04-12-2024 by Peter Kierans

Sinn Féin lead the way in Louth

By Paul Byrne

JUST after 4:30pm on Monday evening the election in the Louth constituency was finally concluded after two and a half days of counting in Coláiste Chú Chullainn. It was a long slog and unlike 2020 when two Sin Féin candidates were elected after the first count it took until Sunday evening on the 16th count for Sinn Fein’s Ruairí Ó Murchú to retain the seat he won almost five years ago.

Just before midnight, his running mate Joanna Byrne was made official as the Drogheda native celebrated her success in her very first attempt in running for a

general election. Returning Officer Paddy Donnelly wrapped things up just before 2am in the early hours of Monday morning with three seats still to be filled at that stage.

Louth may be the smallest county in the country but with two big towns in Dundalk and Drogheda and a record 24 candidates on the ballot it was no surprise that only the count in Cavan/ Monaghan lasted longer than the one in Louth. After Count 20 on Monday evening, following the distribution of Kevin Callan’s votes the final three seats were filled. Continued on Page 2

Sinn Féin’s Ruairí Ó Murchú celebrates with his supporters on Saturday night as he tops the poll in Louth and retains his seat. Full story page 2 and page 10.

Sinn Féin lead the way in Louth

DUNDALK ART GROUP

Christmas Exhibition

Dundalk Art Group are holding a Christmas Exhibition from Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th Dec, between 10am and 5pm in the new Dundalk Credit Union premises on Clanbrassil Street (Formerly Heustons)

LOCAL ARTISTS EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS IN OILS AND ACRYLICS ON SALE

From Page 1

Labour’s Ged Nash retained his seat in style with 7594 first preference votes which was close to 2000 more than he received in 2020. Indeed it was pretty clear from looking at the early tallies after ballot boxes first opened on Saturday morning that O’Murchú, Byrne and Nash were all but certain of filling the first three seats. The talk around the count centre on Saturday afternoon among Sinn Fein members was that they could potentially be in the running to grab three seats with Antoin Watters polling well early on but the North Louth’s man challenge petered out as the day progressed.

One of the main talking points of the weekend was how well Fianna Fáil polled with their two first time candidates Erin McGreehan and Alison Comyn receiving 5,772 and 4,913 first preference votes respectively. In the end it would be the sitting Senator Erin McGreehan who prevailed as she realised a lifelong dream of becoming a TD for Louth.

It was a disappointing weekend for Senator John McGahon whose campaign had been derailed by released CCTV footage from a pub brawl on Park St which became a national talking point and in the end potentially cost him a seat. His loss was his running mate’s gain as

now former Louth County Councillor Paula Butterly polled well receiving 5,646 first preference votes.

The Togher native entered Louth County Council in 2021 when she was co-opted following Colm Markey’s move to become an MEP for Midlands North West. Earlier this year she was elected off her own back onto Louth County Council during the Local Elections and a whirlwind year on the campaign trail now sees her become one of the 5 TD’s representing Louth.

There was a long delay on Sunday afternoon following the 13th Count when Aontu’s Michael O’Dowd was eliminated. He ended up with

2650 votes which was just six shy of the total needed to be eligible to claim election expenses (Up to €11,800).

O’Dowd demanded a recheck and that was granted by Returning Officer Paddy Donnelly. After over three hours of rechecking, O’Dowd’s final tally was upgraded to 2.657 votes thus pushing him over the expenses eligibility line by a single vote.

One of the reasons the ballot paper was so long this time around was the increase of anti-immigration candidates with at least four of the names on the list using that topic as their main issue when out canvassing.

Irish People’s Derek McElearney (119 first prefer-

ence votes) and Independents Alan Fagan (114 votes) and Tracy O’Hanlon (234 votes) all failed to make any significant inroads with all three eliminated early in the day but Irish Freedom Party President Hermann Kelly did manage to stick around until the 14th count when he was eliminated having received 2,546 first preference votes. After the dust had settled on Election 24, Returning Officer Paddy Donnelly thanked Tomás Sharkey, Principal of Coláiste Chú Chulainn, for hosting the Count and to Mairead Ahern for lending her election rules expertise behind the scenes not only in Louth but across the country.

An Erin in Dáil Eireann

Erin McGreehan with her husband Donal and her four sons celebrating her election success.

FIANNA Fáil’s Erin McGreehan has tears in her eyes as she speaks about fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a TD. The Cooley native picked up an impressive 5,772 first preference votes and managed to grab the fifth of five seats on Monday afternoon without reaching the quota with 8,629 votes after a nervy couple of days at the count centre in Coláiste Chú Chulainn.

During her speech the mother of four boys spoke about her family who put ‘fire in her belly’ and drive her on to help people around her county.

“Thank you to my family and my whole campaign team who have gone through the ups and

downs with me throughout this campaign. They have been there when I’ve been stressed, they’ve seen the tears. They’ve walked the highways and byways of County Louth as we knocked on doors delivering our message.

“I want to thank Danny O’Shea my director of elections who has been brilliant throughout. I also have to thank my brothers and sisters Michael, Gerard, Lorna and Matthew who have always instilled a sense of justice in me and taught me to speak up and speak out for yourself and to lift others up if they are in trouble.

“I have always been obsessed with politics. I suppose I was a bit different to other girls my

age. I was the 11 year old who took Constance as her confirmation name after Countess Markiewicz so my love for politics and the good it can do has been with me forever,” explained Erin.

“My husband Donal and my four boys Conor, Owen, Donal Óg and Michael are what drives me on everyday and they put fire in my belly to do what I do. I want to continue the work I have done to date in the Seanad. I will do everything in my power to help people in County Louth and to fight for services that are needed to make life easier for people across the county,” promised Erin.

