ANTRIM

The 'shameless perverts' who have been straining at the leash to turn an Antrim beauty spot into the number one destination for 'doggers' may soon get their collars felt, it has been claimed.
The promise of cheap thrills in the Antrim hills has long been an irresistible lure to 'swingers', but last week an increasingly frustrated Antrim Borough Council has made a passionate plea for the sexual shenanigans to cease.
With reports of 'unspeakable acts' continuing to rise, Civic leaders have called on the PSNI and Forestry Service to stop the adults only antics under the leafy boughs of Tardree.
(Source: The Antrim Guardian)   

ARMAGH

The Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady has been discharged from hospital in Craigavon, Co Armagh. He was admitted last Thursday night after being taken ill at a Confirmation ceremony. It is understood the cardinal felt weak during the ceremony in Kildress parish church in Co Tyrone, in the archdiocese of Armagh, and was helped to the sacristy area. However, he remained conscious throughout. An ambulance was called and he was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital in Portadown.
(Source: The Irish Times)

CARLOW

Carlow’s host with the most, Brendan Hennessy, has become the subject of a Facebook campaign to become the new presenter of the Rose of Tralee.
With Kildare man Ray D’Arcy hanging up his boots this year, Brendan’s supporters have created a Facebook page entitled “Now that Ray D’Arcy has retired, let’s get Brendan Hennessy to be the next host of the Rose of Tralee International Festival”. Brendan, who has a long career in the role of presenter, MC and sports commentator, is adamant that he has nothing to do with the setting up of the page – but he does admit that he would love a crack at the job.
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

CAVAN

The clear need to preserve all employment with Quinn Insurance and the wider Quinn Group was the key plank of a resolution passed by Cavan County Council at an emergency meeting on Wednesday, April 7. The special meeting was called to debate the crisis in Quinn Insurance, which has its headquarters at Dublin Road, Cavan, and employs over 800 people there.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

CLARE

The Burren last week moved a step closer to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site when it was named on Ireland’s new Tentative List being submitted to the organization for consideration later this year.
If the Burren made it onto the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it would join places such as the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia, Kronborg Castle in Denmark and the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Former Abbey of Saint Remi and Place of Tau in Reims.
Making it onto the UNESCO list would also increase tourism in the county, according to the body responsible for the promotion of the region.
(Source: The Clare Champion)

CORK

Gardai (police) are investigating a series of criminal acts, including two suspected arson attacks, one incident of criminal damage and two burglaries — all committed at some stage on Tuesday night last, in Kanturk.
(Source: The Corkman)

DERRY

A former Catholic priest convicted of sexually abusing children in Derry more than 20 years ago is at the centre of a new police investigation. He is Gerard John McCallion (62), whose serial sex abuse of young children was exposed after he was caught in bed with a ten year-old girl in St Mary's Parochial House in Creggan on the eve of his 40th birthday.
(Source: The Derry Journal)

DONEGAL

Thirteen years after hosting its most famous honeymoon couple, a Donegal hotel is still reaping the benefits. Back in 1997, celebrity couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick spent their first days as newlyweds at Letterkenny's Mount Errigal Hotel after choosing to holiday in Ireland. In one of the latest editions of Hello magazine, their stay is recalled in a special Celebrity Honeymoons feature - and the biggest winner could well be the Mount Errigal. The article has just gone up on the Hello magazine website and with a link from the article to the Mount Errigal's webpage, the hits to the hotel website have literally gone through the roof.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

DOWN

The Department of Education has refused to release any information on the schools forced to put urgent action plans in place after being rated unsatisfactory by inspectors. The department can formally intervene to ensure action is taken when school inspectors find that the quality of education in an institution is less than satisfactory. It is understood that around 12 schools have been put into the formal intervention process following poor reports by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI).
(Source: The Belfast Telegraph)

DUBLIN

A new film, which stars Dublin's 'Pyjama Girls' has sold out its first three screenings in Dublin -- and will be brought to a city cinema this summer due to the massive demand. Documentary makers who followed a group of teenage girls from the Basin Street flats near St James' Hospital say their film is a "surprise success story" given the negative reaction, which has surrounded the teenagers who are rarely seen out of their nightwear. Director Maya Derrington said: "It's completely unexpected that there's been such a rush for tickets. Obviously we're really honored to be chosen as the opening film, and to be chosen to be in the film festival." She added: "The negative response is also a sign that people are fascinated. People can't understand what the whole thing is about. It's such an Irish specific thing, and a Dublin specific thing as well." The documentary about the inner-city pajama -wearers will reach Dublin cinema screens this summer before it goes to cinemas abroad.
(Source: The Evening Herald)

