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

ORGAN DONATION WEEK

27/03/2015 by borderroamer

Kevin Hickey from Monaghan and other transplant recipients with Donor Awareness Ambassador Mary Kennedy at the launch in Dublin Photo © Conor McCabe Photography

ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS WEEK LAUNCHED IN DUBLIN

Northern Standard Thursday 26th March 2015

UCD law student Kevin Hickey, aged 22, from the Cootehill Road in Monaghan is among 3000 people in Ireland enjoying extended life as a result of organ transplantation. This is his story:

Born with a crippling defect in my heart muscle, I was gravely ill as a baby and under the care of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. Following a relative stabilisation of my condition, I went on to live what I believed was a relatively normal, healthy existence. However, in January of 2014 my health nosedived. I presented myself to hospital in late January of that year and didn’t emerge from inpatient care until mid-April, by which time I had received a heart transplant at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

My end-stage deterioration was swift and brutal, culminating in exhaustion and my heart being unable to function to any satisfactory degree without the assistance of invasive devices. So grave was my position that, by late February, I was placed on the waiting list for a transplant. My decline continued rather swiftly from that point forth, incorporating blood clots amongst other hugely painful events.

My survival chances were grim with medical thinking being that, without a transplant, my life expectancy was abysmal – less than 50% chance of lasting a year and less than 5% likelihood of making it to 27 years of age.

In late March, just as my condition was at an extremely low point, I received word from the wonderful Transplant Team in the Mater Hospital that a heart might be available. Following an excruciating wait one Saturday evening, including a battery of tests, it was agreed that the heart was a match. The operation could go ahead.

In the absence of organ donation, I would most likely not be here today. Not only would my existence be unlikely, it is unquestionable that my standard of living has improved immensely. I feel better now than I have done my entire life – a sense of energy that I never enjoyed with my old heart.

Organ donation has provided me with the gift of life, as it has done for many others. What we must do now is encourage the message of its merits to be spread. It is truly the most generous thing a person can possibly do – whether said person is a loved one agreeing that the organs of a clinically dead loved-one be donated or the extremely selfless act that is living organ donation.

The gift of life is something that is required all too often. Even in our locality at present, there is a beautiful baby from Corcaghan under the care of Our Lady’s Hospital as she awaits a life saving heart transplant.

I cannot begin to thank all of the people in my life who have assisted me over this period, ranging from my wonderful family and friends to the fantastic medical staff in the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Of course, it is to the donor family whom I will never know that I must express the greatest gratitude.

The Mater Hospital in Dublin conducted a record number of heart and lung transplant operations in 2014. It was also a record year for kidney transplants for children and more living donor kidney transplants were carried out last year than ever before.

Kevin Hickey attended the launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week by the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar T.D. at the Mansion House in Dublin on Monday. A life saving awareness campaign organised by the Irish Kidney Association will begin on Saturday and continues until 4th April. During the week IKA volunteers will be distributing organ donor cards and selling ‘forget-me-not flower’ emblems in towns and villages throughout the country.

In his address at the national launch, Mr Varadkar said, “an organ transplant can make an enormous difference to a patient, and to the lives of those around them. That’s why Organ Donor Awareness Week is an important annual event. Although Ireland has a reasonable strong record on organ donation, I would like to see our rates rise to levels seen in other European countries. In 2014 the number of deceased donors was lower than in 2013, but we performed well in terms of maximising the number of organs that were transplanted. A total of 251 transplants were performed thanks to the generosity of 63 deceased donors and 40 living donors. Last year I launched a new scheme to reimburse the expenses of living donors. And additional funding of almost €3m has been provided to the HSE’s Organ Donation and Transplant Office to develop the most appropriate infrastructure for organ donation and transplantation. This includes for 19 whole-time-equivalent staff dedicated to organ donation and transplantation across the country”.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of heart transplantation and the 10th anniversary of lung transplantation at the Mater Hospital.

