Category Archives: NEWS

PRIVATE GAMING CLUB OPPOSED

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Proposed entrance (with planning notice) to a private members gaming club on ground floor of a vacant commercial unit at rear of Carrickmacross shopping centre Photo: © Michael Fisher

Proposed entrance (with planning notice) to a private members gaming club on ground floor of a vacant commercial unit at rear of Carrickmacross shopping centre Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillors in Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District have united in their opposition to plans for a private members gaming club in Carrickmacross. The proposal was totally unnecessary and unwanted for 99.9% of the local population, according to Councillor Padraig McNally.

Cllr Padraig McNally Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr Padraig McNally Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillor Noel Keelan said they did not want to see any such gambling facilities in Carrick. His Sinn Féin colleague Colm Carthy said he had been contacted by a number of constituents and the proposed club would not be a good thing to have in the locality. Fianna Fáil Councillor PJ O’Hanlon said a lot of parents were concerned for their children regarding the potential dangers of slot machines, which they had never had in the town.

Planning Notice posted on door of the commercial unit on January 16th 2015 Photo: © Michael Fisher

Planning Notice posted on door of the commercial unit on January 16th 2015 Photo: © Michael Fisher

Standing orders were suspended at their meeting on Tuesday in Carrickmacross to allow the five Councillors present to discuss the introduction of bye-laws in the town to prevent the establishment of gambling arcades or any other such gambling facilities. They agreed to write to the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald to legislate immediately to allow local authorities to adopt bye-laws that would prohibit gambling facilities, including private members clubs.

Cllr Noel Keelan Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr Noel Keelan Photo: © Michael Fisher

The District Co-ordinator Cathal Flynn explained that the 1956 Gaming and Lotteries Act (Part III) which governs gaming had never been adopted for the Carrickmacross town area. This meant that unlike Castleblayney, Carrick had never allowed casinos, slot machines or such like into the town.

The District Council received a letter from a local resident saying that as a business person, mother and grandmother, she had serious reservations on what sort of message such an establishment would be sending out, and registering her strong opposition.

Referring to the planning application submitted last month to Monaghan County Council, the objector said that information on the opening and closing hours of the proposed establishment was extremely vague. She said she would be very concerned about the effect that it would have on the high amount of school-going children and young people in the town.

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

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

The planning application was received by Monaghan County Council on January 21st. It was submitted by a local architect on behalf of Carrick Gold Mine Ltd. It seeks 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. A site notice was posted on the door of the unit on January 16th. Two people, a man and a woman with an address in Carrickmacross, are described as directors of the registered company making the application. In a letter to the planners they say that the proposed use of the premises will 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 is the Club’s intention to have weekly Poker tournaments, some of which will be for local sports teams and associations. The club also intends to host charity events for the above groups from time to time, according to the letter. The club’s facilities would be open to members only, who must be over eighteen. The club does not encourage impulsive walk-ins hence the proposed location “is not on the High St. for that reason”. According to the letter, the Club intends to serve teas/coffee and light refreshments and will not be applying for any form of alcohol licence and “it does not intend to sell intoxicating liquer on the premises”.

Cllr Colm Carthy Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr Colm Carthy Photo: © Michael Fisher

Objectors to the plans had until last Tuesday to submit their observations. Seven local people sent in objections. One of them pointed out that there are three secondary schools in Carrickmacross, and claimed that if the proposal is allowed, “it would put a large contingent of impressionable young people in the town at high risk of becoming addicted to gambling”. Another objector expressed concern that the car park area would become a focus for anti-social behaviour.

Northern Standard reporter Michael Fisher examining the planning application 15/13 at Monaghan County Council offices. Photo: © Rory Geary/Northern Standard

Northern Standard reporter Michael Fisher examining the planning application 15/13 at Monaghan County Council offices. Photo: © Rory Geary/Northern Standard

An investigation of the planning file at Monaghan County Council revealed that the proposed club would have two areas for video machines: six near the front entrance and in Area ‘B’, fourteen video machines in one part and a further ten in another. There would be three “poker tables” and two “pool tables”. There would be a space for a cashier at the back of the room. In a small corner of this space, an area is designated for a “tea/coffee maker”.