Ó Murchú proud to top the poll in Louth

JUST before 11pm on Sunday evening after a gruelling sixteen counts, Sinn Féin TD

Ruairí Ó Murchú was deemed elected as he topped the poll in Louth with 13,016 votes. Ó Murchú was first elected in 2020 with the Bay Estate man taking the second seat that time around behind Imelda Munster.

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of his poll topping performance, Ó Murchú stated that it was a privilege to represent the people of Louth and he was honoured that the electorate had put their trust in him for another term in the Dáil.

“I’ve always said that it is an absolute privilege to represent the people of this county and I have to say that I have been elected on the basis of the hard working Sinn Féin activists on the ground who helped me throughout the campaign.

“I have to give a men-

tion to Antoin Watters who did a huge amount of work up in North Louth and who joined the race late in the day. He ran a brilliant campaign and we wish we had delivered three seats and this election has shown us that we are very capable of delivering three seats in Louth and that is what we will work towards for the next election,” stated Ruairí.

“I think we have had a strong election nationwide and we have to give huge credit to our party leader Mary Lou McDonald who showed her true metal by coming out strong and bouncing back after receiving a lot of negativity earlier on in the year. We will have to sit down now and see what will happen with regards to the formation of a government but whether we are in government

or in opposition we will continue to fight for the people of this country.

“We know that there are huge issues in Louth regarding the health service and GP waiting lists and of course mental health services.

We have seen the great work the people behind Maxi’s Law have done in recent months and we need to continue to push hard to ensure whatever government is in place provides the necessary services to ensure nobody is left out in the cold when they are struggling with their mental health. We need more services and more money put into the whole mental health sector.

“The last government were abject failures when it came to dealing with the mental health crisis and with housing which we saw was a major issue for people dur-

ing the campaign. We seen it when we were canvassing with mothers and fathers telling us their kids were forced to go to Australia and other countries because they couldn’t see a way in which they could ever afford a house in Ireland. Many who stayed were living in their parents’ box rooms and this is something that we have to fix quickly,” insisted Ruairí.

“In opposition you don’t have access to the lever of powers so it’s not as easy to get things done but I have shown in my five years as a TD I am able to work with other TD’s from different parties even if I don’t always agree with their policies. I am passionate about helping my constituents and it has been a pleasure to represent them over the past five years and I look forward to doing so for the duration of the next Dáil,” stated Ó Murchú.

Missing Cat

‘MISTY ’

from Bachelors walk area, for over a year now.

If anyone has any information could they please contact: 0899 560 171

He is sorely missed and just wants to be home.

REWARD OFFERED

Public meeting held by ‘Protect Cooley Peninsula’ to discuss proposed Greenway

THE Protect Cooley Peninsula group were due to hold a public meeting last night (Tuesday 3rd December) in relation to the proposed Greenway which is currently being planned by Louth County Council. The Greenway is due to be built from Dundalk Bay to Carlingford but has been met with fierce resistance from landlowners and residents living on the Cooley peninsula in particular.

Last September, hundreds of people gathered outside County Hall in Dundalk from Cooley and the message was loud and clear. ‘No to Greenway’ ‘Hands off my Property’ ‘My Property. My Rights. My Choice. No CPO’ read just a selection of the hundreds of signs on show as a large crowd welcomed a convoy of tractors and vehicles, who had travelled to Dundalk from Cooley to hand deliver petitions and submissions, objecting to the proposed Dundalk Bay to Carlingford Greenway which will connect with

Submissions were brought to County Hall earlier this year by Cooley residents.

the existing Carlingford Lough Greenway. This will lead to a continuous cross-border greenway from Dundalk to Newry.

The project is being delivered by Louth County Council with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and is currently at Phase 2 Option Selection.

Members of the public were invited to make submissions about the project and the people of Cooley answered that invitation with over 1300 submissions delivered to County Hall as well as a petition with over 2300 signatures

stating their opposition to the planned Greenway.

Spokesperson for the group Denise Collins insisted that the group would not be stopping opposing the Greenway anytime soon and will continue raising awareness of the issue. She also confirmed that the group will now start fundraising to help pay for costs for expert advice as the issue develops.

“We have sent out an open invitation to anybody who wants to find out what’s been happening and how the proposed Greenway is going to

impact so many families along the proposed route. We have been told by Louth County Council that we will receive individual responses to the 1425 submissions in January but we are a bit skeptical that that will actually happen.

“We will have a raffle on Tuesday evening as we need to start raising money to pay for expert advice as this situation develops. We will not stop and we are in this for the long haul,” promised Denise.

“We feel that it is wrong to forcibly take land off a homeowner or landowner and we stand with the people who are affected by the proposed route of this Greenway that the majority of people in North Louth oppose. We do not agree with people’s property being taken through Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), which is an option for the local authorities. We will stick together on this issue and make our collective voices heard, stated Denise.

Northern Lights will be making a spectacular appearance in

Dundalk this Christmas!

NINE extraordinary shows will take place over three magical evenings creating an unforgettable festive experience for all. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and really is the most wonderful time of the year, and this year the cherry on top will be The Northern Lights Christmas Illuminations on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of December at Market Square. This enchanting audiovisual spectacular is guaranteed to brighten your evening with festive magic and get everyone into the Christmas spirit!

The eight majestic arches are beautifully adorned with seasonal decorations and a stunning display of up to 200,000 points of light, creating a magical glow in the heart of Dundalk. The live shows are a festive fusion of sights and sounds, with dazzling lights dancing to the rhythm of classic Christmas tunes – mak-

ing this a truly magical experience not to be missed!

