31-07-2024 by Peter Kierans

Community raise funds for house fire couple

By Paul Byrne

THE community of Carlingford are rallying around local grandparents Carmel and Aidan Long whose house was destroyed in a fire on Friday afternoon. Thankfully neither Carmel or Aidan were injured during the blaze which was caused by a tumble dryer but their house has been destroyed. Carmel and Aidan had been out of work and had unfortunately allowed their insurance cover to lapse so there is no insurance cover on their home.

Now Carmel and Aidan’s five children, Cormac, Aileen, Lorna, Joanne and Becky have set up a GoFundMe Page to try and raise enough money to help the pair rebuild their home. Having only been set up over the weekend the page has already raised over €12,000. A fundraising target of €80,000 has been set and the local community in Carlingford are rallying around the pair to try and help them out.

An appeal launched by the family on GoFundMe stated that the family were heartbroken and devastated following the blaze.

Continued on Page 2

Carmel and Aiden Long’s home in Carlingford was destroyed in a blaze caused by a tumble dryer last Friday afternoon. The local community have rallied behind the couple to help them rebuild their house.

Part-time Office Administrator including Accounts

Preferably with some Digital experience required for busy office in rural Dundalk.

10 HOURS PER WEEK

Must be proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, Social Media.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Compiling word documentation for new clients. Entry of Monthly Invoices & Receipts. Compiling monthly accounts for company accountant on Sage. General office duties. Ad hoc duties.

Lone work must have own transport. Role might suit a mature candidate or someone looking for flexible p/time hours. Immediate start, training provided. Please email interest and CV to: info@growingbeyond.ie

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THE annual All Ireland Poc Fada Competition takes place Monday 05th August next on Annaverna in the Cooley Mountains.

This year promises to be even better with the best of the 4 Province’s greatest hurlers and camogie players competing for the title of All Ireland Champion.

Who will follow in the footsteps of Cú Chulainn and poc all before them?

The modern Poc Fada recreates the legendary journey of Cú Chulainn who as the 7-year-old boy Setanta decided he had waited long enough to become a member of the famous Red Branch Knights of Ulster. So he set off from his home in Dundalk for the Macra, the Red Branch Knights school in Ard Mhacha (Armagh), some 60km away. While crossing The Cooley Mountains Setanta hit his sliotar far ahead and ran forward to catch it on his hurley stick before it hit the ground. While today’s competitors cannot fully recreate Setanta’s mythical feats, they do compete over the same Cooley mountains as Setanta

Annual Poc Fada on this Bank Holiday Monday Grandparents house destroyed by fire in Carlingford Village

Continued

From Page 1

“To say we are heartbroken is an understatement and we are devastated and in complete shock however, we are forever grateful that nobody was injured in the fire.

Carmel and Aidan had been out of work and had unfortunately allowed their Insurance cover to lapse so there is no insurance cover on the home. Our parents are very proud people but we feel the only way to get them back into their home is to set up a fundraising campaign for them.

We hope that you can help Carmel and Aidan in slowly starting to rebuild their lives and their home. We would really appreciate anything you can donate to help them get back into their home.

Our paper is sourced from sustainable forests. The paper mills take great care to ensure the viability & sustainability of their forests. The forests that they plant act as massive carbon sinks that more than offset their carbon output. They are a carbon negative industry.

once passed. The 5 km Senior Hurling and 2.5 km Senior Camogie and Under 16 courses do provide ample opportunity to practice poc’s, as on average the Senior Hurling takes 50 pocs to win.

The modern All-Ireland Poc Fada dates back to 1960 when six boys from Dundalk (Mal Begley, Peter Crilly, Sean Mc Aeney, Jerome Mc Donagh, Peter Myles and first ever winner Damien Callan) under the watchful eye of An tAthair Pól Mac Shean, took part in the very first Poc Fada. The first All-Ireland Poc Fada took place the following year in 1961.

First sponsored by Martin Donnelly over 25 years ago the MD Sports myclubshop.ie All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals represent one of the longest-running sponsorships within the GAA & Camogie Association.

Everyone is very welcome to Annaverna on Bank Holiday Monday, so why not make your way to the mountain for 10am and make sure to bring the kids who can meet our hurling heroes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully we can help them get back into their home after this devastating loss,” concluded the message.

According to Carmel and Aidan’s daughter Lorna, the fire was started by a tumble

dryer which wasn’t in use at the time.

Lorna sent a warning out to people that they should be very careful when it comes to electrical appliances.

“We would like to stress to

people that this was an electrical fault. That if anyone has a tumble dryer that is plugged in under a counter, regardless if it’s in use or not, to check the plugs regularly. The dryer was not in use nor was any electrical appliance at the time.

“This could have happened at anytime and we are so lucky it was during the day and not when my mum and dad were in bed,” stated Lorna.

If you are in a position to help you can give money at GoFundMe by searching for Help Carmel & Aidan Long after fire destroyed their home on the GoFundMe site.

The scene of Carmel and Aidan’s home in Carlingford which was destroyed in a fire last Friday afternoon.

Louth’s representative Darren Geoghegan who recently won the Louth Poc Fada Final with Louth GAA’s Fra Kieran.

