Articles in the General News Category

JOHN GRAHAM The pairings, dates, venues and times for the 2020 football Championships in all four provinces as well as the 2020 hurling Championships in Munster and Leinster and the All Ireland Championships in both codes were released last week. Prior to that, there are two rounds of the Allianz Football league to be completed and the latter stages of the hurling leagues in the higher divisions to be also sorted out. Monaghan’s outstanding football league game against Kerry, which was due to have taken place last March, will now ...

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 ...

The Management and Staff of the Northern Standard were saddened to hear of the passing of a dear friend and colleague, Francie McQuillan, Belgian Park, Monaghan. Francie passed away on Wednesday 23rd September in St. Mary’s Hospital, Castleblayney R.I.P.

The Close Knit Community Group established by Glaslough Tidy Towns at the beginning of the Covid-19 restriction period has made an outstanding contribution to making the lives of Ireland’s homeless a little bit more comfortable. Group members have been working over recent months to produce as many knitted scarves as possible to donate to homeless charities. The group has spread its membership across the North Monaghan area, and 400 people of …

A considerable number of businesses across Co Monaghan still have not availed of the Restart Grant that is available to assist premises recommencing operations following the Covid-19 restrictions, it was revealed at Tuesday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The Council appealed to employers who had not so far investigated the scheme to do so and to submit an application if they came within the qualifying criteria. Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Chief Executive Eamonn O’Sullivan said he wanted to recognise the good work that the Council’s finance team had done ...

A renewed momentum to the long-standing campaign to bring back services to Monaghan Hospital was in evidence this week, with the “hospital issue” becoming the subject of a local petition campaign and being discussed in both Dáil Éireann and the meeting chamber of Monaghan Co Council. The newly formed Monaghan Óghra Shinn Féin announced that they had initiated a petition to return acute care services to the Monaghan Hospital site. At national level SF TD for Cavan/Monaghan …

The significant level of investment in the development of a family friendly cycle route at the Rossmore Forest Park amenity in Monaghan Town was welcomed by the members of the Monaghan Municipal District on Monday. Cathaoirleach Seamus Treanor (Independent) described as “unbelievable” the level of development which was being undertaken at the amenity, noting that Monaghan Co Council had secured funding of just over €289,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme for the cycle trail project and had provided …

“It is not our intention to leave anyone behind and there has been a huge amount of publicity,” Monaghan Co Council’s Director of Transport Services Patricia Monahan stated on Tuesday in relation to the public consultation process on the emerging preferred route corridor phase of the N2 Ardee-Castleblayney and Clontibret to the Border road developments. Affected landowners and other interested parties in the Ardee-Castleblayney scheme were encouraged at Tuesday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council to engage fully…

Michael Fisher Anti-pylon campaigners have responded swiftly to a report that a government Department headed by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has been floating the plans of EirGrid and SONI to pay out compensation to farmers affected by the proposed North South electricity interconnector. Last week the Stormont Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon of the SDLP announced she had approved plans to build the high voltage overhead line in the North. Her decision prompted strong criticism from the SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh, Justin McNulty, who has long campaigned in ...

Brian Renaghan finally opening his pub after lockdown in Clontibret County Monaghan. Picture by Philip Fitzpatrick