Articles in the General News Category

Calls for the temporary closure of road links between the Republic and Northern Ireland as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 were described as “totally impractical” by Senator Robbie Gallagher this week. Speaking on the Order of Business in Seanad Éireann on Monday, Senator Gallagher said that while sealing the Border was “a non-runner”, there was scope for enhanced cross-Border co-operation in the area of Covid-19 control. The Fianna Fáil Senator welcomed the fact that the incidence of Covid-19 was decreasing in the Republic of Ireland. “We have ...

Tension that had arisen over the Northern Ireland protocol element of the Brexit agreement in the last week showed no signs of dissipating yesterday. Although the European Commission quickly backtracked on an initial indication last week that it would trigger a safeguard clause in the protocol – Article 16 – to introduce monitoring controls on the export of Covid-19 vaccines, the controversy sparked by the threatened move has manifested in a week of strong political commentary on both sides of the Border and in the UK. If the Commission had ...

Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully has expressed her anger at the response she received from the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communication, Eamon Ryan TD to a recent Parliamentary Question she submitted on the North South Interconnector. The Cavan Monaghan Deputy told The Northern Standard: “In a parliamentary question I recently submitted to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communication, Eamon Ryan, I requested if he would ‘establish a consultation process for the communities affected by the proposed north-south interconnector with the option of undergrounding this project… in view of ...

Monaghan based firms’ Greenfield eggs, Maguire Transport, McElvaney Motors, Coyle Complete and Nest box in Castleblayney are among those who have deployed onsite rapid testing of staff for Covid-19. These tests enable management and employees to continue their work in the knowledge that every one of their coworkers has been tested and is Covid-free. Dublin based firm XpressHealth, directed by former St Macartan’s College student Ian Morgan from Ballinode Monaghan were engaged to supply the testing services. The Covid screening was performed pre-shift at the varying locations. Anyone who tested ...

Local disability services have received a significant Government funding boost. Steadfast House in Carrickmacross will receive €14,600; Errigal Truagh Special Needs at Knockconan is to receive €3,500 for music therapy and staff development while the Cairde Activation Centre in Clones gets €2,300 for staff training and development. Cootehill’s Drumlin House has been allocated €14,725. The money comes from the €20 million Strengthening Disability Services Fund. The first tranche of successful applications was announced by Minister of State with responsibility for Disability Services Anne Rabbitte TD this week. Announced as part ...

Comment 2021 marks the centenary of the foundation of the Northern ireland state. Centenaries are customarily occasions for commemoration and celebration, but how this particular one will be marked is problematic. We are currently in what has been proclaimed the Decade of Centenaries, when momentous recent historical happenings that shaped the political and social course of modern Ireland are re-evaluated by historians and commentators and recognised with due ceremony. As we have passed from 1916 through the War of Independence years up to the Treaty and Civil War periods, this exercise ...

Counties Monaghan and Cavan can benefit substantially from the 2021- 27 PEACE PLUS cross- Border EU programme, Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher told the Northern Standard this week. Senator Gallagher stated: “PEACE PLUS will be a new north-s-south co-operation programme which will combine the existing PEACE and INTERREG EU funding strands into one cohesive cross-Border programme. With a total value of €1 billion, the new programme will support peace and prosperity, focusing on Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland. “The programme will be funded by the European Union ...

The grandson of a Newbliss man who became a mayor in Canada after a military career which encompassed both World War One and the 1916 Easter Rebellion has written what he believes is the first serious historical treatment of the Ulster-Scots influence on the development of the Canadian nation. Canada’s Ulster Scots has been penned by Brian McConnell, who has been writing about the Ulster- Scottish influence on Canadian history for more than 20 years and has published the fruits of his research in a range of journals. Brian’s book ...

JACK MADDEN takes a look through the lens of lockdown at the status and perception of League of Ireand soccer and its contribution to the forging of the “Boys in Green” identity of our international team The ghost of Monaghan United spends its days haunting the residence of John Delaney. Any spare time is passed disrupting the sleep schedule of Giovanni Trapattoni. “We are proud because before the game we were in the same position with Sweden and Austria. In Ireland there is no league. our players play in England. In ...

Colm Shalvey reports The GAA’s Covid advisory group has determined that it would be “irresponsible to permit a return to collective training at this time”. The recent reduction in Covid-19 case numbers has, however, given Croke Park officials renewed hope that “the commencement of competitions in the month of March is a definite possibility”. Communication to clubs and counties this week from GAA President John Horan; Director General Tom Ryan; and Director of Player, Club, and Games Administration, Feargal McGill, confirmed the extension of the delayed return to training for senior ...