1 x Full Time Lead Educator

Monday – Friday 8:15am - 17:15pm

2 x Part Time Educators

Monday – Friday up to 25 hours per week

Minimum QQI Level 6 in Early Childhood Care and Education with a view to working towards Level 7.

At least 2 years’ experience in a similar position.

Energetic, enthusiastic person, with a genuine interest in children’s wellbeing and development, good leadership skills and ability to work as part of team

A good knowledge of Aistear and Siolta is essential and a positive approach to inclusive practice with children and their families

Knowledge of the Childcare Act 1991 regulations 2016 (Early Years Services)

Desirable qualification are as follows:

l FAR training

l Manual handling

l Start Date subject to completion of Garda Vetting

To apply for the position please email with a cover letter and CV for the attention of Board of Management at info@redeemercreche.ie OR by post for the attention of:

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT,

Redeemer Creche & Playgroup, Ashling Park, Dundalk, A91 D296 by close of business on Friday, 14th August, 2024.

Best case scenario for brown water fix is end of 2026

UISCE Eireann have outlined a trial project which they hope will end the shocking brown water situation in Dundalk for once and for all. Houses all over Dundalk have been reporting cases of dirty looking brown water for a number of years and in recent months frustrations have began to boil over with no apparent end in sight to the problem. The brown water is caused by manganese in the pipes which is naturally occurring in the environment and is safe at lower levels. It can however be dangerous at higher concentrations although Uisce Eireann insist that water coming from Cavanhill is tested regularly and is perfectly safe to drink.

Last week Uisce Eireann, the state owned body in charge of water said there would be no quick fix to this issue and that the best case scenario for an end to the issue would be the end of 2026. That will only happen if the upcoming trial pilot project they are launching in five locations around the county is successful. If, however, the

trial is not a success, plan B will be initiated and results for that plan won’t be seen until 2029.

A spokesperson for Uisce Eireann explained what the initial trial will involve.

“We are going to trial a new network rehabilitation system using high velocity flow to clean the lining of existing cast iron watermains. The process circulates water through a section of the network at a time via fire hydrants, using fire hoses which pass through a fine filter chamber vessel.

“This removes sediment and biofilm during the process without discharging water to drains. The water is returned to the system after the cleaning process. There is normally no need for water to be isolated during the process as the velocity of used exceed the normal rates.

The locations being trialled are: 1 Boyle O Reilly Terrace; 2 Marian Park; 3 Cluain Enda; 4 Mullacrew; 5 Blackrock.

Recycle

The pilot project is underway at the plant with results expected after the three month trial. If the trial works then improvements will be seen in the intermittent discoloration from the end of 2026, if not the long term solution will be 2029,” read the statement.

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Klly attended a briefing with Uisce Eireann representatives in Cavanhill last week but with further issues reported with brown water around town since that meeting the current Dundalk Municipal District Cathaoirleach wrote a letter to Uisce Eireann stating that they needed to do better in communicating these issues with the public and that public confidence in the body is currently at ‘rock bottom’.

“Unfortunately in the last 36 hours we have had widespread brown water in this area of Dundalk once again.

for Sight

DUNDALK Lions are collecting old glasses and lenses. Thanks to local opticians/schools and individuals who have contributed. These are already on the way to those most in need in the developing world. We continue to collect the glasses and lenses which can be donated to collection boxes in the area.

These include- The Long Walk Shopping Centre, Specsavers, Eimear Court, Market Square, Boyds, Clanbrassil Court, Tesco, Dublin Road. They can also be given to any member of Dundalk Lions.

Donated glasses are repaired at no cost. According to the World Health Organisation 153 million people worldwide have uncorrected eyesight problems. Most of these impairments are reduced with corrective lenses. Still millions of people in the developing world are pushed deeper into poverty because they don’t have glasses. This prevents people from getting education and employment. Your Support is Appreciated.

Adding to this issue there was no advance warning or subsequent communication from Uisce Eireann to state it was happening.

“This leads to serious complaints being received from the public to us as public reps and them relying their concerns about water quality.

“It is simply not good enough that we are being kept in the dark like this. As stated last week we need a dedicated contact person for the Dundalk area to deal with our issues and to inform the public.

“Uisce Eireann must also come up with a comprehensive communications plan to inform the households and businesses of Dundalk when is the plans for Cavan Hill going forward. A simple to read booklet delivered to each household/business would be a start. Nothing less is acceptable at this point, confidence in communications at Uisce Eireann is at rock bottom and rightly so given the failure to adequately inform the public about a necessity like water,” stated Cllr. Kelly.

Dundalk Lions Club are collecting old glasses and old lenses.

Farmer concerns over proposed greenway

THE IFA has highlighted the serious concerns of farmers over the proposed Carlingford to Dundalk Greenway project.

In a statement, Louth IFA chair Kevin Sweeney said “Greenways should be predominantly on State-owned public lands and avoid impacting on private farmland. The IFA is opposed to severance of farms or compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for amenity projects like Greenways.”

Kevin Sweeney pointed out that the study area for the Carlingford to Dundalk Greenway

includes c11,500 acres of agricultural lands and 128 farmyards are located in the area.

