Articles in the General News Category

The best beard contest was a fun feature of Saturday afternoon’s pulsating programme on the Juke Joint stage in Church Square. A rare window of glorious summer weather saw large crowds circulate in the town centre from the Church Square and Diamond stages, and sample the hospitality of local hostelries where quality blues artists were providing a non-stop session of live music entertainment. The excitement of the weekend festival culminated on the late night stage where there were powerhouse performances from The Revolutionaies Big Band, Crow Black Chicken, Johnny Maestro ...

GOVERNMENT PARTY COUNCILLORS SEND OUT DEFIANT MESSAGE IN SUPPORT OF “RETAIN ULSTER FINAL” CAMPAIGN PETER HUGHES Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been given an emphatic message from their grassroots in Co Monaghan that the €50 million earmarked for the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast through the Shared Island fund should not be paid unless St Tiernach’s Park in Clones receives the investment it needs for its upgrade plans. Government party councillors at last week’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council forcefully expressed the sentiment in declaring their backing for the ...

PETER HUGHES The same level of Local Property Tax that has applied in Co Monaghan in recent years will continue to be levied in 2025 following a decision taken at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. A nine-eight show of hands vote determined that an LPT varied by +15% on its base rate would again be applied. The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members plus Independent Seamus Treanor all indicated their support for the +15% rate. The Sinn Féin councillors put forward a proposal that a zero rate apply. Head ...

PETER HUGHES Monaghan people have been strongly encouraged to make their voices heard in the coming weeks about the direction of their county’s future development. The members of Monaghan Co Council voted on Monday to send the draft Co Development Plan for 2025-2031 out to public consultation. Public submissions on the document can be made from today (Thursday) until November 14. Cathaoirleach of the Council, Sinn Féin local public representative Cathy Bennett, encouraged the general public to read through the document and determine if there was anything they wanted amended, ...

Gardaí based in Monaghan were part of a major operation which resulted last week in the seizure of over €550,000 worth of suspected cannabis and cocaine. Monaghan Gardaí and Gardaí based in Galway conducted a major operation targeting an organised crime gang suspected of involvement in the importation and sale of controlled drugs in the northeast and west of Ireland. As well as the significant quantity of suspected illegal drugs, searches conducted during the operation resulted in the seizure of €65,000 in cash, four cars and a Rolex watch. A ...

PETER HUGHES Plans for an ambitious new industrial park development along the N2 in Monaghan Town, on what is traditionally known as the “O’Neill’s Farm” lands, were unveiled at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The 36-acre Annahagh site will house a projected eight industrial units but their number and size can be adjusted to suit the demands of the market, Council members were informed in a briefing by Director of Planning Services Cathal Flynn. Mr Flynn told the meeting that the Council’s intention was to get the approval of ...

INNISKEEN 1-23CARRICKMACROSS 1-20 Inniskeen needed extra-time to get through an exciting south-Monaghan derby against Carrickmacross. Niall Arthur was in prolific form for Inniskeen throughout the 80-plus minutes, racking up a remarkable 1-18 to lead the holders through. An Oran Kiernan-led Carrick had been on the brink of qualifying for a third county final in four years when they led by a point with time almost up, having held a narrow lead for much of the hour, but Arthur’s added-time equaliser proved to be a vital reprieve for Inniskeen, whose top marksman ...

MAITIU MONAGHAN There has been no material update on the search for Vinnie Corey’s replacement to be the next Monaghan manager. Corey’s sudden departure from the role last week was a massive shock and with the County Championship already up and running, there is an urgency to the search to fill the role. Last week, news that Jason Sherlock was among the front runners to take over from Corey. The Dublin legend was linked with the Monaghan job in 2022, but after being interviewed turned the job down. Sherlock was involved ...

“This is a major landmark in bringing world class specialist palliative care services to the communities of Cavan and Monaghan.” So stated the Chairman of St Christopher’s Hospice in Cavan, Jim Lalor, this week after the HSE confirmed that final tender documentation for the refurbishment and extension of St Christopher’s Hospice, with a view to making palliative care facilities available for the Cavan/Monaghan area, had now been completed. “The initial phase of a pre-tender suitability assessment has been completed to prepare a shortlist of contractors who will now be invited ...

A papal message expressing gratitude for Archbishop Noël Treanor’s “devoted and faithful service” was read to mourners at his funeral in St Peter’s Cathedral in Belfast on Tuesday. Archbishop Treanor, originally from Silverstream, Tyholland, was serving as Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union when he passed away suddenly in Brussels at the age of 73 on Sunday August 11. He was formerly Bishop of the Diocese of Down and Connor. During the Requiem Mass at the West Belfast cathedral, where hundreds gathered to pay their last respects, apostolic Nuncio to ...