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borderroamerhttps://fisherbelfast.wordpress.comThe Northern Standard, Monaghan. Reporter.

CELEBRATING THE ST LOUIS SISTERS IN CARRICKMACROSS

19/05/2019 by borderroamer

THE NORTHERN STANDARD, THURSDAY 16TH MAY 2019

An evening of celebration and acknowledgement of the contribution made by the St Louis Sisters to the lives and fabric of so many people in Carrickmacross and south Monaghan was held last Thursday evening at the Nuremore Hotel. Over five hundred people gathered to give their personal thanks to the nuns and to watch a new television documentary telling their story made by the videographer Pat Byrne. The evening was introduced by his friend and companion from schooldays, Brian Mohan, a retired Garda officer.

Mr Mohan told the audience the nuns of St Louis and their convent on the hill at Castle Street had been part and parcel of Carrickmacross over the last 130 years. In that time they had made a huge contribution, not only to education, but also to those in need. He said it was a matter of great sadness that the convent had closed its doors for the last time. “Fortunately Pat Byrne has completed a video documentary on the history, joys and sorrows of the convent in Carrickmacross and the personal stories of some of the sisters who resided there,” he said.

He continued: “I have known Pat for most of my life and as young teenagers we had a particular interest. In the convent, because girls lived there. Despite our best endeavours, we were unable to breach the nuns’ security! But we always kept out interest in the convent alive.”

“Pat has a wonderful knowledge of the origins of the convent building and those that lived within. He has painstakingly and respectfully put together a video documentary in which it is evident that there is a passion and emotion in its making. It is certainly something very special, which I’m sure will stir many memories for the viewers.”

DVD set of two video documentaries by Pat Byrne

TOLERANCE AND RESPECT

“We will get only a flavour of the video tonight. What you will see is only an edited version. The entire video is two hours long and I have no doubt that it is so interesting and yes, asks hard questions that anyone watching it will feel it was only a very short time.”

“The convent and its members have been a beacon of inclusiveness and a shining example of tolerance and respect. They have lived together down through the years with their neighbouring Church of Ireland community, and nurtured long and loving relationships.” He then introduced Minister Heather Humphreys.

IMPORTANT CELEBRATION

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD said it was an important celebration and commemoration for Carrickmacross. She commended “the amazing women of the St Louis Sisters,” and gave a special welcome to those who had travelled from overseas, including as far as South Africa, to be with them. “Your commitment to service, charity and education is a sign of hope in our modern world,” she said.

She continued: “You are an inspiration to us all, and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for your outstanding contribution to this town, county and region over 130 years. Our Lady’s Mount Convent, Carrickmacross, was your home from September 1888 to October 2018. We were all very sad to see you leave your historic home, but your legacy in Carrickmacross will live on for generations.

Not only have you made a hugely positive impact in the education of young women, you also revived and sustained Carrickmacross Lace, a world-famous local tradition and industry. For all of these reasons and more, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan – and indeed Ireland – owe you a debt of gratitude.

As we know, the Sisters of St Louis started out in 1888 by opening a small primary school, but gradually introduced a secondary curriculum to older pupils and, in 1899, a boarding school was built.

Today, the school is a vibrant Catholic Voluntary Secondary School for girls, and I know that the Board of Management and hardworking staff, under the leadership of the Principal, Karen Patton, inherited the great tradition of ‘high standards in a caring environment’ from the Sisters.

The school has a long history of academic and sporting successes, which lives on to this day. Only this year, for example, the Under 19 basketball team won the All Ireland Cup and League competitions.

The Convent’s many famous past pupils are a testament to the high standard of education provided by the Sisters over the years. They include Mary Daly, Professor of Modern Irish History at UCD; Monica Barnes, former Fine Gael TD; Natalie B. Coleman, the famous fashion designer; Catherine Martin TD; and of course, Kate Beagan, a well-known local artist, to name just a few.

Very importantly, the Convent also has links with schools in Liberia and Cambodia, running annual fundraisers and projects to support students in less fortunate countries. Thank you, Sisters, for instilling a tradition of social responsibility and charity in our young people here in Carrickmacross.

I’ve always been a big fan of Carrickmacross Lace. It is renowned all over the world and of course it was Carrickmacross Lace that was famously used on the wedding dresses of Princess Diana and indeed Kate Middleton.

For my own part, in December 2016, I was delighted to announce an investment of €150,000 towards the redevelopment of the Market House as the Carrickmacross Lace Gallery. However, none of this would have been possible without the dedication and commitment of the St Louis Sisters.

The area around Carrickmacross was very badly affected by the Famine. Lace-making made a great contribution to the survival of many families, but by the end of the nineteenth century, it was under threat of dying out as patronage ended and commercial demand declined.

In their fight against poverty in this town, the Sisters founded their own Lace School to revive the craft. The School kept the technique alive throughout the 20th century, rebuilding its high reputation and quality, which is known and respected all over the world.

In 1984, they assisted in the formation of the Carrickmacross Lace Co-operative, which maintains the tradition to this day. All that said, I don’t think they ever expected that their efforts would mean international media attention through Donald and Melania Trump!

But in all seriousness, without the Sisters, we most likely would have lost what is now one of Ireland’s greatest cultural assets, not to mention the economic lifeline it brought to the town throughout the years.

I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Pat Byrne, who has not only organised this event, but also made two documentaries to commemorate the history of the St. Louis Sisters, and Carrickmacross Lace. I know that Pat has put a huge amount of personal time and commitment into ensuring that this important part of County Monaghan’s rich heritage is protected and recorded. Thanks to Pat’s work, we have a record of their stories for present and future generations.

In closing, I would like to once again say ‘thank you’ to the St. Louis Sisters for the enormous contribution they have made to the town Your legacy will forever be woven into the story of Carrickmacross, County Monaghan and this wider region. We are deeply grateful everything you have done and continue to do.”

Brian Mohan then called on Pat Byrne, a school pal from national school days, to introduce his video documentary on the St Louis Sisters. It was the first of two DVDs he has recently produced, the other dealing with the history of Carrickmacross Lace.

Pat Byrne thanked Minister Humphreys for her support. He pointed out that she had been instrumental in getting the government to accept a piece of legislation drafted by local solicitor Tony Donagher and Professor John Wylie, a leading land law academic, as a result of his documentary on ground rent, “What’s next for Carrickmacross?”, presented by this reporter. “That bill was entered in the Seanad by Senator Robbie Gallagher, accepted by Minister Charlie Flanagan and received cross part support. The bill is now due to be entered into the Dail for its final stages. Hopefully we will have cause to celebrate this in the near future,” he said. He went on to thank Senator Robbie Gallagher for introducing the bill in the Seanad and Minister Humphreys for her continued support.