Irish Kidney Association Monaghan Branch Members Margaret McCague (Scotstown) and Martin Thornton with Donor Awareness Ambassador Mary Kennedy (right) Photo © Conor McCabe Photography

COUNCILLORS OPPOSE GAMING OUTLETS

26/03/2015 by borderroamer

Ground floor unit in Carrickmacross proposed for conversion into a private members gaming club Photo: © Michael Fisher

COUNCILLORS CONTINUE TO OPPOSE GAMBLING OUTLETS

Michael Fisher

All six Councillors in the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District have again highlighted their opposition to a proposed private members gaming club in Carrickmacross. A fortnight ago planners in Monaghan County Council put on hold an application by Carrick Gold Mine Ltd to set up a private gaming club in a vacant commercial unit off Main Street, beside the car park at the rear of the Shopping Centre at Drummond Etra.

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney MD Councillors PJ O’Hanlon, Aidan Campbell, Colm Carthy and Padraig McNally Photo © Michael Fisher

The applicants said the proposed use of the premises would be for a professionally managed Private Members Gaming Club. It would provide card games like Baccarat and other games like Texas Holdem etc “for groups of dedicated card players”. It would the Club’s intention to have weekly Poker tournaments, some of which would be for local sports teams and associations, according to the letter. The club’s facilities would be open to members only, who must be over eighteen.

Planning officials have requested additional information about a number of aspects and have given the applicants six months to reply to the Council.

Cllr Jackie Crowe (SF), Cathaoirleach Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District Council Photo: © Michael Fisher

The March meeting of the Municipal District Council held in Carrickmacross and chaired by Cllr Jackie Crowe heard from District Co-Ordinator Cathal Flynn that because of a loophole in current legislation, there was nothing the District Council could do to prevent the operation of such a club, if the application was approved. Councillor Padraig McNally asked for Standing Orders to be suspended so that he could ask a question seeking additional information, following last month’s decision to write to the Minister for Justice, asking for local authorities to be able to introduce bye-laws that would prohibit gaming facilities, including gaming clubs. He was told that the Council had received a letter from the office of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., last week. It informed Councillors that the government had approved the general scheme of the Gambling Control Bill in July 2013. The scheme was currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, awaiting legal drafting. A copy has been made available on the Department’s website. The letter, signed by the Minister’s Private Secretary, said that upon enactment of this proposed legislation, the Minister would assume the sole regulatory function as relates to all forms of gambling, with the exception of the National Lottery. It was not possible to indicate at this point when the Bill is likely to be published, according to the Minister’s Office.

Cllr Padraig McNally (FF) Photo © Michael Fisher

Councillor McNally said this letter should be circulated to local Deputies and they should be asked to help speed up the process of bringing the Bill through the Dáil, so as to ensure this planning application would come under the remit of any new gambling legislation.

Cllr PJ O’Hanlon (FF) Photo: © Michael Fisher

His party colleague Councillor PJ O’Hanlon said they would do everything in their power through the Council to stop such private members clubs. As public representatives they had a role and a function to represent the views of people on the ground.

Cllr Colm Carthy Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillor Colm Carthy said a number of local businesses and residents in Carrickmacross had already been in contact with Oireachtas members and they would push the issue to try to get it resolved. Councillor Noel Keelan said their aim should be to try to close the planning loophole concerning private members gaming clubs. Councillor McNally proposed and Councillor O’Hanlon seconded a motion, which was passed unanimously:

“That this Authority writes to our local TDs to ensure the speedy passage of legislation in Dáil Éireann and to seek their support for measures to stop such gambling outlets from receiving consent for planning authorities and court services”.

Cllr Noel Keelan Photo: © Michael Fisher

The Northern Standard

COUNCILLORS DEFEND LIBRARY SERVICE

25/03/2015 by borderroamer

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney MD Councillors PJ O’Hanlon, Aidan Campbell, Colm Carthy and Padraig McNally Photo © Michael Fisher

COUNCILLORS OPPOSE PLANS TO CHANGE LIBRARY SERVICE

Michael Fisher

Moves to amalgamate library services in Monaghan and Cavan by the appointment of a joint librarian will be strongly opposed by Councillors in the Carrickmacross and Castleblayney area. A meeting of the Municipal District Council on Monday discussed a submission received by a Ballybay resident and member of the local library, who expressed her concerns over the issue. She said there was a real fear among members that if the proposal goes ahead then smaller libraries like the one in Ballybay would close. The library service is important to local communities on many levels, she told Councillors, and she asked them to contact Minister Alan Kelly to get him and his department to abolish the proposed amalgamation.

