05-07-2023

Ireland call up for hoops star Elijah

By Paul Byrne

LocaL basketball sensation Elijah Faapito got a court order recently that he was only too delighted to accept when it was announced that he had been selected to play for Ireland at the upcoming FIBa U20 Men’s European championship which takes place in North Macedonia from July 7th.

Having been rejected at both U16 and U18 level Elijah Faapito has shown that hard work and determination pays off when it was announced that he had made the 12 man Ireland squad.

Elijah who turned twenty on Monday showed what belief and dedication can bring having failed to make the cut for the U16’s and U18’s national team in previous years.

Rather than sulk or get too downhearted, the Dundalk man worked even harder and having impressed at trials where hundreds of hopefuls attended, Elijah was selected for the twelve man team who will travel to North Macedonia this morning for the Men’s European championships.

Continued on Page 2

running challenge

Elijah Faapito and Ireland U-20 head coach Tommy Walsh.

Fitzpatrick seeks clarification on e-scooters

IndEPEndEnt td Peter Fitzpatrick has questioned Minister Eamon Ryan’s assertion that e-scooters have an important role to play in a transition to a cleaner and greener society and economy. According to deputy Fitzpatrick, the

lack of current legislation in relation to e-scooters means they are currently nothing but a danger to pedestrians.

“Under the programme for Government, the target for decarbonising the transport sector is encouraging a modal shift away

from travel by private car towards less carbon-intensive and more sustainable alternatives,”stated Fitzpatrick.

“the Minister, deputy Eamon Ryan, has stated that micro-mobility options like e-scooters have an important role to play

in this transition to a cleaner and greener society and economy. I am seeking clarity on when the legislation for the regulation of e-scooters will come into force.

“not only are these scooters life-threatening to users, which is com-

monly more than one person, they are also a danger to pedestrians as a result of misuse, speeding and no regulations. there were 746 traffic incidents involving e-scooters in the country last year, including 554 collisions.

“Another issue is that

when e-scooters are parked in a haphazard fashion on footpaths, they present an obstacle. this is a real issue for people with disabilities and visual impairments.

“two years on, however, there is still no legislation.

Considering that a wom-

an in her eighties died after being in collision with someone on an e-scooter in dublin at the weekend, I ask the taoiseach for an update on the said promised legislation and the estimated timeframe for its implementation,” concluded Fitzpatrick.

Ireland call up for hoops star Elijah

From Page 1

Elijah is the son of Fu and Triona Faapito who moved to Ireland from California in 2002 (Elijah was just one year old when the family moved). Triona, from Dundalk and Fu, originally from Samoa, noticed that there was a lot of kids hanging around outside the sports centre every Friday night with nothing much to do so they decided to try and start up a basketball team to try and get them active and involved in a sport. In 2007 the couple set up the Dundalk Ravens Basketball Club which is still going strong to this day. According to Elijah he couldn’t help but love the game of basketball giving his background.

“It was kind of a given that I’d play basketball given my parents love for the game. I currently play with Tolka Rovers in Dublin as Dundalk

Ravens don’t have a senior team but I am still heavily involved with the Ravens and I coach three teams in the club and practice with them all the time. It is a great club and very family orientated and we are hoping to start a senior team for next season.

“I found out a few weeks ago that I had been selected for the national team and it was such a proud moment for myself and my family,” stated Elijah. “My parents had seen the lows first hand when I failed to get selected at U16 and U18 level so they were so thrilled for me to get the nod this time around. I just decided last year that I was going to give it absolutely everything this year and thankfully the coaches saw the improvements I have made in my game and selected me for the Europeans. I always back myself and I was

hopeful that I would get in this time as I knew how hard I had been working all year.

“I play at Point Guard which is kind of like a quarterback role where you start the plays and

control the game. I like playing in that kind of leadership role and my job is to help my

teammates play to their strengths and set up the plays. I’m very excited to get started and I can’t

wait to represent Ireland and the Ravens at such a big international tournament. I suppose this

shows that determination and hard work will bring rewards,” stated Elijah.

Ireland will compete in the FIBA U20 Men’s Championship ‘B’ Division in 2023 and have been drawn in Group A alongside Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and hosts North Macedonia.

Speaking about his squad, head coach Thomas Walsh said: “We’re very excited to name our final-12 players for the FIBA U20 Men’s European Championship in July.

The players have shown great commitment to each other and this programme in a short period of time. We have a few weeks left to build on that commitment and our style of play, but we’re looking forward to exciting basketball in North Macedonia.”

Louth athletes shine at Intercounty games

4x400m men’s team: Seán Reilly, Shea O’Donnell, Conn Bonar and Charlie Sands.

4x100m ladies’ team: Daniella Adebola Victoria Ovie Mary Scanlon and Anatasia Drakoulaki.

Elijah (right) pictured with dad Fu Faapito and Dundalk Ravens coach Alan Minto following last year’s All Ireland success for the club’s U14 boys side.

stuart’s charity run for “the Lily Foundation”

By Tamara O’Connell

A FATHER-of-one living in Dundalk is doing a mammoth running challenge in aid of The Lily Foundation, a charity which supports people affected by mitochondrial conditions.

Stuart Rutherford is helping to raise funds for The Lily Foundation by running the equivalent distance of John O’Groats to Land’s End.

“I’m originally from Glasgow but I’m living in Blackrock now and working in The Fairways Hotel,” said Stuart.

“There are different measurements on the in-

ternet but I’m aiming to run/jog/walk around 874 miles or 1,400km for this challenge.

“I’ve done some monster runs for it. Last Sunday I did 50 miles to the border and back. I started the challenge at the beginning of June and will complete it on 21 July, my brother’s birthday.”

He added: “I’d like to say a massive thank you to the people of Dundalk who have welcomed me and I’d also like to thank the people who have donated for their boundless generosity.

“My next challenge will be a big one. I’m going to run for The Lily Foundation and the Maria Goretti

Foundation which helps people affected by Autism.

“I’m going to do two laps of Ireland which is around 4,000km in a year. I plan to start that challenge on 1 January 2024 and am hoping to raise a significant amount of money.”