Shows take place between 5.30pm & 6.30pm on Friday 6th, Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th of December, thereafter the installation will be illuminated (without audio) from 3pm –midnight until January.

Town Centre Commercial manager, Martin McElligott explained “The Northern Lights Christmas Illuminations are a mesmerising combination of dazzling lights and festive

sounds, creating a truly magical atmosphere and attracting thousands of people into the heart of the town centre.

Whether it’s for the live shows this weekend, or simply enjoying the illuminated display in the weeks ahead, it’s a wonderful opportunity for families, friends, and shoppers to come together, enjoy the stunning light displays and soak up the vibrant, festive energy throughout the town.”

Temporary Chief Executive at Louth County

Council, Joe McGuinness, said: “Louth County Council is thrilled to support The Northern Lights Christmas Illuminations. This is set to be a really fantastic event, putting the town of Dundalk on the map as a premier destination for Christmas shopping and nightlife. Well done to Martin and his team for their work on creating this magical, mustsee visitor experience, the perfect backdrop to the festive season.”

Win Tickets to MIKE DENVER and Guests Concert at CARRICKDALE HOTEL

FRIDAY JANUARY 3rd 8pm

Tickets at Hotel and Ticketmaster.ie

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets(3 pairs on offer) just answer the following question sending your entry to Dundalk Leader, 9A Crowe Street, Dundalk WHAT DATE IS THIS CONCERT AT THE CARRICKDALE?

Answer Name Contact Number

Jim’s graveyard project digs up info for over 11000 graves

New cemetery database has information for every single grave in Dowdallshill cemetery

RETIRED fireman and local historian Jim Kerley has completed a mammoth nine-year project which has seen him create a searchable database for every single grave in Dowdallshill cemetery.

The graveyard which is 130 years old next year is home to around 11,000 graves and the remains of approximately 25,000 people of Dundalk.

Oaklawns resident Jim, a keen local historian, has been a regular visitor to Dowdallshill cemetery down through the years searching for information from headstones for different families as well as his own. Finding the grave of a particular person he was looking for was often time consuming and laborious and he would often complain to his friends in the Old Dundalk Historical Society about the arduous process, wishing there was some kind of database to

make it easier to locate the graves in the graveyard.

Jim, who is also a member of the Old Dundalk Historical Society was eventually asked by his friends ‘Why don’t you do it yourself?’. Knowing it was unlikely that anybody else would be crazy enough to take up such a massive challenge, Jim decided to take the bull by the horns and went full steam ahead to try and make that idea a reality.

“I knew that was I was taking on was huge and I knew it would take me a long time but I probably didn’t think it would take nine years,” laughs Jim.

One of the first things Jim did was to get in contact with DkIT where the head of the Department of Visual and HumanCentred Computing saw the potential of Jim’s idea and the value of it to the wider Dundalk community and agreed to let him pitch the idea to students in DkIT with the

idea that they could help develop a website and an app for the proposal as part of their final year projects.

“We wanted to create a resource which allowed users to search for names of deceased who are buried in the graveyard and would give them an exact location of where that grave was in the graveyard. Some graves had only partial information and some had very little so we had to do a hell of a lot of research by look-

ing through old obituary notices in newspapers and archive services in Louth Library. We had to manually enter the information for 25,000 people which included age, address. Sex, religion, occupation and date died.

We assigned each of the 11,000+ graves a grave number and gave each grave GPS co-ordinates. Obviously this was a he task so I asked for help from the Louth Volunteer Centre and got about thirty people from there to help me out.

“My ambition was to get it done before I ended up in the grave myself and thankfully I’ve met that deadline,” laughs Jim. “I think this resource will be of huge benefit to the people of Dundalk and for people from different countries who have ancestors buried in Dundalk. They can now at the touch of a button find exactly where in the graveyard their loved

ones are buried. It will be updated by Louth County Council and there will not be any information on people buried over the last five years due to sensitivity purposes. There will also be a restriction on people’s addresses for the last 30 years.

“It was an arduous task but it is completed now and the Old Dundalk Society are officially launching it in County Hall Millenium Centre this Thursday (5th December) at 7pm. All are welcome,” stated Jim.

“There is so much history of our town in that graveyard and what I love about it is that all of Dundalk is in that cemetery. From the rich man to the poor man. From the quiet man to the most popular people the town has ever seen. We all come into this world the same way and we all leave it in the same way,” added Jim.

Left: Local historian Jim Kerley and right: An image from the new website which has information on every grave in Dowdallshill

Senator McGahon to take a break from politics after failing in election bid

SENATOR John McGahon arrived at the Count Centre in Coláiste Chú

Chullainn on Sunday afternoon to concede defeat as his bid to become a TD for Louth in the General Election fell short. McGahon faced the media following weeks of intensive scrutiny. McGahon was found not guilty in a criminal trial in 2022 after he was involved in a fight with Breen White outside the Rum House in 2018. He was later found to be 65% liable in a subsequent civil trial and was ordered to pay damages to the tune of €39,000. His election campaign was derailed when cctv footage of the incident made its way on to social media leading to intense scrutiny nationwide regarding his suitability as a candidate.

An Taoiseach Simon Harris when pressed on the issue in an interview with Claire Byrne admit-

ted he was ‘very angry about the situation’ and he understood ‘absolutely’ why the public was angry about it.

An Tánaiste Michael Martin went a step further by stating that he was surprised that Fine Gael had backed McGahon and that he would not be running for the General Election if he were a Fianna Fáil candidate.

