Articles in the Headline Category

The fickle fates that govern the Irish weather might not have favoured Sunday’s big switch-on of the festive illuminations in Monaghan Town, but the event had a powerful antidote in its favour in the personage of no less than Santa Claus himself. The great man took time out from his current hectic schedule to effectively banish any gloom that might have threatened to descend with the strengthening mizzle by taking to the Church Square stage to assure the children of Monaghan that they were all, down to the last boy ...

Monaghan Co Council was named Local Authority of the Year for 2017 at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards announced on Thursday, November 23 last. The 14th annual awards ceremony was held in association with the Dept of Housing Planning and Local Government. Chambers Ireland said the awards initiative “showcases and celebrates the best of local government in Ireland.” John Clancy, Head of Public Sector Business with awards sponsors Vodaphone Ireland…

Michael Fisher As a crucial summit of EU leaders to consider the Brexit issue approaches in a fortnight’s time, a local MEP has said the government must oppose any movement in Brexit talks until the Irish border issue is resolved. Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy said it was now more important than ever for the Irish government to stand strongly against any movement in Brexit talks before an agreement was reached which protected the all-Ireland economic, social and political framework. Matt Carthy was speaking after it was reported by two influential ...

AS MPS VISIT BORDER CONSTITUENCY TO HEAR THE PROBLEMS Michael Fisher The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has told the UK to come up with a solution for the Irish border. Speaking in Brussels on Monday he made it clear to the British that an improved offer on the socalled divorce bill might not be enough to unblock talks. His comments came just days after an influential group of British MPs had visited the Cavan Monaghan constituency at the invitation of Deputy Brendan Smith T.D. to hear local concerns ...

Cootehill scoops prestigious BOI Enterprising Towns award By MICHAEL McDONNELL michael@northern-standard.ie COOTEHILL had made it clear from the word go that it wasn’t taking up the challenge just to be another ‘also-ran’ — its motto at the starting gate and all the way through was: “We’re in it to win it!” That get-up-and-go attitude paid off in spades last Wednesday when the town was named overall national winner in the Under-3,000 Population category in the prestigious new Bank of Ireland National Enterprising Town Awards competition. Up on 80 towns had entered ...

FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AND GOODS NEEDS PROTECTION Michael Fisher The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar T.D. has told communities living along the border that there can’t and there will not be ‘a return to the border’ on our island. He was addressing the Fine Gael National Conference in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan, close to the border with Co. Fermanagh. He said he wanted to reassure all border communities that the government was listening to their concerns about Brexit and would safeguard their rights. The task of introducing the main speaker at the Slieve ...

OTHERS IN COUNTY WILL ALSO FOLLOW THE ‘INTEGRATED’ APPROACH, OFFICIAL OPENING EVENT TOLD By MICHAEL McDONNELL michael@northern-standard.ie THERE are many areas across the country that can take their inspiration from Ballybay, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys said as she officially opened what is Co Monaghan’s first Integrated Play Park on Monday morning. The additional playing facilities to cater for children with disabilities were added to the Town Park’s playground towards the end of summer, and the result is that that many youngsters with special needs can ...

ANTI-PYLON CAMPAIGNERS VOW TO RESIST EIRGRID PYLON PLANS ‘TO THE LAST DEGREE’ Michael Fisher Landowners opposed to EirGrid’s plans to put 400 pylons and overhead lines across five counties including Monaghan say they will resist the electricity interconnector plans “tooth and nail to the last degree”. The pledge was made at a meeting in Aughnamullen Community Centre on Monday night attended by over 100 people as well as elected representatives. Nigel Hillis of the County Monaghan Anti Pylon Committee said if they stuck together then they would not be broken by EirGrid. ...

Fears that farmers in Co Monaghan could be facing a severe shortage of feed for their livestock in the early months of next year were voiced at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. Unfavourable weather conditions that had prevented silage cutting operations in recent months and poor prices preventing cattle being sold were cited as the factors that could rekindle a situation in the county akin to that of 2013 when emergency measures had to be introduced to ensure that supplies of fodder were available to farmers in the county. ...

LANDOWNERS TO MEET ON MONDAY EirGrid have said the need for the proposed North South electricity interconnector has not diminished in any way since they received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála in December last year. The semi-state company said the project would improve the security of electricity supply across the island of Ireland. It would also help to improve the efficiency of the electricity system, reducing costs and ultimately saving money for the electricity customer. Replying to landowners who handed in a letter at the EirGrid office in Carrickmacross last ...