“Farmers are very fearful that the proposed project may see the Council attempting to acquire a significant area of private farmland for the Greenway. They are very concerned that the proposed Greenway may sever and divide some farms, which is not acceptable,” he said.

Kevin Sweeney said there was real anger and frustration expressed at the two recent public meetings attended by hundreds of people in Cooley. He said

farmers highlighted the lack of proper consultation and the failure to understand and appreciate the impact of a Greenway on farms and farm families.

“Serious concerns were raised over many issues including privacy; security; litter; dogs; parking; animal disease and wildlife; costs; and environmental and other issues.”

Kevin Sweeney said the IFA will arrange a meeting with Louth County Council to clearly outline the strong views and concerns of farmers and landowners in respect of the project.

Deferral of maternity payments for women with mental or physical illness a big step forward for the women of Ireland—Senator McGreehan

LOCAL Fianna Fáil

Senator, Erin McGreehan has welcomed approval of legislation by Cabinet to defer maternity payments for women who are diagnosed with mental or physical illnesses.

The legislation that was brought before Cabinet by Minster O’Gorman and has been approved, will allow women undergoing treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses to postpone

their maternity leave by up to 52 weeks.

Speaking on the matter Senator McGreehan said: “This piece of legislation is a huge step forward for the women of Ireland.

A mother’s time with their child is something you cannot take for granted, and that time is so special to all mothers across the country.”

“Maternity leave is a time of bonding for a mother and her child,

and if met with the most difficult circumstances such as serious physical and mental illnesses during that time it is only right that the state has their backs.”

McGreehan also wanted to place on record the hard work of her party colleague Senator Catherine Ardagh on this particular issue.

“My party colleague Senator Catherine Ardagh has worked hard

in the Seanad for this piece of legislation to be introduced, and I want to place on record all of her hard work, it is much appreciated by many women across the country I’m sure.”

In conclusion McGreehan said: “This is a major step in the right direction for the women of Ireland, and I very much welcome the passing of this legislation by Cabinet.”

The proposed Dundalk Bay to Carlingford Greenway has been met with resistance from North Louth farmers.

Safety Officers gear up for Amber Thursday

THE approaching August bank holiday weekend is always high on the agenda for fire safety, water safety and road safety promotion officers. A joint cross-agency national promotion drive titled ‘Amber Thursday’ has been established to raise awareness of the three safety elements ahead of this busy weekend.

Bank Holiday weekends can be a busy period for fire fighters with Joe Lumsden, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer with Louth County Council encouraging the public to be aware of the risks from fires.

“Everyone needs to be aware of how quickly a fire can spread and a small incident can escalate into a larger one if not managed safely. I’m encouraging members of the public to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend but to bear in mind the potential of fire related incidents. Never light a barbeque or a campfire in parks, woodland areas or in areas close to veg-

etation or trees and be mindful not to discard any cigarette butts on the ground. Keep children away from fires and have a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergencies.”

Road Safety Officer with Louth County Council, Adrian O’Sullivan, stressed the importance for road users to be cautious and courteous towards one another. “We have already seen a worrying year-on-year increase on the number of fatalities on our roads. It’s imperative that motorists do not drive while under the influence of intoxicants such as alcohol or illegal drugs and that all

passengers are wearing a seatbelt or appropriate seat restraint. Before setting off on a long journey, ensure your vehicle is roadworthy, plan your journey, drive within the posted speed limits, and take regular breaks to avoid driver fatigue.”

Mark Kimmins, Water Safety Development Officer with Louth County Council reminds everyone to be aware of water safety and not to be lulled into a false sense of security. “We have lifeguards on duty at Templetown, Port and Clogherhead beaches every day from 11am to 6pm until the end of August and for the first two

weekends in September. If you are going into the water you should swim between the flags, within your depth, and never use inflatable toys that can quickly put users in danger of drowning.”

“Lakes and rivers also pose dangers as they can contain hidden obstacles that can trap or make it more difficult to move around. The water is often much deeper and colder beneath the surface than expected and most water related tragedies in Ireland occur in inland waterways. Reservoirs are not appropriate for swimming due to the risk of deep and fastflowing waters, changing

Protestors and counter protestors take to the street once more

PROTESTORS were out in force once more last Sunday morning as the ongoing war of words between anti-immigration protestors and a group of counter protestors continued for a second week in succession.

The protest originated after it was confirmed that the former St Joseph’s Orphanage and Industrial school in Seatown Place in Dundalk is to house 260 refugees when works are completed at the site.

Anti-immigrant protestors have voiced their concerns and opposition about the proposed plans and a number of speakers including Irish Freedom Party member Tracy O’Hanlon, Dr Finbar Markey, Ann Marie Gray and Mark Fitzsimons addressed the crowd outside the courthouse criticizing the Gardaí, government and media as crowds waving Irish flags chanted ‘Get them out’.

A large number of gardaí and Public Order Unit members separated the protesters with counter protestors who carried banners with slogans such as ‘Refugees Welcome’ and ‘Love Dundalk. Hate Racism’ standing across the road.

The protest passed off peacefully and gardaí have confirmed that there were no arrests on Sunday in relation to the protests. There had been three arrests made a week earlier at the first protest. A third consecutive protest is believed to be taking place this Sunday.

