. McCarthy Brady, who was living illegally in the U.S. at the time after her visa expired, was the infant's nanny when the baby died on January 14 earlier this year.

The Lavey-native has been in custody since her arrest in connection with the baby's death and is currently being detained without bail at Framington State Prison near the city of Boston.
[Source: The Anglo Celt]

CLARE

With the Internet now a part of just about every kind of family gathering, it’s, perhaps, inevitable that the technology would soon become part of the funeral.

With emigration now more prevalent in people’s lives, a Clare funeral director is offering to stream funerals online to grieving loved ones living overseas who cannot get home.

P.J. Murphy, of Murphy’s Funeral Home in Kilmaley, explained the service is offered through a secure site, which can only be accessed by a password that changes for every funeral.

“If there is a family member who can’t be present because they are abroad, we can organize it in such a way that the family can communicate with them. So at least they can kind of feel as if they are in some way involved with the funeral. It just might help someone in the grieving process that they would feel in some way connected.”
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

A leading Cork health facility has warned the 63 percent of Corkonians who have never been screened for sexually transmitted infections (S.T.I.) that they could be passing on life-threatening conditions to their partners.

"People need to protect themselves. They could be carrying an infection and not even be aware of it, and a newly infected person is at their most infectious," according to Phil Corcoran of the Sexual Health Centre.

One person in Ireland is diagnosed with H.I.V./A.I.D.S. every day, and the condition is becoming increasingly prevalent among younger people – gay and straight.
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY

Police are treating a petrol bomb attack at a house in Derry as a hate crime.

A P.S.N.I. spokeswoman says the petrol bomb was thrown at the back of a house in the Currynierin Estate around 2 a.m. last Thursday.

“No damage was caused to the house,” she said.

The spokeswoman said three people were seen running away from the scene.
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL

Lifeguards in County Donegal rescued 17 people in July, according to the latest figures from Irish Water Safety.

The figures highlight a dramatic rise in water incidents nationally during the exceptionally good weather. Donegal’s figure is low compared to Clare’s 67 and Kerry’s 63. John Leech, I.W.S., says this is due to two factors.

“Donegal has thirteen beaches with lifeguards, making it one of the best lifeguarded counties in Ireland. Also, you don’t get as many tourists. In Ballybunion, for example, there were 10,000 people on the beach on one day alone.”
[Source: Donegal Democrat]

DOWN

Community groups based in Newry and Mourne are being encouraged to submit funding applications to the Rural Transport Fund voucher scheme.

Sinn Féin Councilor Colman Burns, a member of the Community Transport Board, explained that the fund aims to help community groups who wish to transport 17 or more passengers by issuing a $155 voucher toward the cost of buses.

“This is a great scheme which is open to all constituted community groups across the area for travel in October, November and December of this year.  For many groups the cost of transport is prohibitively expensive, this can mean that plans for day trips are abandoned.”
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]

DUBLIN

A thug shot at a council surveyor while she was carrying out survey work in Dublin ahead of the introduction of water meters.

The woman, who works for Fingal County Council, was carrying out surveying work at an estate in Howth Friday, August 2, when she was shot with a pellet gun.

Gardaí (police) have launched an investigation into the incident, which left the worker shaken but not seriously injured.

The incident is being seen as a random attack that was not linked to the work being undertaken by the woman.
[Source: Evening Herald]

FERMANAGH

A 50-year-old Florencecourt farmer, who was caught smuggling sheep from the Republic of Ireland into Fermanagh, has been handed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and fined $6,000.

Eric Andrew Lindsay, of Gortnagriffin, pleaded guilty to smuggling animals into Northern Ireland, without notifying the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and without the required health certificate. He also admitted removing the original identification ear tags of sheep from the Republic of Ireland and failing to retain the carcasses of two dead sheep, as well as failing to keep a herd register.
[Source: Fermanagh Herald]

GALWAY

A Galway-based doctor says balloting doctors on industrial action is the culmination of 10 years fighting for shorter working hours.

Senior house officer at the emergency department of U.H.G., Dr. Lisa Cunningham, says she expects the majority of non-consultant hospital doctors to vote in favor.

The I.M.O. says N.C.H.D.s are routinely required to work shifts of more than 24 hours in a row, and the shifts, which the I.M.O. says put patients’ lives at risk, are illegal under E.U. law.
[Source: Galway Bay FM]

KERRY

The station in Killarney was targeted on Friday morning, August 2.

It is believed the attack had its origins following an arrest under the Public Order Act.

After the device was tossed at the station, Gardaí (police) on duty gave chase on foot and a local man, in his 20s and reportedly known to Gardaí, was arrested close to the scene.