Cllr PJ O'Hanlon Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr PJ O’Hanlon Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr Aidan Campbell Photo: © Michael Fisher

Cllr Aidan Campbell Photo: © Michael Fisher

A decision on the application is due to be taken by St Patrick’s Day, March 17th. The sixth member of the Municipal District Council, Aidan Campbell of Fine Gael, was not present at the meeting but told the Northern Standard he was fully behind the strong objections of his five colleagues.

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

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

Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District Council Jackie Crowe also expressed his opposition to the plan.

Carrickmacross News: The Northern Standard p.19 Thursday 26th February 2015 Photos: © Pat Byrne/Rory Geary/Northern Standard/Michael Fisher and may not be reproduced without permission © Michael Fisher MMXV

Carrickmacross News: The Northern Standard p.19 Thursday 26th February 2015 Photos: © Pat Byrne/Rory Geary/Northern Standard/Michael Fisher and may not be reproduced without permission © Michael Fisher MMXV

BOSE REDUNDANCY DEAL

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boselogoUnion members at the Bose factory in Carrickmacross, due to be closed at the end of May with the loss of 140 jobs, have voted overwhelmingly in favour of redundancy proposals negotiated by their representatives. SIPTU Industrial Organiser Jim Mc Veigh welcomed the result of the ballot.

SIPTU Industrial Organiser Jim McVeigh Photo: © Michael Fisher

SIPTU Industrial Organiser Jim McVeigh Photo: © Michael Fisher

He said: “We negotiated what we considered to be a fair and reasonable redundancy package. We recommended the proposals to our members and they have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the package. SIPTU will be continuing discussions with the company, the government and the IDA, to try to ensure that alternative investment might be found for the Bose site”.

It was announced without warning a month ago that the plant was to be shut down. The original closure date was April but following talks with union representatives and local politicians an extension of several weeks was given.

The situation was discussed by councillors at this week’s meeting of the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District. Councillor Padraig McNally who is also Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council said the atmosphere at the plant was not great and the relationship with the US headquarters was strained. The last thing they wanted was for the plant to be closed and for the people involved not to know where their future lay, he said.

Bose factory, Carrickmacross Photo: © Michael Fisher

Bose factory, Carrickmacross Photo: © Michael Fisher

Councillor Colm Carthy a former Bose employee said the closure extension was not a great outcome, but it gave the employees a little bit of extra time to come to terms with the situation. He said the MEP Matt Carthy had been in touch with the Chief Executive of the IDA in Dublin asking him to give top priority to replacing the facility in Carrick as they needed to get more investment in the town.

Councillor Noel Keelan said he had been in continuing contact with the employees and was anxious that they should get their entitlements. They now needed to bring into the town some form of alternative employment.

The Cathaoirleach Jackie Crowe agreed that they needed to get someone in as quickly as possible to create the same number of jobs.

Councillor PJ O’Hanlon said it was his firm belief that when the IDA brought a factory into a town, the premises should never go into private ownership. With the site at Bose there was now going to be a commercial landlord looking for rent from a future tenant. This almost amounted to a “sharp practice” by the IDA, in his view, whereas the IDA, he felt, should be looking after such factory premises for any company that occupied it. He proposed a motion, seconded by Cllr McNally, “that this District Council calls on the Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, and the IDA, and Enterprise Ireland, that any new factories that are opened are not sold to private or commercial groups but are kept in ownership of the state agencies”. The motion was adopted unanimously and it was agreed to circulate it to all county councils in the state.

PAT FINUCANE ANNIVERSARY

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Peter Madden addressing the meeting Photo: Madden & Finucane

Peter Madden addressing the meeting Photo: Madden & Finucane

Speaking on the 26th anniversary of the killing of the Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, his partner from the legal practice Peter Madden has renewed the call for an independent, international inquiry into the shooting. At a meeting in North Belfast he also rejected the findings of the 2012 de Silva review into the case ordered by British Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Madden accused British QC Desmond de Silva of exonerating the secret British army unit Force Research Unit (FRU) of its role in the Finucane killing when he concluded that the unit, based in the British army’s headquarters at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, did not know the UDA was targeting Pat Finucane.