Sarah Moore is a UKbased Corporate Fundraiser for The Lily Foundation. Sadly, Sarah and her husband lost two young daughters to mitochondrial disease.

“We lost our 18-monthold daughter, Harriet in 1996 and our four-year-old daughter, Kimberley in 2002,” said Sarah.

“We had very little support. Very little was known

then, even the medical people knew very little.

“It’s a cruel, cruel disease. The Lily Foundation helps to support people affected from initial contact to end of life and beyond that.”

She added: “Stuart is running in memory of my two daughters, Harriet and Kimberley, and since he has taken on the challenge has been contacted by a friend of his who’s Goddaughter has recently passed away.

“He is therefore dedicating his half marathons and marathons to these wonderful angels.”

The Lily Foundation is celebrating its 15th anni-

versary and supports over 1,000 families across Ireland and the UK affected by mitochondrial disease.

Mitochondrial disease, or ‘mito’, is the term given to a group of medical disorders caused by mutations in mitochondria, the tiny organelles that are present in nearly every cell in our bodies and which generate about 90 per cent of the energy we need to live.

Cells cannot function properly without healthy mitochondria, so when they fail the consequences can be serious and wideranging.

Mitochondrial diseases affect people in multiple ways, depending on which

cells are affected.

This can make the condition hard to diagnose, as symptoms often resemble those of other serious illnesses.

For example, a person with mitochondrial disease may suffer from seizures, fatigue, vision and hearing loss, cognitive disabilities, respiratory problems or poor growth.

Any of the body’s organs and systems can be affected including the brain, heart, lungs, gut, liver and skin.

For more information please follow stuart_rutherford35 on Instagram and @Rutherfo2Stuart on Twitter.

Senator John McGahon calls for Bus Éireann to allow bus drivers over the age of 70

As the summer season approaches and school transport becomes a pressing concern according to senator John McGahon,

Each year, Bus Eireann will tell us that they struggle to find drivers for the number of routes, and yet, they don’t allow anyone over the age of 70 to drive.

As a result, the department of transport should encourage Bus Éireann to reconsider their policy that restricts bus drivers over the age of 70 from working.

Considering the existing scarcity of bus drivers and its impact on Ireland’s transportation network, senator McGahon believes that age should not be the sole determinant in assessing a driver’s capabilities.

Instead, he proposes that factors such as medical assessments, eyesight evaluations, and driving tests should be considered to ensure fairness and safety.

“Many drivers over the age of 70 are already working safely on tour buses across

Ireland, but they are unable to drive on short school bus routes due to the current age restriction.

“As we enter the summer season and face the challenges of school transport, it’s essen-

tial Bus Éireann reassess its age restriction policy. Experienced and safe drivers over 70 should be given equal opportunities based on medical, eyesight, and driving assessments rather than an arbitrary age limit.

“It would put hundreds of experienced bus drivers back on our roads. We are urging the department of transport to engage with Bus Éireann to reconsider this policy for the benefit of both drivers and passengers.”

In light of these concerns, senator McGahon is writing to the department of transport to put pressure on Bus Éireann to reevaluate their policy and give capable and safe drivers over the age of 70 an equal opportunity to work as bus drivers.

this policy change would promote inclusivity and ensure that experienced drivers can continue to contribute to the transportation sector while alleviating some of Ireland’s transport issues concluded senator McGahon.

Senator John McGahon.

Stuart Rutherford.

Fitzpatrick states people have lost trust in RtE

DURING the Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues meeting last week Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick discussed the issue with the interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch stating that the truth needed to be told to get people to trust the national broadcaster once again.

“First of all, I guarantee that nobody in this room has never made a mistake. If people made a mistake, they should put their hands up in the air and admit it. I have not seen that in the past week. Many people are badmouthing RTÉ. In fairness, they deserve it. The bottom line is that the witness-

es were responsible for giving Ryan Tubridy €345,000 over the last five years. Let us call a spade a spade. Dee Forbes is being thrown under a bus here. I had my own business. She had to have some kind of allies and people she could sit down and talk to. Did the witnesses have any daily, weekly or monthly meetings?

“They talked about doing audits. There were findings back in March 2022. How many audits was RTÉ doing each week or month? If there are 1,800 people working for RTÉ, it needs to be on top of it.

“We have seven people in the room with seven big titles

and responsibilities and, all of a sudden, only one person knows it all. I cannot understand that and just cannot accept it. I want to ask a few questions. Who uses this barter account? Is it used for going to parties? Have any of the seven witnesses ever used that account for themselves? These questions have to be asked.

“This is an opportunity for the witnesses to put their hands in the air. I am not going to say they are telling lies, but someone is telling lies. Something is seriously wrong here at the moment.

“The problem is the executive board is making no decisions. It is putting everything

Emergency response needed as homeless numbers increase

SINN Féin TD for Louth, Ruairí Ó Murchú, has said that homeless numbers need an emergency response from the government.

The numbers were revealed in the May homeless report from the Department of Housing.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: ‘Last month, the total number of people in the Department of Housingfunded emergency accommodation in Louth, Monaghan and Cavan was 153, including 44 children.

‘The Louth figure accounts for 135 people out of the 153.

‘In addition, we are seeing rising homelessness among the over 65s, and last month there were seven accessing local authority services in Louth, Monaghan and Cavan.

‘We know the true figure will be much higher, as the statistics don’t capture everyone experiencing homelessness.

‘Rising levels of home-

lessness is the direct result of government’s failure to put in place an emergency response to what continues to be an ever-growing humanitarian crisis.

‘Sinn Féin have been urging the Minister for Housing to put in place an emergency response for over a year now.

‘Such a response would

include suspending planning and procurement powers to deliver additional social and affordable housing using modular building technologies and vacant properties; increasing and accelerating the social and cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme; and crucially restoring the ban on no fault evictions until the number of adults and children in emergency accommodation start to fall.

‘This government is not taking this homeless crisis seriously. No Minister in modern times has presided over such a high and ever rising level of adult and child homelessness. It is clear they do not have the political will to tackle this crisis and both reduce and end long-term homelessness.

‘People in Louth will continue to be made homelessness until this government finally shows the urgency that is needed to get to grips with this crisis’.

