18,000 COPIES WEEKLY
FREE EyE tEst
WITH PRSI OR MEDICAL CARD
Dundalk Eimear Court, Market Square Tel 042 932 6806 specsavers.ie
Subject to eligibility. Free eye test funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE) or the Department of Social Protection. Excludes eye tests for VDU use, safety glasses or driving licences. SKU 25060492. ©2012 Specsavers. All rights reserved.
Big day for DkIT grads
Irish night for Haiti fundraiser
Page 18
Page 12
Huge win for Dundalk Page 10
Wednesday, 7th November, 2012. Vol. 5, Issue 45 • 63 Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel: 042 9320888. Fax: 042 9329676. Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com; advertising@dundalkleader.com
Newlyweds land in New York hurricane By Niamh Kirk A local couple had a honeymoon they are certain never to forget after finding themselves in the middle of Hurricane Sandy. Mark and Paula Dowdall went to the US on their honeymoon and were in New York when the Hurricane hit. The newly weds had begun their trip with a cruise around the Caribbean Islands but were forced to divert to Mexico when it became too dangerous to travel to Jamaica. Fortunately for Mark and Paula, flights to New York were still operating but for the last hour and half, as they got closer to New York, the turbulence got so bad that all on flight services had to be stopped. They were among the last flights to be allowed to en-
ter the city. The couple were among the lucky ones travelling to New York as they were staying in a mid town hotel. When they arrived, staff at the hotel congratulated them on making it and advised them not to go far. “At first it was really just like a bad day in Ireland, rain and quite windy,” said Paula. She and her husband Mark walked to Times Square only to find it deserted. “There were a few NYPD cars and taxis in the area. Usually you can’t move on the streets of New York. But it was like ghost town. It was really very eerie.” That night Sandy hit, devastating downtown New York before wreaking havoc as it moved inland. Paula and Mark stayed in the hotel largely sheltered from the
Tara creates history By Paul Byrne
Paula and Mark Dowdall landed in New York during Hurricane Sandy
storm but none the less nervous. A few days later when they began to get out into the city the scale of destruction became appar-
ent. “We went to the top of the Empire State Building and Continued on Page 16
Dundalk’s Opera singing sensation Tara Erraught made history last weekend by becoming the youngest principal artist ever to be booked by the highly prestigious Vienna State Opera. She became the youngest ever Rosina in front of huge crowds at the acclaimed Vienna State Opera House and admits that it is an experience she will never forget. “I made my debut on Saturday October 27, at 26 years of age. It was the 380th performance of il Barbiere di Siviglia, I was the youngest ever Rosina.” explains Tara. Continue on Page 10