Cllr Padraig McNally (FF) Photo © Michael Fisher

Councillor Padraig McNally said they had been told the only proposal was to share the County Librarian between the two counties. But he said they did not need such a change as they already had a good system in place. He proposed that the District strongly objected to any amalgamation. This was the thin end of the wedge and next thing they would be looking at the fire service, he said. The county had already been stripped of so many services.

Cllr PJ O’Hanlon (FF) Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillor PJ O’Hanlon said this was the start of another service being taken away from the county. Councillor McNally proposed and his party colleague Councillor O’Hanlon seconded a motion:

“That this Municipal District rejects any amalgamation of our library services. Monaghan has a proud record of providing library services and does not need to be linked with any other counties or regions”. It was passed unanimously.

Cllr Noel Keelan (SF) Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillor Noel Keelan said ‘amalgamation’ was another word for cuts and proposed a motion: “That this District Council writes to the Minister, Mr Alan Kelly T.D., requesting that the proposed amalgamation does not proceed, given how important the Library Service is to the people”. Councillor Colm Carthy seconded and this motion was also agreed.

Cllr Jackie Crowe (SF), Cathaoirleach Carrickmacross=Castleblayney Municipal District Council Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cathaoirleach Councillor Jackie Crowe said they were all absolutely opposed to any amalgamation.

The Northern Standard

ON THE RUNS REPORT PUBLISHED

24/03/2015 by borderroamer

Palace of Westminster Photo: http://www.parliament.uk

In a major report the House of Commons’ Northern Ireland Affairs Committee says the administrative scheme of “comfort letters” sent to “on-the-runs” (OTRs) should never have taken place in the manner in which it was developed and run, and its existence has distorted the process of justice. The Committee announced its inquiry into the scheme after the British government appointed its own inquiry led by Dame Heather Hallett. The Committee was concerned that the Government’s inquiry was too narrow in its remit, and also that it was not going to be conducted in public. The Committee conclues that:

It is questionable whether the “on-the-runs” scheme was lawful or not, but its existence distorted the legal process.
The scheme should never have taken place in the manner in which it was developed and run.
It is questionable whether the “on-the-runs” scheme was lawful or not, but its existence distorted the legal process.
If it existed at all, it should have been formalised within the various agencies involved with clear lines of reporting and accountabilities, and made public.
The Government should set its mind to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken, including, if necessary, introducing legislation to ensure the letters have no legal effect.
The judgment in the Downey case served to highlight the inherent risk in the design and subsequent operation of the scheme, and it is regrettable that neither the Judge nor the prosecution sought witness statements on the nature of the OTR scheme from other parties.
The refusal of leave to appeal to remove the stay put on the Downey trial placed the balance in favour of preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system over the public interest involved in continuing the trial of someone accused of carrying out multiple murders. The Committee believes the integrity of the criminal justice system, and part of HM Government, has been damaged by the stay.
The Secretary of State’s refusal to name which of those recipients of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy are OTRs wholly unacceptable.
There was a difficult peace process going on at the time, but there must still be transparency and accountability in government and in the legal process. A more open process could have prevented the letter being sent to Mr John Downey.
No letters should have been sent out by the NIO, and they should have had no involvement in the scheme after sending the names on to the AGO. The prosecuting authorities should have sent out the letters, as they would have been in a position to ensure their content was correct by checking the files before the letters were sent.
The wording of the letters–”the PSNI are not aware of interest in you by any other police force” should not have been allowed to stand: the writers of the letters should have realised that this was an incomplete assessment of a person’s status.
The status of the letters after the devolution of policing and justice should be called into question. Given differing opinions on whether the scheme was devolved or not, the legitimacy of the NIO continuing with the scheme after that point is questionable.
The checks being undertaken initially by the PSNI, in relation to OTRs, were not as a result of its normal policing role; they were being carried out at the request of the NIO for political reasons. What has followed, specifically Operation Redfield, was a direct result of that piece of work being commissioned by the NIO. This needs to be separated out from the wider work around historic investigations and the NIO should commit the funds to ensure the review of the names of all those who received letters is undertaken swiftly.
The secrecy of the scheme also meant that aggrieved person has been denied the opportunity to have a decision made by a Minister quashed in judicial review proceedings.
The availability of this scheme to only one section of the community, and even then only effectively at the whim of one political party, raises questions about equality rules in Northern Ireland.
The letters themselves, and subsequent statements by the PSNI and NIO, have left it unclear quite what “new evidence” would be required for a prosecution to be brought against a recipient of one of the letters. This issue is key and should have been addressed before the text of the letters was decided. This issue exposes again the lack of care that was taken in designing the scheme.
This must be clarified, particularly as the PSNI believes that 95 recipients of letters are potentially linked, by intelligence, to almost 300 murders and indeed that the Metropolitan Police wished to speak to some of them. HM Government must provide the resources to enable the police to reassess these cases quickly.
A number of Members of the Committee felt that the names of those who had received letters should be published immediately, provided that publication would not prejudice any future trial and would not cause any security risk to the individual named.

