Articles in the Headline Category

By PATSY McARDLE CONCERNS expressed over several weeks about the dilapidated and deteriorating state of entranceway buildings to Lough Muckno, and the Hope Castle Estate in Castleblayney, were eased somewhat this week by the news that an allocation of €40,000 is being provided for badly needed restoration work at Hope Castle gate lodge at Castle Square in Blayney. Local residents in the area, as well as the owners of some business establishments, were very concerned by the hazard posed for some time by the state of the buildings. One guest-house owner had claimed ...

By Cianna McNally A number of fundraisers have been organised in support of a child from Clones who was born without a left shoulder and arm. Rhys Reihill Duffy, who will turn five in September, is son of Michelle Duffy and Niall Reihill and lives in O’Neill Park, Clones. He is one of only three children in Ireland to suffer from a rare brain disorder called Schizencephaly, a mild form of cerebral palsy. After being told by Irish doctors that there was nothing that could be done for him in terms of a prosthetic limb, Rhys’ parents contacted ...

By PATSY McARDLE A LINK-UP between a local community group and a hugely successful family business may pave the way to secure more much needed local jobs in Castleblayney, it emerged this week. There was good news for the mid-Monaghan town yesterday with the exciting announcement that Castleblayney Community Enterprise—the highly committed local community group—has agreed terms on their food plant building at Drumillard Little, with the progressive McCaughey Foods Company, which is based at Broomfield. The unique partnership, which involves the coming together of the business and community sector to sustain and ...

By PATSY McARDLE A CROSS-BORDER community has erected a plaque to honour the famous son of a Co. Monaghan mother, who hailed from a family at Moyles, Castleshane, to become Archbishop of New York and also elected Cardinal. A prestigious Ulster History Circle blue plaque was erected last week at Dundalk Street in Newtownhamilton, to mark the birthplace of Cardinal John Murphy-Farley, who was Archbishop of New York from 1902 to 1918. The unveiling ceremony, which attracted huge cross-border community interest, and a large turnout, was performed by Monsignor Raymond Murray, Armagh. The general ...

THE Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys visited the start of project works on the Ulster Canal on Friday morning last. She viewed the ground investigation work which is being carried out at Derrykerrib Bridge. Speaking about the commencement of the work, Minister Humphreys said,“After so many years of talking, it is great to finally see works underway on the restoration of the Ulster Canal between Lough Erne and Castle Saunderson. After securing approval from the Government for this project earlier this year, I have been very keen to ...

A jubilant Josh Moffett and co-driver Jason McKenna celebrate their home crew victory in last Sunday’s Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Stages Rally. The duo triumphed with just 5.1 seconds to spare after a stirring contest with Josh’s older brother Sam (who just missed out on completing a hat-trick of wins in the event) and National Championship leader Donagh Kelly. See inside for full report and pictorial coverage of one of the major events in the Co Monaghan sporting calendar. Photo © Rory Geary/The Northern Standard

Michael Fisher As anti-pylon protestors in County Monaghan met in Aughnamullen to express vigorous opposition to the North/South Interconnector plans for overhead power lines, the head of Eigrid has told an Oireachtas committee that putting the line underground would add €500m to the project. Chief Executive Fintan Slye also confirmed to Deputy Sean Conlan that there had been no specific consultation with local communities on a possible underground route. Around 300 people packed into Aughnamullen Social Centre in Lough Egish on Monday night to protest against EirGrid plans for a second overhead ...

PETER HUGHES Bus Éireann hopes to introduce additional Monaghan-Dublin services in the summer months. The information, contained in correspondence circulated at Monday’s meeting of the Monaghan Municipal District, was hailed by Cathaoirleach of the body Sean Conlon as being a positive outcome to lobbying which the MD had conducted towards seeking improvements in the early morning services from the bus depot in Monaghan Town to Dublin Airport. In his letter to the Municipal District, Bus Éireann Chief Executive Martin Nolan stated: “I refer to your letter dated 22nd January last to the National Transport ...

By Cianna McNally A proposal made this week at the April meeting of Ballybay-Clones Municipal District to ask Ulster Bank to consider donating the building that housed the Clones branch to the local community received the full support of members. The proposal was made by Leas-Chathaoirleach Pat Treanor who chaired the meeting on Monday. Councillor Treanor referred to the closure of the bank branch which took place on Friday last and said it was a sad day to think that Ulster Bank customers did not have a service available to them in the town, which ...

A strong desire to see offenders subjected to a tough “name and shame” campaign, with a greater emphasis on fines and enforcement through the use of CCTV surveillance, emerged at the April meeting of Monaghan Co Council in a discussion on the county’s ongoing litter problems. A planned programme of expenditure of €25,000 on a variety of litter initiatives was presented to the members by the Council’s Environmental Awareness Officer Nial O’Connor. But the Council held off on approving the strategy, opting instead to support the call of Sinn Féin councillor Brian ...