Clelands Supermarkets who employ 29 people in Abbeyleix and plans to employ another 40 people in two new stores in Portlaoise shortly.

The long-established supermarket chain Cleland Supermarkets announced that it is to open a new store in Portlaoise before Christmas with the creation of 14 new jobs. The supermarket is also in discussions about another store in the Portlaoise area, which they hope to open in the new year, employing another 26 people.

The supermarket chain was originally formed in 1984 with its first store in Centrepoint shopping centre, Portlaoise. The company grew quickly over the next 17 years to a total of 12 stores, which were located in Portlaoise, Abbeyleix, Mountrath, Portarlington, Mountmellick, Newbridge, Carlow, Tullamore and Rathdowney. All of these stores are now under new ownership.

Clelands reopened its Abbeyleix store in 2006 and at present employs 29 people.

Sandy Cleland said that he was looking forward to opening the new store in Kilminchy Shopping Centre.

Asked why he decided to open a new store in Portlaoise and in the present economic climate, Mr Cleland said that he felt that “it was about time the people of Portlaoise were offered quality and good value and that is what we offer.”

He said that Portlaoise was the right location to open stores at the moment. He said that since the store reopened in Abbeyleix, it has seen a steady increase in trade and continuous growth year-on-year.

Mr Cleland said that the company was also looking at the possibility of opening other stores in other towns around the county.

He said that since the news leaked out about his new store two weeks ago, he has received in excess of 280 applications for the positions. He said that the date for applying has passed and the positions are closed.

“I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to apply for the positions. I intend replying to each and every one of those people. I think it is only right that people are responded to and thanked for the time they took in applying,” said Mr Cleland.

The post Clelands to create 40 jobs in two new Portlaoise stores appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

CODERDOJO, the movement that orientated around running free computer coding clubs and regular coding sessions for young people, is set for Portlaoise.  It aims to establish in the county town to cater for children aged from eight to 18 years.

Each dojo needs mentors with computer coding/programming skills to volunteer to encourage young people to code. Mentors and volunteers are the driving force behind CoderDojo, enabling the spread of CoderDojos and getting more young people coding. An information evening will take place in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise on Tuesday 10 December at 7pm for anyone interested in mentoring, enrolling their children or volunteering in any capacity. To reserve your place at the information evening, you can register online at http://CoderdojoPortlaoise.eventbrite.com.

At a CoderDojo, young people learn how to code, develop websites, smart phone apps, computer programmes, computer games and more. Dojos are set up, run by and taught by volunteers. Dojos organise tours of technology companies, bring in guest speakers to talk about their career and what they do and organise events. In addition to learning to code, members meet like-minded people, show off what they’ve been working on and so on.

The post CoderDojo meeting in Portlaoise next Tuesday appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

From: Pauline Conroy,

A proud Laois woman

I READ with incredulity the letter you printed last week from Tim Cowhig, CEO of element Power Ireland, inviting people to visit a wind farm.

This man, who I have met on two occasions, and had lengthy conversations with, inspires no confidence in me. He is a businessman who believes only in making profits and has no regard for the potential negative impact that living near wind turbines can have on people’s health, wealth and environment. This attitude is immoral, unethical and, sadly, pervasive throughout the wind energy industry that he is so proud to be part of. While promoting to me about how great wind farms are, I asked him that if he thought they are so great, why doesn’t he live beside one himself to allay the fears and concerns that I have about their negative impacts? Of course, he doesnt live next nigh or near a wind turbine and he told me he has no intention of ever doing so.

Wind energy companies are very practised in forwarding the information into the public domain that there is no scientific peer-reviewed evidence to support the claims from people and communities around the world and in Ireland that living beside wind turbines can have a detrimental and devastating effect on lives. As far back as 1987, the American Department of Energy commissioned a report headed by a Dr Neil Kelly into the health implications on humans of living close to wind farms. The findings found conclusively that there are serious repercussions on human health. The American government was then lobbied to death by the wind industry and their cohorts and the findings were shelved. I can’t help but get a sense of deja vu here. Indeed, there have been several reputable reports since in this area, too many to mention here, and they are growing by the month. My question, again, to Tim Cowhig is: how long can the wind energy industry continue to ignore the irrefutable evidence that exists worldwide today?