Historian in Residence hosting decade of Centenaries event

LOUTH County Council’s Historian in Residence Dr Thomas Tormey will host a talk “From executions to elections: Louth in 1923” in Dundalk Library at 3pm on Friday July 7th as part of the 2023 Decade of Centenaries programme.

Dr Tormey will be discussing the tumultuous events of 100 years ago marked by state executions and house burnings that characterised the bitter closing stages of the Civil War, and the 1923 General Election which saw the beginning of ‘Civil War politics’ in Ireland. Dundalk historian Dr Ciara Stewart will introduce and join Dr Tormey in conversation.

Drawing on his years of research into the Decade of Centenaries, Dr Tormey will use this lecture to talk through both the local and national processes at play and how they have been debated since. In January

on the long finger. This is our money and, in fairness, Mr. Lynch has been given a job to do and he is the leader of RTÉ now. What is he going to do to change things?” asked Fitzpatrick.

In response Mr. Adrian Lynch, RTE’s Interim Deputy Director General said they had spent the last several days trying to establish all of the facts.

“In the timeline of events, when this was discovered in March, it was immediately acted on by the board. A report was commissioned. Once that was found, a statement was immediately put out to the public and since then, over the

past seven days, we have been establishing the facts,” he explained.

Fitzpatrick went on to say he believed that a lot more people knew what was going on in RTE than had been suggested at the Oireachtas meeting.

“When Ryan Tubrity announced in March that he was stepping down from “The Late Late Show”, the people who I, along with most members of the public, thought might get his job did not even go for the job.

“I firmly believe, therefore, that an awful lot of people knew what was going on in RTÉ.

“The witnesses are telling me they did not know what was going on in RTÉ, yet a lot of high-profile people in RTÉ ; who are very ambitious and had the opportunity to take up Ryan Tubridy’s job; must have known something we did not know.

“These jobs do not come around too often. Was the issue of Ryan Tubridy and these payments known before March of this year?,” asked Fitzpatrick.

Mr Lynch denied that Ryan Tubridy’s decision to step down from the Late Late Show had anything to do with the revelations that came out last week.

Ardee Win at south of Ireland Band Championships

and February 1923, Louth hit the headlines of national newspapers for being a centre of the Free State government’s executions policy and the wave of house burnings that swept across the county.

The year continued in tumultuous fashion with the closing engagements of the guerrilla phase of the Civil War and the anti-Treatyite IRA’s dump arms order. This was followed by the General Election of 1923, the first election in the history of Ireland under which women voted on the same basis as men.

These events, which both deepened the bitterness of the Civil War while also setting the state on the path to at least partial reconciliation and democratic contests for power, shaped modern Ireland for decades to come.

FORtY members of Ardee Concert Band travelled to West cork last weekend to take part in the 42nd south of Ireland band Championships in Clonakilty, Co. Cork on saturday July 1st 2023.

Under the baton of Mr James MacCafferty, the senior Band played 4 pieces in their performance coinciding with the theme of “Anthology” for the year 1923, for which they took home

the bronze Medal of 3rd Prize back to the wee County.

they opened up their set in the traditional banding way performing a March titled English Folk song suite, 3rd movement March by Ralph Vaughan Williams. secondly the band played “sleep” by Eric Whitacre, next the band Played duke Ellington in Concert a rare find in their library during the year arranged by Wayne

scott featuring trumpet and Clarinet solos. to finish their competition slot they performed a novelty piece “Yes, We have no bananas” by Conn and silver/ Albert Henry, the song became a major hit in 1923, placing No. 1 for five weeks.

the bands Competition entries made quite the impression on the days Adjudicator Mr John doyle, heralded as one the UK’s leading performers on Cornet,

Flugel Horn, soprano Cornet and trumpet and is in great demand around the world as a soloist, Conductor, Adjudicator and Educator. After a long deliberation he announced the top 3 prize winners for the senior section in which 10 very talented bands performed. He awarded 3rd place to Ardee Concert Band, 2nd place to the Elastic Band and 1st place to dublin Concert Band.

Ruairí Ó Murchu, TD.

Band Secretary Tim O’Callaghan (right) presented with 3rd prize at the South of Ireland Band Championships.

Peter Fitzpatrick, TD.

Local hoteliers express concern over plans to hike consumer taxes

TONy Walker, a representative of the Louth Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, has written an open letter to all local TDs to highlight its growing concerns about plans in September to increase consumer taxes on Irish hospitality and tourism.

“Government estimates indicate that the proposed increase in VAT to 13.5 per cent would see people paying an additional €560m in taxes each year. That’s a 50 per cent increase in taxes on everything from the price of a cup of coffee, to the price of a meal out, a stay in a hotel or guesthouse and the cost of social events such as weddings.

“This is at a time when

people’s personal finances are already under significant pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“This has a knock-on effect on the decisions the average person makes when deciding whether or not to spend money on discretionary items such as going out for a meal with family and friends or taking a short break in Ireland.

“Tourism and hospitality are particularly vulnerable and invariably one of the first to take the hit. Increasing taxes on already hard-pressed consumers is therefore the last thing the country needs.

“From a tourism perspective, the current 9 per cent VAT is the right rate for Ireland. It

is in line with average rates of tourism VAT across Europe.

Increasing the rate of VAT paid by consumers to 13.5 per cent would make us an outlier among our competitors. We would have the third highest tourism VAT in Europe, which would seriously undermine our international competitiveness and ability to attract visitors.

The reality is that Ireland is already one of the most expensive places in the world in which to live and do business.

Recent figures show that general consumer prices in Ireland are the highest in the EU at over 46 per cent above the average. This begs the question we are asking all TDs to consider: “Why should Ireland, as

an island destination, have the 3rd highest tourism VAT rate in all of Europe?”

For that matter, how can it be in the interest of Louth’s vitally important local hospitality and tourism industry for us to have among the highest taxes on visitors and people holidaying at home – second only in the EU to Denmark?

“Increasing VAT on hospitality and tourism would pose significant risks to a vital part of our economy that supports over 20,000 businesses throughout the country. This is an industry that, prior to the pandemic, supported over 270,000 livelihoods including some 3,000 jobs throughout Louth, generating €90m in

Louth athletes excel at national Intercounty League meeting

revenues annually for our local economy.