Senator McGahon had kept a low profile during the last couple of weeks of the election campaign refusing to comment on

the issue but he finally faced the media on Sunday afternoon when he turned up to concede defeat after it became obvious he would not win a seat. Speaking to the assembled press McGahon said he was looking forward to taking a step back from political life having dedicated most of his life thus far to it.

“Obviously it’s been a tough two weeks for me, personally, but I have to say I have been overwhelmed with he kindness that the people of Dundalk have shown me and that means a lot to me,” he stated.

“Politics has been my life for the last ten years and now it is time to put my family first and put my wife, Aine first. I’m looking forward to spending as much time as possible with them over the next couple of weeks.

“I really want to congratulate Cllr Paula Butterly. She’s been an excel-

lent councillor for the last four years. I’ve seen first hand how hard she has worked for Louth as a councillor for the last four years and I know she is going to be an excellent TD for the next five years. I also want to congratulate Ruairí Ó Murchú. I’ve seen how hard he works in Dundalk and that also goes for Senator Erin McGreehan who I’m sure will continue the great work she has done in the Seanad into the Dáil. I also want to wish Joanna Byrne the best of luck. I worked alongside her in Louth County Council and I know she will do well,” he added.

“I want to sincerely thank the thousands of people who put a 1 beside my name on the ballot sheet and once again I want to thank the people of Dundalk for the warmth and kindness they have given me over the past two weeks in particular,” he stated.

Senator John McGahon.

New station support vehicles launched by Louth Fire Service

LOUTH Fire Service is rolling out two new state-of-the-art Peugeot Expert LWB support vehicles at Drogheda and Dundalk stations.

Louth County Council is pleased to announce the purchase of these vital new resources for the Louth Fire Service, which provide transport for fire crews and equipment for training and day to day operations, along with support at emergency incidents.

The versatile design of these vehicles allows for safe and efficient transport of personnel, while also carrying critical firefighting and rescue equipment. They can transport up to six operational personnel and have extractor systems ensuring clean air is circulated for crews on board.

The Peugeot Expert LWB are low-emissions vehicles running on hydrated vegetable oil (HVO), ensuring a positive

contribution to Louth County Council’s Climate Change Plan.

“These vehicles are an investment in the safety of our community,” said Louth County Council’s Chief Fire Officer, Eamon Woulfe. “Having reliable, multi-functional support means we can respond faster, stay better equipped, and ensure that our crews have the tools they need to save lives and protect property.”

Cathaoirleach Kevin Callan said: “The Fire Service is a critical emergency service and these new support vehicles will ensure the best quality service for the public in Louth.”

Thomas McEvoy, Director of Service, Louth County Council acknowledged the support of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management for the purchase of the new station support vehicles.

Over 2,500 Visitors explore DkIT during recent Open Day

MORE than 2,500 prospective students and their families recently attended Dundalk Institute of Technology’s (DkIT) two-day Open Day events. Schools from across the North Leinster-South Ulster region visited the campus to gain insight into student life, meet lecturers, interact with current students, and explore the state-of-the-art facilities available at DkIT.

During the events, attendees had the chance to explore nearly seventy degree courses on offer and participate in a range of engaging activities. Highlights included demonstrations in Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, as well as a special screening of student films. Many visitors also took part in lab tours, including visits to the new €18m Science Ex-

tension, veterinary nursing, exercise physiology, and clinical skills labs for nursing and midwifery. These tours showcased the cutting-edge equipment used across the School of Health and Science.

Young aspiring chefs had the chance to speak with culinary staff and students and even visited the Hospitality Restaurant for a firsthand look at life in the kitchen.

DkIT’s Multi-Purpose Centre was transformed into an exhibition hall, featuring a wide range of courses from Accounting and Finance to Sound Design, Early Childhood Studies, and Agriculture. Visitors were able to engage with lecturers and student ambassadors about various programmes and potential career pathways.

Ahead of Black Friday and the Late Late Toy Show, RSA Urges Adults Not to Gift E-Scooters, Scramblers or Quad Bikes to Children

AS Black Friday and the Late Late Toy Show approach, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is strongly advising against purchasing escooters, scramblers, or quad bikes for children this Christmas.

As part of new laws introduced in May of this year, individuals must be at least 16 years old to legally use an e-scooter in Ireland. They’re also banned from footpaths and users are not allowed to carry passengers.

The RSA also wants to remind parents that quad bikes and scramblers pose significant safety risks to children. They urge parents to

avoid gifting these vehicles to ensure the safety and well-being of young people during the holiday season.

Four e-scooter riders were killed and 117 seriously injured on Irish roads between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023. During the same period, 1 other road user was killed and 20 more seriously injured in collisions involving e-scooters.

Casualty figures show that between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023, 49 people were seriously injured in collisions involving a quadbike or scrambler on a public road. In the same period, there were

three fatalities involving quad bikes or scramblers on public roads.

Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA, explained: “The greatest gift parents can give this year is ensuring the safety of their children. Parents should not consider purchasing a quad or an e-scooter for any child this Christmas. It is crucial for parents and members of the public to be recognise that quads and e-scooters are designed to be operated by those of an age to fully understand the dangers they pose when not being used appropriately and/or on uneven terrain.”

CFO Eamon Woulfe, Cathaoirleach Kevin Callan, SO Mark McElearney and SACFO Robert Page at the roll out of two new state of the art support vehicles at Drogheda and Dundalk stations.

