Articles in the Headline Category

TWO COMMUNITY CONNECTION POINTS LAUNCHED UNDER NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN ROLLOUT Michael Fisher Two centres in Co. Monaghan are among over fifty sites throughout the country that have been connected to the world wide web this month under the new “connected communities” initiative. Altogether, 275 sites (some of them schools) will be on stream by the end of the year, according to the government. Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD and Eamon Ryan T.D, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, announced the first group of broadband connection points, ...

Michael Fisher With a further increase in the level of coronavirus in Co. Monaghan in the past week, the Cabinet was meeting yesterday evening to discuss the possibility of increasing Covid-19 restrictions around the border. Government sources indicated it was “possible” some border counties such as Monaghan would shortly move to Level 4 of the State’s ‘Living with Covid’ framework. There has been discussion about the possibility of Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal where the incidence is the highest in the Republic (see table) going up to Level 4 as early ...

“Support for our towns and villages are more important than ever,” stated Cavan/Monaghan TD and Government Minister Heather Humphreys when announcing funding of €130,000 to assist some of Co Monaghan’s smaller population settlements to adapt further to the Covid-19 pandemic. The money comes from the third tranche of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to be devoted to helping locations meet the demands of living with Coronavirus restrictions. North Monaghan’s National Tidy Towns title winner Glaslough gets €40,000 to enhance the village’s market and fairs capacity. Adaptations to the Threemilehouse ...

Michael Fisher A public health expert has expressed his concern at the rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Co. Monaghan since the start of the month (see separate story). Dr Ian Quintyne is a specialist in Public Health Medicine for the HSE North East area including Monaghan and Cavan. He spoke recently to Northern Sound about the growth in positive cases since the start of the month. He also revealed that almost two out of ten people who had been given appointments for Covid-19 tests in Co. Monaghan ...

“WE MUST PUSH BACK THE VIRUS” – COUNCIL CHAIR A 2% increase in the representational Michael Fisher The alarming rise in the daily figures of Covid-19 cases in Co, Monaghan and in other parts of the State over the past two weeks has meant the re-introduction of measures to control the virus. There were 124 cases of Covid in the county in the two weeks up to Sunday night, bringing the total from 606 to 730. As predicted last week, it has meant that the government decided to move the level ...

Businessman Gerry McElroy is already a local hero in Ballybay for the indefatigable support he gives to charitable causes and projects for the benefit of the community. But Mr McElrory’s exceptional efforts to provide altruistic assistance to those in need during the current Covid-19 pandemic have now been hailed on a wider stage. Ballybay lady Christine Weldon nominated Gerry when Today FM’s Pumped Up Kicks programme sent out a call for Local Hero nominations to honour those who had gone the extra mile for their fellow man in the Coronavirus ...

Mass celebration will take place online only in the Diocese of Clogher for the next three weeks in line with the Government’s decision to move all of the Republic of Ireland to Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions, the Catholic Bishop of Clogher Larry Duffy announced yesterday. Bishop Duffy also outlined a number of other changes in the conduct of religious ceremonies to comply with the prevailing Coronavirus guidelines. Bishop Duffy said in a statement: In view of the decision by the Irish Government to move all of the Republic of Ireland ...

A former choirmaster has been remanded for sentencing at the Circuit Criminal Court in Monaghan Town after pleading guilty to charges of stealing sums of money from the Catholic Diocese of Clogher. David Drum, from Bridge Crescent, Parnell Park, Dundalk, Co Louth will appear before the court again in January. At this week’s sittings, Mr Drum, aged 58, entered pleas of guilty to five charges – four relating to the taking of sums of money from the sacristy of St Macartan’s Cathedral on dates unknown between September 2009 and August ...

An apparent orchestrated clampdown by Gardaí on speeding on the Monaghan to Emyvale stretch of the N2 is causing anger and frustration among motorists using the national route, Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council was told. Calls were made at the meeting for the speed limit on the section of the road in question to be increased, but Chief Executive Eamonn O’Sullivan cautioned members against framing proposals to change the permitted speed and pointed out that consultations on such a move would have to be entered into with the Gardaí ...

A 2% increase in the representational payments received by elected members of local authorities was justified by several speakers at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The pay rise, which will increase the payment to councillors to €17,706 per annum, was due to take effect from October 1, correspondence from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government circulated at Monday’s meeting indicated. Referring to the fact that the remuneration of elected members of local authorities was currently being reviewed, Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus Coyle said that all councillors and ...