Articles in the Headline Category

Intensive lobbying from the childcare sector in Co Monaghan resulted in the members of Monaghan Co Council on Monday supporting the demand that crèches, pre-schools and similar facilities in the county be regarded as education providers and made exempt from having commercial rates levied upon them. Fears were expressed during the debate that a number of such centres could close as a result of rates demands, while others would be forced to increase the cost of childcare provision that parents in the county had to meet. A motion from the Sinn Féin ...

Monaghan IFA Chairman Brian Treanor has called for a “tripartite” meeting involving farmer victims of cattle and machinery thefts, the Gardaí and Dept of Agriculture officials. Mr Treanor said on Monday that the meeting was necessary in his view to alleviate the frustration in the farming community over a lack of prosecutions for these crimes – and to stem the tide of rumour and recrimination building in some rural communities surrounding the alleged passing of information to those responsible for them. Mr Treanor, who along with Rural IFA Chairman Bert Stewart was ...

Niamh Fitzpatrick occupies a very special place in the hearts of the community of Scotshouse, who on Sunday last organised a highly successful series of events to fund-raise towards defraying some of the medical expenses entailed by the treatment the three-year-old receives for the rare condition of DIPG. In our photo by Rory Geary, Niamh herself shows Damien McGorman and fancy-dressed Peter Grennan, two of the participants in the cycle run elements of the fund-raiser, how to put their best wheel forward…

St Patrick’s Day Parade in Monaghan Town appeared effectively dispelled at Tuesday evening’s meeting of Monaghan Town Council. Concern had arisen locally that the abolition of the Town Council structure in May under new local government reforms would see the parade’s organisation lapse into abeyance – but councillors who play a role on the current Parade Committee pledged on Tuesday to continue with their work on a voluntary capacity, regardless of whether they are still involved in local politics. Monaghan businesses, organisations and individuals willing to help arrange ...

By MICHAEL McDONNELL michael@northern-standard.ie IF IT WAS held to mark the milestone of a terrible thing that should never have happened, Sunday’s programme of events to commemorate 40 years since the murder of Senator Billy Fox proved, nonetheless, to be a memorable, enriching and worthwhile exercise in its own right, with large crowds braving the rain to witness a religious service and civic ceremony that were both attended by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. In reflecting on the legacy of a person described by local TD Sean Conlan as “a man ahead of ...

The “growing few” businesses in Co Monaghan in a position to pay their rates but not fulfilling the obligation will be pursued through the courts if necessary by Monaghan Co Council, it was stated on Tuesday. Co Manager Eugene Cummins told the March meeting of the authority that the Council was prepared to “go after” businesses in the county able to meet rates obligations but who weren’t making any effort to pay. But the Manager was equally forthright in his assurance to the members that businesses experiencing financial ...

By MICHAEL McDONNELL michael@northern-standard.ie TUESDAY last was a memorable day for over 60 people with intellectual disabilities who attend the various courses, work and recreation programmes at Cootehill’s Drumlin House Training Centre, when they had an opportunity to meet up with President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina. The presidential entourage visited the centre’s busy Print and Craft Shop premises at Market Street, where they were given an extensive tour of the various workshops, and had a chance to meet the trainees and their tutors at their work, before moving ...

By MICHAEL McDONNELL michael@northern-standard.ie DRUMGOON man Aogán Farrell — or Ó Fearghail, as the Gaelic language devotee prefers to be identified — is in an obviously upbeat frame of mind going into this weekend’s GAA Annual Congress, where he is bidding to be the first Cavan man elected to the Presidency of the Association. While the former Ulster Council president, who turn 55 this month, is avoiding the pitfall of being seen to be over confident, he says he is hopeful of a positive outcome and agrees that he has more ...

By Michael McDonnell A YOUNG Lough Egish man was given a mandatory life imprisonment sentence at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Monaghan after being found guilty of murdering a 22-year-old musician, in an incident in which the victim’s own car was driven at him on a minor roadway just north of Lisdoonan village. Conor McClelland, aged 22, of Cullentrabane, Laragh, Castleblayney (near Lough Egish) had denied a charge of murdering Gavin O’Connor from the Kingscourt area in the early hours of 4th June 2011, but had pleaded guilty to ...

THE TRIAL of a 22-year-old Castleblayney man accused of murdering a young musician from the Kingscourt area in the summer of 2011 has heard that the victim was knocked down by his own car, in an attempt to make an earlier assault look like a “hit and run” accident. Conor McClelland, of Cullentrabane, Laragh, Castleblayney is denying a charge of murdering Gavin O’Connor, who was then aged 22, in an incident beside Lisdoonan village. But the former Inver College student has admitted assaulting Mr O’Connor and causing him ...