Luana Rodrigues Rutherford and Kimya Marcimain from Dundalk at the DkIT Open Day

Emergency alarm pendant a vital tool to help elderly

By Lena Schramm

THERESA Loughman from the Dundalk Social Services Council has spoken about the benefits of the emergency alarm pendant for elder people in the community. The pendant is worn around the neck and a button can be pressed which forwards an alarm to a call centre if the person wearing it gets into any difficulty.

Anybody over sixty-five years of age is allowed to get one of the emergency alarm pendants. It consists of a button which you can wear around your neck and a box with another button that is placed in your home.

The

emergency alarm pendant .

By pressing one of the two buttons you send an alarm that is linked to a landline or to a private mobile phone. The alarm is forwarded to a call center which will alert your given emergency contact to send the help the affected person needs. With this opportunity that is given to the elderly they independence gets provided This project is sponsored by the government through the agency Pobal that was conducted with the help of SAS where the Equipment provided by commu-

1—Who is now the biggest party in the country following last weekend’s General Election?

2—In medical terms what is a MRI?

3—Which director was responsible for many Hollywood blockbusters such as “Jaws”, “Indiana Jones” and “Jurassic Park”?

4—In terms of alcoholic drinks what do the letters IPA mean?

5—Dundalk has a strong tradition of electing Fianna Fáil

QUIZ

TD’s. What year was the first in history that a Fianna Fáil candidate wasn’t elected in Louth?

6—From which country does the cheese Gouda originate from?

7—What was the African country Zimbabwe called prior to 1980?

8—In which city would you have come across “Checkpoint Charlie”?

9—In Toy Story which actor

nity, voluntary and not-for-profit organizations is registered. The destination of the SAS and the government is to increase the support for older people in our communities. With their engagement the cost remains cheap. By using a land line, the first year will be free of charge and the second year will sixty-five euros for one entire year. When you decide to use a mobile phone instead of a landline, you should be prepared for slightly higher costs. The first year would be sixty-five euros in total and in the following years you must pay 130 euros per year.

Overall, this is a great opportunity to support the older generation and to enable them to live a more carefree life.

provides the voice for Woody?

10—In legend who was the wife of King Arthur?

Stinker: Which six US States make up the area known as New England?

ANSWERS

10—Guinevere. Stinker: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

1—Fianna Fáil, 2—Magnetic Resonance Image, 3—Steven Spielberg, 4—Indian Pale Ale, 5—2011, 6—Netherlands, 7—Rhodesia 8—Berlin, 9—Tom Hanks

ELECTION 2024

Ged and Paula thank supporters following election to Dáil Eireann

GED Nash pledged to focus on housing and child poverty while stating that the best way his party can help bring about change is to be a part of the next government. The Drogheda man was the third person elected as he surpassed the quota on the 20th count thus retaining his seat in the Dáil.

Speaking after he was confirmed to be elected Ged praised the staff who spent all weekend at the Count Centre tallying, counting and sorting votes. He praised the great work they undertook saying they were ensuring the integrity of our democratic process.

“These values and principles are important

to upkeep. We should never take them for granted. I want to thank the people of Louth for lacing their trust in me and I am eternally grateful for the privilege of representing our wonderful county in Dáil Eireann. I will never ever take that for granted,” promised Ged.

“I want to thank my wife Marian who has been by my side every step of the way and to al my campaign team who help to keep everything in order especially my office manager John O’Carroll. We want to be part of the next government and we are not afraid to say that out Louth. To implement the changes needed to im-

prove services in Louth we need to be at tehtop table where decisions are being made. We are a rich country and we should be doing way better when it comes to services which simply aren’t there for many people. There are children living in poverty which should not be happening in this day and age,” he added.

Togher native Paula Butterly said she was extremely humbled to have been elected by the people of Louth and was honoured that they had placed their trust in her to deliver for the County.

The Fine Gael candidate received 5,646 first preference votes before eventually being elected following the 20th count

without reaching the quota with 9,062 votes.

“Looking at the votes coming in I was honoured to see people from all over the County trust me with their number 1 vote. We worked exceptionally hard this year given the fact there have been two elections (Local and General) and I think we worked out that we had knocked on approximately 12,500 doors during our canvassing in the lead up to the General Election.

“I made it clear that I will be a TD for the whole County and that’s what I plan to do,” stated Paula. When asked if she would open a Constituency office in Dundalk Paula said that will be decided in the coming weeks.

She also promised to tackle the issue of dereliction in our towns and to get town centres thriving again and help businesses and families all over the county.

Sinn Fein had hoped to get three TD’s in but in the end they had to settle for two with North Louth councillor Antoin Watters falling just short. While admitting he felt disappointment he also expressd delight that Sin Fein had received such an endorsement from the people of Louth

“I’m disappointed to be sure but I am still a councillor which is something I love doing and I will continue to do my very best for the people of North Louth. I’m happy that my votes helped bring both Ruairí and Joanna across the

line and I’m delighted that I topped every box in my area. Obviously I would have liked a little bit more time to canvass but we were given a short campaign and we did the best we could with that. As I said, this has been a good day for our party and I’m delighted with the vote we have received in Louth,” he added.

Another man making his first foray into a General Election was People Before Profit’s James Renaghan who was one of the youngest on the ballot sheet. He received 1,671 first preference votes and said he was pleased overall with how he performed for his first time standing for election.

“I’m pleased overall as it was a tough terrain to push. If you look back over the last decade we had the water charges issue and Occupy Dame St. which kind of got people angry and got them out voting for change but it was tougher this time I think. I was unknown six months ago but my name is out there now and I have an appetite to do this again at some stage. I think there was a lot of apathy with the young people with many disillusioned with what they see as a pointless election given it’s almost certain that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will be back in power. This is just the beginning for me and I will continue to campaign on the ground to fight for fairness and equality in our town,” promised James.