Mr Madden also asserted that de Silva was being “selective” in respect of the intelligence material he analysed saying “the de Silva review is one man’s analysis of a large amount of material”. Mr Finucane, who was 39, was shot dead at his home in North Belfast in front of his family by the Ulster Freedom Fighters, a cover name for the UDA, on February 12th 1989.

Also speaking at the event organised by the Finucane family and Relatives for Justice (RFJ), held in the Lansdowne Court Hotel on February 12th 2015 was the veteran BBC journalist John Ware, whose Panorama programmes revealed to a sceptical British audience the extent of collusion between the British army, RUC and loyalist paramilitaries.

Geraldine Finucane with Panorama reporter John Ware Photo: Relatives for Justice

Geraldine Finucane with Panorama reporter John Ware Photo: Relatives for Justice

The first to address the packed hall was Mark McGovern, who for the past number of years has been working with RFJ examining the “patterns of collusion and collusion as a policy” focusing mostly in the Mid-Ulster area. Mr McGovern also raised the need, when analysing collusion, to look at the hundreds of people killed by loyalists in the early 1990s, after the importation of arms from South Africa and the political objectives of that campaign.

Pat Finucane Anniversary Talk Photo: Madden & Finucane

Pat Finucane Anniversary Talk Photo: Madden & Finucane

ICA MONAGHAN FEDERATION

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ICA Monaghan Federation President Patricia Cavanagh and guest speaker Michael Fisher at the ICA meeting in Clones

ICA Monaghan Federation President Patricia Cavanagh and guest speaker Michael Fisher at the ICA meeting in Clones

Many people will know the story of the US Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks. But have they ever heard of Rosa Patterson? I hadn’t until tonight when I broke for the border, as it were, and landed in Clones where I was the guest of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association. The County Monaghan Federation held their quarterly meeting at the Protestant Hall (kindly granted). I addressed the crowd of about sixty women about publicity. Thank you for the invitation and the tea afterwards; keep up the good work and hopefully you will continue to provide the local media with news of your many activities.

Maureen Gavin, ICA Aghabog Guild, with her winning poem on 60 Years of the ICA in Monaghan Photo: © Michael Fisher

Maureen Gavin, ICA Aghabog Guild, with her winning poem on 60 Years of the ICA in Monaghan Photo: © Michael Fisher

Maureen Gavin from Aghabog won the contest for the best poem to celebrate 60 years of the ICA in the county. It told the story of Rosa Patterson, a teacher in Ballybay, who set up the first Guild in county Monaghan. The Clones Guild is well organised. One of its most famous members is Mamo McDonald, who went on to become ICA President in 1982 for a three-year term and is now an Honorary President of the Association. The group has over 10,000 members throughout the Republic of Ireland, in 500 Guilds.

ICA Monaghan Federation President Patricia Cavanagh holds up a prizewinning quilted cushion Photo: © Michael Fisher

ICA Monaghan Federation President Patricia Cavanagh holds up a prizewinning quilted cushion Photo: © Michael Fisher

KIERAN MCAREE LAID TO REST

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Kieran McAree Photo: PSNI website

Kieran McAree Photo: PSNI website

For nine weeks the search went on at the Round-O in Enniskillen for the body of Kieran McAree from Emyvale, Co. Monaghan. On the 64th day, after a daily vigil by his parents and a well co-ordinated search involving the PSNI and dozens of volunteers from Fermanagh, Monaghan and much further afield, the body was discovered close to the jetty. On Saturday, his family were finally able to lay him to rest following a Requiem Mass at St Patrick’s Church, Corracrin.

During the search, Peadar McMahon from Emyvale spent many hours assisting the family and taking part in the search. He was there last Wednesday when a body was spotted in the water. His detailed diary of the search along with photographs can be found on his emyvale.net website.

Rodney Edwards of the Impartial Reporter along with photographer John McVitty brought almost daily coverage of the search in a very sensitive way, managing to convey the feelings of Kieran’s parents at various stages, without being intrusive. This is his report on the funeral:

He was missing for over nine weeks but today Kieran McAree from Emyvale in County Monaghan was at last laid to rest.

There was a large attendance at his funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Corracrin, including representatives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and volunteer search groups.