DOCUMENTING THE LIVES OF THE SISTERS

Pat Byrne explained: “When I started out on this project a few years ago, what I wanted to do was to document the Sisters going about their daily lives pictorially, such as a picture essay, with the view of having a photographic exhibition. But as time went by, I started to create video documentaries and to date with these two documentaries, it brings my total to six.”

“I approached Sister Marie Byrne with the idea of doing a video documentary; she agreed and asked if I would get a storyboard together on what I wanted and she would put it to the other Sisters.
All was agreed by the Sisters but we did not have a starting date. A short time later I received a phone call from Sister Marie saying that if I was going to do something I should “start as soon as possible because the Sisters would soon have to vacate the Convent building, because of electrical problems.”

The first interview was conducted in April last year, when Pat got Sister Marie Byrne to interview Sister Mary Jo Hand in the parlour of the Convent. The only other interview in the Convent was with Sister Ann Matthews in the oratory, who provided a perfect ending for the documentary.

Pat continued: “It was obvious the Sisters were going through a difficult time, so I put a hold on interviews and concentrated on gathering footage to complement the documentary. The remainder of the interviews happened in various locations from Monaghan to Dublin. I knew at some stage I was going to have to face the problems the Sisters faced in leaving the Convent.”

“There were a number of topics I had to deal with:

1. What was going to happen to the building? 2. Where were the Sisters going to live ?
3. Who owns the building? and so on.”

“I hope you like what I have put together in this edited short version of the documentary I am showing. Finally, I would like to thank the St Louis Sisters for their generosity and encouragement in allowing me to tell their story through difficult times. I hope that both documentaries will be viewed as an historical and social record of the Sisters’ time in Carrickmacross. There are a lot of people including the Sisters who encouraged me to create this documentary, I hope they are happy with what I have produced.”

HOW THE CONVENT WAS BUILT

The first video which includes spectacular aerial footage shot by Ken Finegan from Ardee using a drone was then shown to the audience.

Brian Mohan used the opportunity before the DVD started playing to delve into some 19thC newspaper reports around the time the original Convent building was being extended.

On 20^thApril 1889 The Dundalk Democrat carried a report on the new wing that was to be added to the Convent. It outlined how the good people of Carrickmacross put their own work in abeyance; got the stones, brick, sand and lime; placed themselves, their horses and carts at the disposal of the good nuns and delivered all to the site for the contractor.

“Not to be outdone by Carrickmacross, the people of Magheracloone sent horses and carts by the score to draw bricks from Kingscourt to the Convent. On hearing of this, brave old sterling Killanny stated that they would make a turn out for the new building that would astonish the natives. Donaghmoyne were eager to get in on the act and threatened to eclipse all other parishes.”

“So even then there was a rivalry between parishes to see which of them would perform the most work to lessen the expenses of a new building which the St Louis sisters found it necessary to erect for the efficient working of their schools. Obviously some things haven’t changed, with Killanny and Donaghmoyne still all talk and no action, and not a word from Corduff!” Mr Mohan said, prompting laughter amongst the audience.

Following the showing of the first documentary, a representative of the retired teachers at St Louis Secondary School, Chris Johnston, was invited to make a presentation to the sisters of a painting of the Convent by past pupil and Donaghmoyne native, Kate Beagan. Kathleen Tinnelly presented prints of the painting to Sr Maureen McShane for distribution to the other sisters. A bouquet of flowers was presented by former principal Art Agnew to Sr Enda McMullan. Sheila Murray presented Sr Hand with a book of well wishes.

HISTORY OF CARRICKMACROSS LACE

Introducing his second DVD entitled ‘200 Years of Carrickmacross Lace’, Pat Byrne explained that there was no way anyone could tell the story of the St Louis sisters without looking at Carrickmacross Lace and the involvement of the sisters in the lace industry. Carrickmacross Lace has a 200 year history, he said.

He continued: “I would like to thank Sister Enda McMullan for narrating the Carrickmacross Lace history, her help and support in this project was essential and apologise to her for cutting it in half in the edited version.

I am not going to spoil it on you by talking anymore about it only to say that the lace industry is still alive and thriving in Carrickmacross today. In the documentary I look at the different styles the lace has evolved into. Martha Hughes has developed her style into a unique 3D modern take on the lace and the way Theresa Kelly has taken her style of lace incorporating it with organic material. Its important that the lace continues to develop and grow. Elizabeth Daly Chairperson of the Carrickmacross Lace Gallery talks about the new gallery and their plans for the future and I wish them well.

Minister Humphreys was also interviewed for this documentary and a number of questions were asked of her in relation to the RDS Craft Fair, for the answers to those questions you will have to purchase the full version.

I would like to conclude by thanking everyone for coming out tonight and supporting this event along with the sponsors who contributed to the refreshments which will come later. To all the St. Louis Sisters, too many to mention. They all know who they are, but there are a number of sisters who should be thanked because without their input in the project none of us would be here tonight.

They are Sister Marie Byrne, Sister Mary Jo Hand, Sister Ann Matthews, Sister Bridin Maloney and Sister Enda McMullan.

There are a also a number of people I have bounced ideas off and have viewed and given constructive criticism that fed into the finished project. They are Sean Egan, Brian Mohan and Dr Rory and Teresa O’Hanlon. I would like to thank the staff of the Nuremore Hotel including PJ and Pat Dignam. This is not the first launch I have had in this hotel and hopefully there are more to come.

Thank you to Ken Finegan for his drone photography, thanks to Barry Jay Hughes for his music “Keystone”. To the people at the back of the hall that are selling the DVD’s thank you. When I asked them to do the job they never batted an eye they just said no problem, again thanks to each and everyone of you for that.

Thanks to PJ McCabe for the use of his Carrickmacross Lace and help with the opening scene and looking after the visitors’ book. Thanks to Liam Connolly on sound; he has always been supportive. Finally to my wife Marie for all her help and support with this project, I have no doubt that her input has also fed into this project for the better and I thank her for that.”

Before showing highlights of the second DVD on the history of Carrickmacross Lace (duration one hour), Brian Mohan introduced the group Starling Blue, consisting of Hannah O Brien, Liebe Kelly, Louise Steele and Patrice Doherty. Their unique acapella vocal sound has gained them much attention over the last number of years. One of the songs they performed was “The Parting Glass”.

He then explained that Martha Hughes, one of the leading figures in its recent revival, who was also interviewed for the documentary, was unable to be present owing to the death of her mother, Maddie Hughes, in Hollymount, Co. Mayo. He extended deepest sympathy to Martha and her family on behalf of everyone.