Four of the five TD’s who were elected to Dáil Eireann by Louth constituents over the weekend. (Joanna Byrne TD missing from pic).

Paula Butterly TD (right) gives a thumbs up after she is deemed elected on Monday.

Ged Nash TD celebrates as he retains his seat on Monday afternoon.

St Vincent’s students reach semi-finals in prestigious poetry competition

SAINT Vincent’s students have been busy recently in a number of competitions, including the National Poetry Aloud event and the ISTA Senior Science Quiz which took place in Trinity College. Transition Year students Ella Brown and Dearbhla McArdle were selected from over 350 entrants to join 70 fellow competitors in the semifinal of the prestigious competition, where students deliver both prescribed poems and a poem of their choosing. While both girls performed brilliantly, Ella was chosen to compete in the Final which will take place later this month, along with 20 other finalists. English teacher Ashley Thompson congratulated Ella on the achievement and described her performance. ‘Ella was truly awe-inspiring and the judges were very impressed with her per-

formance. We are very proud of her and I am looking forward to seeing her perform again in the final.

Meanwhile three teams took part in the in the ISTA Senior Science Quiz alongside 17 teams from Louth and Monaghan, where two

teams came joint second in a highly contested event. These teams then progressed to the Final which took place in Trinity College. Klara Flanagan, April Conroy, Carmen Gilden (Team 1) and Vlada Besarab, Megan Lynch, Yusra Rashid (Team

Above: Transition Year students

Ella Brown and Dearbhla McArdle were selected from over 350 entrants to join 70 fellow competitors in the semi-final of the prestigious competition

Left: Klara Flanagan, April Conroy, Carmen Gilden, Vlada Besarab, Megan Lynch, Yusra Rashid at the ISTA Senior Science Quiz in Trinity.

2) competed alongside 46 other teams from all over Ireland that had qualified from 350 teams in the Regional contests. Science teachers Sarah Hunt and Elaine O’Brien accompanied the students to the event. Sarah explained ‘The girls really

held their own in the first half of the quiz, but unfortunately the competition was stiff and while they did not place among the winners, it was a fantastic achievement to reach the final. It’s a testimony to their knowledge and hard work.’

For a free no obligation quotation

Callsave: 1850 774455 Tel. 042 9333513

Web: www.senatorwindows.ie Email. senatordundalk@gmail.com

Or Visit our Showrooms on Ard Easmuinn Road, Dundalk.

OPENING

Mon-Fri 9- 5 & Sat 10-2 After hours by appointment

YOUR TOWN IN BUSINESS KEEP YOUR BUSINESS IN TOWN

Dundalk community help ‘Fill a Bus’ for Meals on Wheels

BUS Éireann’s ‘Fill a Bus’ appeal for Meals on Wheels in Dundalk proved hugely popular last Thursday as the local community brought plenty of food to Dundalk Bus Station despite the miserable weather.

The ‘Fill a Bus’ campaign saw Bus Eireann appeal to the Dundalk community to bring food in bags and leave them inside a bus which was parked at the station at the Long Walk between 9:30am and 3pm.

These contributions would be sorted by the local Meals on Wheels Service under the coordination of John Hennessy and Rose McCartney before being distributed locally to the elderly and people with mobility issues in the area.

As well as non-perishable goods such as tea, coffee and tins of food there were also household products and cleaning materials donated on the day.

Meals on Wheels Dundalk was established in 1972 and supports 100 people in the locality with meals each week. They currently operate out of a kitchen in Muirhevnamór having been located in Carroll Mead previously.

According to John Hennessy, chairman of the Dundalk Social Services/Meals on Wheels the campaign was once again a huge success.

“We would like to thank the community of Dundalk for getting behind the ‘Fill A Bus’ campaign again this year. These vital donations will be donated to those in need around Dundalk and they will make a huge difference to a lot of families around Dundalk. We would like to thank Bus Eireann for all their efforts and we are delighted with the response. We did get some perishable goods donated which we gave out on the day to people.,” added John.

Dundalk Darts League

WEEK 7 of the Heineken sponsored Dundalk and District Dart League saw the dominance of the leading teams continue in Pool A & Pool B.

In Pool A, despite the best efforts of Padraig Gorham who hit multiple 100+ scores for Uncle Toms in a Man Of a match display, his team would lose out 4-2 to the Big House Eagles.

Also hitting multiple 100+ scores was Liam Hoey for the Clans who helped his team to a 5-1 win against Uncle Kevin’s.

Ken Durnin hit a monster 158 Checkout for Punters Athletic but this couldn’t prevent his team being bet 6-0 by The Bodhran.

And after racing into a 2-0 lead, it looked like the Phoenix were going to not take any points against Callan’s Cobras but Garrett Doyle restored parity in the Final game to secure a share of the points.

Jason Kelly had a standout performances for The Phoenix while Ciaran Markey was man of the match for Callan’s Cobras.

There’s still a lot to play for in the League with a maximum of 2 fixtures left for most teams before the 2 Pools split into 3 Divisions.

Library Events

LATE Late Library Storytime: Join us in Dundalk Library on Wednesday 4th December at 6:00pm for a very special Late Late Library Storytime as we celebrate Family Time At Your Library and the Late Late Toy Show. There will be fantastic stories, some gorgeous music and of course a festive hot chocolate. This event is suitable for children aged 2-7 years and no booking is required, everyone is welcome to wear a Christmas jumper.