“Ireland should be doing everything possible to support indigenous economic activity. This requires a long-term Government strategy that balances a focus on competitiveness, investment in our people and allocation of resources for targeted development of our tourism infrastructure.

“The last thing we should be doing is increasing consumer taxes and tourism and making Ireland less competitive. On behalf of hoteliers in Louth and our wider tourism community, we are urging local TDs to support our call on the Government to retain the 9 per cent VAT rate.”

Relics from SS Dundalk wreckage presented to the County Museum

A POIGNANT piece of local maritime history was brought back to Dundalk on Saturday July 1st as Louth County Council confirmed relics recovered from the wreckage of the SS Dundalk would be presented to the County Museum.

THE Louth senior men’s and women’s athletics teams performed very well in the recent preliminary round of the National Intercounty League at the Morton Stadium in Santry, Dublin. Both teams comfortably advanced to the final, which will be staged in Tullamore on Sunday, 13 August.

The men’s team finished in third place behind Galway and Kildare, but ahead of Sligo, East Cork and Monaghan. The women’s team also finished third in what was a slightly tougher group – behind Tipperary and Galway, but ahead of Kildare, East Cork, Sligo and Monaghan.

Michael Alajiki (Dundealgan) and Conn Bonar (Dunleer) won the triple jump and 400m hurdles respectively, while shot putter Isabelle Adel (Dundalk St Gerard’s) was the women’s team sole winner. Emma Conway (Redeemer) also impressed, as she set a new Louth record when taking second place in the hammer.

A host of athletes finished in the top three in their events. On the men’s team these included

Euan Canniffe (Boyne – 2nd javelin and 3rd discus), Thomas McGrane (St Peter’s – 2nd hammer), Seán Reilly (St Peter’s – 2nd 800m), Anthony Dillon (Dunleer – 3rd 100m), James English (Drogheda & District – 3rd 200m), Andrew Kelly (Drogheda & District – 3rd 400m) and Shea O’Donnell (Ace – 3rd 1500m). In addition, the 4x400m team of Charlie Sands (Ardee & District), Reilly, O’Donnell and Bonar came home in third place, while Tiernan Lennon (Dundealgan), Tadg Reilly (Dunleer) and Stevie Wong (Drogheda & District) also contributed valuable points to the team score.

Top three finishers for the women’s team included Amy McTeggart (Boyne – 2nd 100m hurdles, 2nd long jump and 2nd javelin), Rosemary Gibson (Blackrock – 2nd pole vault and 2nd weight for distance), Eimear

Cooney (Ace – 2nd 1500m), Áine Cotter (North East Runners – 2nd 3000m), Tara O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerard’s – 2nd high jump) and Kya Mothiram (Ardee & District – 3rd discus). There were also strong performances by Daniella Adebola (Drogheda & District), Dearbhlá Allen (St Peter’s), Rachel Culligan (Dundalk St Gerard’s), Anastasia Drakoulaki (Drogheda & District), Erika Juozapaitė (Blackrock), Victoria Ovie (Dundalk St Gerard’s) and Mary Scanlon (Blackrock).

With both the men’s and women’s teams having proved that they have the potential to finish among the medals in the National Intercounty League Final, competition for places on those teams is sure to be keen over the coming weeks. This will undoubtedly add spice to this year’s Louth Championships, which are due to be held at the Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda on Tuesday, 18 July.

The items, including the ship’s bell (pictured) are from the sunken SS Dundalk, a ship which was attacked by a German u-boat off the coast of the Isle of Man just six weeks before the end of World War 1. Although 12 people survived the attack, 20 lives were lost.

The ship was operated by the Dundalk & Newry Steam Packet Company and was used in the main for carrying cattle and produce from Dundalk to Liverpool and other goods on the return journey. On occasion the ship also carried passengers.

Louth County Council Museum Curator, Brian Walsh explained that the presentation of the objects

represented a particularly significant and emotional return to their home port.

“These four items – the ship’s bell, the hanger on which it hung, a porthole and hand basin – represent perhaps some of the most familiar and intimate pieces which people associate with a ship. Here are the artefactual remains of a ship that was and is so closely entwined with the area’s industrial and cultural history.”

The presentation of maritime artefacts were made to the County Mu-

seum, Dundalk last Saturday afternoon.

The items were presented to the Museum in accordance with Manx Law by Michelle Haywood from Discover Diving on the Isle of Man. The wreckage site, which is not officially a war grave, was located at a depth of 60 m some three miles off the island’s coast. Haywood, who dived to the site with colleagues Steve Cowley and Anne Corkill, described the dive as “deep, dark and scary”, adding that “it was techni-

cally demanding and well beyond recreational diving limits. She also noted that “every wreck feels eerie, no one built a ship expecting it to end up at the bottom of the sea and there’s a trauma of the war wreck.”

The sinking of the SS Dundalk had a huge impact on the town of Dundalk. The desire to assist those who had lost loves ones saw the formation of the ‘Dundalk Disaster Fund,’ set up on October 22nd 1918 by the Dundalk and Newry SteamPacket company and Cardinal Logue in Dundalk Town Hall to aid the dependants of the disaster, especially the children. The fund eventually went on to raise significant funds for surviving families.

It is planned that the relics being presented tomorrow (Saturday July 1st) will be displayed in the County Museum as part of its permanent exhibition.

??? QUIZ ???

1—What year did RTE first begin their television broadcasts?

2—The Republic of Ireland has four international airports. Can you name them?

3—What is defined by Collins Dictionary as “a speech in a play in which a character speaks to himself or herself and to the audience, rather than to another actor”?

4—From which country does Heineken lager originate?

5—What was the name of the Dundalk singer who represented Ireland at the 1998 Eurovision Song

Contest with her song ‘Is Always Over Now?’

6—Which car manufacturer make/ made the following models: Panda, Brava and Argo?

7—Which UK TV comedy show made the following catchphrase famous? ‘Oooohh Betty!’.

8—Which Irish television presenter was the host of ‘Going For Gold’ between 1987 and 1996?

9—Which word can come after ‘dream’, ‘steam’ and ‘life’ to form other words?