Members of Louth Fire & Rescue Service John Madden, Sub Officer, Paul McEneaney, Fire Fighter, Paul Byrne, Fire Fighter, Darren Murphy, Station Officer, James McGarry, Fire Fighter.

Irish Freedom Party member Tracy O’Hanlon speaks at the protest last Sunday afternoon.

Counter protestors voiced their support for immigrants during the event.

NEWS in Brief

Pilgrimage

To Lourdes

Departing Sunday, 20th Oct, returning Thursday, 24th Oct, 2024. (4 Nights, five days). Fare of €775 includes full board in Lourdes, travel to and from airport and services of JMG Travel representative throughout the pilgrimage. Details: Kathleen 042 937 5281; Mary Fagan 0861072222.

Garden Sale

For ‘Birches’

I’m having a garden sale in the marquee at my home in number 5 Legion Avenue A918W08 for Alzheimers at the Birches.

Great bargains in fashion, evening and day wear, bags etc. Also home wear, furnishings, curtains, cushions, lamps, clocks all available on Friday 2nd August from 10am.

Refreshments, tea and coffee on the day. Don’t miss out.

Contact Karen Carroll at 0429331993 or 0863218090 for further details.

Dundalk Famine Graveyard Annual Service

Dundalk Famine Graveyard.

The Dundalk famine graveyard annual service of remembrance will take place at Killally Famine Graveyard on Sunday August 11th at 5pm.

The Dundalk famine graveyard is regarded as one of the most important historical sites in Dundalk and in Co Louth since it was restored over the past number of years by a group of dedicated local volunteers.

Located on the Ardee Road, it’s the resting place for over 4000 peo-

ple who died between 1850 and 1955.Most burials came from the local workhouse located at Hilltop on the Ardee Road which was eventually knocked down many years ago. There are no headstones in the graveyard, just small marker stones marking where the mass graves were white crosses stand still marking individual graves.

Over the years the graveyard became neglected with vegetation destroying the walls that surrounded the grave-

yard. Over the past 20 years the volunteers have restored the graveyard walls and maintained the grass areas.

The committee has ensured that a memorial service takes place annually and hopefully over the years proper road access will be sought for those visiting the cemetery.

The graveyard can be accessed via A91E76N or from Mcardle’s Brewery on the Ardee Road or via the laneway across from Mount Hamilton sign.

Kind-hearted Elodie’s fundraiser for Simon community

A KIND-hearted seven year old girl from Bay Estate has raised over €60 for the Simon Community by selling all her old toys from her playroom in a makeshift shop in her front garden.

Elodie Savage Kelly from Cypress Gardens and her Mam Shannon are moving out of their house in Bay Estate and while gathering up all her old toys from her playroom seven year Elodie who goes to school in Scoil Mhuire na nGael thought it would be a good idea to get rid of all the toys she no longer plays with.

Elodie borrowed a big table from her Nanny’s house around the corner and set up the shop in her front garden while Shannon put the word out on facebook that her daughter was selling her toys. Business was brisk throughout the day as neighbours and customers from further afield called over to Elodie to buy some of her old toys. According to Shannon, Elodie was delighted to have sold all her old toys while raising money for the Simon community.

“I’ve lived in Bay Estate for 27 years and we have been renting here in Cypress Gardens for the last while. A while ago our landlord told us he was selling

raised over €60 for the Simon Community.

up so we had to look for another house which wasn’t easy.

Eventually we found a place and as we were doing a big clearout in the house, myself and Elodie thought it would be a nice idea to try and raise money for the Simon community by selling some of her old toys.

“We would often give old toys and stuff to St Vincent de Paul or Women’s Aid but what with all the hassle of finding a new house for ourselves we decided to try and raise money for the Simon Community this time around. Elodie absolutely loved running her wee shop and made a few new friends during

the day. She was out selling in her shop all day. She had dancing and football in the evening but as soon as she was finished with that she was back out in the shop again. She raised a total of €63.70 and she got rid of the majority of her old toys. We were on to the Simon and we have decided to buy a food shop with the money and give it to them. I’m very proud of her. She has always had a kind wee heart and always does the shoebox appeal to help those less fortunate every Christmas. She’s a wee star,” stated Shannon.

All Abilities Action Alliance Louth (4AL) Picnic in the Park

Kind-hearted Elodie behind the counter in her charity shop. Elodie

Chichi Onwuegbusi, Vicky, Daniel and Michelle Ewurum.

Alexandra Chomicz and Armin Gotner.

Michael, Adam, Sarah and Antoinette Reid.

Anna Wrobel, Briege McGrane and Monika Chomicz.

Denise Mernagh Sweeney, Jenny Small, Barry Sweeney and Ruairí Ó Murchú TD.

John and Zara Donnelly.

Dundalk Tennis and Badminton

DUNDALK Tennis and Badminton Club are running an Open Day on Saturday the 17th of August from 2pm to 5pm. On the day there will be free taster coaching sessions, tennis and badminton demonstration matches , fun drills and games, colouring competitions, trial memberships deals , a BBQ and more! It will be a fun filled Saturday afternoon for children and adults ! We hope to see lots of the Dundalk community are our Open Day - all welcome !