The Secret Science Of Santa Claus: Join the Superhero Scientist, Dr. Barry Fitzgerald as he explains the amazing science of how Santa gets around the world in one night! Taking place in Dundalk Library on Friday 6th December at 3:30pm, this event is suitable for children aged 5-12 years and booking is essential. Contact Dundalk Library at 042-9353190 to book your child’s place.

Wheelie Bins

Sliding Robes

John Hennessy (chairperson Dundalk Social Services Committee, Rose McCartney (Co-Ordinator Meals on Wheels), Ciaran Byrne (Bus Eireann), Noel Reenan (Meals on Wheels) and Moira Johnson (Meals on Wheels)

FAMILY NOTICES

BROWNE Freda 3rd ANNIVERSARY

Third Anniversary of our dear mother Freda, whose anniversary occurs on Tuesday, 10th December, 2024.

Mammy,

Our lives go on without you, But nothing seems the same, We have to hide the heartache, When someone speaks your name.

Sad are the hearts that love you, Silent are the tears that fall, Living here without you, Is the hardest part of all. You did so many things for us, Your heart was kind and true, And when we needed someone, We could always count on you. The special years will not return, When we were all together, And with the love in our hearts, You walk with us foreve.

—Loved and missed every single day from your heart-broken family, Francis, Alan, Milanda, Sinead, and Niamh, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

xxxxx. Anniversary Mass will be held on Tuesday, 10th December, at 10am in St Joseph’s Church, Fatima.

KELLY Olive (nee Cunningham) 6th ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of our sister Olive, late of Drive 2 Muirhevnamore and Parnell Park Dundalk. Olive, as day dawns, I think of you, As each night falls, I pray for you, And throughout my life, No matter where, In my heart, you are always there. —Loved and missed always by your sister Marie and brother Gerard.

NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART

Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I asked you for many favours This time, I ask for this special favour (mention it). Take it, dear Heart of Jesus and place it within your own broken heart, where your Father sees it. Then in his merciful eyes, it will become your favour, not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for three days. Promise publication and favours will be granted. (Never known to fail). S.K.

HEART

NOVENA TO THE SACRED

NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART

220 people from Louth receive Irish citizenship

220 PEOPLE from Louth received Irish citizenship this week at a special ceremony held in the INEC in Killarney.

In total over 6000 new Irish citizens were granted citizenship in seven ceremonies which took place on Monday and Tuesday in Kerry. Applicants from 140 countries around the world living in all 32 counties in Ireland attended the event.

The figure of 220 people for Louth was the sixth highest figure in the country with only Meath, Limerick, Dublin, Cork and Galway having more applicants. The top 10 nationality of applicants in order were as follows: 1/ India, 2/ United Kingdom, 3/ Brazil, 4/ Romania, 5 Poland, 6/ Nigeria, 7 Philippines, 8/ South

The citizenship ceremony took place on Monday and Tuesday in Killarney.

Africa, 9/ China (including Hong Kong) and 10 USA.

This year a record number of people took the final steps towards receiving their Irish citizenship, with over 30,000 decisions made in 2024. The numbers represent a significant increase on the 20,000 decisions made in 2023 and is nearly double the number of decisions made in

LOUTH YEAR BOOKS (GAA) for sale 1988, 89, 90 up to 2020. Tel 087 9219883.

STARTER STICKS logs and solid fuel available for delivery. Loads of various sizes, for prices and information on the size of loads available please call Brendan on 0858064358.

LARGE BABY travel cots for sale, red in colour, with mattresses, perfect condition, as new, €35 each Tel 087 9536395.

ELECTRIC BICYCLE brand new, suit male or female, only €400 for quick sale, any trial welcome Tel 089 2497902.

SELL IT THROUGH A CLASSIFIED— Only €5 for one week up to 20 words. 042 93 20888. The Dundalk Leader.

OLD DUNDALK & Louth Memorabilia wanted. Books, Medals, 1916 items, PJ Carroll & Brewery items, also associated Louth GAA items Tel 087 7683547.

2005 BMW 320 for sale. NCT tested to 11/25. Contact 087 3960782.

ATTENTION LANDLORDS—We supply furniture & Beds for any rental properties you have. Beds from €180, Bedroom Furniture Sets from €249 Call us today www.bedstore.ie, Coes Rd, Dundalk Tel 042 932 0927.

SMALL UNIT TO RENT for business use. Parking available. Dundalk area. Phone 087 2489646.

HOME TO RENT in Dundalk Phone 087 2788573.

ROOF LEAKS MASTER—We repair all types of roof/tile, slate, bangor blues. Repair torch on roofs, scrape & clean, chimneys & chimney pots, chimney bird guards, gutter facia & soffits. All work guaranteed, 25 years experience. Tel. 086 8184827.

CARPENTRY & JOINERY—Maintenance and repairs, roofing, 1st & 2nd fix carpentry, sash window repairs. No job too big or small. Contact Seandon Carpentry 087 298 5110.

MOBILE HOME TRANSPORT—Transported throughout 32 Counties. Contact Eugene 086-607-1702.

CARPET & OVEN CLEANING—Carpet, upholstery & specialist oven cleaning available. Call MVI Cleaning Dundalk on 042 94 21300 or visit www.mvicleaning.ie.

ROOFING AND BUILDING contractor available. Repairs and new builds. Fully insured. Contact Mark Carney on 087 1302040 for enquiries.

FIFI’S ALTERATIONS—Longwalk S.C. (formerly A-Alterations) Tel 083 011 8728. Zips, hems, clothes taken in or let out, also Dry Cleaning Service. Open Mon—Fri 9.30—5.30pm & Sat 10-2pm.