Mr Mohan again delved into the archives, explaining that in November 1964, Minister for Transport and Power and Monaghan TD Erskine Childers accompanied by Mr Ward from the National School and Mr (Pat) Drury, National School teacher, came to the Convent regarding Carrickmacross Lace. It was decided that classes for lace making directed by Miss Eithne Hughes would be held in the vocational school. He added that his own wife Gerladine had attended night classes at the vocational school, where she was taught lace making by Annie Finnegan. “Geraldine went on to make her wedding veil over an eighteen months period and it was featured on the front cover of a booklet issued by the Carrickmacross Lace Co-Op Society Ltd many years ago. Of course Geraldine was keeping up the century old royal tradition of having Carrickmacross lace incorporated in wedding dresses.”

He explained that the documentary was packed with history and interviews with lace makers, and how the tradition has been handed down from one generation to the next. “I sincerely hope that this tradition will continue for years to come,” he concluded.

Following the screening of the DVD, he called on Elizabeth Daly, Chairperson of Carrickmacross Lace Gallery, to make a presentation to Sr Enda McMullan on behalf of the Gallery, which he reminded everyone was now located in the restored Market House and they were welcome to visit.

Sr Marie Byrne expressed a heartfelt thanks to everyone on behalf of all the Sisters. It was good to see such large numbers had turned out and the night would be long remembered, she said. She thanked Minister Humphreys and Canon Patrick Marron (a native of Carrickmacross and now retired Parish Priest in Fintona, who had celebrated Mass in the Convent oratory) as well as the large cohort of retired teachers and Sisters and visitors who had come to upport the night. She thanked the sponsors for providing the reception.

“Pat Byrne has made an enormous contribution with his DVD. He was hard working and unobtrusive in his presence and it was a pleasure to work alongside him,” she said. The documentary had captured many reminiscences. Sr Marie thanked the people of Carrickmacross for always being so welcoming over the 130 years the nuns had been present at the Convent and caring for the Sisters. “It’s much appreciated,” she said.

Sr Marie thanked the retired teachers for the gift of the Kate Beagan painting, which she said was a delightful picture. :It will be treasured and have a special place in our (new) house,” she told the audience.

She also thanked the cantemus choir led by Lorraine Cotter, graduates of the musical tradition that existed at the St Louis Convent. Their repertoire ranges from haunting medieval to well-known standards, and from classical to rhythmic Celtic tunes.

SISTERS HAVE LEFT AN INDELIBLE STAMP ON COMMUNITY

Closing the proceedings, Brian Mohan thanked Sr Marie Byrne on behalf of the community of Carrickmacross, which he said had benefitted richly from the presence of the St Louis sisters. “May I take the opportunity to thank you all most sincerely for all that you have done and the indelible stamp you have left on so many people’s lives, who have reaped the rewards and benefits of your commitment to the education and betterment of people. He said the people of Carrickmacross were lucky to have someone like Pat Byrne in their midst and his documentaries had captured the essence of the nuns in the town. He hoped his work would stand the test of time for the next 100 years. He called on the Parish Priest of Carrickmacross, Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, to bring the proceedings to an end with a prayer. He said the spirit of the St Louis Sisters had been so closely woven into the fabric of the parish of Machaire Rois that, even when the physical manifestation of their presence had gone, their generous and benevolent spirit would continue to enrich the local community for many years to come. “There is a sadness in the parting, in the closing of a chapter, but also a deep sense of joy in what has been achieved, and an enduring sense of gratitude.”

Afterwards a collection was taken up for the St Louis missions in Africa, such as the communities in Ethiopia and Lagos in Nigeria, where the nuns are working with the survivors of human trafficking. It raised a total of €2270. Further report next week on the two DVDs by Ciarraige Productions which are now on sale at David O’Rourke’s in Carrickmacross and at the Lace Gallery for €20.

EUNICE AND THE ‘OTHER SISTER’

15/09/2018 by borderroamer

This story about Rosemary Kennedy contains extracts from a letter she wrote in 1940, the year before she underwent a lobotomy at the insistence of her father Joe. The writing is childlike but Rosemary’s bubbly personality shines through, just as it did in letters written in 1938 when my aunt Dorothy Smyth knew her in London.

EXIT ONLY

eunice young I could look at pictures of Eunice all day, hero that she was for trying to do for others what she couldn’t do at home. She was just 19 when sister Rosemary was lobotomized according to their father’s wishes. He didn’t even tell Rose he had ordered it done ’til the surgery was over and they realized to their horror that she would never again stand erect, never again write the kind of letter that appears below here. My mother and aunt owned and ran a girls’ camp called Fernwood and in the spring of 1940, Rose Kennedy asked to meet them in New York to talk about her 22-year-old ‘working’ there as a Junior Counselor. Mom used to say she should have known the minute Mrs. Kennedy arrived without her daughter that the girl was not as ‘able’ as Rose was leading them to believe and sure enough, her…

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JUDICIAL REVIEW

19/07/2017 by borderroamer

Notice on gate at entrance to farmland in Co. Meath along the route of proposed interconnector. Pic. © Michael Fisher

JUDICIAL REVIEW OF BORD PLEANÁLA DECISION ON ELECTRICITY INTERCONNECTOR

Anti-pylon campaigners representing landowners from Meath and part of Co. Monaghan are taking part in a court case in Dublin this week aimed at overturning the planning approval for the North-South electricity interconnector. An Bord Pleanála granted approval last December for the major infrastructure project involving almost 300 pylons and overhead high voltage wires running across countryside from the border at Lemgare, near Clontibret in Co.Monaghan, to a sub station at Woodland, near Batterstown in Co. Meath. EirGrid has said the overall cost of construction will be €286 million, €180m for the proposed development in the Republic and the balance for the shorter SONI section in Co. Armagh leading to a sub station at Turleenan near the Moy, Co. Tyrone.

In February the North East Pylon Pressure Campaign, which has led the opposition amongst landowners and residents to the 400kV overhead line since it was first proposed eight years ago, was granted leave to apply for a judicial review of the Bord Pleanála decision. The case is also in the name of Maura Sheehy, a farmer, of Teltown Road, Donaghpatrick, Co Meath, one of the hundreds of objectors who attended the lengthy public enquiry held in Carrickmacross last year.

As well as challenging An Bord Pleanála, the case is also against the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and the State. The developer, EirGrid, is a notice party. Nigel Hillis of the County Monaghan Anti Pylon Committee was among the interested observers at the Commercial Court on Tuesday when the hearing opened in front of Mr Justice Max Barrett.

High voltage electricity line and pylon. Pic. Michael Fisher

The court was told that in approving the development, An Bord Pleanála had failed to take into account the potential impact of the UK planning to leave the European Union. A lawyer for the applicants, Conleth Bradley SC, said the grounds of challenge included a failure by the Board to address properly the rights of the affected landowners as well as environmental issues and the implications of Brexit.

The judge will later hear two separate but similar challenges over the permission granted for the interconnector. They are being brought by David Malone, of Eurolaw Environmental Consultants, St Joseph’s Terrace, Portarlington, Co Laois, and Val Martin, a farmer and environmental campaigner of Gortnakesh, Co. Cavan. The case continues.