Pilgrimage Tours

PILGRIMAGE to Knock Shrine takes place on Monday, August 5th, 2024. Sister Briege McKenna will be in attendance. Bus will depart from The Friary Church, Dundalk, AT 7.45 am. Fare will be based on numbers travelling. Further Information: Laurena 0851833110.

LOUGH DERG – ONE DAY PILGRIMAGE: A one day pilgrimage will take place on Sunday, August 25th, 2024, to Lough Derg. Bus will depart from The Friary Church, Dundalk, at 7.00 am sharp. Retreat on Island is 45 Euro. Bus Fare will be based on numbers travelling. Further Information: Laurena: 0851833110.

MEDJUGORJE PILGRIMAGE: August 27th to September 3rd, 2024. Please note: This pilgrimage is fully booked. If you would like to join a waiting list, please phone: Laurena at 0851833110.

BIBLE CLASSES – POOR CLARE’S FAUGHART – SEPTEMBER 2024: Jesus to Mark, Matthew, Luke and John: “Who do YOU say I am Delivered by Sister Pam Thimmes on Wednesday evenings, 7:30 - 8:30 pm. Location: Poor Clare Monastery of the Light of Christ, Upper Faughart A91 FH30.

ANNUAL CARLINGFORD/Omeath Pilgrimage to Lourdes: Departing Sunday, October 20th, returning Thursday, October 24th, 2024. (Four nights, five days). Fare of 775 euro includes flight, full board in lourdes, travel to and from airport and services of jmg travel representative throughout the pilgrimage. A Rosminian Father will lead pilgrimage as spiritual director. Everybody welcome.

Full details : kathleen 0429375281 – mary 0861072222 – laurena 0851833110.

New President for Dundalk Lions Club

DUNDALK Lions are pleased to announce the election of Catherine Doherty as President.

This is Catherine’s second term as President having firstly been elected to the role for the year 2010 to 2011.Dundalk Lions Club are a totally voluntary charity serving the local commmunity in and around Dundalk since 1977. They are affiliated to Lions International which has 1.4 million membets worldwide.

President Catherine Doherty sends thanks and appreciation to the people in and around Dundalk for the very generous support given over many years. Catherine thanks outgoing President Austin Carroll for his year in office.

Catherine looks forward to working with all the Dundalk Lions members and volunteers as Club President in the year ahead. The next fundraiser will be the Annual Golf Classic at Greenore Golf Club Friday August 9th.

Catherine Doherty is the new President of Dundalk Lions Club.

Newly launched child advocacy inclusion group fun day

RECENTLY launched child advocacy inclusion group 4AL held a well attended Family Picnic in the Park in St Helena’s Park on Sunday in association with the Louth Disability Cycling Club who provided specialised rides for everyone with various disabilities with their special needs trikes and bikes.

4AL stands for All Abilities Action Alliance Louth and were recently founded by Alexandra Jedrzejewska and Emer McNally who both grew increasingly frustrated with the number of issues in Louth concerning parents of children with special needs. According to Alexandra the group was set up to help local kids with disabilities to reach their full potential while also helping form a community for parents who can often feel isolated.

“We set this group up as an advocacy group for children with special needs. Myself and Emer are both parents of children with special needs and we both realised pretty quickly that there are a number of issues for kids with disabilities. Ed-

ucation is a big one and there simply isn’t enough places in secondary schools. We see our kids having enormous potential but there are roadblocks in our system which mean that they don’t get the same opportunities as other kids.

“We have about seven people on the committee of our group and we want to raise awareness and organise events to promote inclusivity and to create a community for parents to make connections and gather collectively. A lot of women who have a child with special needs are single and they have to give up their careers and their lives to look after their child. It can be very isolating and we are here to help them,” stated Alexandra.

Emer emphasised that one of the main aims of the group was to strongly advocate for the rights of their kids.

“We will be lobbying the government and holding them to account to ensure our kids have the same rights and opportunities as everybody else. It is very hard to get ac-

cess to services and that needs to be addressed immediately. When you do eventually get in and see somebody the people working in the HSE are fantastic but the problem is there simply isn’t enough services. Even simple things like having access to swimming classes for kids with disabilities can be tough to organise as there aren’t enough classes being offered.

“We plan to link in with other organisations like we are doing today with the brilliant Louth Disability Cycling Club and hold events throughout the year to raise awareness of the issues we face. The lack of therapeutic services not only has an adverse effect on the child but also the parents and the siblings. We want to create something positive here and we are very heartened to see the large crowds turn out for our first event here today,” stated Emer.

Paul Callan from Louth Disability Cycling Club said he and his colleagues in the group were delighted to attend the inaugral event of 4AL.

