Articles in the Headline Category

Michael Fisher As the Taoiseach indicated the government is preparing a plan to re-open the economy and society in stages over the next few months, the number of Covid-19 cases in Co. Monaghan recorded over the past six weeks surpassed 200. As we went to print last night, the latest official figures released by the Department of Health showed that from midnight on April 1st when there were 17 cases, the number had risen to 199 by midnight on Sunday April 19th,. The number for the next 24 hours is ...

Michael Fisher Sunday morning Mass in Tydavnet parish last weekend celebrated by Fr Stephen Joyce PP was very special. The restrictions imposed last month on crowds gathering because of the coronavirus crisis have led to the temporary closure of Catholic churches except for individual prayers. Parishioners have been getting used to following the Mass by a video link set up on a new parish website and facebook page and also broadcast on YouTube. Previous Sundays (including the Holy Week ceremonies) featured the three chapels at Urbleshanny, Knockatallon and Tydavnet. So ...

A 40-year-old man with an address at Tyholland, Co Monaghan was remanded in custody at the High Court in Dublin on Tuesday, when his extradition to the UK was sought on charges linked to the deaths of 39 migrants whose bodies were found in a refrigerated lorry container in Essex on October 23 last year. Ronan Hughes, Leitrim, Silverstream, Tyholland faces 39 charges alleging manslaughter and a further charge accusing him of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. He was detained at his home in Co Monaghan on Monday by Gardaí ...

Michael Fisher As part of the HSE’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a community assessment hub has been set up in Castleblayney to serve Co. Monaghan. It has been established at the Crannog Day Care centre at Bree. People who have been tested in this area and are confirmed as having Covid- 19, and who require a face-toface clinical assessment, can attend this community based unit, following referral from a GP. The HSE says the aim of the unit is to divert those who are mildly symptomatic and require medical ...

Michael Fisher Over the Easter weekend, a major Garda operation was in place on the N2 road at Moybridge, the main cross-border road between Monaghan and Aughnacloy. A Garda Sergeant on checkpoint duty on Holy Thursday told me: “In a couple of hours, we must have turned back over one hundred northern registered cars coming (from Co. Tyrone) to fill up with fuel in Monaghan.” It seems many of the drivers were not on essential journeys but had travelled from Dungannon and other areas to fill up their tanks with diesel, ...

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has called on the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty to extend the Covid-19 payment to persons aged over 66. Deputy Smith said that, in many instances, people in receipt of a reduced pension payment had an income through employment or they had their own small business enterprise. “At present, they are not entitled to the Covid-19 Unemployment payment and that should be reviewed. In many instances those people have been providing a worthwhile business in many small rural ...

Michael Fisher In his Easter message, the Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has said seclusion imposed on many people because of the coronavirus restrictions has helped them to think about what they value. He urged them to maintain the current restrictions in order to protect and save lives. Delivering the homily at an Easter Sunday Mass broadcast by webcam from the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Colman in Newry, he said he hoped the public will come through the coronavirus pandemic spiritually strengthened by the experience. The Archbishop ...

Monaghan Co Museum wants to collect the public’s stories about the Covid-19 pandemic. They can be: Photographs or drawings – Any sort of pictures or drawing that shows life as it is now during the pandemic. Stories relating to the pandemic in Monaghan – These could be your stories or perhaps those of a family member or friend that you have spoken with. Video, audio or sound files – These could be interviews with family members – perhaps older members of your family who have memories of times like this in the ...

Michael Fisher Gardaí were given new powers this week to curtail the movement of people owing to slippage in complying with a requirement that everyone bar essential workers remains within 2km of home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Checkpoints and patrols were stepped up around the main towns in Co. Monaghan. Two weeks ago, President Higgins signed the Health Preservation, Protection and Other Emergency Measures Act. It imposed restrictions on movement and a prohibition on events and gatherings, and Gardaí now have the power to enforce the law. The regulations signed ...

Michael Fisher A Monaghan expert on viral infections has welcomed the cross-border understanding reached by health officials on both sides of the border for dealing with coronavirus. RCSI Professor of International Health and Tropical Medicine Sam McConkey, who hails from Killeevan near Clones, said the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two Ministers of Health on Tuesday was “fantastic” news. He described it as a gradual step in coming together and building further co-operation. Interviewed by Ivan Yates on Virgin Media’s Tonight Show, Professor McConkey said it would bring joined up ...