News from Ireland

Presidential candidate David Norris wishes new-look ‘Munster’ well

Presidential candidate Senator David Norris, who was in Waterford city on Tuesday canvassing to have his name included on the ballot, visited The Munster Express to wish management and staff ‘all the best’ on a momentous week that will see the last edition of the 150-year-old newspaper printed in ‘broadsheet’ format. From next week on, The Munster Express, the only newspaper in the South East region to be printed on its own press, will appear in ‘compact’ format.

King Henry rules at Cheltenham

Sizing Europe sparks Waterford celebrations at Cheltenham on Wednesday. The affable Henry de Bromhead and his team were the pride and joy of Waterford people during the Cheltenham Festival this week. Punters who travelled to Prestbury Park were heard shouting ‘Up the Deise’ as Henry welcomed his two heroes, Sizing Australia and Sizing Europe back into the winners enclosure on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Children in prefab classrooms

A total of 1,400 school children in County Waterford are being taught in prefab classrooms, a meeting of the County Council was told at a meeting in Dungarvan on Monday. The Council called on the Minister for Education to eliminate the disadvantaged status of those children.

Bausch & Lomb Ireland (Unit 424-425 IDA Industrial Estate, Cork Road, Waterford)

Proposed 2-storey extension (1495m² Approx.) to the Western side of the existing Bausch & Lomb Ireland facility to include new packaging facilities, storage areas, laboratory facilities, staff accommodation, plant room, future expansion area, minor internal modifications and the provision of a proposed single storey plant room extension (258m² Approx.) to the Eastern side of the existing facility.

Lisa Vereker (Ballincrea, Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny)

For the construction of a one and half storey detached single family dwelling including the installation of a new domestic waste water treatment system and percolation area and all associated site works.

Property Nominees Ltd (Arundel square, City Square Shopping Centre, Sully’s Snooker Hall Unit 10 Peter Street (off Sully’s Lane) and Units 8, 9/9A & 10 on the Peter Street Mall, City Square Shopping Centre, Waterford City.)

IFor development at this site : Lot numbers 11A, 11B, 11C & 12. This development will consist of the demolition of lot numbers 11A, 11B, 11C & 12 Arundel square, City Square Shopping Centre, Sully’s Snooker Hall Unit 10 Peter Street (off Sully’s Lane) and Units 8, 9/9A & 10 on the Peter Street Mall. The works will comprise the construction of a new two storey block of retail accommodation of 1760m² adjoining the Peter Street Mall and Arundel Square, comprising 2 no.

FF dumped me

COUNCILLOR Oliver Morgan has slammed Fianna Fáil for dumping him the same day gardaí seized his laptop over allegations of 'sexual impropriety involving juveniles or children' which he strongly denied.

Horror of the Japan earthquake

NUMBER OF LOCAL PEOPLE CAUGHT UP IN THE DISASTER DUNDALK man Alan Fisher was at work on the 29th floor of the Fujisoft Incorporated office building in Akihabara downtown Tokyo when the devastating quake struck on Friday.

DkIT determined to deliver on stadium

THE vision for a multi sports stadium at Dundalk Institute of Technology is reaching a critical juncture following last week1s indication by Louth County Board Chairman, Padraig O'Connor at the Board's monthly meeting that Croke Park officials would not support the project, unless it was scaled back.

Dundalk minds elsewhere as they lose in Tullamore

DUNDALK travelled to Tullamore for the final league match of the season. Having already secured second place, this is Dundalk's highest finish since the mid-1990s. Next up is a Towns Cup match against Cill Dara at home this Sunday, and it was obvious Dundalk had their minds on that one from the off.

Nelson report suppressed until after election

The British government has said it is carrying out “checks” the findings of a public inquiry into the murder of human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson, which it is now feared will be withheld until after the May 5 election.

Nuclear concerns follows Japanese calamity

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is to raise the issue of the Sellafield nuclear plant on the west coast of England following fresh anxiety in Ireland in the wake of the partial meltdown of a number of reactors in the northeast of Japan.

Ballymurphy families join in USA visit

The Tribulations of Brendan Lillis

The Life Sentence Review Board is said to consider the case of Brendan Lillis on the 22nd of March. If it fails to act humanely and release him the West Belfast man may well end his days in prison.

Stormont in disarray as budget vote passed

A pre-election row has erupted over the ‘Six-County budget’ in the Stormont Executive, with the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP both vehemently opposing financial plans agreed by Sinn Fein and the DUP.

Queen Elizabeth to visit Sligo?

FORMAL REPRESENTATIONS have already been made to former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Taoiseacelect, Enda Kenny, President Mary McAleese and the British Embassy about the possibility of Queen Elizabeth II visiting Sligo, all of whom have reacted positively to the idea.

'Tired' Bishop to step down

THE Bishop of Elphin Most Rev. Christopher Jones has tendered his resignation to the Vatican on reaching the age of 75, but will remain as Bishop until his successor is appointed, possibly in a year to 18 months.

€1.50 a litre as petrol hits a high

AS PETROL prices reached an historic high, breaking the €1.50c per litre mark for the first time, a SLIGO CHAMPION survey yesterday morning showed local garages were charging widely divergent prices.

Top ten tips for kicking the habit

TO HIGHLIGHT National No Smoking Day, which takes place on Ash Wednesday, 9th March, the Smoking Cessation Coordinator at Sligo General Hospital is urging smokers to take the first positive steps towards quitting. Pauline Kent says that Ash Wednesday is an ideal time to stop smoking and has outlined her ten top tips for quitting, in an effort to help and encourage smokers to give up the habit.