The incident happened at around 7:30 a.m. An external wall of the station, which is the headquarters in South Kerry, was hit.
[Source: Irish Examiner]

KILDARE

Feelings were running high last week as the Newbridge Credit Union saga appeared to be drawing to a close.

A massive turnout for Wednesday night’s (July 31) meeting at the Ryston Centre was followed by an apparently spontaneous, Internet-led protest outside the Credit Union building on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, members of the newly formed Credit Union Action Group stated their intention to seek legal advice on the constitutionality of the actions taken by the government and the Central Bank.

Finally, a Sunday newspaper report added fuel to the fire by quoting a statement from the Central Bank, which accused Newbridge Credit Union of “severe and persistent breaches of regulations, particularly around reserves.”
[Source: Kildare Nationalist]

KILKENNY

The 22 iconic, large maturation vessels of the city brewery site are set to disappear forever soon, as Diageo begins the process of withdrawing from much of the St. Francis Abbey brewery site.

Applications have been made to the local authorities to demolish several key buildings. The drinks giant is seeking to remove the 23-meter-high maturation vessels – although retain the single-story structure that supports them – and to demolish the former bottling store, former kegging plant, and associated plant and equipment along the River Nore frontage of the site.
[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

Previous convictions and the attitude towards Gardaí (police) and the public have led to a Portlaoise man getting a two-month spell in jail.

Paul O’Shea, 37 Oakleaf Place, Portlaoise, appeared before Judge Alan Mitchell at the town’s district court on public order charges

O’ Shea was charged with being intoxicated and using threatening or abusive behavior, at Main St., Portlaoise, on June 30.

Inspector Declan Dunne gave evidence that O’Shea was seen in a drunken state outside a fast-food restaurant at 12:45 a.m. He became very aggressive when Gardaí spoke to him.
[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM

On Sunday, August 4, Martin Brennan and Donal Egan both ran 50 miles of the Sligo Way, which they finished in Dromahair.

The two men ran from Lough Talt near Tubbercurry to Dromahair across roads, mountains, forest tracks and fields.

Their running challenge was taken on to raise much needed funds for the North West Hospice.
[Source: Leitrim Observer]

LIMERICK

They are the plastic bag-wearing kings of satire, social commentary and versatile hip-hop music, and are now bound for an appearance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

The Rubberbandits will perform two gigs at the famous London theater in March of next year, a sign of the Limerick duo’s increasing popularity in the U.K.

The Rubberbandits are currently in the midst of a 30-date run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after selling out a run of gigs that Time Out magazine billed as the most popular comedy show in London last month.
[Source: Limerick Leader]

LONGFORD

T-shirts and hoodies with place names and landmarks emblazoned on the front are now commonplace, with fashion featuring cities such as Miami, New York and Paris.

Now, thanks to the idea of a freelance graphic designer, Longford has joined the ranks with a t-shirt of its own.

Padraig Stapleton, a native of Killashee now based in West London, has created a whole range of Longford-themed products, featuring an image by Roman Briem of St. Mel’s Cathedral.
[Source: Longford Leader]

LOUTH

Over 500 I.T. delegates from 36 different countries attended a banquet on Tuesday night, August 6, and were treated to an Irish dance spectacle like no other courtesy of a local Irish dance troupe.

Croke Park Conference Centre in Dublin played host to an international summit celebrating 20 years of search engines. The banquet was attended by influential pioneers of Internet search engines from across the globe, and they were treated to an incredible display of Irish dancing by young dancers from the Dundalk area.

Scoil Rince Móna Ní Rodaigh’s dance company Anóm Dance, featuring dancers aged 12-19 performed a medley of both traditional and contemporary numbers to thrill the international audience and bring them to their feet.
[Source: Dundalk Democrat]

MAYO

Seán Freyne, the Mayo man who made history in 2007 when he became the first person in the entire history of the G.A.A. to be honored with a teaching post at the famous Harvard University in the U.S.A., died suddenly at his home in Dublin last Monday.

He enjoyed immensely his one-year assignment as visiting professor and senior academic at the Harvard School of Divinity, cementing still further his special status as one of Ireland’s foremost theologians.

The Tooreen native, who was captain of the Mayo minors that won national honors in 1953, had a lifelong association with the G.A.A. He was a current member of the Museum Board of the G.A.A.
[Source: The Mayo News]

MEATH

A man in his early 40s remains in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown after suffering serious head injuries in a collision at Castlerickard, on the Trim-Longwood Road around midday last Thursday.

The injured man was the driver of a Ford Connect van, which was in a collision with a rigid back truck at Castlerickard, Longwood, between 12-12.05pm.

It is understood that the driver of the truck received medical attention at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
[Source: Meath Chronicle]

MONAGHAN

The central Competitions Control Committee are examining video footage from halftime in last Saturday’s (August 3) controversial All-Ireland quarterfinal match, when Monaghan’s Dessie Mone was struck twice in the face by Tyrone players as the players left the pitch .