INTERCONNECTOR TIMELINE

22/12/2016 by borderroamer

High voltage line electricity pylon Pic. Michael Fisher

Plan for second interconnector goes back 14 years
Line has been designated by EU as one of 195 key energy infrastructure projects

Michael Fisher THE IRISH TIMES

Nearly 18 months ago EirGrid applied to build a high-capacity electricity interconnector between Dublin and Tyrone, the second between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
The proposed line stretches over approximately 135km, linking the existing transmission networks in both jurisdictions between an existing substation in Woodland, Co Meath, and one planned for Turleenan in Co Tyrone.

In the Republic the development, now approved by An Bord Pleanála, will pass through Monaghan, Cavan and Meath, requiring 299 steel lattice-style pylons, ranging from 26m to 51m in height, linked to an existing pylon line.
The line has been designated by the European Commission as one of 195 key energy infrastructure projects across the EU that have been dubbed as projects of common interest. Such projects, the Commission says, “are essential for completing the European internal energy market, and for reaching the EU’s energy policy objectives of affordable, secure and sustainable energy”.

The decision by An Bord Pleanála–- one that has come with conditions – followed a second oral hearing in a Carrickmacross hotel in Co Monaghan. It lasted 12 weeks, and was one of the longest such public inquiries in the State’s history. The plan for a second interconnector between the Republic and Northern Ireland goes back 14 years when an initial feasibility study was carried out on the possibility of building a 220KV line between Tyrone and Dublin.

However, as the peace process bedded down, plans became more ambitious, and a further North/South study was carried out in 2005, which this time investigated the potential and the need for a 275KV line. A year later the cross-Border interconnector that had been shut down during the Troubles following a bomb attack on pylons near Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was finally restored.
Information days
Meanwhile, approval was given for planning for a second line – one that had now grown to a 400KV plan – which saw EirGrid hold information open days in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. It launched an information telephone and email service in October 2007, though two years passed before it submitted a planning application to An Bord Pleanála under the Strategic Infrastructure Act.

Following a statutory consultation period, an oral hearing by An Bord Pleanála began in Carrickmacross in May 2010. However, it was brought to a sudden end within weeks, and Eirgrid withdrew the application.
The late Fine Gael councillor Owen Bannigan had revealed an error in EirGrid’s plans in the stated height of the proposed electricity pylons that would run across Monaghan on the 21st day of the oral hearing.
Two years later, Eirgrid’s then newly-appointed chief executive Fintan Slye told agendaNI magazine that a second North/South interconnector was “absolutely critical” for Northern Ireland’s future security of supply. In November 2014, EirGrid submitted its draft application file to Bord Pleanála for review. Four months later EirGrid republished its proposed line route, one that would form the basis of its planning application.
Alignment
The route plan followed a review of the December 2013 line design. The review resulted in some of the proposed tower locations being repositioned along the alignment, but the alignment itself was not changed. By June 2015, EirGrid was ready to place a public planning notice in newspapers, followed by the submission of an application shortly afterwards to the Strategic Infrastructure Division of An Bord Pleanála.
Ten weeks of public consultation followed, one that prompted 900 replies. Last January, Eirgrid offered to meet people in their homes or at one of their information offices or elsewhere to discuss their concerns.Throughout campaign groups in Monaghan and Meath have criticised the consultation, but most particularly EirGrid’s “insufficient attention” to alternatives.

Localised impacts
“In England they’re pulling down pylons; in Ireland we’re putting them up,” said one Meath resident. The final ruling from Bord Pleanála runs to 615 pages. In its conclusions the planning authority declares that it recognised that the pylons’ plan would “result in a limited number of localised impacts”. However, “having regard to the identified strategic need for the development”, the plan is in accordance with planning rules “subject to compliance with the mitigation measures” that the planning appeals board has laid down.

ANTI PYLON REACTION

21/12/2016 by borderroamer

Padraig O’Reilly NEPPC Pic.Michael Fisher

Anti-pylon action will dwarf Shell to Sea campaign, says NEPPC
Group says campaign against EirGrid will make Corrib protests ‘look like walk in park’

Michael Fisher THE IRISH TIMES

Anti-pylon sign in Co.Meath Pic. Michael Fisher

Campaigners have warned that the battle to stop the erection of hundreds of electricity pylons will make the Shell to Sea campaign “look like a walk in the park”.
Responding furiously to An Bord Pleanála’s decision to approve EirGrid’s plans to build a North South electricity interconnector, the North East Pylon Pressure Campaign (NEPPC) described it as “deplorable” and “an affront to democracy”.
Describing it as “biased”, Padraig O’Reilly, of the NEPPC, claimed it would only deepen public cynicism towards bureaucracy and intensify local opposition to the pylons.
However, he drew comfort from the fact that the project still has to navigate Northern Ireland’s planning system, while court battles will continue in both jurisdictions.
Woefully inadequate
A “viable, realistic and publicly acceptable option” to put much of the electricity line underground along public roads does exist, but it has never been properly examined, he went on. However, EirGrid had already decided on an overhead line and had put out, and awarded, a contract tender even before public consultation had taken place, he charged. EirGrid’s planning application was woefully inadequate and failed to contain enough information for an acceptable environmental study, he claimed.

Meanwhile, the utility had not accessed 75 per cent of the lands proposed for the 300 pylon towers and had communicated with only 5 per cent of the landowners, he added.
The planning decision ignores these deficiencies and heralds the end of An Bord Pleanála’s status in the public eye as an objective, independent decision-making body, he continued.

However, the anti-pylon group insists that there is still time for EirGrid to be ordered by Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten to place the lines underground. “If political action is not taken, this project will make the Shell to Sea debacle look like a walk in the park. The will of the people will prevail,” said the NEPPC.

Meanwhile, opponents in Monaghan are equally determined in their opposition, saying An Bord Pleanála had “waved the application through”. “It’s a bad day for the Irish planning system,” said Nigel Hillis, who was particularly critical of the decision to issue such a finding so close to Christmas.

Monaghan County Council chairman PJ O’Hanlon described it as “very unfortunate” and supported calls for an emergency council meeting early in January.
There, councillors – who are all united against the pylon plan – will, he said, examine the ruling in detail and look at ways to oppose it.

Opponents in Northern Ireland remain hopeful that the planning authorities there will make a different decision when they rule on the pylon plan.
“We are disappointed at this ruling by An Bord Pleanála,” said a spokesperson for the campaign group, Safe Electricity Armagh and Tyrone (SEAT).