I also find it very offensive that the people that have suffered and are continuing to suffer to date are not believed. Their anecdotal evidence is given no credence or validity by the powers-that-be in this little country of ours. I can only imagine how this must feel, when they and their families are suffering from sleep deprivation and all that that entails  to the extent that they are forced to leave their homes, or worse, are forced to continue living in this nightmarish reality due to financial constraints. In case people don’t know this, it is happening in Ireland today. Some people have made their experiences public and I have personally heard their stories being disparaged and sneered at by Element Power. There are others who are suffering in silence – why you might ask? One reason is they have waived their right to object/complain by accepting money from wind energy companies and also they don’t want to upset their neighbours and draw attention to themselves because they fear they will be ridiculed and not be believed.

I would imagine that to truly experience what it is like to live beside a wind farm, one must do more than pay a cursory visit of an afternoon. A one or two-hour visit is meaningless. I would imagine one would have to sleep within the vicinity to make the experience worthwhile. Perhaps Tim Cowhig could organise such visits and book B&B accommodation for willing participants.

Finally, as a Laois woman I am not prepared to take the risk of my home being devalued, my health and that of my children being negatively impacted on and my environment being turned into an industrial landscape because Tim Cowhig attempts to assure me otherwise. There is ample evidence for me that he is wrong. So, Tim, as you know, you are not welcome in my part of Laois, go back to Cork, as I have already told you in person (but perhaps in less polite language which would not be printed here). I find your work practices very offensive.

The post Letter to the Editor: Tim, go back to Cork! appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Noreen Nevin with two of her four children Patrick and Shenice

“THEY want to split our family up for Christmas or force us onto the side of the road.”

So Noreen Nevin claimed when she said that Laois Co Council had refused housing to her and her family knowing that they have to vacate their privately rented house in Portlaoise by 4 December because the house owner is being forced to sell it.

Noreen Nevin has been living with her husband and four children in Woodgrove housing estate in Portlaoise for the past three years. Their children range in age from seven to two. Both Noreen and David were born and raised in Portlaoise. David is well-known in sporting circles and plays with Portlaoise soccer club.

Noreen takes up the story. “We got a letter from the person who owns the house on 5 November telling us that we have to move by 4 December as he has to sell the house. We also received a reference from him which we could use when looking for alternative accommodation. We approached all the property letting agencies in the town, but they told us that they had no vacant houses suitable for a family with four children or that they do not accept tenants on rent allowance. We went to Laois Co Council. They told us that they had nothing for us either. They said that I could look for accommodation in a women’s hostel with my four children or that I could look outside Portlaoise for private rented accommodation.”

Ms Nevin said: “There’s enough council houses boarded-up in the town. Instead of spending €2.5 million on a new library, the council should think of spending that money on doing up those houses and providing homes for families who need them. Our family would be more than willing to accept one of those houses.”

David added: “We’ve checked all the local newspapers for lettings. We’ve also gone online. We were given a reference by the house owner.”

The ***Laois Nationalist*** has seen this letter of reference. In it, the landlord describes the Nevin family as “ideal tenants that always pay their rent when due and kept the property in excellent condition, many times improving the décor at their own expense” … ‘‘Every time I visited the house, it was always clean and tidy, a great credit to the family.”

Mr Nevin added: “I have never been in trouble in my life and have no criminal record. The council told us that there is nothing they can do for us besides offer/ refuse accommodation for my wife and children or telling us to find accommodation out of Portlaoise. That would mean we would have to uproot our children who are in school. It’s my belief that when the letting agencies hear our surname, they refuse us a house because of the traveller connection. On one occasion, there was a house advertised in the paper. I rang two of the agencies, gave my name as a Michael Ryan. I told them I had four children and was receiving rent allowance. They said they had something. The next day, I rang the same two companies, gave them my right surname with the same details and they said they do not accept rent allowance or that they hadn’t a house suitable for a family with four children.”

Ms Nevin said: “Come December, we don’t know where we’re going to be. We’ve been on the council’s housing waiting list since 2010. The council wants to split our family up for Christmas or force us onto the side of the road. I’m hoping that someone reading this, who has a heart, will offer us a home to rent before Christmas. The children are asking when are we going to put up the Christmas decorations and where will we be living to put them up?”

Mr Nevin said: “I’ll take to the road in a caravan with the family rather than see my wife and children having to move into a hostel.”

Maria Carnicer from the Laois Traveller Action Group said that her group has come across similar cases where a very small number of landlords take a particular view if someone has a certain surname. She also said that it appears as though local authorities are depending more and more on the private rental sector to accommodate people, but that those with large families, even with glowing references from previous landlords, are finding it extremely difficult in this sector because of the prohibitive high cost of rents and the rent cap of between €540 and €590 per month imposed on rent allowance by the Department of Social Protection.

