Articles in the Headline Category

By Veronica Corr Monsignor Larry Duffy was in reflective mood ahead of his Episcopal Ordination this Sunday in the majestic St. Macartan’s Cathedral, when he met with The Northern Standard on Monday in what will be his new home. There is a serenity and humility about Monsignor Larry that is quite endearing, when our reporter commented on the beauty of the 1901 period dwelling formerly known as the Bishop’s Palace overlooking the Bishop’s Lake, the Bishop-Elect commented: “A small bungalow would have done!” The property now comprises offices downstairs and ...

COLLAPSED INTERNAL WALL LEADS TO FEARS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY Michael Fisher The historic market house near the entrance to Hope Castle in Castleblayney has been fenced off because of fears that it might collapse. A structural survey carried out last Thursday for Monaghan County Council, which owns the building, discovered that an internal wall had collapsed. As a result, safety measures were taken to seal off the disused building. This required the boxing in of the newly erected Big Tom statue, unveiled by President Higgins four months ago. Councillors at a meeting ...

Shock and grief have been widespread throughout the North Monaghan community following the deaths of husband and wife Joseph and Louise Waller, Mullaghpeak, Emyvale in a single vehicle road traffic accident on Friday January 25 last. The couple, both in their seventies, died after their vehicle left the roadway near the Monaghan-Armagh border at Killyneill Cross shortly before 6 pm and entered an area of flooded bogland. It is believed that the car in which the couple were travelling became submerged in water. Gardaí and emergency services were called to ...

Michael Fisher Antrim based developer has revealed plans to transform the unfinished housing development at Magheross in Carrickmacross, which has been an eyesore for many years, into 33 residential units for social housing. Stephen McMurrough told Councillors his professional team will start work on the site in three weeks’ time, following a health and safety audit and having arranged the necessary financial backing. It’s anticipated the project will be completed in the next twelve months, with the first block of seven town houses ready to be handed over in ...

Michael Fisher Around thirty nurses who are members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation took to the picket line outside Monaghan General Hospital yesterday in support of their pay claim and dispute over staff shortages. Despite the freezing conditions, the protest began at 8am and was due to last until 4pm. A further five 24-hour strikes have been scheduled over the coming fortnight. The Psychiatric Nurses Association are also due to start an escalating campaign of industrial action today by implementing an overtime ban. The INMO insists that staffing ...

The prospects of a hard Border in the event of Britain exiting the European Union in a “no-deal Brexit” scenario loomed larger this week following comments made by the Chief Spokesman of the European Commission. Margaritis Schinas said it “was pretty obvious you will have a hard Border” in Ireland if the deal reached by the British Government and the European Union was not implemented. The comments prompted Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and Government Ministers to strongly re-affirm their stance that Ireland will not accept a hard Border on the ...

Peter Hughes “We are no longer two communities living in the one county – we are together,” stated Cathaoirleach of Monaghan Co Council Councillor David Maxwell at a commemoration in the Council chamber on Monday morning last of the centenary of the first sitting of Dáil Éireann on January 21 1919. Elected councillors and local authority staff and executive members were joined by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys, her fellow Cavan/Monaghan TDs Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Brendan Smith, and Senator Robbie Gallagher to listen to the stirring ...

COMBILIFT AMONG THE BACKERS OF THE SCHEME CALL TO END ACADEMIC SNOBBERY Secondary students in County Monaghan who don’t want to go to College but are seeking to develop their skills and work locally are being encouraged to apply for a new apprentice programme for engineering skills. The national scheme which was officially launched on Monday by Ministers Heather Humphreys and Joe McHugh has the backing of a major employer in the area, Combilift. Co-founder and managing director Martin McVicar said apprenticeships needed to be seen in a different light by ...

AS BRITISH PARLIAMENT IN CHAOS OVER BREXIT Michael Fisher Businesses in County Monaghan have been urged to start making contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit and the likelihood of a hard border for moving goods after March 29th. The possibility of a return to customs posts in Monaghan, Dundalk and other border towns was raised by a former Irish customs official at a breakfast seminar in Carrickmacross yesterday organised by financial services consultants Grant Thornton. (see separate report on page 7). Michael McGill said it now seemed the UK will leave ...

Peter Hughes Sinn Féin have thrown down the gauntlet to other political parties and prospective election candidates to stand firm with them in a commitment to work towards the restoration of services at Monaghan Hospital. The party moved at a public meeting they convened in Monaghan Town last Wednesday evening to bring the hospital issue back to the forefront of the local political agenda in advance of May’s local government and European Parliament elections and the next General Election. SF TD for Cavan/Monaghan Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin co-hosted the meeting with ...