18,000 COPIES WEEKLY Colaiste Ris in debate final Page 6
Relive the 80s in charity fundraiser Page 9
Darren is talk of the dance world
Praise for local students Page 11
Wednesday 25th January, 2012. Vol. 5, Issue 4. 63 Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel: 042 9320888 You can now read the Dundalk Leader Online at www.dundalkleader.com
By Eunan Whyte and Niamh Kirk
A Dundalk man is on the brink of being part of the next big dance sensation after storming through to the semi-final of the hugely popular reality talent show ‘Got to Dance’ on Sky1. Darren Casey, from Fatima, is hoping to get the support from local people in order for his group ‘Prodijig’ to make it through to the final from Sunday night’s show. The group has received rave reviews since making its first appearance on the show with their style of Irish Dancing to modern music tipped to follow in the footsteps of Riverdance as a worldwide phenomenon. The 22-year-old is one of seven in the group of five men and two women and his parents, Tom and Linda, are call-
Dundalk’s Darren Casey (second left) is hoping to make the final of Got To Dance
ing on the people of Dundalk to get their votes in on Sunday night. The group must get through the semi-final stages to make it to the grand finale
where 30 acts will battle it out for a £250k prize. “Hopefully people in Dundalk will tune in and vote for Darren as it would be bril-
liant if they got through to the final. The band is made up of five Irish and two English dancers who got together and Continued on Page 10
Fitzpatrick assaulted at rally By Niamh Kirk Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick says he was ‘physically assaulted’ by a woman at a rally against the cutting of health services in Drogheda. Deputy Fitzpatrick, Fergus O’Dowd, both Fine Gael TD’s, and Labour TD Ged Nash attended the Save Drogheda Cottage Hospital rally on Sunday evening in Drogheda. The march started at the college where Deputy Fitzpatrick said he walked in solidarity with the community to retain services at St Josephs in Ardee and the Cottage Hospital Drogheda. The group marched to West Street where a platform was erected. However the three Government TDs refused to sign a pledge in support of retaining the long-term services. The signing of such a pledge committing to vote only for the retention of service could bring the three TDs into conflict with their party. The organising committee say prior to the rally that it was agreed they would not be permitted to speak publically as they would not sign the pledge. Continued on Page 2