Articles in the General News Category

Colm Shalvey reports Monaghan have made some high-profile additions to the senior football management team, with Dónie Buckley, Jonny Davis and Gary Rogers coming on board. Following the return of Conor Laverty and Peter Donnelly to the Down U-20s and the Tyrone seniors late last year, Séamus McEnaney needed to bulk up his backroom team once again, with the addition of the highly-rated Buckley as ‘Head Football Coach’ being seen as a coup for the county. The former Castleisland player began his coaching days in Clare, where he progressed to their ...

Colm Shalvey reports 2021 promises a return of a busy sporting schedule further down the line, albeit with the exact calendar still in some doubt. In the short term, the country’s return to Level 5 restrictions of the Plan for Living with Covid-19 means the beginning of 2021 is a bleak one for the sporting landscape. Elite sports are permitted to continue behind closed doors, amid a national surge in Covid-19 cases, but the likes of golf clubs and gyms have had to close once again. The GAA delayed the return ...

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS Monaghan have an Ulster MFC semi-final to prepare for in the new year after a convincing win over Antrim last Sunday saw them end another calendar year unbeaten. A composed performance at a sundrenched Corrigan Park gave Monaghan their 12th consecutive win in the Ulster MFC, although they will need to clear another couple of hurdles if they are to secure a third consecutive provincial title at minor level. The absence of a form guide made last weekend’s game a difficult one to predict, but Antrim’s Ulster league ...

JOHN GRAHAM There is no doubt about it -2020 has been a year unlike any other, but for some GAA people it turned out to be memorale amid uncertainty, tragedy and lockdowns. We salute the lucky ones who received deserved recognition in the 2020 Northern Standard Newspaper/ Monaghan GAA Annual Awards which were unable to be hosted this year due to Covid-19. Senior Footballer: Damien McArdle (Scotstown): A consistent performer with Scotstown, mostly in defence, but also in a number of other roles, this man, who made his championship debut ...

Michael Fisher The Republic is to return to Level 5 restrictions, with a number of exemptions, from Christmas Eve (tomorrow) until at least 12th January. The Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD said the move was in response to the extraordinary increase in Covid-19 cases, with a 10% daily growth rate that was “simply not sustainable”. The government said that certain transitional arrangements to the Level 5 restrictions will apply during the Christmas period. Among the main changes that were announced: Restaurants and gastro-pubs will close at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve. Hair ...

The Covid-19 news coverage by the Northern Standard’s Michael Fisher has been recognised with a national award. The N.S. journalist won in the new category of Best COVID Coverage at the 2020 Guild of Agricultural Journalism awards, announced on Friday, December 18 last. Among the over 100 stories penned by Michael Fisher on Covid-19 since the emergence of the pandemic in March, several front page stories for the Northern Standard were of particular significance in garnering the award. These included his Page 1 exclusive of May 14 of the meeting ...

BROTHERS IN CHRIST: Most Reverend Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Most Reverend John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh pictured filming their Christmas Day broadcast for RTÉ. The broadcast can be seen at 12.10 pm on RTÉ 1 television and heard at 1.05 pm on RTÉ Radio 1. It was filmed in St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral Armagh and will feature interviews with local people on the difference which their Christian faith has made in their lives during the Coronavirus pandemic. Choral music is provided by ...

Speaking at Government Buildings on Tuesday afternoon, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD announced that in view of the developing situation regarding the 10% daily increase in Covid-19 cases, the country will return to level five restrictions with certain adjustments with effect from Christmas Eve December 24th until January 12th. “On each occasion when I have stood here and outlined the Government’s strategy for managing the spread of this disease, I have put it very plainly. We work to suppress the virus when it is growing and we work to reopen ...