Articles in the Headline Category

AN early morning bid by a cross-border gang to snatch an ATM machine containing several thousand euro at the Ulster Bank premises on Dublin Road, Castleblayney, failed yesterday (Wed) when the raiders were unable to open the safe or convey it away from the area. The raiders had also placed a gas tank and other paraphenelia on the road near the bank, in a bid to thwart gardai from moving to the scene. Irish army bomb disposal experts later dealt with the contraption, making it safe. It ...

BY PATSY McARDLE A HUGE all-Ireland boost for Castleblayney’s annual agricultural show this year was announced during the week with the disclosure that the final of the Irish Shows Association and the Craft Butchers of Ireland “Home Cook Championship 2015” will be staged during the Co. Monaghan event on the August Bank Holiday, Monday 3rd August next. This is a new national competition, which carries a very attractive prize of one week’s cooking course at the world renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School, and also includes accommodation. The ...

By Cianna McNally “I am so delighted and honoured to have been chosen to represent Monaghan at the Rose of Tralee Regional Festival in Portlaoise. I will be wearing my sash and flying the flag for Monaghan with great pride.” These were the words of the 2015 Monaghan Rose Michelle Caulfield who took the crown at the selection night last Saturday. Michelle, who hails from Scotstown is daughter of Kevin and Cecelia and works as a primary school teacher in St Lorcan’s Boys N.S in Palmerstown in Dublin. The ...

By Cianna McNally Two high-flying local public representatives from opposite sides of the political coin were feted on Monday evening, 13th March. Warm tributes were paid to Fine Gael Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys and Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands North West Matt Carthy at a civic reception in The Four Seasons Hotel that had been organised by Monaghan Co Council. The event had generated a degree of controversy when first proposed but the persistence of redoubtable Fine Gael councillor Hugh McElvaney ensured that it went ...

“Some years down the road, the question will no longer be whether we have a local priest but whether we have active Christian communities witnessing to and passing on the message of Jesus,” stated the Catholic Bishop of Clogher Liam MacDaid at the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in Monaghan’s St Macartan’s Cathedral. Bishop MacDaid invited priests and lay people in the Clogher diocese “to look outside the traditional understanding of parish in order to put in place the formation, and structure, required to enable parishes to be places of connectedness and ...

The Easter Ramble Run & Rubber Duck Race takes place in Laragh on this Sunday 12th April 2pm-5pm. The 5k walk leaves from Laragh at 2pm (registration from 1pm). The duck races begin at 3pm.  All proceeds will go towards the restoration of The Millers Cottages in Laragh, which were built in the 1800’s and housed those who worked at Laragh tweed mill. There will be a number of rubber duck races (all sponsored by local businesses in the area) in the fast flowing river beside St Peter’s Tin Tabernacle. The ...

PETER HUGHES Irish language poet Caitríona ní Chléirchín from Emyvale, Co Monaghan has been announced as joint winner of the prestigious annual Michael Hartnett Poetry Award for 2015. Ms ní Chléirchín has been honoured for her second collection, An Bhrídeach Sí (which translates in English as The Fairy Bride). She shares the award with Marcus Mac Conghail (for his debut collection Ceol Baile). The presentation will take place on the opening night of Éigse Michael Hartnett in Newcastle West, Co Limerick on April 16. Caitríona, whose winning collection is dedicated to her late ...

Clones AC European medal winner celebrated at homecoming By Cianna McNally Rapturous applause and cheers greeted Clones Athletics Club member Denise Toner last Friday evening at a homecoming celebration organised in honour of her winning gold in the Women’s 35 Category 800m Final at the European Masters Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland the evening before. Denise, who hails from Knocks which is located just outside Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, won the race in an impressive time of 2:15:73. Six other athletes hailing from Belgium, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Great Britain and ...

A Toyota Avensis car belonging to local photographer Pat Byrne was badly damaged in Carrickmacross on Tuesday afternoon when a section of wall collapsed at Ivy Lane.  Another vehicle parked nearby also suffered damage. Emergency services were called to the scene but no-one was injured as both cars were unoccupied. It’s thought the high winds brought down a large tree in a garden, and part of the stone wall was breached. The road was closed and Monaghan County Council engineers brought in tree surgeons to remove two more trees because ...

Surprised students and parents arrived to Collegiate School, Monaghan on Tuesday morning for Study Week to see the sight of the 80 ft beech tree completely blocking the avenue just off the busy N2 Dublin/ Castleblayney Road. The tree fell after a night of high winds, at approx. 8.50 am, only minutes after a parent and her daughter had arrived at the school. Thankfully no one was hurt. The tree blocked drivers from entering or leaving the premises and local homes while staff, neighbours and parents busily ...