GETTING YOUR HOUSE ready for Xmas? I do power washing, gutter cleaning and general DIY. Also can hang up outdoor decorations and decorate outside of houses for Xmas. Tel Catriona 087 3172109.

BUILDER & HOME MAINTAINENCE—

Building, Woodwork, Painting, Plumbing, Tiling, Kitchen Refurbishments, Paving & Fencing. No job to big or too small. Tel. 087 295 2529.

2022.

Speaking ahead of the ceremonies, Minister Helen McEntee said;

“I would like to congratulate all of our newest Irish citizens, as well as their family and friends joining them on this special day.

I encourage our new citizens to continue to contribute to building inclusive communities. In forging connections between our cultures, we can enrich our social fabric.

Our new citizens play an essential role fuelling growth in our economy. They also contribute immensely to industries where we have labour shortages like construction, agriculture and healthcare. They also make our workforce more diverse and inclusive.”

2 STAND-ALONE Workshop/Industrial Units to let on Newry Rd., Dundalk. 3 phase, 45ft x 30ft approx., secure parking, would suit many purposes including small machinery sales & repairs, retail, engineering, storage, etc. Enquires Tel 087 2071796.

CHIMNEY & STOVE CLEANING—Tel Paul McArdle 042 933 2491 / 087 666 0094.

CHIMNEY CLEANER—The Clean sweep, clean & tidy, no dust. Brush & Vac. Also gutter cleaning. ContactCathal 087-225-9799.

ARTICLES FOR SALE SPECIAL SERVICES SPECIAL SERVICES PERSONAL SITUATIONS WANTED

ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICE to over 60,000 readers for only €5 per week up to 20 words Phone Dundalk Leader 042 932 0888.

WE CAN DISTRIBUTE your leaflets from €75 + vat per thousand Phone Dundalk Leader 042 932 0888.

GRIMLEY’S DUBLIN ST. DUNDALK— Televisions, TV aerials, satellite, Freeview & Saorview, new installations, sales, service & repairs. Free estimates 042 935 4343.

DUNDALK GARDEN SERVICES—Tree topping, felling, hedge trimming, grass cutting & strimming. Rubbish Removals—Garage clearance, House & Garden refuse. Permit holder. Contact Ben 085-840-7707.

FORTUNE TELLER—Available for appointment, private or group bookings. Tel. Alison 042 933 5102 or 087-6751229.

JAMES PRESSURE WASHER—We specialise in all garden work, no job too big or two small. We do Grass cutting, Hedge cutting, Power washing. Free quote today please call James on 0862086141.

GOLDEN OLDIES? Call the Nostalgia Line for Karaoke and singing for birthdays, anniversaries, parties etc. Call Nicky on 0874128526.

DMC GARDEN maintenance services. Weekly/fortnightly lawn mowing services available. Hedge, shrub trimming and shaping. Weeding, spraying, strimming. Full garden clean up and all waste removed. Free quote. Keen rates. Please contact 087 7019178.

SWIFT IRONING SERVICES available in Forkhill, just 1 mile from Murphys Petrol Station. We do wash, dry, iron or just iron. Whatever you need we would be happy to do. Very reasonable prices. Contact 048 30889231.

GET FIT the fun way and learn to dance, the Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot and Jive, now taking place in the Lisdoo, Dundalk Tuesday’s from 8pm - 10pm, no partner required. First wedding dance lessons and private lessons also available. Contact 086 357 3271 for further information.

DRUM LESSONS INCLUDING BODHRAN—For adults & children aged 8 years upwards. One to one lessons. Phone 087 414 4228.

MAN WITH A VAN—Hedges, tree topping, painting, facia & Soffit, patios, concreting, garage clear-outs, outside taps. Call Kevin for a free & honest quote 089-4016728.

ALL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE—

Carpentry, Doors & Floors. Roof repairs, Plumbing, Wall & Floor tiling, All outdoor work, Paving & Fencing, Power washing. Call Robert on 083 0777666.

PAINTING AND DECORATING—No job too small, keen rates, Dundalk & surrounding areas, estimates free. Phone 086 3848079.

WASHING MACHINES and Dryers repaired Phone 087 7558506.

WILLS GARDENING SERVICES and pressure washing, hedge cutting, gutter cleaning, house removals. Tel 0862086141.

CHARA COUNSELLING—20 years’ experience, currently taking appointments. Supporting you with emotional intelligence for relationship issues, your mental health, grief, all addictions & past traumas. For a strictly private consultation call Martin today on 083 3402766.

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE—Repairs, building, plumbing, painting, roof repairs, tiling, bathroom refurbishments, plastering, gardening, power washing, PVC facia and soffits, Over 20 yrs experience. References available. Whatsapp or Tel 085-762-3758 for quotation.

WEEKLY SEWING CLASSES on-going at Northlink Retail Park, you can join in any time, for enquiries please call or WhatsApp Elizabeth on 0872649221 or visit www.djk-creations.com.

FRENCH GRINDS available for Junior and Leaving cert, All levels. Individual and small group options. Tel 086 8723340.

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER offering services for wages returns/annual returns. Please call 086 8625598.

EASY-GOING country lad, mid 50s with GSOH seeks like-minded female companion late 40s/mid 50s with no ties. For walks/talks and to share the simple things in life. Tel: 0868220403.

Dundalk branch of IWA welcome Emer and Niamh for talks

The Dundalk branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association had the pleasure of welcoming Emer Conlon the author of the Vroom Vroom series of books to their premises in Dundalk where she did a reading of her books. Her readings were very well received by all present.

They also had a visit from local scientist Niamh Shaw who gave an informational talk on Space! The service users really enjoyed these visits from Niamh and Emer.