The members of the Committee were appointed in July 2010:
Laurence Robertson (Chair), Conservative; David Anderson, Labour; Joe Benton, Labour; Oliver Colvile, Conservative; Stephen Hepburn, Labour; Lady Hermon, Independent; Kate Hoey, Labour; Naomi Long, Alliance; Jack Lopresti, Conservative; Dr Alasdair McDonnell, SDLP; Nigel Mills, Conservative; Ian Paisley, DUP; Andrew Percy, Conservative; David Simpson, DUP.

Laurence Robertson MP, Chair NI Select Committee Photo: http://www.parliament.uk

The Chair of the Committee, Laurence Robertson MP, said: “Our priority is to serve the victims and their relatives, whom we believe to have been let down by HM Government by the way in which this scheme has operated. If any scheme had been put in place at all, which is questionable, it should have been properly introduced and correctly administered. It also should have been open and transparent. This scheme was none of those things. Regardless of the intentions, this scheme has caused further hurt to people who have suffered far too much already, and has led to further suspicions being raised. It is therefore very important that Operation Redfield is concluded as quickly as possible and that the government ensures that no letter provides a shield from prosecution ever again. That is the least people can expect, and is the minimum our Committee requires.”

SDLP Leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP Photo: http://www.alasdairmcdonnell.com

SDLP Leader and Committee member Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP said the report of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee on the On The Runs scandal further emphasised that the scheme was a backroom deal which had undermined the peace and political processes while letting victims down.

Dr McDonnell said: “Today’s report is a further indictment of how a British Government and Sinn Féin colluded together to defeat due process, cause hurt and offence to victims and survivors. The OTR episode is a disturbing insight into the lengths some in London would go to in order to pacify Sinn Féin- from the OTR Bill to the OTR schemes. It was a joint enterprise to derail justice, truth and the needs of victims and survivors”.

“The people of Ireland endorsed the Good Friday Agreement. By engaging in side deals, Sinn Féin and the British Government have betrayed Irish democracy. One response to clear the smog and smell of secrecy around these deals is to restore transparency, accountability and the primacy of victims in all future processes”.

“All of this now begs the question- is there any other secret deal the London, with Sinn Féin or with anyone else, signed up to?”, Dr McDonnell concluded.

JUNK KOUTURE SUCCESS

23/03/2015 by borderroamer

Carrickmacross Creation in Junk Kouture Final

The Future by St Louis Carrickmacross students Naoise Brennan, Katie Lynch & Aimee Ward

A group of students from St Louis Secondary School in Carrickmacross have reached the final of the ‘Junk Kouture’ competition with their creation called The Future. Earlier this month the Millennium Forum in Derry was packed with supporters and family members of the eighty regional finalists. Second level schools from the nine counties of Ulster were represented at the event, and five of the regional finalists were from St Louis Carrickmacross, all of them students of Art teacher Patricia O’Reilly. Each model had just ninety seconds to impress the judging panel on the catwalk and twenty designs were chosen to progress to the glamorous grand final of the competition in the 3Arena in Dublin on April 24^th. The St Louis girls displayed great creativity in their designs. The school was delighted that The Future, a stunning creation by 4^th year Art students Naoise Brennan, Katie Lynch and Aimee Ward was chosen for the All-Ireland Junk Kouture final.

