Articles in the General News Category

Several initiatives were suggested at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council to accentuate the availability of broadband connectivity in rural and local communities. Members spoke of schemes to enable the reach of wi-fi hubs located in community centres and GAA club facilities to be expanded, emphasising the increasing number of people who now had to work or study from home because of Covid- 19 pandemic restriction measures. Sinn Féin’s Noel Keelan submitted a written question to the meeting in which he sought the up-to-date position in relation to the rollout ...

COLM SHALVEY Monaghan youngster James Gilliland has been making waves on the Irish kart racing scene. Having picked up a love for motorsport at an early age via his father Paul, Aghabog native Gilliland started kart racing in mid 2018, racing in the Rotax minimax class for kids aged between 11 and 14. He quickly picked up the knack for it, finishing third in his first race in Watergrasshill, Co Cork, before following that up with a string of good results. He finished his debut season with a win that saw ...

John Graham reports Serious doubts have been cast on whether or not this year’s inter-County, provincial and All Ireland Championships will take place following the shock revelations of the suspension of all club activity across the island. That decision was taken in the light of the increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases and the fact that there was widespread flouting of the restrictions by crowds in some parts of the country following the completion of County Championships in the various counties. It is generally believed that the tipping point was reached following ...

Monaghan can still bring the number of Covid-19 cases back under control if we all take action – a message from the HSE, Monaghan County Council and an Garda Síochána People in Monaghan have been asked to limit the number of people they come into contact with over the coming days as the county works to reverse the recent worrying growth in the numbers of Covid-19. The HSE, Monaghan County Council and An Garda Síochána are working together through emergency management structures to co-ordinate the community response to the ongoing ...

TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS PREDICTED UNLESS UPWARD TREND HALTED 83 CASES IN TWO WEEKS Michael Fisher Concern was expressed this week by the country’s Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn over the rising number of new cases of Covid-19 in Co. Monaghan in the past fortnight. According to the latest statistics up to midnight on Monday, there have been 83 confirmed cases since September 14th,. Over half of those were added to the list in recent days. Monaghan is one of four counties along with Cork, Galway and Roscommon, where the rapid growth ...

MINISTER HUMPHREYS SAYS VOICE OF REGIONAL PRESS MUST BE PROTECTED – BUT NUJ CRITICAL OF BODY’S TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION The Government announced this week that it had agreed the terms of reference and membership of the Future of Media Commission, which will address the challenges confronting newspaper and broadcast journalism in Ireland and focus on its development over the next decade. Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Catherine Martin TD said that the Commission would have a role in addressing the “new and increased pressures” faced by traditional ...

Michael Fisher The health regulator has reported that a nursing home in Co. Monaghan where 22 residents died earlier this year at the height of the coronavirus pandemic was in compliance with State regulations. Inspectors from the Health and Information Quality Authority visited Drumbear Lodge nursing home on the Cootehill Road in Monaghan at the end of June. They found that just over half of the residents confirmed or suspected of having Covid-19 infections had died during an outbreak between April and June. Thirty-six reports published by HIQA last week ...

Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth has called for urgent action to address the rising number of suicides in her Cavan/Monaghan constituency. Deputy Smyth this week met with Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health Mary Butler TD to discuss the need to improve mental health service provision in the constituency. She also voiced her concerns during a Topical Issues debate on mental health in Dáil Éireann. “There has been a marked increase in the number of suicides in my constituency. This has caused untold…

Monaghan Co Council is seeking firm commitments on the future funding of the Ulster Canal project. At last week’s meeting, councillors agreed to a proposal from Fianna Fáil representative Seamus Coyle calling for the Ulster Canal Advisory Forum to be reconvened. Councillor Coyle said that the forum was set up a number of years ago but he was disappointed at the recent lack of progress in its work. He proposed that the Council request a meeting of the forum in light of the formation of a new Government in Dublin ...

An allocation of €40,000 to develop a Community Sports and Physical Activity Hub in Ballybay was announced this week. It was part of a €7.3 million aid package for community groups across the country made available by the Government from Dormant Accounts funding. The funding has been allocated to the Monaghan Local Sports Partnership. Sports Ireland said that the objective of Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs was “to bring local people together and provide a home for local clubs and sports organisations. “The hubs provide information, support and advice ...