10—When referring to a cash

machine, what does ‘ATM’ stand for?

The Stinker—There are four seas in the world named after colours. Can you name them?

Stinker: Black Sea, White Sea, Red Sea and Yellow Sea.

1—1961, 2—Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry, 3—Soliloquy, 4—Netherlands, 5—Dawn Martin, 6—Fiat, 7—Some Mothers do ‘Ave ‘Em, 8—Henry Kelly, 9—Boat, 10—Automated Teller Machine.

The bell is on display at Dundalk museum.

Tony Walker, representative of the Louth Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation and General Manager of the Slieve Russell Hotel.

4x400m team: Eimear Cooney, Áine Cotter, Rachel Culligan and Dearbhlá Allen.

4x100m team: Charlie Sands, James English, Stevie Wong and Tiernan Lennon.

Significant rise in theft around Louth

tHERE has been a significant jump in the number of theft and related offences, according to the latest

figures published by the Central statistics Office (CSO). the Louth Garda division recorded

485 theft and related offences in the first quarter of this year.

This figure is up from 419 in the final

quarter of 2022 and up from 351 in the first quarter of 2022, according to the CsO data, Recorded Crime Q1 2023.

Between Q2 2021 and Q1 2022, there were 1,425 theft and related offences recorded by the Louth Garda division.

This figure rose to 1,725 theft and related offences in Co Louth between Q2

Green Flag for Tallanstown N.S.

tALLAnstOWn ns celebrated their success in achieving their 7th Green Flag. students and teachers have worked very hard and were awarded their Flag on 14th June. A very special hero joined them in the celebrations.

the children wore red and white in recognition of Mickey Harte, Louth senior manager who raised their Flag to cheering and clapping from all the excited children. students who also received medals for their sporting achievements had an

extra surprise, when no other than Mickey Harte himself presented their medals to them.

It’s safe to say that this day will be remembered by everyone for a very long time. thank you Mickey Harte. Well done to all involved with the continued participation in Green schools at tallanstown ns

thank you to tallanstown ns Green schools Committee, tallanstown tidy towns and Louth Co. Council.

2022 and Q1 2023.

Overall, this represented a year-on-year increase of 21 per cent in theft and related offences recorded in the Louth Garda division.

Car or vehicle theft and related offences signified the greatest increase as this jumped from 105 recorded offences in the year Q1 2022 to 151 in the year to Q1 2023.

this represented an annual increase of 43.8 per cent. In Q1 2023, the number of offences recorded stood at 64, up from 44 in Q4 of 2022 and up from 27 in Q1 of 2022.

the number of thefts from shop offences rose by a quarter signifying a yearon-year increase, with 856 recorded in the Louth Garda divi-

sion in the year to Q1 2023.

the previous year this figure was just 683; the data also reveals that 236 of these offences were recorded in Q1 2023, up from 178 in Q1 2022.

the jump in theft and related offences recorded in the Louth Garda division, depicts a rise seen nationally.

Across the coun-

try, recorded crime incidents classified as theft & Related offences increased by 36 per cent to 69,340 in the year to Q1 2023 compared with the previous year. theft from stores, which accounted for nearly 50 per cent of this increase, was up by 37 per cent over the course of the year.

Louth GAA Senior Football manager Mickey Harte paid a visit to Tallanstown N.S to congratulate the students and teachers who were awarded a Green Flag recently.

Austin Carroll elected new President of dundalk Lions Club

THIS week saw another chapter in the 46 year history of Dundalk Lions Club as Austin Carroll was elected President.

Austin joined the Dundalk Lions Club in 2017 and previously served as Club Secretary and Chair of the Annual Golf Classic Committee.

Receiving the Chain of Office at the recent Handover Dinner at The Windsor Restaurant, Austin said:

“It is a great honour to hold the office of President for the next year. Thank you to all the Lions members and volunteers for their work in the community. I also send special thanks to all the sponsors and donators in and around Dundalk who continue to generously support us. I look forward to working with all my fellow Lions in the year ahead to continue to serve the community”

Dundalk Lions Club

have served the local community in and around Dundalk since 1977. your local Lions Club is part of Lions Club International which was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1917 by an Insurance Broker named Melvin Jones . Lions stands for ‘Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations Safety.

Fundraising and Activities from your Dundalk Lions Club include:

Pride Festival returns

dUndALK Outcomers is excited to announce the return of its annual Pride Festival.

Annual Golf Classic at Dundalk Golf Club with appreciated support and sponsorship from local business and individuals.

Distribution of Christmas Food Hampers; Christmas Carol Collections with the Van Dessel Choir; Weekly Bingo at the Clan na Gael Hall; Annual Senior Citizens Afternoon Dinner and Entertainment at the Lisdoo Restaurant; Annual

Senior Citizens Trip to the West; Facilitate the Annual Collection for the Irish Cancer Society Daffodil Day; Church Gate and Retail Bucket Collections; Drivers for local Meals on Wheels Lions Members currently meet every 1st and 3rd Monday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk to discuss initiatives and consider support requests. Please consider joining us If you wish to Serve the Community, Make a Difference, Make New Friends, Share your Skills and continue the legacy of your local Dundalk Lions Club. If you are interested in joining us please Facebook Message or email: lionsclubdundalk@gmail.com.

All the Dundalk Lions Members congratulate Austin on his election as President.

From July 10th to July 16th 2023, the week-long festival is jam-packed with events for everyone aged eight to eighty. Festivities will launch on July 10th at Louth County Museum, with a twopart panel discussion ‘Queers through the Years’, featuring members of Louth’s LGBt+ community. Everyone is welcome to join from 3pm to 5pm, with refreshments served. What’s on?

Monday July 10th: Rainbow Rhythms Russell’s will be hosting an open mic night from 7.30pm.

tuesday Morning 11th July: “Out of the Closet “Coffee morning in the Food house on Clanbrassil street from 10:30am to 12 noon.