Head of housing at Laois Co Council, Michael Rainey, said that it was not the council’s policy to publicly comment on individual cases.

He pointed out that, contrary to what people think, the majority of boarded-up houses do not belong to Laois Co Council, but in fact are owned privately.

“We have very few boarded-up houses. In fact, the number of our boarded-up houses has never been at a lower level,” said Mr Rainey

He said that if anyone finds themselves in problems such as homelessness or facing homelessness that they should immediately make contact with the senior social worker with the council, where all housing options and alternatives will be discussed with them

The post Woodgrove family could be homeless at Christmas appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

THERE has been an all-round welcome for the announced go-ahead for the construction of a new school to replace the existing primary school in Knockmay, Portlaoise.

According to deputy Charlie Flanagan, the phased demolition of the old Scoil Bhríde and construction of the new school on an adjacent site will commence next year.

Deputy Flanagan said: “The tenders were issued for the demolition of the existing school building and the construction of a new 32-classroom school earlier this summer. Scoil Bhríde, Knockmay currently caters for over 700 pupils and there are a considerable number of students and teachers operating out of prefabs in the school.”
“I met with minister Quinn at the school earlier in the year and impressed upon him the importance of fast-tracking this project. I am pleased that the project for a new school will go to construction in 2014. For far too long, students and teachers in Knockmay have operated out of less than ideal conditions. I am pleased that they can now look forward to a brand new school. This is in addition to the six new primary schools that will have been built in the town of Portlaoise during the lifetime of this government,” said the Fine Gael Dáil deputy.

Sections of the existing school will remain in operation until the new school is constructed. The development is to be carried out on a site of circa 2.42 hectares and a total gross floor area of approximately 5,506 m2.

Labour senator John Whelan also welcomed the news. “This is long overdue. It is great news for all associated with the school, not least the project manager and former principal Ted Laffey.

“This is the final piece in the jigsaw in delivering all the new primary schools for Portlaoise, which had been promised but neglected for years, and will finally rid our schoolyards and playgrounds of costly, unsuitable and unsightly prefabs.

“Scoil Bhríde is one of the biggest primary schools in the country, a great school, but currently forced to work in entirely cramped and unacceptable conditions which, while long-promised and overdue, are to be finally resolved. I am delighted that minister Ruairi Quinn has been good to his word following on from his visit to the school earlier this year.”

Scoil Bhríde is the largest primary school in the county with only eight proper classrooms. Three-quarters of the pupils are taught in 26 prefab classrooms at a cost of €148,000 per annum. The school is designated as a DEIS school for disadvantaged children, yet has depended on prefabs to house the majority of the pupils for the past 25 years.

“A new school is badly needed on the western side of Portlaoise to cater for the large population on the Mountmellick Road, Ballyfin Road and Mountrath Road areas, which has increased dramatically in recent years. The new school will be strategically located to serve this catchment area.”

The post ‘Final piece in Portlaoise primary schools jigsaw’ appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Ger Lynch ( Mountmellick ) winner of the Unsung Hero Award , pictured with Joe Barrett ( Laois Nationalist Journalist ) , at the Laois Community & Voluntary Awards Ceremony 2013 in the Heritage Hotel , Portlaoise .
Photo: Michael Scully – no reproduction fee .

THE fifth annual Laois community and voluntary awards ceremony was held in Portlaoise last Wednesday night. The event is staged to recognise individuals and groups which make big differences in and beyond their communities.

101 nominations were submitted – thirty-three in the unsung hero category, the other 68 from the many and varied groups from all parts of the county. The organisers said that the huge entry is the highest number of nominations it ever received, up 25% on last year.

Speaking at the event, chairperson of the forum Paddy Buggy challenged the people of Laois to “think outside the box” and try to create jobs in their own communities. He said that communities and groups should not have to rely on the banks or the government create local employment. He also recommended that people support local businesses to help maintain local employment.

The founder of the National Ploughing Championships, Anna Mae McHugh, was named the Laois Person of the Year. Her daughter Anna Marie accepted the award on her behalf.

The first category, community services and support, was sponsored by the ***Laois Nationalist.*** Senior journalist Joe Barrett made the 21 presentations to the nominees and congratulated them on their achievements. This category was won by Mountmellick Development Association. The runner-up was Portarlington Social Services/Meals on Wheels.

The art, culture and heritage category was won by Durrow Development Group for the Scarecrow Festival. The runner-up was Session in D’House from Abbeyleix.

