Articles in the General News Category

Strong links between Monaghan and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) are being highlighted this month as part of DIAS 2020, a year-long programme of activities marking the 80th anniversary of the establishment of DIAS. When it was founded by Éamon de Valera in 1940, DIAS was only the second institute for advanced studies in the world (after the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton in the USA) – and the first such institute in Europe. Over the past eight decades, DIAS has conducted groundbreaking research and attracted renowned ...

As Ireland progresses through Phase Two of its COVID-19 lockdown exit strategy, Local Link is urging passengers to pre-book its Door-to-Door services in order to maintain social distance requirements as capacity on its services is limited. While passengers are still able to travel on Local Link services at peak times for essential trips such as medical appointments and grocery shopping, passengers should only travel at off-peak times provided that capacity is available and they are not availing of seats required by other passengers for essential trips. Pre-booking seats is essential ...

The European Parliament wants a close future EU-UK partnership, but will not approve an agreement without measures to ensure fair competition, or if the Withdrawal Agreement is not effectively implemented, Midlands North West MEP Mairead McGuinness stated this week. The Fine Gael representative, who holds the position of first Vice-President of the Parliament, said the EU and the UK had agreed in the Political Declaration to seek an economic partnership that involved zero tariffs and zero quotas Ms McGuinness pointed out that this was more than had been on offer ...

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan/Monaghan Niamh Smyth said this week that, if the reopening date for hair salons and barber shops is to be brought forward, as some media reports have indicated, then guidance on reopening is urgently needed by professionals in the industry. She commented, “There are reports that there may be room for hairdressers and barbers to reopen on June 29. I know the Irish Hairdressers’ Federation submitted proposals to government and I hope that they are seriously examined. The group have published 100 guidelines which hairdressers and ...

John Graham reports The GAA’s Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) is advancing plans for the inter-county season with the aim of completing it in the same calendar year and finishing out the remaining league games on the first two weekends available, October 17/18 and October 24/25. The Ulster Council has yet to release exact details of their championship schedule, which now incorporates the minor and senior teams playing on the same day. Meanwhile,at local level, Monaghan County Board has set out a plan for an eight weeks time frame to run ...

Colm Shalvey reports Athletics clubs have been stepping up their gradual return to activity in accordance with government guidelines. Athletics Ireland announced their latest protocols last Friday, along with the hope that competitive action may be allowed to resume in the coming months: “The Juvenile and Competition Committees are meeting regularly to plan a return to competition within government guidelines. Provisional dates in August and September are planned for Under-14 groups and above and these will be published in the coming days. Note – all dates will be contingent on meeting ...

COLM SHALVEY Two independent sports shops with a combined history of almost 80 years in Co Monaghan re-opened this week as part of phase two of the Government’s lifting of Ireland’s COVID-19 restrictions. Having been closed since mid-March, McDermott’s Sports Centre in Monaghan Town and Declan Loughman Sports in Castleblayney both opened their doors again on Monday. Dermot McDermott acknowledged: “It’s a relief. Most retailers were closed almost overnight and you didn’t know what the end game was, so for the first month, you’re just taking it a day at a ...

WIDER TRAVEL TO BE ALLOWED AT END OF JUNE Michael Fisher ‘Summer is not lost’ was how the Taoiseach announced the accelerated easing of coronavirus restrictions following a Cabinet meeting last Thursday evening. He revealed that the government’s roadmap plan announced in April would be shortened from five phases to four phases, with travel restrictions throughout the Republic removed on Monday 29th June. The immediate effect of the new guidelines could be seen on the streets of Monaghan town, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross, Clones and Ballybay on Monday. The number of people going ...

€185,000 in funding for heritage projects in counties Monaghan and Cavan under two schemes – the Historic Structures Fund and the Built Heritage Scheme – was announced this week. Projects in Co Monaghan will receive €100,000. €85,000 goes to Co Cavan. Under the Historic Structures Fund €20,000 is being allocated to restore the music room at Bessmount Park House, with a further €20,000 assigned to carry out conservation works to the two-storey central area of the former train station. The following Co Monaghan projects will benefit from the…

The simple hand-crafted poster summed up the intent: “We stand 2m apart united against racism.” The strict adherence to social distancing and other Covid-19 protocols embraced by Saturday’s anti-racism rally in McNally’s car-park in the centre of Monaghan Town did not detract from the determination of the roughly 250 people present to add their voices to the global clamour for racial justice sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25. Organisers defended their decision to proceed with the event – one of a number held throughout ...