DANNY MURPHY RIP

10/12/2016 by borderroamer

Danny Murphy Pic. Ulster GAA

DEATH OF GAA ULSTER COUNCIL SECRETARY

Northern Standard Thursday 8th December

The GAA in Ulster is mourning the loss of the Ulster Council Secretary and Chief Executive Danny Murphy, who died yesterday (Wednesday) at the age of 67. He stood down from his role earlier this year because of ill health but was to remain in the post until February 2017. Mr Murphy’s funeral Mass will take place today Saturday 10th December at 12 noon in St Mary’s Church, Burren, near Newry. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Past President of the Ulster Council Martin McAviney from Ballybay said Danny had acted as a mentor to him in his thirty years’ involvement with the Council. He paid tribute to Mr Murphy who he said was a personal friend and had travelled with him to many places throughout the province on GAA business.

“He was a man of absolute honesty and integrity. He had the foresight to bring the Ulster Council to a whole new level in the sporting world, in areas such as coaching, protection issues and above all his role in the peace process since the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998. He was able to bring everyone with him when it came to taking initiatives. His legacy is that there is now a structure in place in Ulster GAA that is fit for purpose in the modern era”, he said.

Mr McAviney said the late Mr Murphy had a good knowledge of legal issues such as ownership of property. He also knew the fine details of the GAA rule book. He continued: “My last duty as President of the Ulster Council was to accompany Danny at the grounds awards last year. He was a guiding light for many people at club level. He was a very fair man, who always did things by getting agreement on them. His belief was that the only way of going forward was to ask people to take ownership of projects”.

The esteem in which he was held by other sports can be judged by the responses from organisations such as Ulster Rugby and the Irish Football Association. Irish FA Chief Executive Patrick Nelson said: “I got to know Danny very well and I enjoyed working with him. I was often able to count on his wise counsel.

“He was keen for the various sporting organisations in Northern Ireland to work together to improve facilities for all sports.”

The North’s First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said in a statement: “Danny Murphy made a colossal contribution to sport over many years and his death will leave a massive void. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

SDLP South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said: “Danny was a powerful force for reconciliation on the island of Ireland, and between Britain and Ireland. He made an enormous contribution to the professionalism of the GAA in Ulster.

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Comhairle Uladh, Michael Hasson said: “It was with profound sadness that we heard of Danny’s passing. We know that this sorrow is felt by all Gaels in Ulster, Ireland and throughout the wider GAA world. Danny was an outstanding leader who provided unstinting dedication to the GAA in Ulster for over 35 years. His contribution to every aspect of the GAA, from his initial involvement with St Mary’s GAC, Burren, his beloved County Down and his immense commitment to Comhairle Uladh brought unprecedented success to every unit of the Association he was involved in.”

ONLY ONE WIMBLEDON FC

09/12/2016 by borderroamer

Six years ago I published this article with my views on Franchise. The clubs did not face each other that year as MK lost in the FA Cup first round. They did come up against each other in the Cup in 2012 with MK wining at home 2-1. How things have changed in the intervening period. On Saturday the Milton Keynes lot will take on AFC Wimbledon at their home place some sixty miles from Wimbledon. This time the sides are meeting in League One and the Real Dons are higher up the table than the other lot. So I will go there on Saturday to follow my team on the basis that they deserve our support especially after their recent successes. But I will contribute as little as I can in terms of spending at the MK base.

AFC Wimbledon Supporters Pic: Michael Fisher

November 10th 2010: There’s Only One Wimbledon FC

Anyone who knows me will realise I am a Wimbledon supporter. That includes Hot Press readers thanks to Eamonn McCann’s article in the latest edition. The conversation sometimes starts along the lines of “you mean MK Dons?”. It’s a phrase I and many others cannot bear mentioning because of the way a once proud football club which won the FA Cup thanks to Lawrie Sanchez in 1988 v Liverpool was allowed by the football authorities to fold and move some sixty miles away to Buckinghamshire. There were plans at the time for the club to transfer to my home town of Dublin (or possibly even Belfast where I live). But I would not have gone to watch them in either place as I could not regard them as Wimbledon FC. I have followed the Dons since their days as amateurs in the Isthmian League. For me, their first major success was in winning the FA Amateur Cup final at Wembley in 1963 when they beat local rivals Suttton United 4-2.

UPDATE: ***Sutton United have been drawn at home to AFC Wimbledon in the 3rd round of the 2017 FA Cup next month***

Fast forward to the FA Cup 2nd round draw live on ITV on Sunday (November 7th 2010), presented by Jim Rosental, with whom I used to work in BBC Radio Birmingham. In fact I persuaded him to add to the station’s coverage of six league clubs by reporting a “minor match of the day”. I was motivated by the fact that Wimbledon were in the Southern League premier division at the time (1975) and the very first match of the new season was Nuneaton (at the edge of the station’s area) versus Wimbledon. The Dons won and Jim back-announced my report by saying “Mike Fisher, bit of a Wimbledon supporter himself”! Sunday’s draw has produced the possibility of a tie between AFC Wimbledon and the franchise outfit. But first both sides have to win replays. Headlines in some media have portrayed this as a glamour tie and one which the TV companies would no doubt seek to cover. But judging by the mood on the ground as expressed in blogs and on twitter, many AFCW fans would prefer such a clash not to happen. As a founder member of the Dons Trust I agree. AFC Wimbledon are not yet ready to meet the club that stole the Wimbledon heritage and wrapped themselves up in the comforts of league status. AFCW have started from scratch, even going back to the roots at Wimbledon Common where they began trials for players. Now the club is at an exciting stage, contenders for promotion to the Football League. But I would be glad enough to meet MK when we get there, in another year or two and who knows, maybe they will even be relegated to division two. So my first thoughts are that I will be delighted to see either Stevenage or Ebbsfleet or even both of them progress in the Cup. I will return to this issue after the replays.

If it does turn out to be AFCW v MK Dons then the club I am sure will be very professional in its response, as indicated in the statement at [new window] http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . However the real fans will have to decide. Do they boycott the game (which would mean the club would lose badly needed revenue) or if they do attend, how do they behave towards the visitors? Various options have been discussed so far, but I think that if this fixture is held, then my best approach as a season ticket holder would be to purchase a ticket and then not go to the game or else attend but not take a place on the terrace or in the stand. Anyway the 1st round replays have to be held before the Dons fans face what could be some difficult choices. Neutrals have a lot of sympathy for them and nothing must be done by supporters at Kingsmeadow that would alienate the wider soccer fraternity.