“It’s been a lovely day down

letters to the editor

“Ireland is the land of welcomes, we should not be racist or discriminate against others”

Letter to editor,

I read Mr Fisher’s letter last week. Although I commend him as a councillor for speaking out, I was slightly disappointed given that he is a teacher. This is not a government issue, this issue is about people standing and fighting on our streets being racist and chanting words that are not based on facts. The issue is people are not willing to welcome people who are less fortunate. Ireland is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country, like many others countries across Europe and beyond. Without immigrants, we would have a low supply of medical staff, mechanics, plumbers, factory workers etc. These apartments are for Ukrainians who in case people have forgotten are in the midst of a war. Ukraine is in Europe as are we. Under EU legislation and the 1967 UN Protocol agreement , Ireland along with 149 states agree that refugees have the right to freedom of movement . And people who don’t want this need to be reminded that these people are trying to escape from violence, terror and conflict. Many of the refugees are vulnerable and young children. If people aren’t happy with EU regulations , they are free to move to the UK. How can we stand with Irish people who are shouting outside migrant dwellings and

vandalizing them? Is that the type of behaviour we support?

When migrants arrive in Ireland they are vetted, fingerprinted and their names are checked on international databases. There is a huge myth that they are not vetted. God forbid, Ireland erupted into war and we had to leave the comfort of our homes and become separated from our families. Ireland has a long history of emigration ,over 6 million people have emigrated to America to the US since 1820 and we faced our own discrimination there. People forget that we too move to other countries and seek hope and new experiences. During Famine times, we were escaping poverty and brewing uncertainty.

Ireland is the land of welcomes, we should not be racist or discriminate against others . The people who are protesting against housing Ukrainians are doing exactly that. There is a thin line between racist and non-racist language and behaviour.

Consultation with the community would mean no apartments for people in need would happen. Instead, people need education on this topic and need to get their facts and information from real, factual sources. People say ‘ help the Irish first’ but if you actually read and research,

here today and we were delighted to come down and offer both kids and adults a chance to have a spin on our bikes. We have volunteers from Cuchulainn Cycling Club who are always more than obliging to us and help us pilot the bikes. We meet every Wednesday at 7pm down in St Helana’s Park and we use it as a meeting spot for anybody who would like to use our services. We generally go for a cycle around town for an hour or an hour and a half and it’s been going really well.

“We provide bikes for anybody with disabilities to have a wee spin. We provide the bike and the pilot and it’s growing the whole time. We started off last year with one bike and now we have 15. I would like to give a special mention to Variety the children’s charity who donate special mobility trikes to children across the disability spectrum. They are an absolutely fantastic charity and they have been brilliant to us,” stated Paul.

Medjugorje Prayer Group

a lot is being done for the Irish and anyone who is born here is Irish, doesn’t matter if they are black, speak Polish etc. The amount of Irish people who are receiving social welfare payments and not seeking work is high.

People are saying that crime rates increase with so-called ‘foreigners’, data collected by the Irish Prison Service over a 12 month period between 2015-2017, found that across all offence categories, only 10.84% of crimes were committed by non Irish.

What do the people protesting want? How far will they go?

Will we have another George Floyd situation? I’m ashamed to be Irish to see people stand in protest who are ignorant of the facts and history. To have the philosophy of ‘Irish only’ in 2024 is ludicrous. The world is interconnected. People have the right to help and to seek refuge. Ireland should welcome.

Finally, I would like to commend the ‘ Mary Wallopers’ for their stand against racism, they are decent people and more of the local community need to get out and support them.

‘Wherever we see racism, we must condemn it without reservation, without hesitation , without qualification’ . ( Antonio Gutterres, UN SecretaryGeneral)”

1—What Louth hotel did the victorious Armagh GAA All Ireland winning team stay in on Sunday evening following their win over Galway?

2—Pakistan borders four countries. Can you name three of them?

3—Englishman Michael David Edwards made headlines in 1988 when he competed at the winter Olympics in Calgary. What ironic nickname was given to him following his performance at those games?

4—How many GAA football clubs are there in Dundalk?

5—Which county is Bunratty Castle in?

6—Which continent has an estimated current population of 741,603,965?

7—What is the name of the horrible headteacher in Roald Dahl’s Matilda?

8—Three Leinster counties have never won an All Ireland Senior Football Championship (excluding Kilkenny who don’t compete in football championship). Can you name them?

9—In what year was the Chernobyl disaster?

10—What is the collective

Barney the

was a hugely popular kids tv programme between 1992 and 2010. What two colours was the fictional dinosaur?

The Dundalk Medjugorje Prayer group are looking for new members. The group meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm in the Redeemer Resource Centre Group. The group was started by the much missed Maura Toal several years ago and anybody interesting in joining is most welcome to attend. The prayer meeting lasts for an hour.

The committee of the newly launched All Abilities Action Alliance Louth held a successful Picnic in the Park in St Helena’s Park last Sunday afternoon.

for a group of giraffes?

Stinker—

dinosaur

FAMILY NOTICES

NOVENA

SAINT

GERARD MAJELLA NOVENA PRAYER

Almighty God, from his boyhood years you blessed St. Gerard with generosity of soul, and led him to do your will in heroic ways. By your grace he lived his brief life in intense love for you and for those in need. Hear his prayers now for us and for all poor souls in trouble. St. Gerard, friend of sinners, friend of the poor, friend of mothers and children, it is our joy and consolation to come to your novena to remember the goodness of your life, your burning sense of God your tender love for Our Lord and his mother, Mary, your kindness and care for everyone in need. Pray for us now in our time of need. Pray for us in our sickness. Pray for us in our confusion and despair. Pray for us in our struggle with life and its mysteries. Remember especially those who long for children and mothers about to give birth. Remember those who have wandered from the practice of the faith and need the grace of reconciliation. Remember all of us poor sinners in our particular needs. Amen.