MacSharry to sit as new chair at Sligo IT

RAY MACSHARRY (pictured) is to be the new chairman of the governing body of IT Sligo, and for the former EU Commissioner, Tanaiste and Finance Minister, it's a case of back to where his illustrious career began more than 40 years ago when he was the first chairman of what was then the fledgling Regional Technical College.

Kelly in race against time to face Derry

SLIGO marksman, David Kelly, is facing a race against time to be fit for his side's crunch showdown with Derry in round four of the Allianz National Football League at Markievicz Park on Sunday next (throw-in 2.

Rovers get League campaign off to flying start

DEBUT-BOY, Aaron Greene, lit up the Brandywell with a dramatic winner as Sligo Rovers got their Airtricity League campaign off to a flying start against North West rivals, Derry City, at the Brandywell on Friday last.

Superb St. Attracta's crowned Connacht champions in style

ST. ATTRACTA'S senior girls were crowned Connacht champions in the Senior A final against Mount St. Michael in Kilcoyne Park last Wednesday afternoon.

Connacht glory for Summerhill College and St. Attracta's

THROUGHOUT a competitive Connacht Senior School's Final in Terryland Park on Wednesday last Michael Casey provided many of the highlights with his touch and delivery, but for the Ballisodare native it was his match winning spot kick that left the abiding memory as Summerhill won their first Provincial title in six seasons.

Rampant Sligo remain on course for Connacht treble

SLIGO took a further step towards achieving a notable Connacht rugby treble when they swatted aside Buccaneers' feeble challenge in the second round of the Heineken Connacht Junior Cup on Sunday last in Hamilton Park.

Is food really the way to satisfy a man?

Artist-turned-food writer Stasha Butterfly has cooked up a storm of controversy with her new book, How to Feed a Man. The tome of recipes is specifically geared towards the male of the species because "men are simply the best creatures to feed".

'I remember standing over a dead body in Mexico thinking 'f**k, has it come to this?

DONAL MACINTYRE has infiltrated a notorious gang of football hooligans, hung out with hitmen, skydived in the Arctic and had a loaded gun shoved in his face by a crack addict over the course of his career as an investigative TV journalist.

Grape expectations - A fine fizz without the fancy price

Prosecco has been one of the successes of the past 18 months, offering much of the exuberance of Champagne at a lower cost. This success has forced the locals to draft new legislation to protect the name.

Lucky to be alive

SEVEN South Sligo students who miraculously escaped injury when the bus on which they were travelling to college in Limerick was involved in a fatal collision on Sunday night have told how they're ' lucky to be alive'.

Tragic homecoming for popular Ballymote man

THE SISTER of tragic adventurer, Eymard Scully, has told of her ' truly lovely brother', who died last Wednesday after fighting for his life for four days in a Sydney hospital having sustained severe head injuries in a late night Halloween road accident.

HSE seeks go-ahead for hospital ring road

PLANNING permission is being sought for the construction across the grounds of Sligo General Hospital of a new ring road that is necessary before work can begin on a proposed new six-storey building that will include the much-heralded 60bed extension to the hospital.

'Alternative location must be found', says councillor

THE MAIN issue was not about a bridge but about the rezoning of lands at Sligo racecourse for development, Councillor Declan Bree claimed at at a meeting of Sligo County Council as a possible solution to the impasse over the siting of the Eastern bridge.

Sligo is haunted by ghost towns

OUT OF 91 housing developments inspected throughout County Sligo by Department of the Environment inspectors during last summer, there was only construction activity on 80 of them, giving the county one of the largest number of ghost estates in the country.

Experts advise on how best to complete houses

A HIGH-level expert group is to be established by the Government to deal with the problem of the country's ghost estates. The group will advise on practical and policy solutions to ensure satisfactory completion or resolution of unfinished housing developments and the group is due to hold its first meeting in the next couple of weeks.

Coolera hurlers claim Minor title

UNDERAGE hurling action for 2010 concluded with the staging of the minor hurling championship in Tubbercurry. With Calry/St Josephs not fielding, the competition reverted to a round robin format with the three participating teams, Tubbercurry, Tourlestrane and Coolera/Strandhill.

It's sweet for Carbury at the top

IN THE Best Western Sligo Southern Hotel Super League Carbury wrapped up three sweet points with a goal each from Jason Mc Cartney and Keith Lynch seeing of the challenge from a very strong Ballisodare United.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops video game review

Unfairly or not, when it comes to Call Of Duty, Treyarch has long been seen as the stand-in developer for the franchise. As Activision's military shooter title shot to world stardom, Treyarch was called upon to pump out place-holder games while Infinity Ward toiled away on the next triple A COD release.

Earley reinforces late father’s key principles

The late Dermot Earley’s principles in life were wonderfully encapsulated by his son Dermot Jnr. at the second annual Roscommon GAA Supporters’ Club awards banquet in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon on Friday night last.

Shine gets nod for trip to Kuala Lumpur

Roscommon full forward Donie Shine may have missed out on an All-Star selection but he has been given the nod to travel with the squad for their exhibition game in Kuala Lumpur at the end of the month.

Brigid’s composure conceals worrying defensive frailties

St. Brigid’s 1-13 Glencar-Manorhamilton 3-5 St. Brigid’s delved into their copious reserves of experience to see off the plucky challenge of Glencar-Manorhamilton at a bitterly cold Carrick-onShannon on Sunday last.