PARTY FOR THE LATE SIR JACK

08/12/2016 by borderroamer

Monaghan County Museum Curator Liam Bradley with Antonia Leslie, Eimear Quinn and Tarka Leslie-King Pic. Michael Fisher

TRIBUTE TO SIR JACK LESLIE ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 100^th BIRTHDAY

Michael Fisher Northern Standard Thursday 8th December 2016 p.14

It was just what Sir Jack ordered. A party, not a wake, with champagne (prosecco) and orange, tea and coffee, sandwiches and cake. A time to remember this remarkable character who died just eight months short of his 100^th birthday, after a colourful life of 36,305 days. He passed away in April aged 99 a few months after he had received France’s highest honour, the Légion d’honneur, for his part in the defence of that country in the Second World War. Four generations of the Leslie family were around him when he passed away peacefully. The magnolia trees were in bloom as the horse-drawn hearse carrying his remains made its way along the driveway at Castle Leslie to his final resting place outside the walls of St Salvator’s church, where Catholic members of the Leslie family are buried.

At Monaghan Museum video footage of the funeral was shown. Mark and Antonia Leslie helped to carry the remains. Tarka King read a message of sympathy from the Brigade of Guards. On Monday night the family members gathered again for what Curator Liam Bradley said was an evening of remembrance and celebration. He described Sir Jack as a very wonderful man and said he had got to know him well in the last few years.

Tuesday 6^th December would have been Sir Jack’s 100^th birthday. Before he died he had asked for an evening to remember him in a cheerful way and definitely not a sombre mood. His was a life well lived. Liam Bradley then introduced Sir Jack’s niece and two nephews to share their memories of the fourth Baronet of Glaslough and Pettigo. They were followed by former Eurovision Eimear Quinn from Carrickmacross, who sang a medley of songs chosen from different times of the past one hundred years marking different events in Jack’s life.

Tarka Leslie King said his uncle Jack was an example of bravery. From his mother (Anita) he learned that Jack had a really bad start in life when at the age of three he developed an ear mastoid that meant he sometimes screamed with the pain. Anita and Jack became very close. He was younger than her.

Tarka recalled: “When mother died in 1985 he (Jack) was bereft because he had lost his main pillar of support who was always there for him even when he was in the prisoner of war camp (during the Second World War) and they corresponding with letters. Then when she died he was alone in Italy and did not quite know where he was going with himself. He came home and he was given another start and became the Jack the Boyo that we all got to know from the 1990s onwards. He had an inner strength from that really tough start.”

Antonia Leslie said in the last five months of her uncle’s life she had the privilege of being his full time carer. She got to know him as he deteriorated. “Being with him 24/7 over that time as he went downhill he really opened up to me in a way that touched me”, she said. He was great with people telling stories. She went on: “I realised he was a special gorgeous man which he really didn’t know he was. He was one of the sweetest individuals I have ever come across.”

Mark Leslie with Eimear Quinn and Monaghan County Museum Curator Liam Bradley Pic. Michael Fisher

Mark Leslie curated the exhibition on ‘Castle Leslie: Between Two Worlds’ which is now at the Castle in Glaslough. He also redesigned the Monaghan Museum displays in 2004. He told the gathering it was a great honour and an opportunity to thank the people of the county for the wonderful role they had played in Jack’s life. “He was bereft when complications meant he had to abandon his wonderful home in Italy. When he returned here his sister who he adored had died.”

He went on: “Everyone in the room has their own personal Jack story. He knew so much about people. But how did he stay so young and keep his mind so clear? The secret was he never did all the things that trammel our brains like a 9-5 job or got married or rear children. He had his whole hard drive clear for people. He just collected them and filed them away and would remember everything about those he met and their genealogy. We always called him Jack-apedia. When he returned to Ireland he had come back to die. He had lost his purpose in life, his sister and his house in Rome. The craic and fun he got out of the people of Monaghan gave him another 25 rip-roaring years, the best years of his life, whether it was at a disco at The Squealing Pig or supporting Glaslough Villa FC. Monaghan people are great craic and they kept him endlessly amused with a whole supply of stories about the past because he would remember your great grandmother or great aunt or whatever. Well done and thank you to the people of Monaghan for making the last 25 years of his life such a laugh.”

Miniature of Lt John (Jack) Leslie in Irish Guards uniform (courtesy of Mark Leslie)

Eimear Quinn’s Medley consisted of eight songs that reflected different periods in Jack’s life. A beautiful note on which to finish the evening.

1. The West’s Asleep by Thomas Davis

When all beside a vigil keep,

The West’s asleep, the West’s asleep-

Alas! and well may Erin weep,

When Connaught lies in slumber deep.

There lake and plain smile fair and free,

‘Mid rocks-their guardian chivalry-

Sing oh! let man learn liberty

From crashing wind and lashing sea…

And if, when all a vigil keep,

The West’s; asleep, the West’s asleep-

Alas! and well may Erin weep,

That Connaught lies in slumber deep.

But-hark! -some voice like thunder spake:

“The West’s awake, the West’s awake’-

Sing oh! hurra! let England quake,

We’ll watch till death for Erin’s sake!”

2. Rossmore’s Demesne (Dúchas Schools Collection Threemilehouse Vol. 0593 p.358-90)

“As I went a-walking

And for pleasure did rove

Down by Rossmore’s castle

And down by the grove

I s[ied a wee charmer

So neatly stepped she,

On the banks of yon river

Near the weeping ash tree.”

Eimear Quinn Pic. Michael Fisher

3. Abide with Me (sung at times of sympathy)

“Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me…

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see—

O Thou who changest not, abide with me…

I need Thy presence every passing hour;

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.”

4. Someone to Watch Over Me (Gershwin)

“I’m a little lamb who’s lost in a wood

I know I could always be good

To one who’ll watch over me

Although I/he may not be the man some girls think of

As handsome to my heart

She/he carries the key

Won’t you tell her/him please to put on some speed

Follow my lead, oh how I need

Someone to watch over me.”

5. Lili Marlene (made popular by Vera Lynn during WWII and sung by Eimear against a WWI backdrop from the current exhibition at the Museum)

“Underneath the lantern

By the barrack gate

Darling I remember

The way you used to wait

‘Twas there that you whispered tenderly

That you loved me

You’d always be

My Lili of the lamplight

My own Lili Marlene…

Resting in our billet

Just behind the line

Even though we’re parted

Your lips are close to mine

You wait where that lantern softly gleamed

Your sweet face seems

To haunt my dreams

My Lili of the lamplight

My own Lili Marlene

My Lili of the lamplight

My own Lili Marlene.”

6. Libiamo from La Traviata

“Let’s enjoy the wine and the singing,

the beautiful night, and the laughter.

Let the new day find us in this paradise.”

7. I Feel Love (reflecting Jack;s love of ‘boom-boom’ music)

Ooh it’s so good, it’s so good

It’s so good, it’s so good

It’s so good

Ooh I’m in love, I’m in love,

I’m in love, I’m in love

I’m in love

Ooh I feel love, I feel love

I feel love, I feel love

I feel love.

8. O Holy Night!

“O Holy Night!

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees

Oh hear the angel voices

Oh night divine

Oh night when Christ was born

Oh night divine

Oh night divine”.

