Articles in the Castleblayney Category

By Patsy McArdle TRADERS in Castleblayney are determined to leave no stone unturned in the countdown to Christmas to attract hundreds of extra shoppers from all the adjoining counties and towns, so that a huge sales bonanza can be generated through a range of unrivalled top-value prices in all the shops. A major campaign is now being planned which will attract shoppers from all the neighbouring areas on both sides of the border. Special bargain lines are being introduced in all stores, and the aim is to make Castleblayney ...

A wave of shock and sadness engulfed Castleblayney, almost with a sense of disbelief, on Sunday last as news spread of the death of Sister Celine McArdle, the former Parish Nun, who was a central figure in the town’s community life for decades. A dedicated member of the local community of the Sisters of Mercy, and one of the last remaining members of the Order in the area, Sister Celine also served as Parish Nun for a number of years. A native of the area and sister of well ...

By PATSY McARDLE A controversial ‘high support’ youth detention centre run by the Health and Safety Executive at Castleblayney, which was deemed a “health risk” by the Health Information and Quality Authority for some young offenders placed in care at the premises, is to be closed next month as a centre for the accommodation of inmates, and it is being suggested it could be developed as an all-important primary health care centre for the area. The Rath na nOg Centre at Bree ...

By PATSY McARDLE CASTLEBLAYNEY was a town which attracted an unwanted national media focus over the past weekend as a result of the last-minute staging of a “Child Beauty Pageant” at a premises hurriedly booked for a function, without any prior expectations of a controversial blow-up over the nature of the event!. Local publican Mr. Noel Gorman contacted THE NORTHERN STANDARD this week to categorically state that, had he been aware of the prospects of any controversy, he would “never have allowed” ...

As can be seen from the photograph, Castleblaney speed ace Neil Dugan regained the top rallycar spot in determined fashion at the prestigious 108 year-old Cultra Hillclimb, last weekend, taking back a title he held in 2010 and 2011, in his Peugeot 205RWD. He defeated long-term friend and rival Gary McWilliams (Toyota Starlet) by just over a second on the twisty parkland course venue. He was runner-up Saloon overall with an 8th place finish almost half a second inside the top ten. He got in amongst the single-seater race cars and ...

By PATSY McARDLE A huge cross-border probe is under way this week, involving the gardai and the PSNI, after the dramatic “rescue” in the early hours of last Sunday morning of a fuel tanker containing laundered fuel, valued at more than €30,000, from the Irish amy base, Aiken Barracks, in Dundalk. The tanker was one of a number of vehicles, including a forklift, as well as several tonnes of toxic sludge, which was the result of diesel laundering, seized by the Revenue ...

By PATSY McARDLE GARDAI, including members of the National Drugs’ Unit and the Cavan/Monaghan Garda Drugs’ team, swooped last Thursday on a premises near Castleblayney, where a huge illicit cannabis production plant, estimated to have a drugs’ street value in excess of a half-million euro, was set up. The premises located off the main Castleblayney/Ballybay Road at Corracloughan, were sealed off by gardai during the intelligence-led swoop. Two women, both of whom were non-Irish nationals, one in her mid twenties and the other ...

By PATSY McARDLE HEALTH Minister James Reilly has responded this week to public concerns expressed by Fianna Fail councillor Seamus Coyle over the future of St. Mary’s Hospital in Castleblayney confirming that while refurbishment is to take place at the hospital, day care facilities, which are provided five days per week, will be relocated but the delivery of services “will continue”. In his reply to Cllr Coyle, Minister Reilly says St. Mary’s Hospital is one of six facilities within Cavan and Monaghan which currently provides extended care for ...

TOWN councillors and gardai have agreed on joint moves to curb street charity fund-raising collections in the vicinity of a pedestrian crossing near a mini-roundabout at the Monaghan Road/Main Street junction in Castleblayney, because of the serious hazard posed to the safety of pedestrians. The proposal was put forward at a meeting of the Castleblayney Town Council joint Policing Committee at the Glencarn Hotel, Blayney, on Monday night last. It was claimed during the meeting that four pedestrians were killed in separate road traffic accidents ...

St Mary’s Hospital in Castleblayney will have 75 beds, a reduction in its current capacity of 92, following the completion of major capital works there, HSE Service Development Manager Cathal Hand informed Sean Conlon at Tuesday night’s meeting of Monaghan Town Council. Mr Hand, who was present at the meeting along with HSE General Manager Bridget Clarke to discuss a number of health issues with the Monaghan authority, emphasised, however, that the works planned for St Mary’s would make it “one of the largest compliant registered public residential centres ...