Wednesday July 12th: the countries longest-running Youth Pride returns from 10am to 6pm in the Redeemer Family Resource Centre. this

free event welcomes young people aged 12 – 17 to join LGBt+ young people from Louth, Meath, Cavan, and Monaghan, where they can make new friends, play soccer, do arts and crafts, enjoy a magic show and much more!

thursday July 13th:

‘Pride Across the World’ will take place in dundalk Library from 6pm to 7pm with speakers from across the globe discussing their life as an LGBt+ person. there is no charge for this event. Join us later in the townhouse for Bingo & Banter from 9pm to 11pm Bing books are 5

euro

Friday July 14th : Louth County Library will host their ‘Pride in the Library’ events on from 3.30pm onwards. there is no charge for accessing ‘Pride in the Library’.

saturday July 15: the dundalk Family Pride day will return to the town square from 12pm to 6pm. this will be a safe, sober, and fun event for people of all ages with circus performers, Polercise performers, a children’s area, food vendors and music throughout the day. Performers include sofa samba, Caoimhín Brady, and Anna

nedoskina. ‘saved by the 90’s’ will take to the stage from 2pm to 4pm, with “Who’s Eddie?” closing out the day from 4pm to 6pm. the entire community is invited to join for a free family pride day to celebrate the LGBt+ community. Keep an eye out for dundalk Pride’s socials for updates on events, and upcoming announcements. to find out more, check out dundalk Pride on Facebook or contact Outcomers on 042 932 4816. Contact: Bernardine Quinn; Contact number: 042 932 4816; Email: info@outcomers.org.

Turas Solstice Wellness Gathering

Austin Carroll (left) receives the chains of office from outgoing President Kieran Clarke.

Last year’s Pride Festival was a huge success.

The event took place at Templetown Beach last week.

Chloe Rowland & Áine Uninfluenced (yoga)

Nicki Jordan (Turas Manager), Peter McKevitt (Secretary), Alan Duff (Clinical Manager), Chloe Rowland (Project Worker) & Frank Fitzpatrick (Project Worker)

Event attendees at Templetown beach.

Chloe Rowland & Alan Duff

Amy down but not out following Olympic disappointment d kI t Academic Published in Journal of Music

DUNDALK’S Amy Broadhurst will take a well earned break from boxing to decide upon her future plans following her heartbreaking quarter-final defeat at the European Games in Krakow, Poland last week. Competing in the 66kg division, Amy needed to make the semi-finals to realise her lifelong dream of going to the Olympics but fell agonizingly short as she lost a split decision to Great Britain’s Rosie Joy Eccles.

Having won the opening round Amy was looking in good shape to make the semi’s but a strong finish to the contest from Eccles gave her the narrowest of victories much to the despair of Amy and her family who had travelled to Poland to watch her.

There are still two more qualifiers, early next year, which could still potentially get Amy a place on the Irish team for Paris next summer but with a host of offers on the table from professional promoters including Katie Taylor’s promoter Eddie Hearn, Amy has a

Amy Broadhurst

decision to make over the next couple of months.

After the fight Amy wrote a post on Instagram which suggested that she may have fought her last fight in the amateurs.

“Heartbroken isn’t the word.

“I always thought my destiny was the Olympic Games. I believed I was born for boxing, I was to be an Olympic champion, and that’s not the way it’s gone for me.

“I don’t know what’s next. I don’t know if I’ll ever strap an amateur glove around my hand again or if I’ll go pro.

“But I just want to say thank you to everyone who showed me support over the years. Thank you for standing by me through the highs

and lows. Thank you to my family and the Irish coaches for everything.”

However, according to Amy’s dad Tony, no decision on her future has been made yet with nothing but a complete break from boxing on the agenda for the next two months.

“Amy has had such a busy couple of years and now she just needs a complete break from boxing for a couple of months to recover mentally. She was obviously heartbroken when she fell just short in Krakow and now she is taking a complete break from the sport. Her head is all over the place at the minute with promoters contacting her and offering her contracts but there is still

the option to try and get to the Olympics via the two qualifiers early next year so she is just taking a step back and giving herself time to make the decision that is right for her.

“Amy is a very emotional person and when she makes that decision she will be all in on it and I will know that it is the right one when I see how enthusiastic she is about whichever route she chooses. Amy started well and won the first round but I could tell pretty quickly that she just wasn’t her normal self in there and it looks like the occasion and what was at stake got to her a bit.

“But listen, Amy has had disappointments before and the great thing about her is that she always comes back stronger. I have no doubts she will carefully think about what she wants to do next and whatever she chooses she will give it her all. She is still young and has a bright future but now is the time for her to just rest and enjoy herself for a couple of months before deciding what is next,” stated Tony.

DUNDALK Institute of Technology (DkIT) are absolutely delighted to report that Dr Daithí Kearney from the School of Informatics and Creative Arts recently had an opinion article published in The Journal of Music on the changes at Siamsa Tíre. Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, is one of Ireland’s busiest and most vibrant arts centres, which works to ensure that people of all ages and backgrounds can explore and enjoy Irish folk culture.

Dr Daithí Kearney, Co-Director of the Centre for Creative Arts Research said “Siamsa Tíre was formative in my development as an artist and a person and remains the subject of my research.

I was delighted to write an opinion piece for the Journal of Music and have the opportunity to engage with the broad readership, some of whom have taken the opportunity to continue the con-

versation with me, which signifies the relevance of research in this area to a wide audience.”

Dr Kearney was also recently bestowed the 2022/23 DkIT President’s Prize for Research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences category. Dr Kearney who lectures in DkIT has created

a substantial body of research and has developed a focus on Siamsa Tíre while also exploring the musical culture of Co. Louth and the surrounding region.

Recent publications by Kearney include articles and book chapters on Fr Pat Ahern, Siamsa Tíre and the Munnix style of dance. Last year, he organized an extremely successful conference at DkIT titled ‘Reworking Folklore in Sound, Stage and Screen’.

Dr Kearney is co-director of the Creative Arts Research Centre (CARC) at DkIT. He is also secretary of the Irish affiliate of the International Council for Traditional Music, and Musical Director of the Oriel Traditional Orchestra.

To read Dr Kearney’s article https://journalofmusic.com/opinion/summer-without-siamsa-arewe-forgetting-about-local-artscommunities.

Daithi Kearney.