The poignant service just days after Kieran’s 24th birthday was conducted by Father Hubert Martin with assistance from Enniskillen church leaders, including Father Brian D’Arcy and the Dean of Clogher, the Very Rev. Kenneth Hall.

A family photograph, a football jersey and an ’Aware Defeat Depression’ t-shirt were displayed at the front of the church as Fr. Martin told mourners that Kieran was a young man “who packed a lot into his short life”.

“He is first of all a son, a brother, a grandson to Annie, a cousin, a best mate, a mystery,” he said.

After going missing on December 17, Kieran’s body was discovered near the Round ‘O’ last week in a search that captured the hearts of people in Enniskillen and Emyvale.

Fr. Martin described the “great joy” that was felt along the shoreline on Wednesday afternoon.

“People hugged; there were tears, tears of relief and sadness, mixed emotions… but lovely, warm moments that will be remembered forever,” he said, adding: “Rarely ever does a coffin at a funeral look so special as Kieran’s coffin today.”

“We have been through such a gruelling experience,” said Fr. Martin, reiterating the appreciation of Kieran’s parents Martin and Geraldine for the help and support from the community in Enniskillen.

“Many new friendships between the people of Enniskillen and North Monaghan have been firmly forged. Neighbourliness has been demonstrated and experienced, the gospel has been preached by witness rather than by word.

“Despite the ordeal and trauma of the last nine weeks, Kieran McAree’s family is full of praise for the support they have received from so many people. Time and time again they have complimented the Police Service of Northern Ireland for their professionalism and courtesy, particularly on Wednesday when the body was recovered and sensitivity was required.”

There was a standing ovation and loud applause for the many PSNI officers in attendance, including Inspector Roy Robinson, Inspector Rory Hoy and Constable Gavin Huey.

“Community spirit at its best manifesting all that is good in human relationships,” said Fr. Martin, “People were prepared to walk with each other and with the McAree family through their ordeal. There is something very special about that idea of people walking with each other.”

As Kieran’s coffin was carried to the nearby cemetery, members of the PSNI and search teams and individuals from Fermanagh joined with locals from Emyvale to form a guard of honour in one last show of support.

BOSE TALKS

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Marian Harkin MEP meets SIPTU and Bose workers in Carrickmacross Photo: SIPTU

Marian Harkin MEP meets SIPTU and Bose workers in Carrickmacross Photo: SIPTU

Workers from the Bose factory which the company has announced will be closed by June have held a meeting held in Carrickmacross with the Independent MEP Marian Harkin. They were accompanied by the SIPTU Industrial Organiser Jim McVeigh. Monaghan Councillor Paudge Connolly also attended the discussions, which explored whether the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) could be activated for the 140 workers due to lose their jobs.

Marian Harkin said afterwards the Fund could be used for retraining or increasing skills, or for workers who might like to set up their own business. In certain cases subsidies could be paid to local employers who would take on redundant Bose workers for a guaranteed period of time. The MEP is the author of the regulation for the Fund that is available for redundant workers across the EU. This Fund can be applied for wherever jobs are lost due to globalisation and the impact of the redundancies on the local area is significant. The fund is also available to any other workers who lose jobs that are involved in supplying the Bose factory or in transport, haulage, or related services, or any workers whose employment is dependent on the Bose factory.

Marian Harkin MEP Photo: European Parliament

Marian Harkin MEP Photo: European Parliament

There is also an opportunity to apply to the Fund for an equal number of young people from the region who are not in employment, education or training. This means that up to 300 people might be able to avail of the Fund. Marian Harkin said the Fund might provide opportunities for workers made redundant and while it was only a start, it could at least be a stepping stone to future employment.

A public meeting is going to be organised in Carrick in the next few weeks for all the workers and members of the public who are interested. Details will be made available within the next few days. The MEP said she had worked with many other groups of workers who had accessed the Globalisation Fund, such as DELL workers and the Waterford Crystal workers. “ I would be more than happy to assist Bose workers in any application they might make for the Fund and its rollout”, Marian Harkin concluded.