F.K.

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).

M.McP.

NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART

BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCE

Michael If I could find a window to heaven, I would look through and say hello, But I know that once I saw you, I would never want to let you go. —Love from Mam and Dad on your 31st birthday which occurs on 1st August.

IN MEMORIAM

DEVANEY

Vera 1st ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of Vera Devaney, late of Lis na Dara, Carrick Road, Dundalk, whose first anniversary occurs on 6th August. There is not a morning or night, I don’t think of you Mam, Deep in my heart you will always stay, Loved and remembered every day.

—From your loving daughter Veronica, grand-daughter Lauren and family.

Anniversary Mass 3rd August, at St Joseph’s Church, Castletown, Fatima, at 6pm.

OUR WEEKLY DEADLINE For FAMILY NOTICES is 4pm Fridays prior to Wednesday Publication. Contact Lorna for further information. Tel 042 9320888

Students celebrate achievement as new Salmon Ambassadors

PUPILS from Muchgrange National School and St Oliver’s National School, who took part in Loughs Agency’s popular Salmon Ambassador Programme, recently celebrated their achievements with a one-day ‘Salmon Ambassadors Conference’ held in Newry Conference Centre.

The aim of the programme, which takes place annually, is to create an informed generation who value the importance of salmon and our shared environment.

Each pupil that took part in the programme learned about the Atlantic salmon found in our local waterways and rivers, specifically Carlingford Lough, through a mixture of classroom, practical and field learning. Fish were brought directly into the classroom, allowing pupils to study the daily development of the eggs and development of the fish.

The programme culminated in the Salmon

Ambassadors Conference, in which participants from both schools came together and were rewarded for their efforts. Both schools were also given the opportunity to showcase exhibitions, developed by the students themselves and drawing from their experiences in the programme, before taking part in ‘Juanita’s Big Problem’, an interactive show highlighting the dangers of plastic pollution.

The conference finished up with games, following a graduation cer-

emony in which pupils were presented with a certificate to mark their achievement.

Speaking on the Salmon Ambassadors Conference, Loughs Agency Education Officer, Michael Cosgrove, commented: “It has been a pleasure to host the annual Salmon Ambassadors Programme in Carlingford. This year, we are more impressed than ever with the knowledge that the local children already had regarding our local rivers and everything that goes on in them. On behalf of

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Loughs Agency, I want to congratulate each pupil that graduated from the programme, and I look forward to them helping us to protect our local rivers as an official Salmon Ambassador.”

As well as the 54 local students, a further 98 school pupils also took part in the Salmon Ambassadors Programme in Derry~Londonderry, focusing on Lough Foyle.

To learn more about the work of Loughs Agency, visit www. loughs-agency.org.

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PAINTING SERVICES available, interior and exterior, sprayed and hand painted kitchens, all work carried out by professional trades men Also available for Power washing. Tel Brian 087 7558506.

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CASSIDY

NOVENA

Carlingford students took part in Lough Agency’s popular Salmon Ambassador Programme held in Newry Conference Centre.

Charity the winner at the 3-a-side

LAST Thursday saw the Old Folks 3-a-side competition return to the local Darts scene.

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9- 5 & Sat 10-2

Having been run quite successfully over the years in the Horseshoe Bar and more recently in The Stags Head, it was the Northend Bars turn to host it.

A great crowd of 45 dart throwers turned up to try to win the Cup in what’s 70 years since the Cairnes Cup, originally sponsored by the Cairnes Brewery, was first played for.

In a change to the usual dart league format, the 3-a-side is something that really changes a player.

Throwing on the night were a few veterans of throwing in this competition over the years : Aidan Minto, Brian McArdle, Alan McMahon, Paddy Gibney & Jack Riordan.

From the start of the night teams were laying down markers and none were more noticeable

than the formidable team of John Donnelly, Tommy Joe McCartney & Peter Grennan.

There were also a few teams looking to cause an upset, teams with a lot of talent who were playing in their 1st 3-a-side. Conor Dunn, John Rafferty and Ciaran Traynor were hoping to build on quite a successful season that they had

in both the Dundalk & Newry leagues were they all collected silverware but they would eventually be stopped in their tracks by the dark horses on the night, the team of Francie Duffy, Pat Mc Donald & Simon Wykes who were going quietly under the radar but would eventually be knocked out at the semi-final stage. Also emerging to the

Sr Briege McKenna and Fr Pablo to visit Faughart Shrine

SISTER Briege McKenna and Fr Pablo Escriva de Romani accompanied by Dana will visit Faughart Parish on August 16 and 17th 2024, as part of the continuing commemoration and celebration of St Brigid’s 1500 anniversary. Sr Briege though now based in the United States of America has local ancestry and was born in Newry in 1946. Members of her family live in the Parish of Faughart and Dromintee. Sr Briege is a member of the Sisters of St Clare. She is a Christian Mystic and a Faith Healer. Fr Pablo is attached to the Archdiocese of Madrid. At the age of 24 Sr Briege was miraculously healed from rheumatoid arthritis during a celebration of the Eucharist and sometime later received the gift of healing. In 1974 she was, during prayer giv-

en a deep insight into the mystery of the call to the priesthood. Since then she has been invited by bishops and priests to speak at their conferences all over the world.