Upcoming events at Dundalk Library

HEROEs of the Gaelic World in the digital Age - the Fionn Folklore database: Join us for a talk by dr. Pádraig Fhia Ó Mathúna in dundalk Library, thursday 6th July at 6:30pm. the Fionn Folklore database brings together some 3,500 tales and songs about the Gaelic world’s greatest heroes, and offers a wealth of resources, including character lists, glossaries, an interactive digital map, and much more!

In this talk, project researcher dr. Pádraig Fhia Ó Mathúna will provide insight into the site’s background and resources, conveying how everyone from researchers to teachers, artists, writers, and the public can benefit from this innovative digital humanities initiative.

there is no booking required. this event will also be livestreamed via Crowdcast: https://crowdcast.io/c/44xk097gy6az?fbclid=IwAR02Z s xUCs8b7 t RUf7HRbGqG1 s 4 ds bCL vGUe2qt5UGH to s Bratt t 27QC6oghttps://crowdcast.io/ c/6by3pbtrma2e.

€1.3m grant to

dKIt campus

improve

LOCAL Fine Gael TD, Fergus O’Dowd, has welcomed news from his colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD that a grant of €1,305,496 has been secured for DKIT to improve access for people with disabilities and to invest in necessary campus upgrades.

O’Dowd said “DKIT is an ever expanding facility and this central grant will certainly assist the institute in making the campus more accessible, inclusive and modern.

“Campuses across the country are having to consider investment in key areas such as energy efficiency and decarbonisation and this grant will also give DKIT the flexibility to look at improvements in this key area.

Minister Simon Harris said “This is a substantial devolved capital grant for higher education institutions to support a variety of capital priorities. It is the second year it has increased to €40 million - a signal of Government’s commitment to higher education and to delivering world class facilities.”

“Seven universities, five Technological Universities, two Institutes of Technology and six other colleges are benefitting from this devolved grant.”

Cancer Prayer support

FOR men and women who have, or had, cancer. Welcome to a time of relaxation, meditation & prayer. Wednesday 12th and 19th July, 11am to 12noon, followed by Tea/Coffee. “Bethany” House of Prayer, 34 Point Road, Dundalk. A91 W0C 9. Tel. 042-9331602. Numbers Limited. Please book a place by Telephone before 8th July.

Arch Club needs you

VOLUntEER opportunity. dundalk Arch Club needs you. Providing a social outlet primarily for persons with an intellectual disability, since 1977 at the dominican Hall at the Friary in dundalk. dundalk Arch Club will return in september and is looking for Volunteers to help on thursday Evenings. If you are interested please email your name and contact phone number to dundalk1977archclub@gmail.com Minimum Age of Application is 18 Years.

Family Notices

noVEna To ThE

saCrED hEarT

proper T y/ren Tal S S pe C ial S er V i

3 Day MIraClE prayEr

McGahon Carmel

3rd anniversary

in loving memory of Carmel mcgahon (nee o rourke), who died 7th July, 2020. lovingly remembered by her husband gerry; daughters, Julie, audrey and nicola; sons-in-law donal, noel and dan; grandchildren and many friends in dundalk and lahinch, Co. Clare.

anniversary masses at 10am Friday, 7th July in the Friary Church at 10am and 6.15pm.

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 3 days. Promise publication and favours will be granted. (never known to fail) h.C.

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 3 days. Promise publication and favours will be granted. (never known to fail) r l

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 3 days. Promise publication and favours will be granted.

(never known to fail) M.C.

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 3 days. Promise publication and favours will be granted.

(never known to fail) a.D.

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 3 days. Promise publication and favours will be granted.

(never known to fail) M.s

To ThE holy spIrIT holy spirit, you who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal. you who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and you who are in all instances of my life with me i, in this short dialogue want to thank you for everything, and confirm once more that i never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be, i want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. amen you must pray this prayer 3 consecutive days without asking your wish. after the 3rd day your wish shall be granted no matter how difficult it may be. Promise to publish the dialogue as your favour has been granted. M.p

MIraCUloUs prayEr

To ThE holy spIrIT holy spirit, you who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideal, you who gives me the divine gift to forgive and forget all the wrong that is done to me and you who are in all instances of my life with me. i, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything, and affirm once more that i never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. i want to be with you and my loved ones… in your perpetual glory. amen. to that end, and submitting to god’s holy will, i ask from you… (mention your favor). you must pray this prayer 3 consecutive days. after the 3rd day your wish shall be granted no matter how difficult it may be. Promise to publish the dialogue as your favour has been granted h.F.

VTOS learners celebrate

VTOS Dundalk Further Education and Training Programme ended what has been a fantastic year of achievement by its learners with their annual Awards Morning held in The Imperial Hotel’s beautiful rooftop Venue on Friday June 23rd.VTOS Coordinator Gareth Savage thanked the learners for returning to the service in their droves this year, helping to create a fantastic atmosphere to teach and learn in for all concerned and with so many choosing to stay on for next year he is sure it will continue in the same fashion.

He also acknowledged the hard work put in by staff and support services over the same period to help the learners reach their goals

Members of the VTOS Programme receive their certificates.

including the organisations who took learners on for Work Placement in March.

He then handed over awards for additional qualifications including Manual Handling and Heartsaver AED, all achieved alongside yearlong QQI Level 3, 4 and 5 awards, as well as the traditional Leaving Certificate. Afterwards refreshments were served, and staff and learners took the

opportunity to catch up with each other. While many are continuing in VTOS, many learners are leaving as they have secured employment with large multi-national companies, local employers, or are taking up places in college and university.

The VTOS education programme, which is town centre-based, is open to anyone over 21, who has been in receipt of a welfare

aTTenTion—For B.E.R. CERTIFICATION of properties being offered for sale or rent, contact Robert Mulholland, BER assessor. 087 609 1906 www.louthber.ie.

ADVERTISE YOUR HOUSE premises for rent or sale to 55,000 readers a week from €5. Telephone Dundalk leader 042 93 -20888.

aTT en T ion l an D lor DS—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.

Sell iT THrougH a ClaSSifieD—Only €5 for one week up to 20 words. 042 93 20888. The Dundalk leader.

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. Contact - Cathal 087225-9799.

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.