CARRICKMACROSS WATER

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Carrickmacross Water Treatment Plant, Nafferty

Carrickmacross Water Treatment Plant, Nafferty

The Environment Minister, Alan Kelly T.D., has officially opened  the new €3.5 million Carrickmacross Water Supply and Treatment Plant, situated at Nafferty on a hill on the outskirts of the town, near the Ballybay Road. A small group of protestors from Carrickmacross says No to Irish Water staged a protest near the entrance as the Minister arrived.

Construction of the plant began in May 2013 and it was commissioned in November 2014. Built on the site of the previous reservoir, the facility will supply water to domestic and business customers in Carrickmacross town and the surrounding area. Carrickmacross currently requires approximately 1.2 million litres of water a day for domestic, industrial and agricultural use. The new plant has the capacity to treat 160,000 litres of water per hour ensuring an adequate supply of treated water to meet current and future customer demands.

In 2009 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a direction to Monaghan County Council placing the supply on a Remedial Action List. It was therefore critical that the new plant included a robust design, using proven technology for the treatment and continuous monitoring of water quality. The previous supply was susceptible to changing weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall or flash flooding, causing the quality of the ground water supply to change. The new plant is supplied by four different water sources with the quality of water from each being monitored on a continuous basis. In the event of any change in water quality an automatic alarm is notified to the operator and the water treatment process can be adjusted or a different water source can be selected to ensure customers always get a top quality water supply.

A full range of treatment processes including filtration, UV treatment, disinfection and fluoridation will also be deployed at the new plant ensuring compliance with current regulations. As a result Irish Water and Monaghan County Council successfully applied to the EPA and the HSE to remove the scheme from the Remedial Action List.

Commenting on today’s opening, Jerry Grant, Head of Assets, Irish Water said; “Providing a safe and secure water supply for our communities and businesses is vital and Irish Water has prioritised investment in improving drinking water quality standards. The recent EPA Drinking Water Report highlighted the inadequacy of a significant proportion of our treatment plants supplying drinking water and the scale of the investment needed to ensure all communities have access to clean drinking water. The opening of Carrickmacross Water Treatment Plant is a great example of how Irish Water working in partnership with Monaghan County Council can deliver real benefits in terms of security of supply, quality and value for money to the local community.”

Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly T.D.

Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly T.D.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly, said: “I’m delighted to open this water treatment plant in Carrickmacross. This new facility has seen strong cooperation between Irish Water, Monaghan County Council and private sector partners to ensure the town and surrounding areas have a modern, state-of-the art water treatment facility. The project was delivered on time, and under budget and I congratulate all involved.

Having a secure, high quality water supply is vital to every town’s daily life and economic development. With this new water treatment plant Carrickmacross will have the reliable, drinking water supply it needs for the years and decades ahead, so that its families, firms and farms can go about their daily activities and the local economy can progress.

With the reform of the water sector and the establishment of Irish Water, investment in water infrastructure is increasing. I am confident that Monaghan will experience improved water services and sustainable water investment as a result of the Government’s reforms”, the Minister concluded, before being given a tour of the facility.

Jerry Grant along with local representatives accompanied Mr Kelly on a tour of the facility.

View of Carrickmacross from Nafferty Photo: © Michael Fisher

View of Carrickmacross from Nafferty Photo: © Michael Fisher

Irish Water is responsible for 855 water treatment plants that supply over 1.6 billion litres of water every day to 3.3 million people. The company invested €340m in improving water and waste water services in 2014 and will invest over €410 million in improving water services during 2015, this spend will increase over subsequent years.

 

CREDIT UNION ART COMPETITION

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Sarah Leddy from Inniskeen is congratulated by compere Marty Whelan (left) and Martin Sisk, President ILCU (right), for winning first place in the Credit Unions' annual Art Competition (11-13 category). Photo: ILCU

Sarah Leddy from Inniskeen is congratulated by compere Marty Whelan (left) and Martin Sisk, President ILCU (right), for winning first place in the Credit Unions’ annual Art Competition (11-13 category). Photo: ILCU

INNISKEEN STUDENT WINS PRIZE IN NATIONAL ART COMPETITION
A secondary school student fom Inniskeen, County Monaghan, Sarah Leddy, has won first prize in the Irish League of Credit Unions annual art competition in the 11-13 year-olds category. She received her award at Croke Park last Sunday. Sarah is a past pupil of St Daigh’s National School, Inniskeen, and currently attends St Vincent’s Seconday School in Dundalk.