The environment section was won by Abbeyleix Bog project. The runner-up was the Slieve Bloom Association.

The fourth category, sport and leisure, was won by Ballyroan/Abbeyleix and District Athletics club. The runner-up was Laois Cycling and Touring Club.

The children and young people in fun and education award was won by 4^th Laois Scout Group Portarlington. Runner-up in this category was the Codor Dojo, also from Portarlington.

There were 33 nominees for the unsung hero award. Ger Lynch from Mountmellick won this award.

Speaking to the ***Laois Nationalist,*** Mr Lynch said that he was “pleasantly surprised” to receive the award. He said that he had no idea that he was going to win. His community and voluntary involvement spans over a half a century. He is a founder member of Mountmellick Development Association. He is involved with the tidy towns, the local angling club, Mountmellick Arts Centre and the Balcony Theatre Cinema. He has also been involved with the Mountmellick Christmas tree committee since 1956.

The post Ger is unsung hero at community and voluntary awards appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

THE list the winners from the Laois  Community and Voluntary Awards, second placed and nominations in the various categories were:

Community services and support:

Mountmellick Development Association voluntary board of directors (1st). Portarlington Social Services/Meals on Wheels (2^nd).

Mountmellick Christmas tree committee, Balcony Cinema Development Group, Portarlington First Responders, Woodenbridge District Community Alert, Mountmellick ICA, Friends of St Fiacc’s House Graiguecullen, Rosenallis PTAA Council, Portlaoise Men’s Shed, Rathdowney Mental Health Association, Killeshin Community Service, Borris-in-Ossory Social Services, Mountmellick Community Care, Mountmellick Active Retirement Group, Clough ICA guild, Clonaslee Social Services, Aghaboe Community Alert, ABC club, Abbeyleix ICA and Laois Ethnic Minority Support Group.

Art, culture and heritage:

Durrow Development Forum (1^st).

Session in D’House, Abbeyleix (2^nd).

Portlaoise Comhaltas, Timahoe National School, St Manman’s choir, Kilmanman committee Clonaslee, bicentenery committee Clonaslee, Aghaboe Abbey Preservation committee, Voices Across Cultures and Laois Federation ICA choir.

Environment:

Abbeyleix Bog Project (1^st).

Slieve Bloom Association (2^nd).

South Laois Tourism, Knockmay Action Group, Clonaslee CCDA, Ballacolla Tidy Towns, Clonaslee Tidy Towns, Killenard Tidy Towns, Derryguile/Kyletalesha Residents’ Association, Grove Park Residents’ Association, LEAF (Laois Environmental Action Forum) and Abbeyleix Tidy Towns.

Sport and leisure:

Ballyroan/Abbeyleix and District Athletics Club (1^st).

Laois Cycling and Touring Club (2^nd).

Woodenbridge Paddlers Association, Rath National School, Crettyard Utd AFC, Portlaoise AFC, Portlaoise Athletics Club, Mountrath Playground/Amenity Park committee, Run Killenard meet and train, Abbeyleix Park Development committee, Laois Water Safety, Ballyfin Athletics Club, Laois Marlins Swim Club, St Conleth’s Ladies Gaelic Football Club and Laois Athletics Sprint Development Squad.

Children and young people in fun and education:

4^th Laois Scout Group Portarlington (1^st).

Codor Dojo Portarlington (2^nd).

Camross 7^th Scout Group, Timahoe Playground Group, Ratheniska Comhaltas  Ceoltoirí  Éireann, Knockmay Youth Project/Knockmay Foróige Youth Club, Happy Hearts Kids Club,  Stradbally Youth Centre, Spink Comhaltas and Youth Work Ireland/Portlaoise Youth Café.

Unsung hero: Ger Lynch.

Nominees: Gerry Conway, Mary Miller, Michael Igoe, Denise Origan, Pat Looney, Elizabeth Treacy, Pascal McEvoy, Mick Bowe, Paul Lynch, Louis Brennan, Mary Culliton, Paddy Buggy, Joan Clancy, Lilly Champ, Dolores Murray, Anne Dunne, Ollie Byrne, Chris Cullen, Eileen Hayes, Anne Marie Phelan, Mary Moran, Mary Lalor, Betty O’Brien, Mary Hearns, Peter O’Neill, Laura Hayes, Michael Mulhaire, Tim Doran, Hannah Dooley, Kitty Kreighton, Mai Dunne and Joe Thompson.

The post And the winners are … appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Jer Bergin

Election for the IFA presidency kicked off nationwide today (Tuesday).