WinDoW Cleaning—Gutter & facia cleaning carried out by professional, fully trained and insured staff. Affordable rates. Domestic & Commercial. Call our office for a free quotation. Everkleen 042 935 2717 or 086 829 3585. www.everkleenservices. ie <http://www.everkleenservices.ie>.

HouSe & aparTmenT Cleaning Service. Specializing in Re-let & Spring Cleaning, Carpet & Upholstery cleaning. Fully insured. For a free quotation contact Everkleen 042 9352717 / 087 6873188, www.everkleenservices.ie <http://www. everkleenservices.ie>.

Tiler aVailaBle—Experienced local tiler to carry out all types of tile workmarble, granite, porcelain. Indoors and out. Call 087-387-8995 for free quote. SC Tiling—Professional Tiler, Specialises in full bathroom refits. Top Class Work Guaranteed Call Shane—086 107 5080. grimley’S DuBlin ST. DunDalK Televisions, TV aerials, satellite, Freeview & Saorview, new installations, sales, service & repairs. Free estimates 042 935 4343.

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.

Carpen T ry & 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.

r oofing r epair S & S To V e S—Stoves supplied and fitted, fully insured, Hetas certified. Contact Paul Englishby 087 6301914 or 041 98 94633 and Mark on 087 1302040 for roofing enquiries.

garDen & HouSe mainTenanCe Strimming grass, hedge cutting, weeding, also garden clearance, concreting, patios, painting, power washing, gutter cleaning, window cleaning, fencing. Have all the equipment. Contact Brian 086109-7358.

properT y mainTenanCe—Repairs, building, plumbing, painting, roof repairs, tiling, bathroom refurbishments, concreting, plastering, gardening, power washing, PVC facia and soffits, Over 20 yrs experience. References available. Tel Michael on 085-762-3758 .

f ifi’S a lT eraT ion S 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.

WaTCH repairS—Mechanical/Quartz (battery) and Vintage. In our own workshop. Most brands—Cartier, longines, Omega, Revue, Raymond Weil, Seiko, Citizen & more, also Jewellery repairs. Goldstar Jewellers, Demesne Shopping Centre Dundalk Tel. 042 93 39478.

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

p o D iaT ry/C H iropo D y treatment in the comfort of your own home. Ms. Dara McCoy, Bsc. Podiatry, CORU registered 0871924794.

pain T ing & De CoraT ing—Interior & Exterior, Spray Painting & Hand Painted Kitchens, etc. All work carried out by professional Trades Men. Call Brian 087 7558506.

g ra SS - C u TT ing in and around the Dundalk area. Experienced and reliable. Contact Michael on 0871477067. Self-De V elopmen T and One to One life Coaching by Certified life Coach available in Dundalk. Contact Fiona 087 7188450.

m an in a Van—House moves, furniture delivery/removal, yard/garage clearances, recycling & rubbish removal. Call Will on 085 860 4048 for a competitive quote. Carpen T ry—Repair, maintenance. Woodwork, attic space, fencing, feature walls, floors, kitchen and wardrobe repairs, shops and office suspended ceilings, metal partitions, drylining Tel Enda 085 1481212.

Semi-re T ire D pain T er available–Internal & External. 30 Years experience, also power washing services, etc, Tel Dermot 087 2993660.

aa f laT r oof r epair S—All flat roofing repairs carried out by experienced felt roofer. Call 087 2607558.

g W pain T ing and Decorating. Keen rates. Estimates free. Phone 086 3848079.

Healing Clini C available in Dundalk every Thursday 11am—5pm at Medical Eye & Health Centre, Demense, Dundalk. For appointment please phone Faith 087 7188450.

e a S y-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.

e S & Cour S e S

g e T fi T 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.

payment for at least 6 months All learners retain any welfare benefits whilst studying and are supported by a dedicated, experienced staff throughout their studies. The spouse of a welfare recipient is also eligible to apply.

If you would like to find out more about their courses, please call Gareth on 042 9364621 or email gsavage@lmetb. ie or sdillon@lmetb.ie for further details.

DunDalK garDen SerViCeS—Tree topping, felling, hedge trimming, grass cutting & strimming. Rubbish Removals/ Garage clearance, House & Garden refuse. Permit holder. Contact Ben 085-8407707.

for T une T eller—Available for appointment, private or group bookings. Tel. Alison 042 933 5102 or 087-67-51229.

Buil D ing Ser V i C e S—Extensions, Renovations, Sunrooms, Conservatories and All General Maintenance. P.V.C. Fascia, Soffit and Guttering products supplied and fitted. Bathroom Refurbishment, Painting, Decorating, Wall & Floor Tiling. All types of Roof Repairs & Maintenance. For free estimates Tel 087 260 2501.

p o W er Wa SH ing of driveways/paving/ walls/patios. No job too big or small. Competitive rates. Call Will on 085 860 4048. DDS pain T ing & Decorating Services. Dundalk area. Internal and external painting and wallpapering. Free estimates within 12 hours. 10 years experience. Tel David 085 7308777.

Will’S g ar D en Ser V i C e S lawn cutting, edges, hedges, strimming, rubbish & recycle removal, garage/house/yard clearances. Call Will on 085 860 4048. m an W i TH a Van—Hedges, tree topping, painting, facia & Soffit, patios, concreting, garage clear-outs, outside taps. Call Kevin for a free & honest quote 0894016728.

par T T ime/relief Dri V er required, full licence, must be over 25, HGV licence is not required. Tel 087 2564616.

NoVeNA mirAcle prAYer

mirAcle prAYer

NoVeNA

Camp Wonka in An Táin Theatre

Teachers Emma Malone and Johnny Duffy with the tots group at Camp Wonka in An Táin.

Tadhg McGrath, Oisin Webb, teacher Aine Dillane, Sarah Wheeler and Annabel Fennelly.

Maisie Brady, Sophie Cleary, Lauren Ryan and Lucy Lenihan.

Elsa Rowley, Alana Elmore, Lily-Mae Fennelly and Ava Quinn.

Annabelle Daly, Tia Woods and Brendan Carolyn.

Harry Haughey, Lauren Garvey, Mollie Crowe, and Ruairi Bellew, Junior advanced 10-13 drama class at Camp Wonka in An Tain.