Her winning picture depicted the theme ‘ARTFEST’ and was singled out for special mention by the event compere, Marty Whelan of RTE. The competition, one of the biggest art of its kind for both children and adults, has been running for 31 years and is open to entrants of all ages.

This year it attracted over 30,000 entries through 300 credit unions nationwide.
The theme ‘ARTFEST’ was open to interpretation by each entrant and aimed to celebrate the creativity, imagination and vibrancy of the budding artists. The competition is about encouraging and rewarding self-expression, creativity and imagination among young artists throughout Ireland. Entrants are free to express their creativity using a wide variety of media.

The competition required entrants to draw or paint posters on the theme using pencil, charcoal, pen or ink, felt-tip markers, crayon, pastel, water colours, gouache, acrylics, oils, poster colour or collage.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, the President of the Irish League of Credit Unions, Martin Sisk, said: “We wholeheartedly support the artistic development of people young and old in our communities across the island of Ireland. The artists here should be extremely proud of themselves and the quality of the artwork displayed is truly outstanding. It is interesting to see how uniquely each of the artists interpreted the theme ‘Artfest’. Well done to everyone involved”.

Marty Whelan who was hosting the event for the fourth year running said he was delighted to be involved. “It is a pleasure to meet such an array of talented artists and give them the opportunity to showcase their creative ideas and gain national recognition for their ability. It is always great to see competitions like this support the arts and give people the opportunity to explore their creative side”, he said.

The judges for this year’s competition were: John Walsh, Creative Director FOCUS Advertising Agency; Ursula Retzlaff O’Connell, Artist; John Farrelly, Cartoonist and Graffiti Artist, VENTS.

ART COMPETITION WINNERS

GENERAL CATEGORY

Category Name Credit Union
7 yrs & under (G) Luke Collins Drogheda Credit Union
8 to 10 years Clodagh McDonagh Macroom Credit Union
11 to 13 years Sarah Leddy Inniskeen Credit Union
14 to 17 years Shania McDonagh St. Colman’s (Claremorris) Credit Union
18 years & over Alex Wright Rathmore and District Credit Union

SPECIAL CATEGORY

Category Name Credit Union
7 yrs & under (S) David Donoghue Tallaght and District Credit Union
8 to 10 years Frank Graham Naas Credit Union
11 to 13 years Aoife Brady Togher Credit Union
14 to 17 years Christina McConnell Derry Credit Union
18 years & over Venus Reilly Gorey Credit Union
Group Class 3, St. Brigid’s Special School Castlebar Credit Union

This Page 1 story and many more can be found in this week’s edition of The Northern Standard.  NSlogo

TITANIC RESTORATION

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Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices Photo: HLF website

Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices Photo: HLF website

Good to see some progress regarding the plans to restore the currently derelict Drawing Offices at the former Harland and Wolff headquarters, where the Titanic was designed. A £4.9 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) will enable The Titanic Foundation Ltd. to restore the building, unlocking plans to transform the site into a luxury Four Star hotel.

The Harland and Wolff Headquarters Building and Drawing Offices on Queen’s Island in Belfast were the control centre for the largest shipyard in the world.  It was here that Belfast workers created and designed over 1,000 ships including the White Star Olympic Class Liners – Olympic, Titanic and Britannic and naval warships such as HMS Belfast. The Harland and Wolff building has been vacant since 1989 and has been considered ‘at risk’ for almost a decade.

The restoration of the B+ listed building into an 84-bedroom boutique hotel has the potential to create over 100 local jobs. The Lottery grant will specifically focus on developing the two historical drawing offices as spaces for public use. The boutique hotel will also tell the story of Belfast’s industrial heritage, focusing on the authentic spaces – Board Room, Telephony Room and Entrance Lobby – as well as the fixtures and fittings that relate to the local shipbuilding industry.

The grant has been awarded through HLF’s Heritage Enterprise programme. It is designed to help when the cost of repairing an historic building is so high that restoration simply is not commercially viable.