Eimear Quinn Pic. Michael Fisher

SIR JOHN LESLIE Bart born December 6th 1916, died April 8th 2016 (extracts from a Daily Telegraph obituary)

John Norman Ide Leslie, always known as Jack, was born on December 6th 1916 in New York where his father Shane, a writer, diplomat, convert to Rome, and supporter of John Redmond’s moderate nationalist party had gone to counter Irish-Americans trying to keep the United States out of the war. Jack’s mother, born Marjorie Ide, was a well-connected American whose father had been governor general of the Philippines.

Young Jack caught the Spanish Flu in the epidemic of 1918 and was given up for dead when his temperature reached 106. His father, he recalled, asked the nuns next door to pray for him; that night his mother woke with a start to find his temperature had returned to normal. Soon afterwards, however, he developed a mastoid that left him deaf in his left ear.

Jack was almost three when in 1919 he and his elder sister Anita were brought back by their parents to Castle Leslie, to be received by his grandfather, Sir John Leslie, 2nd Bt, and his American wife Leonie, whose sister Jennie was the mother of Winston Churchill. The Leslies had lost their eldest son Norman in the Great War, making Jack the ultimate heir apparent to the title and the vast estates that went with it. But his parents were based in London and, apart from blissful holidays in Ireland, it was there that Jack was brought up.

“My world was populated by lords and ladies,” he recalled, “and naturally I believed that they were the people who ruled England and the enormous British Empire. Although our cousin Winston Churchill was Chancellor of the Exchequer, I thought the House of Commons was a purely advisory committee.” By this time (aged 15) he was at school at Downside. At Magdalene College, Cambridge, he rowed in the college VIII and joined the officer training corps. On graduation in 1938 he was commissioned in the Irish Guards and enjoyed a short period as a “Deb’s delight” before war intervened.

Ordered to cross to Boulogne after the German invasion of Holland in May 1940, Leslie’s platoon were rendered helpless when their bullets bounced off the advancing German tanks. They surrendered and were marched across Germany to a prisoner of war camp in Bavaria, Leslie spent the rest of the war in captivity.

On release, he returned to civilian life. His grandparents had died and he found himself the major shareholder in the company that owned Castle Leslie. Having planted thousands of trees on the demesne, he embarked on a peripatetic life in Britain, continental Europe and the United States.

In 1953 Leslie settled in Rome in a 16th century house he had restored in Trastevere. As a connoisseur of art, Leslie found much to enjoy in Rome, and as a devout Catholic he relished its religious life and was a pillar of the Order of Malta. He restored an ancient monastery and was rewarded with a papal knighthood.

He returned in 1994 to live in Castle Leslie, which was by then being run by his niece Sammy. In 2001 he celebrated his 85th birthday by travelling to Ibiza to party at Privilege, then the world’s biggest nightclub. In 2006 at the age of 90 Leslie drew on his great memory to write his autobiography, ‘Never a Dull Moment’. In November last year he was among Irish veterans of the Second World War whom the French government appointed to the Légion d’ honneur at a ceremony at the French embassy in Dublin.

GYPROC PLASTERBOARD RECYCLING

07/12/2016 by borderroamer

PLASTERBOARD RECYCLING SERVICE LAUNCHED BY GYPROC AT KINGSCOURT PLANT

INVESTMENT OF €1.5m IN MAJOR SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

Michael Fisher Northern Standard Thursday 8th December p.6

Dick Clerkin, Health Safety Environment & Quality Manager, Gyproc Kingscourt Pic. Michael Fisher

Plasterboard manufacturer Gyproc has announced Ireland’s first plasterboard recycling service for its construction industry customers. In a major sustainability initiative involving an investment of €1.5 million, Gyproc will recover leftover plasterboard waste from across the island for recycling at its plant outside Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. The new service will offer customers a legal and cost-effective means of disposing of their plasterboard waste. Currently the dumping of such waste at landfill sites is illegal.

Gyproc is the market leader in plaster, plasterboard and drylining systems. Over the next ten years it hopes to recycle half a million tonnes of plasterboard, enough to fill Croke Park one and a half times over. The investment will bring the number of people employed at Kingscourt to 220, a 20% expansion over the past two years. The company is the only manufacturer of plaster and plasterboard in Ireland. The majority of employees live in the surrounding area.

On arrival at the plant it is clear that the top priority in all areas is safety. The company has an excellent record. Vigilance ensures that around 5000 days have passed with no accidents. One of the people who helps them ensure that regulations are adhered to such as the wearing of protective equipment, high-vizibility jackets and shoes is former Monaghan county footballer Dick Clerkin, who is Environmental, Health Safety and Quality Manager. The profitability of the company and the quality of the product are the other main concerns.

Brian Dolan, Managing Director of Gyproc, explained: “We’re very proud to be the first and only plasterboard manufacturer in the country to offer recycling of our products on the island. As a market leader in this sector we are determined to be at the forefront of innovation in new products and services, and in the sustainability and environmental benefits of those services.”

“The new recycling service we’re launching will help to secure local employment into the future by providing additional supplies of a diminishing raw material, namely gypsum rock. All our plasterboard is manufactured in Kingscourt, and we source gypsum from our Drummond mine in Magheracloone, Co. Monaghan, so the connection to the local economy and community is very important to us.”

Manufacturing Manager Fergus Robinson and Operations Manager Darragh Monaghan explained how Gyproc had developed a cost-effective process to take back and recycle the plasterboard waste in the manufacturing process.

They said waste management was a priority for Gyproc in Ireland. From initial design to on-site testing, through to manufacturing and installation the company always believed that effective waste management made good environmental and business sense. A plasterboard recycling service (PRS) customer team is available to set up new accounts, order additional services and answer questions about the service.

The company is part of the St Gobain group, based in France. As a manufacturing company, Gyproc helps to build the environments that are an essential part of everyday life, from schools to hospitals, businesses to homes. Minimising the impact construction projects have on the environment is an important part of the firm’s activities. According to the management, the most effective way to encourage best practice, is to make the building process sustainable for business and sustainable for the environment.

Fergus Robinson said that over many years, Gyproc have committed significant time and resources to ensure they achieve high standards of environmental sustainability, to the point where they now recycle over 97% of the waste produced from their own manufacturing process. To match this internal commitment, the plasterboard off-cut recycling service will help the construction industry reduce its impact on the environment.

The process has been designed from the contractor’s perspective, to minimise processing time and maximise simplicity. Depending on preference, the company through its sub-contractor Allied Recycling can provide a number of different size blue skips to collect the plasterboard off-cuts (14, 25 & 40 yard skips) and collect them from a building site at convenient times. The process is flexible and reliable, and can be scaled up or down to suit any construction project.