Referee Cormac Reilly took no action at the time, but immediately after the break, Tyrone forward Martin Penrose was shown a straight red card.

Penrose is expected to receive a one-match suspension, which would rule him out of the All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo on August 25.
[Source: Irish Times]

OFFALY

An Irish emigrant, who returned home for a Gathering celebration, has lost the sight in one eye after being hit with a glass bottle.

Marie Gauvin (58) and her three siblings left Birr, County Offaly, in 1966 when their father Frank Wrafter, a talented weaver, went to Canada for work.

Two weekends ago, the mother-of-one was back home with her 84-year-old father and sister Irene (53), for the Gathering.

She had been enjoying a night out in her local town and was walking past an area known as Keel's Archway at around 11 p.m. on Sunday, August 4, just as a fight broke out.

Although she wasn't involved, she was struck in the face by a glass beer bottle, which severed her retina and fractured bones in her eye socket.
[Source: Evening Herald]

ROSCOMMON

Two men are in a serious condition in hospital following a crash in County Roscommon.

At around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, the men were injured when their car went through a barrier at a T junction near Mountallen on the Dromahair-to-Drumshambo Road, fell from a bank and landed on its roof.

The two male occupants of the car – one of them in his late 30s, the other in his 40s, were airlifted to Sligo General Hospital.
[Source: Roscommon Herald]

SLIGO

Another online retailer is setting up shop here.

U.S. discount seller, Overstock.com, is opening a software development operation in Sligo.

The move will create 45 jobs at a company voted "the best employer in retail" by a 2010 Forbes survey.
[Source: Irish Independent]

TIPPERARY

Gardaí (police) in Nenagh were called to three separate road traffic accidents last Thursday. Two of the accidents happened at Carrigatogher, with the third in Dolla. No one was injured in any of the incidents.

In the first incident, a caravan turned over on the M7, blocking the motorway for a time.

In the second, a car came on to the old N7 at the Carrigatogher junction and collided with another vehicle, which then lost control. The initial vehicle involved in the accident continued on and struck a second vehicle.

The third collision happened at Dolla, but again there were no injuries.
[Source: Tipperary Star]

TYRONE

A Belfast City councilor, who is originally from Dungannon, is due to appear in court later this month after being charged over comments made on a social networking site.

Democratic Unionist Party Councilor Ruth Patterson was arrested two weeks ago after she said it would be "a great service to Northern Ireland and the world" if leading members of Sinn Fein were killed.

She has since apologized for posting the comment on Facebook, but on Friday, August 2, was charged with sending a "grossly offensive communication."
[Source: Tyrone Courier]

WATERFORD

Hairdresser and much-loved punk rocker, Damian Richards, has been named as the man who was found slumped on the balcony at Nore House in Canada Square last Tuesday.

The alarm was raised after a passer-by on a vessel in the River Suir spotted the 42-year-old’s body on the balcony of his home shortly before 9 a.m.

Gardaí (police) launched an investigation and the scene was sealed off. Mr. Richards’ body was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital (W.R.H.) where a postmortem was carried out.
[Source: Waterford News & Star]

WESTMEATH

Speaking at the S.U.S.I. information evening last Wednesday in the Youth Cafe, Westmeath Fianna Fáil T.D. Robert Troy explained why he felt it was necessary for people to be prepared.

“I decided to host this evening to give parents and students an opportunity to discuss any concerns they might have regarding the S.U.S.I. process. Following S.U.S.I.’s disastrous first year and the hardship that was enforced on families as a result, we need to be prepared this year and anticipate some of the challenges we may again face,” he said.

There was a great turnout at the informal event, and the venue of the Youth Cafe was perfect for such an assembly.
[Source: Westmeath Examiner]

WEXFORD

People throughout New Ross were in mourning last week following the sudden death of Michael Kane (35), from the Bosheen.

From one of the most respected families in the town, Mr.. Kane’s passing has brought great heartbreak to his parents, siblings, his beloved daughter, Casey, and to his wide group of friends.

Reared in the Bosheen, Mr. Kane received his education in Michael Street Boys’ School, at primary level, and attended secondary school at New Ross Vocational College.
[Source: Wexford Echo]

WICKLOW

As part of the Wicklow Town Water Supply Scheme, $5.6 million in funding has been allocated for the replacement of the water main from Vartry to Cronroe.

Approval was given to Wicklow County Council last year to seek tenders for the replacement of the water main. On Thursday, August 1, Environment Minister Hogan approved an allocation for a contract to be awarded.

The contract will be funded under the Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2013.
[Source: Irish Independent]