Junk Kouture is a national competition for second level students which challenges teenagers to create high-end wearable fashion from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. Junk Kouture aims to inspire and ignite passion in these teenagers while at the same time subtly educating them about the importance of recycling and reusing waste. Over the last four years, Junk Kouture has established itself as the premier recycled fashion competition for teenagers throughout the island of Ireland.

MONAGHAN MILITARY REMEMBRANCE

22/03/2015 by borderroamer

Current and former Defence Forces members gather at Monaghan Education Campus Photo: © Michael Fisher

Monaghan’s military past was commemorated at the weekend with the unveiling of a stone at the site of the former army barracks. The site has been redeveloped and is now the Monaghan Education Campus on the Armagh Road, which was formally opened by An Taoiseach last month.

27th Infantry Battalion Shoulder Flash

The barracks was opened in 1976 as a base for members of the 29th Infantry Battalion who were assigned to border duties and assisting the civil power (Gardaí). The 29th also had a base in Cavan. The Monaghan element was later combined with Castleblayney to become the 27th Infantry Battalion, which has a headquarters at Aiken Barracks in Dundalk. This is where most of the seving personnel transferred to when the tricolour was lowered for the last time at Monaghan barracks in January 2009.

ICA MONAGHAN CELEBRATE 60 YEARS

21/03/2015 by borderroamer

ICA Monaghan Federation 60th Anniversary Cake by Mary Reilly Photo: © Michael Fisher

The Irish Countrywomen’s Association in County Monaghan is celebrating its diamond jubilee. The first guild was formed sixty years ago in Ballybay, as reported here last month. Representatives from eleven of the thirteen guilds in the county gathered for a celebration dinner at The Shirley Arms hotel in Carrickmacross on Friday evening.

The Shirley Arms Hotel, Carrickmacross Photo: © Michael Fisher

The guest of honour was the ICA National President Liz Wall. She presented long service certificates to members, some of whom had been in the Association for fifty or even sixty years. They included Mamo McDonald from the Clones guild, who was ICA National President from 1982-85.

ICA National President Liz Wall presents a certificate for 60 years’ membership to one of her predecessors, Mamo McDonald from Clones guild Photo: © Michael Fisher

The outgoing Monaghan Federation ICA President Patricia Cavanagh welcomed Liz Wall and was among the recipients of a certificate for her long service as a member of Ballinode guild, of which her sister Breege is also a long-standing member.

ICA National President Liz Wall presents Patricia Cavanagh with a silver oak leaf brooch to mark her three years as Monaghan Federation President Photo: © Michael Fisher

ICA Monaghan Federation Banner Photo: © Michael Fisher

ICA guilds meet at least once a month from September to June with many guilds meeting on a more regular basis to partake in activities such as arts, crafts, dancing, health and fitness regimes and social outings. In County Monaghan there are guilds in Aghabog, Ardaghey, Ballybay, Ballinode, Clones, Killany, Magheracloone, Rockcorry, Scotshouse, Smithboro, Threemilehouse, Tyholland and Mullyash.

ICA guilds around the county are friends you may not yet have met who have already successfully walked a similar path and have much to offer in terms of support and friendship. ICA also needs people like you who can bring new talent, fresh ideas, and renewed energy to our organisation. The ICA has arranged benefit partnerships with over 200 retail outlets, service providers, and facilities throughout Ireland with members enjoying discounts of up to 20% on their purchases.

The ICA encourages members to support and promote many charities. Last year Monaghan members were encouraged to participate in the Walk in our Shoes initiative in October by wearing funky, mismatched, or self decorated shoes to guild meetings, donating €2 to St Patricks Hospital Foundation in Dublin and also to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10th. Work on upgrading and repairing An Grianán, the adult education college in Termonfeckin featured in a recent television programme with Francis Brennan, is ongoing and fundraising continues in all Federations. The Monaghan Federation handed over a cheque on the night to Liz Wall for €2800 for An Grianán.