The Gyproc system records the total tonnage of waste of plasterboard off-cuts for a project and the average weight per skip, allowing builders to see the financial savings compared to less environmentally sound options. The company stresses that the collected skips must contain only Gyproc plasterboard off-cuts. Any other materials such as metal, timber or non Gyproc manufactured materials will result in a contamination charge being levied at a rate of €160 a tonne.

With over 12,000 employees across 135 sites in 56 countries, St Gobain has an extensive global network combined with in-depth knowledge of local markets. This gives clients immediate access to international best practice in their interior building systems and solutions. They say they value and invest in long-term customer relationships and train 20,000 staff each year, so that building contractors can continue to rely on the integrity of their people, products and processes.

At Kingscourt there is a purpose-built Academy where quality controls can be carried out and where dry liners and plasterers can be trained in working with the latest products. The St Gobain Academy along with one in Dublin offers courses to up-skill and educate trade professionals, merchant staff and customers in all aspects of Gyproc’s range of products and their application in accordance with current construction techniques and standards. All courses are presented by experienced personnel. The facilities include dedicated product display areas and working areas for hands-on practical plastering and plasterboard system demonstrations.

Gypsum board, commonly known as drywall, is the technical product name used by manufacturers for a specific board with a gypsum core and a paper facing. It is the premier building material for wall, ceiling, and partition systems in residential, institutional, and commercial structures and is designed to provide a monolithic surface when joints and fastener heads are covered with a joint treatment system. One principal advantage of gypsum board over plywood, hardboard, and fiberboard is its strong fire resistance.

To produce gypsum board, calcined gypsum is mixed with water and additives to form a slurry which is fed between continuous layers of paper on a board machine. As the board moves down a conveyor line, the calcium sulfate recrystallizes or rehydrates, reverting to its original rock state. The paper becomes chemically and mechanically bonded to the core. The board is then cut to length and conveyed through dryers to remove any free moisture.

Gyproc has been manufacturing in Ireland since 1936. Their products have been used in many of the biggest and most prestigious commercial building projects on the island of Ireland including the National Convention Centre, Titanic Belfast, the Bord Gais Energy Theatre and the landmark Terminal Two at Dublin Airport.

Minister Heather Humphreys said she was delighted to see Gyproc’s new recycling service being launched. “It will deliver economic and environmental benefits both for the sector and for the local community in Cavan and Monaghan. The company has gone from strength to strength, and it’s great to see a local business success story that is leading the way in sustainability and environmental innovation”, she said.

Caoimghín Ó Caoláin TD of Sinn Féin said: “I very much welcome the announcement by Gyproc Kingscourt of the new plaster board off-cut recycling service. This represents a significant investment, is job creative and environmentally important. Well done to all concerned.”

Fianna Fáil Deputy Niamh Smyth also congratulated the company and said the investment would create much needed jobs in Kingscourt. “I know it will see the company recover leftover plasterboard, before recycling it in its Kingscourt facility. The dumping of plasterboard in landfills is illegal. This too can only benefit the environment, in my view”, she said.

Deputy Smyth concluded: “This is a very exciting day for Kingscourt and Drummond and the local economy in general. It follows the opening of a major SuperValu store in Kingscourt a few weeks ago which, will also create and sustain much need employment in the town.”

CARER OF THE YEAR

06/12/2016 by borderroamer

CARRICKMACROSS TALENTS AND SERVICES REWARDED

Michael Fisher Northern Standard Thursday 8th December

Over the past fortnight the achievements of Carrickmacross people, businesses and services have received recognition at national level. A local lady Leona Goodman was named as Carer of the Year by a home care company. A local dental team led by Dr Bernie Fee was in the finals for best dental practice in Ireland. University entrance awards and scholarships were presented to some local students. A local business Celtic Pure from Corcreagh founded by Pauric and Pauline McEneaney received another gold medal in London for its sparkling water. Each has a success story to tell and congratulations goes out to all of them.

LEONA GOODMAN NAMED AS CARER OF THE YEAR

Michael Fisher Northern Standard Thursday 8th December

(L-R) Bríd Gould, MD Comfort Keepers, Carer of the Year Leona Goodman from Carrickmacross and Marty Morrissey, RTÉ, who presented the award.

When Marty Morrissey called Leona Goodman to the stage at the Croke Park conference centre in Dublin recently, she says she was left temporarily speechless. The Carrickmacross woman had been named as Carer of the Year in a national competition run by home care providers Comfort Keepers. She received the award in recognition of her work with older people in Monaghan, Cavan and North Meath. She was ranked highest among the 1500 carers employed by the company. At the same event Rosanna Martin from Ballybay was crowned the company’s Employee of the Year.

Leona told the Northern Standard the award came as a total shock. She was “very touched and overwhelmed” when her name was called out. The award was handed to her in the presence of her two daughters, Kelsey and Laura.

Leona lives in Magheraboy on the outskirts of Carrickmacross and is a former pupil of St Louis National School and Secondary School. Her husband Brendan hails from Killanny and is a carpenter working in England, who will return home shortly for Christmas. They were married in New York where they spent four years before returning to Ireland. For many years Leona worked in the Post Office when it was situated at Main Street in Carrickmacross.

She has been working as a carer for some fifteen years, the last two with Comfort Keepers, based in Ardee. She said she loves her job, which brings her into contact with between four and six clients daily within a fifteen miles radius of Carrick, including Corduff, Lisdoonan and Inniskeen.

There are seven other carers in the same team and Leona was anxious that they all got a mention: Charlie, Carla, Lola, Rosemary, Mary, Martina and Geraldine. All providing care to elderly people in the area that enables them to stay in their own homes. The carer is sometimes the person who enables these people (aged between 75 and over 90) to remain in touch with the local community and what’s happening in the outside world, according to Leona.

“Leona has won the hearts of the people she cares for and the colleagues she works with,” said Bríd Gould, Managing Director of Comfort Keepers. “She’s a woman who truly believes in the value of care and is a strong advocate within the caring industry. She doesn’t just believe that her clients need the best care she can provide, but she also believes in the value and knowledge her clients bring into her life.”

Since 2005, Comfort Keepers has been helping people in Ireland and has always sought to ensure that all of its work practices exceed the expectations of both the state and those cared for. It remains unique in being the only home care provider to have been awarded the Q Mark, ISO9001, and Healthmark accreditations for the quality of care and the systems used to support its delivery.

“This is the sixth time we have run these awards,” Bríd Gould continued. “The reason we keep doing it is that our people keep doing the extraordinary. So extraordinary that their colleagues, clients and managers just have to nominate them. So my personal congratulations to everyone who was nominated and to all of our regional winners”, she said.

All of Comfort Keepers’ carers are insured, monitored and are required to undergo Garda vetting. The firm provides ongoing support during their training and in their day-to-day roles. Staff in the management team come from a nursing or social care background to ensure superior care is provided to customers.