FERMANAGH

The SDLP last Tuesday evening rejected an approach by Sinn Fein to form an electoral pact in Fermanagh South Tyrone in the forthcoming Westminster election. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams had written to SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie to discuss a pact here and in South Belfast. But, local assemblyman Tommy Gallagher said the parties would not be joining forces. "In the past during the time when violence was ongoing there were offers by Sinn Fein to the SDLP for a pact and we stood firm that time," he said.
(Source: The Fermanagh Herald)

GALWAY

The continued refusal of a fertility specialist at the Galway Clinic to help unmarried couples conceive could spark a constitutional legal battle after the Medical Council dismissed a professional misconduct charge against him. The Irish Catholic newspaper reports that Dr Phil Boyle of the Fertility Care Clinic in Galway was summoned before the Medical Council’s Fitness to Practice Committee (FPC) the week before last, after a complaint was lodged that he would not treat an unmarried couple for infertility, or refer them on to another doctor. It is reported that he was acquitted of the professional misconduct charge on a technicality after the committee accepted that the couple had not become his patient and that he had not been given an opportunity to refer them on.
(Source: Galway News)
KERRY

Kerry people spend a lot of time in the shower and waste a lot of water in the bathroom, according to national research conducted by Ideal Standard International.
(Source: The Kerryman)
KILDARE

Drugs with a street value of over €40,000 were uncovered during searches of two dwellings in Athy over the past two weeks.  On Thursday last gardaí searched a house in the town and seized approximately €30,000 worth of ecstasy tablets.
The gardaí were operating on foot of a search warrant. Gardaí from Athy were assisted in this operation by colleagues from Portlaoise and Portarlington. Two nights previously, in another planned search, gardaí searched an apartment in the town and recovered herbal cannabis valued at approximately €12,000.
(Source: The Kildare Nationalist)
   
KILKENNY

Two Afghans who hid in a container on a truck delivering goods to premises on the outskirts of Ballyhale have been deported. The foreign nationals, who were not in possession of verifiable identification, were discovered by a driver who pulled in to deliver goods at Zeigler, a trucking company located around a mile outside the village of Ballyhale on the Thomastown Road. The driver had picked up the container, which had arrived into Rosslare from Cherbourg in France early on Monday morning last.
(Source: The Kilkenny People)

LAOIS

Crowds have flocked from far and wide to Ballylinan for what has been called a "first class" production of 'The Passion Play', by the local community. This three hour production, which tells the story of the final days of Jesus, has been running since March 26.
(Source: The Leinster Express)

LEITRIM

The hottest celebrity couple in Ireland, rugby star Brian O'Driscoll and his beautiful fiancé actress and author Amy Huberman, were spotted in Leitrim the weekend before last. The engaged couple who are set to exchange vows this Summer were spotted cruising through the Leitrim countryside on Sunday morning last.
(Source: The Leitrim Observer)

LIMERICK

Limerick businessman Ger O'Rourke is being sued by Allied Irish Bank for more than €20m over what a judge has described as "land speculation and development’ purposes in Corbally, and two locations in Cork.
(Source: The Limerick Leader)

LONGFORD

Longford footballers Aoife Darcy (Cahanagh), Aisling Reynolds (Ballinalee) and Michelle Farrell (Colmcille) were members of the victorious Republic of Ireland U15 team that recently won the title at the Bob Docherty Tournament. The tournament, which was played in Glasgow, saw Ireland play Northern Ireland (4-1), Wales (3-0) and Scotland (1-0). The team captured the Bob Docherty Cup at the expense of the current holders and host nation Scotland.
(Source: The Longford Leader)

LOUTH

A 17 year old youth charged in relation to a serious stabbing incident in Drogheda in the early hours of Saturday morning last was remanded in custody at a special court sitting last week. Dundalk district court heard his mother had asked for a doctor to take a blood sample from him because she did not believe he had just alcohol in his system when the incident took place. He was arrested and questioned about stabbing 7 people aged between 16 and 23. 3 of them are still in hospital.
The youth faces charges of assault causing harm to Patrick Nutley, Mark Nutley and Steven Floody on West Street/Peter Street, Drogheda on the 10th April.He is also charged with producing a two blade folding knife during the course of committing a crime.
(Source: The Irish Times)