The ICA was founded in May 1910 by Anita Lett in Bree, County Wexford, Liz Wall’s native county. It was originally called the Society of the United Irishwomen (UI), whose aim was “to improve the standard of life in rural Ireland through education and co-operative effort”. In 1935, owing to political issues the then called UI changed its name to the Irish Countrywomen’s association (ICA). Around this time the ICA also let go of just improving rural lives and began focusing on all areas of Ireland. Contrary to popular belief the “country” within the ICA’s name stands for the country of Ireland as a whole, as opposed to “country” as in rural areas. The biggest ICA guild today is in an urban area, Blanchardstown in County Dublin.

Since its inception, the ICA has been heavily involved in campaigns designed to improve people’s lives. The ICA was the first organisation to provide access to adult education, well before the VEC. In its very early years, the then UI focused a project based on the health system in Ireland, due to the fact that women and girls were being sent to England to do basic nursing courses. The UI used what they called “Demonstration Cottages” where classes were held on health care, nutrition and hygiene. These classes also provided care to the sick. In 1954 An Grianán was gifted to the ICA. Since then this has been used as an adult education centre teaching an ever- changing wide range of courses.

ICA Scotshouse guild member Lorna Soden presents ICAresident Liz Wall with a glazed glass framed certificate she made Photo: © Michael Fisher

In the 1950s they campaigned for “better living”, which called for the access to electricity and safe clean water across Ireland. In the 1950s there was still limited access to electricity in some parts of Ireland. To rectify this, the ICA joined up with the ESB to help promote the use of electricity. To do this they made a model of a traditional farmhouse kitchen fitted with all the latest electrical appliances. This was then shown later that year at the ICAs spring show. In 1958 the kitchen model toured the country, now fitted with a dishwasher and microwave, showing people what was possible. In the 1960s some homes still did not have water within their homes and relied on an outdoor pump. To improve this, the ICA began the “turn on the tap” campaign which involved an exhibition and a conference aimed at educating people on how to take action on bringing water into their homes.

In recent years the ICA introduced a counselling service and helpline, offering confidential help and support to its members and their families. They have promoted easier access to breast and cervical cancer screening for all women. They opened “the Sanctuary” in An Grianán offering quiet getaways. They helped lobby to make Irish the 25th recognised language within the EU. They have also joined forces with other organisations aimed at improving lives such as SOS, See Change, COFACE with their most recent goal being to reduce the levels of depression within Ireland.

CELTIC PURE INVEST €3 MILLION

20/03/2015 by borderroamer

€3 MILLION INVESTMENT BY CELTIC PURE TO MEET DEMAND FOR BOTTLED WATER

Michael Fisher

There’s been a big demand for a County Monaghan brand of bottled spring water. So much so that the Celtic Pure company based at Corcreagh, Raferagh, near Carrickmacross is investing €3 milion to expand its production line in order to keep up with the increase in orders. Sales of the award-winning water increased by 38% last year, according to the Chief Executive Officer and company founder, Padraig McEneaney.

The natural spring water is sourced from an ancient spring 300 metres down and below the natural filtration beds of limestone rock that can be found in Ulster. The Celtic Pure plant was established in 2000 by Mr McEneaney and his wife Pauline on what used to be a beef farm on land that had been in his family’s possession for several generations. It expanded substantially in 2009, when an extension was opened by the then Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan. It now employs 42 people, the majority of whom come from the South Monaghan area.

Mr McEneaney went to Inver College in Carrickmacross and left school when he was 16 to work in meat factories. When consumers started to demand bottled water for drinking, he saw the potential in the natural spring well which supplied his family’s homestead. The spring water was tested for quality and from small beginnings, the business is now increasing for a second time.

The company has made a big impact on the ever-growing natural bottled water market and is able to supply all orders, no matter how large or small. Celtic Pure manufactures all its own bottles thus eliminating the risk of contamination associated with packaging transportation. It also reduces the company’s carbon footprint.

Operations Manager Tim Oliver took me through the process. He handed me what looked like a small test tube for science experiments or holding samples. He said it was a preform. It took me a while to realise that this type of plastic container was being transformed into a bottle for holding the water on the production line.