Kerrie Sweeney, Chief Executive of Titanic Foundation, was delighted with the announcement: “Titanic Foundation in partnership with Titanic Quarter Ltd has been working on this project over the last two years. It has been a long process but worth it. With HLF’s support we will safeguard the drawing offices for future generations and unlock the commercial potential of the entire building as a boutique hotel with heritage at its core. This is a truly unique and authentic project for Belfast that could not have happened without the support from Heritage Enterprise Scheme.”

Head of HLF NI, Paul Mullan Photo: HLF

Head of HLF NI, Paul Mullan Photo: HLF

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fun in Northern Ireland, Paul Mullan, looks at the history of the building where the Titanic was designed:

By the first half of the 20th century, Belfast was one of the world’s most dynamic industrial centres.  It was within the walls of Harland and Wolff’s HQ where the leading minds in ship design and engineering broke new ground to produce ships that were the envy of the world.

Sadly, the decline of city’s shipbuilding industry was mirrored in the steady decline of Harland and Wolff’s HQ.  Once a symbol of Belfast’s international importance, just over a decade ago it was placed onto Northern Ireland’s buildings at risk register.

But that memory of a dynamic shipyard has awoken in recent years. Today, Titanic Belfast is an incredibly successful tourist attraction. The SS Nomadic, which was built to ferry passengers to and from the Titanic, has been brought back to its former glory and is the highest rated tourism attraction in Belfast.  Close by, HMS Caroline is undergoing a transformation from being a forgotten piece of naval heritage into a museum which will tell a story of sea battles from both the First and Second World Wars.

The result is more than one million visitors to the Titanic Quarter each year. With this success comes a return to fortune for the derelict Harland and Wolff HQ.  £4.9m from our Heritage Enterprise programme will convert the building into an 83 bedroom hotel, with the potential to create over 100 jobs.

The £27m development will bring much wider economic benefits by bringing more visitors and investment to Belfast.  This unique hotel will gives new purpose to an important part of Northern Ireland’s built heritage, building on the Titanic theme of the Quarter whilst providing a stunning setting for visitors.

It also shows how we can use historic buildings creatively, in a way that helps people fully appreciate its past whilst enjoying its present uses and harnessing the collective resolve of both the private and public sector for the benefit of everyone.

We now need to bring this sense of purpose to our many other buildings at risk by challenging not-for-profit groups to partner with commercial operators to bring back into use those buildings which provide us with a direct link to our past.

This isn’t a nice to do but something that has a strong economic and revitalising value. Over two years ago a report on the economic value of Northern Ireland’s historic environment marked out this opportunity, making a strong case for this type of investment.  Today, in the Titanic Quarter and across the UK, Lottery money is helping people to realise the untapped potential of our vacant and underused historic buildings.

 

 

 

HIT FOR 6 AND 4 AND 6 AGAIN

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Irish Cricket Union logo

Irish Cricket Union logo

Many years ago on a beautiful summer’s day in County Tyrone, Ireland’s amateur cricketers caused a sensation when they dismissed the West Indies for 25 in the lovely surroundings of Sion Mills. Some said it was thanks to the copious amounts of Guinness that had been available for the visitors the night before! That happened in July 1969 and I remember what a surprise result it was.  cricketcup

Fast forward nearly 46 years and Ireland have done it again, this time in the World Cup at the Saxton Oval in Nelson, New Zealand. A great result over the twice World Champions, by four wickets and with 25 balls to spare. Great to watch (on UTV highlights) those fours and sixes being added to the scoreboard by the Irish batsmen.

The other teams in Ireland’s group are holders India, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Pakistan – who Ireland shocked in 2007 – and their next opponents, United Arab Emirates. The top four will reach the quarter-finals.

“On this performance, they can certainly look to get out of the group,” said former England spinner Graeme Swann. “They will still be underdogs when they play bigger teams but they have destroyed West Indies and every other so-called big team in the group will have watched this and will be very nervous about them now”, he told the BBC.

ICC Cricket World Cup Pools

ICC Cricket World Cup Pools

Ireland captain Will Porterfield said the team were aiming for the knockout stages after their latest victory over a Test-playing nation. “It’s fantastic to win. This sets us up nicely for the next few games,” he said. “The belief has been growing within the squad for a long time and we know what we are capable of, not just in this game but the other games in the competition as well.”