Jer Bergin, the Ballacolla farmer and current south Leinster IFA vice-president is up against current IFA vice-president, Meath’s Eddie Downey.

Voting among the 80,000 members in 946 branches commenced on Tuesday and will conclude on Friday week, 13 December.

Campaign manager and Laois IFA chairperson Pat Hennessy said that supporters would continue to canvass up until the close of the polls.

“We were flat out in the run-up and we will be flat out over the next week,” he said.

Laois branches will commence voting next week, with Abbeyleix and Clonaghadoo being the first to cast their ballots.

Mr Hennessy said that he believed that Mr Bergin was ahead of his rival.

“It’s been pretty hectic over the last six weeks. We have found we came from a standing start. Before the ploughing championships, there was a perception that Eddie Downey had it won. After the ploughing, we came from behind and we are confident we are well ahead,” he said.

Mr Hennessy based this confidence on feedback they were receiving from farmers in the important voting areas such as Cork, Kerry, Galway and Roscommon. Public debates that were held during the campaign between the two men had added momentum to their campaign, according to Mr Hennessy.

“We have been going into every kitchen and farmyard meeting the farmers, finding out their problems and urging them to give Jer their number one.”

Mr Hennessy said that a repeated concern among farmers was a perception that statutory inspections were too harsh on farmers, who subsequently would see a cut in their single farm payment.

Mr Hennessy said that one farmer had recently received a letter about his inspection following an inspection in 2011 and this area needed to be addressed.

“Jer is a tough negotiator. He’s young and vibrant. He has, since the age of 16, been involved in the IFA. He knows the problems of farmers first hand. He has fought and negotiated for farmers and got every shilling he could for them.”

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Mr Bergin, however. Mr Hennessy said that Mr Bergin had been attacked for his part as chairman of the IFA’s climate change and renewables project team in negotiations between the wind energy companies and the farming organisation.

Mr Hennessy said that the criticism was misdirected. He said that Mr Bergin had negotiated such a deal for farmers that no IFA member had opted out of llease agreements they had entered into with the wind companies.

The post IFA presidential election kicks off appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Roisin Conroy

THE parents of a Laois girl with cerebral palsy, who had injuries inflicted upon her at birth, have urged other families to seek out medical information if they have similar concerns about care.

Last week, the HSE and consultant obstetrician John P Corristine apologised and accepted liability surrounding the birth of Roisin Conroy in November 2001 at Portlaoise hospital.

Rosin sued both the HSE and Mr Corristine through her mother Mary and the HSE made a settlement, which was approved by the High Court last Tuesday with an interim payment of €2.6m.

Roisin’s father Kevin said that it was important to highlight the incident if other families have faced a similar experience. It had taken 12 years for the admission to be made. Kevin said that blame was never in doubt once Roisin’s cardiotocography (CTG) scan was released to the family’s legal representative Michael Boylan in November 2010.

Kevin said that after Roisin was born, they had been reassured that nothing could be done for her during the birth. Over the years, however, having heard of worrying cases of negligence in births, the Conroys sought out a solicitor in March 2010 specialising in medical negligence to investigate and determine with certainty what had happened.

“Roisin is sorted out in regards of care needs, but you could not go through this and not think of another child in a same situation or a parent. Please look at it and look into it if you have any niggling doubts after hearing about Roisin. If there is nothing wrong, at least you know there is nothing wrong. If there are questions to be answered let them be answered,” Kevin urged.

Kevin encouraged families who may have had a similar experience to talk about it, discuss it with their doctor or go to a solicitor who specialises in medical negligence.

The settlement allows for Riosin’s family to come back to court in two years’ time when her future care needs will be decided.

In an apology read to the court, counsel for the defendants said that they wished: ‘‘to express their sincere apologies for the failings that caused injuries to Roisin Conroy and the consequential trauma experienced by Roisin and her family.’’

The apology was described as “hollow” by Kevin and was only read out in court on the insistence of the family’s legal representatives.

There is frustration that the full facts of the case did not emerge during a court hearing, as liability was admitted prior to it. Kevin summed up the treatment of Mary and Roisin as “dismal, pathetic and farcical.”

“The reason they admitted liability was to minimise the publicity. That is the truth of it. They don’t admit liability unless they are caught by the hasp.”

The court had heard that Roisin’s mother was a private patient of Mr Corristine. On 10 November 2001, the court was told, Mary had gone to the hospital when she believed her membranes had ruptured. She was reassured and discharged. Three days later, she attended Mr Corristine’s clinic and, following an ultrasound, she insisted that she be admitted to hospital.