He pointed out the three production lines on the factory floor, two of which are constantly in use at any particular time during a 24-hour period. There are three shifts for the workers, each lasting eight hours. At the moment, the lines can handle 7,000 bottles an hour. Now with the installation of new equipment supplied by the German company Krone, the capacity will increase to 18,000 bottles an hour.

The new machine will be able to combine the process of making the plastic bottles from the performs with the bottling operation. Mr Oliver explained how the preHforms were heated in an oven up to a temperature of 120 degrees Centigrade and then placed in a metal mould, into which high pressure air is injected. The scientific process allows the bottling of the water to be done immediately after the bottles are made.

The bottling is carried out under very controlled conditions using state-of-the-art equipment. The spring water is monitored during the filling and capping process to prevent contamination from the environment. Each bottle is given a specific code that establishes the bottling line, date and time produced.

Packaging is also carefully controlled. Celtic Pure Ltd has won a number of medals for its still and sparkling water products awarded by the British Bottlers Institute. Earlier this month the company was named as a winner of the Manufacturer of the Year category at the Small Business Firms association awards 2015.

CARRICK GAMING CLUB ON HOLD

19/03/2015 by borderroamer

APPLICATION FOR PRIVATE MEMBERS GAMING CLUB PUT ON HOLD

Michael Fisher

Planners in Monaghan County Council have put on hold an application to open a private members gaming club in a vacant commercial unit off the Main Street in Carrickmacross.

The planning application was received by Monaghan County Council on January 21^st. It was submitted by a local architect on behalf of Carrick Gold Mine Ltd. It sought full planning permission for a change of use from an existing ground floor commercial unit to a private members gaming club with external signage, and including all other associated site works. The premises is situated beside the car park at the rear of Carrickmacross Shopping Centre at Drummond Etra, Main Street. At last month’s meeting of the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District Council, the five members present had expressed their objections to the proposal.

Two people, a man and a woman with an address in Carrickmacross, are described as directors of the registered company that made the application. In a letter to the planners they said that the proposed use of the premises would be for a professionally managed Private Members Gaming Club. It would provide card games like Baccarat and other games like Texas Holdem etc “for groups of dedicated card players”. It would the Club’s intention to have weekly Poker tournaments, some of which would be for local sports teams and associations, according to the letter. The club’s facilities would be open to members only, who must be over eighteen.

A letter sent to the applicants by a planning officer last Friday requested additional information about a number of aspects. It asked them to indicate the proposed opening hours of the proposed gaming club and to submit proposals to demonstrate clearly that the premises can be operated in such a manner that a noise nuisance does not emanate from within the proposed private members gaming club or arise outside in the vicinity of the club. Carrick Gold Mine Ltd has also been asked to submit proposals for external lighting to each elevation of the development and the applicant shall submit revised details indicating a single sign to the front elevation. The applicant must also specify the materials to be used in the proposed sign, which shall not be internally illuminated. The applicants have a timeframe of six months to reply to the Council with the requested information.

THE NORTHERN STANDARD Thursday 19th March Carrickmacross News

ST PATRICK’S AT THE MAZE

18/03/2015 by borderroamer

Returning from a brief visit to Birmingham yesterday on Saint Patrick’s Day, I flew into Belfast International Airport. I was at the funeral of a former colleague at BBC Radio Birmingham, now Radio WM, Ken Dudeney. I then remembered that 39 years ago in 1976 I had flown into Aldergrove airport as it was then known as a BBC Radio Birmingham reporter on a very different mission. I had been tasked to do a programme about a British Army regiment doing a tour of duty in the North, the Birmingham Gunners. Their correct title was 39 Medium Regiment Royal Artillery. They had been deployed there for four months on December 4th 1975 and served on that occasion until April 6th 1976. The BBC local radio station had been offered the opportunity by the British Army to meet and record interviews with some of the squaddies an their officers. During that tour of duty, H Battery was on duty securing the perimeter of the Maze prison near Lisburn. 132 Battery was on the border at Aughnacloy, manning the checkpoint on the main Dublin to Derry road. A third section 176 Battery covered Lurgan and Criagavon. Thus it was that on St Patrick’s Day in April 1976 I spent the night at the British Army base at HMP Maze. More of this story later.