Faughart Parish is greatly honoured that Sr Briege included the Parish in her very busy schedule. Sr Briege is known throughout the world. So far this year she has visited cities and towns in Peru, Spain, Germany, US, along with several places in both England and Ireland. Later this year she will go on to visit Poland, Indonesia, Portugal and Argentina. Sr Briege’s books, ‘Miracles Do Happen’ and ‘The Power of the Sacraments’ have been translated into many languages. Sr Briege will be accompanied by Dana. Dana’s brother-in-law, Fr Kevin Scallon used to accom-

latter stages of the competition were Cian & Padraic O’Rourke who along with Robert Wallace had collected a lot of silverware in the Dundalk Dart League this season but they would eventually be knocked out by a team mixed with youth and experience in the form of Cian Roddy, Mark Connolly & Wayne Fry.

In the Final, John Donnelly, Tommy Joe McCartney & Peter Grennan would go toe to toe at the oche against Cian Roddy, Mark Connolly & Wayne Fry.

This was always going to be a great final to watch and the quality of darts on show was as good as you would see on tv.

John, Tommy Joe and Peter would eventually go on to win 3-0 but it was not as straightforward as it looks.

Some big scoring by Cian, Mark & Wayne had their opponents on the ropes at times and lady

luck would desert them when it came down to the finishing.

The highlight of the night though would be Peter Greenan’s monster 167 checkout in the Final to rapturous applause and celebrating.

Next up in the Summer Series Of Darts is The Paul “Walla” Murtagh Cup which takes place on Friday 9th August in the Northend Bar.

The organisers would like to thank all the players who have showed up to the three qualifying events so far and with three more ranking qualifiers to go, it makes for a few nights of great darts.

The organisers would also like to thank their sponsors, so along with a few sponsors who wish to remain anonymous there’s The Imperial Hotel, Mullens Roden Place, Mulligan Oils Ltd, Northend Bar Ring A Drink & Smashers.

CLÚID HOUSING

CLÚID Housing, Ireland’s leading AHB, provided 1,085 new safe, secure and affordable life-time homes across the country in 2023, including 621 one- and two-bed homes. 95 of these new homes were in Louth

At the launch of their annual report for 2023 –Partnering for Progress – Clúid Housing confirmed that, for the second year in a row, they had delivered more than 1,000 new homes to address Ireland’s housing crisis. Clúid also announced that more than half of these were one- and two-bed social homes –the most in-demand property type.

Brian O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Clúid Housing, commented:

pany Sr Briege, on her ministry, prior to his death in 2018. We are delighted to announce that Dana is proposing to record a new hymn in honour of St. Brigid, not only our local saint but one of Ireland’s patron saints.

The schedule for Sr. Briege’s visit to the Parish of Faughart is:

Evening Session: Fri 16th Faughart Shrine 7-9pm, Mass & open talk. Morning Session: Sat 17th St Joseph’s Church, Castletown, 10am Mass. 11.30-12.30 Talk. Afternoon Session: St Joseph’s Church, Castletown. 2.304.30pm Talk followed by Eucharistic Healing Service.

The Parish of Faughart extends an open invitation to all to attend this momentous occasion and join them in celebrating St Brigid 1500.

“Currently there are more single adults on the housing list than all the other household types put together. According to the Housing Agency, there were 33,746 single adults in need of social housing in 2023. The next biggest group is one adult with one or two children. There is a huge unmet need in Ireland for one- and two-bed homes, which is why we are delighted to have delivered more than 600 of these homes in 2023.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we achieved in 2023. Thanks to the hard work of the Clúid team and all our partners, 2,194 more people are now enjoying the security and stability of a Clúid home. In Louth, we delivered 95 new homes, bringing our total homes in management here to 759.

“Our vision is a society where everyone has a great place to live, and our annual report – Partnering for Progress – illustrates how we are working to achieve this vision. In addition to the delivery of our new homes, our teams are committed to ensuring our existing homes continue to be warm, comfortable and secure, through our repairs and retrofitting programmes. Our Housing Officers are also working to support our residents in good times and difficult times.”

Narute Vasiliauskiene, who features on the cover of the annual report with her daughter Emma, said of her new Clúid home in The Willows, Dunshaughlin:

“When I got the call about our new home it was a big surprise – I almost cried. I was very happy. We’re very happy here – it feels like home. Everything is nice and new. In our old home, all the furniture belonged to the landlord, and we couldn’t make it our own. But here, we’ve decorated and bought our own furniture. I love doing everything in my new home – cooking, relaxing, watching tv. On sunny days I like to sit on the balcony and have a coffee. It feels great to be home.”

Sr Briege McKenna and Fr Pablo Escriva will visit Faughart Shrine.

John Donnelly, Peter Greenan, Sheila Meehan & Tommy Joe McCartney.