MAYO

Credited with being influential in bringing large companies like Baxter, Allergan, Asahi and Hollister to Mayo, the late Seán Smyth was remembered fondly last week. The meeting of Castlebar Town Council Thursday night last, was adjourned as a mark of respect to the late Smyth from Manulla and formerly of the Newport Road in Castlebar. He died Wednesday before last. The late Smyth, a native of Mullingar but resident of Castlebar for many years, was a former Town Clerk of Castlebar Urban District Council before becoming County Development Officer.
(Source: Mayo News)

MEATH

In a week when a lot of focus has centered on Quinn Insurance, another firm in Navan, Generali PanEurope last week announced it will create 30 new jobs and hopes to boost the group's Irish workforce by up to 50 per cent in future months. They will also acquire a new business site from IDA Ireland in the Navan Business Park to accommodate Generali PanEurope's Headquarters and Generali International's Irish base.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

OFFALY

There is more good news on the jobs front in Offaly as planning permission has been granted for the construction of a €450 million gas-fired power plant at Derrygreenagh near Rhode.
The Bord na Mona project is expected to create 450 jobs during the construction phase and a further 35 permanent jobs on completion, however it could be 2014 before work begins on the site.
(Source: The Offaly Express)

ROSCOMMON
The government u-turn last week on the payment of State contributory pensions to farm spouses has been welcomed by Roscommon IFA. More than 250 elderly farm women across the country, including a “small number” in County Roscommon, were at risk of losing their pensions following a controversial decision earlier this year to withdraw the scheme for farm spouses.
(Source: The Roscommon Champion)

SLIGO
An Taisce's Green-Schools program is going from strength to strength as two schools from Sligo were awarded the coveted International Green Flag for the first time in recognition of their efforts in reducing litter and waste, and a further eight schools successfully renewed their flags for the themes of energy conservation, water conservation or sustainable travel.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)
TIPPERARY
Munster rugby star and former Ireland International Alan Quinlan has been named as this year's Tipperary Person of the Year. The announcement was made at a function in the Palace Bar on Dublin's Fleet St organized by the Tipperary Association Dublin. Alan Quinlan (35) was capped 27 times for Ireland and was part of Ireland's squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia where he scored two tries in the tournament before dislocating his shoulder scoring a vital try against Argentina in the pool stages, which ended his involvement.
(Source: The Tipperary Star)

TYRONE

Fears have been raised that the health of very sick patients is being compromised by the number of alcohol related casualties attending Craigavon Hospital's A&E department at the weekends. Waiting times at the department came under the spotlight at a meeting between Dungannon District Councilors and the new health watchdog, the Patient and Client Council.  Councilors claimed there did not appear to be a priority system of care for very sick patients attending A&E, and that the department was being swamped by drunken patients at weekends.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

WATERFORD

The two adventurous friends, who lost their lives kayaking in Portlaw Wednesday before last, were laid to rest as hundreds of mourners attended their funerals amid heartbreaking scenes last weekend. Philip Kelly and Connie Smith got into difficulty at a weir on the swollen river Clodagh in Portlaw on Wednesday night last. Cavan-native Connie, aged 34, a clerk of works with Waterford City Council, and Tipperary born Philip, aged 31, an employee of the Research & Development section at Teva, were laid to rest in their respective home towns last weekend.
(Source: Waterford News & Star)

WESTMEATH

No major flood relief works will take place in Parnell Square or Deerpark Road until a new study on the Shannon is completed in 2013. Minister of State at the OPW Martin Mansergh confirmed the timeframe after a meeting organized by Deputy Mary O'Rourke with a delegation from the Shannon Action Group, made up of flood affected farmers in the rural hinterlands of Athlone and a delegation from Athlone Town Council, including County Manager Danny McLoughlin and Senator Nicky McFadden in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel last Tuesday.
(Source: The Westmeath Independent)

WEXFORD

Anna Fenlon is poised to return to Wexford County Council after the period of ill health that obliged her to resign as cathaoirleach of the local authority. Councilor Fenlon, who has not been seen in the chamber for more than five months, once more sent apologies for non-attendance at last Monday's meeting.
(Source: The Wexford People)

WICKLOW

A lone white cross now marks the spot where two men died following a horrific plane crash at Powerscourt the Saturday afternoon before last. Dr. Michael Slazenger (69), owner of the Powerscourt Estate at Enniskerry, was the pilot of the ill-fated light aircraft. He died of his injuries in hospital on the Monday before last.
(Source: The Wicklow People)