A CTG trace was instigated, but there was no recording of contractions, the court heard. Mary was advised to take a bath to abate the pains, but there was no running hot water in the hospital.

It was claimed that Mr Corristine ordered medicine be administered and that Mary did not see the consultant again at the labour or the birth of her daughter.

Defence argued that Mr Corristine would say that he had handed over care of the patient to another consultant. Mary argued that this was done without her knowledge.

Kevin told the Laois Nationalist that Mr Corristine’s explanation was “news to them.”

As Roisin later recuperated in the intensive care unit, her parents received a bill of €2,000 for her care. Rosin’s medical card was also among those controversially withdrawn earlier in September.

Following the settlement, the Conroys can now plan for the future.

Kevin said: “It’s a great relief. We are trying to look forward as a package is in place for Roisin; that she will be able to get the therapies that she needs. Hopefully, we can claw back some of the time that was lost.”

Roisin is cognitively aware but trapped in a body that doesn’t work as it should.

Kevin described a girl like so many others of her own age.

“She is a mysteriously little devil,” he said smiling. “She loves the same thing any other girl would like. She has her own taste in music. She obviously likes One Direction. She grew up with Westlife but has moved onto One Direction. She loves her own films, she loves being messed with and tickled.”

The Conroy family lauded the Kolbe School in Portlaoise, where Roisin has attended since she was five and the support they had given them.

Kevin added that he would like to see a duty of candour implemented by the HSE, where medical mistakes are admitted straight away and treatment is put in place so the “child gets the best they can as soon as they can.”

When contacted by the Laois Nationalist, the HSE declined to make further comment and reiterated the apology that was read out in court.

The post ‘Dismal, pathetic and farcical’ What Laois husband/father said of treatment meted out to his wife and daughter after HSE and obstetrician accept liability surrounding birth appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Neil Delamere

HE may not see his IFTA award trophy much, but at least Neil Delamere can take consolation in a hometown gig of sorts in Portlaoise.

Such is the attitude of the Offaly-born comedian as he prepares for the date in Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, promoted by Kavanagh’s Bar and Venue, on 31 January 2014.

It’s ten years since Neil broke onto the scene joining RTÉ’s the Panel and featuring at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Since then, he has toured with close to ten different shows and played a prominent part of the Republic of Telly, Just for Laughs and BBC NI’s the Blame Game. He has picked up an IFTA for one of two documentaries he’s completed. He’s also dipped his toes in radio and has presented in place of John Murray and the Second Republic. In doing all this, he’s become one of the most popular comedians in the country.

The new show is entitled Smartbomb and features the unlikely spats the affable Edenderry man has encountered over 12 months.

“It’s about six people who think slightly less of me this year than last year, essentially that’s what the theme is,” he said. “I seem to go and have these minor skirmishes with random people throughout my life. I am beginning to think it might be me rather than them, to be honest with you.”

The list of antagonists includes a nurse, a man renovating Neil’s house and a taxi driver. As always, Neil’s shows feature a lot of engagement with the audience, giving each show its own atmosphere and energy.

The first time Neil performed in Portlaoise was in Kavanagh’s and he considers Laois as part of his home patch.

“When you do Portlaoise or Tullamore, you don’t have to check a reference in that head. You’re just standing there and something comes to your head about Colin Parkinson or O’Moore Park. It’s the same constituency, particularly with the improv stuff; you can go wild knowing they’re your people, which is always great fun.”

Smartbomb was written as he performed his last show DelaMere Mortal and for the last seven years Neil has divvied up his year between TV work, touring and writing commitments.

“You have one show being written as the next one is being performed. You kind of have to break in the new one. The Edinburgh Festival in August gives you a fulcrum for the year. That is the point when you have to have the show ready.”

He added: “You could do it in a really in a haphazard way if you wanted, something very fluid. Or you could do it with a few anchor points through the year. That’s the way I approach. Other people do it differently.”

A constant apart from the stand-up in recent years has been the Blame Game, a topical comedy show for BBC NI. Despite being the token comedian south of the border on the show or ‘Mexican’ as he is referred to, Neil said that he had no reservations dealing with the intricacies of Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland sense of humour is one he enjoys.

“Particularly Belfast, it has a slightly darker sense of humour; that might be just my opinion, for fairly obvious reasons. Comedians tend to be darker than the average person sense-of-humour-wise. Some of the best gigs I’ve done have been in Belfast.”

He added: “It’s (Blame Game) been very good to me. We’d do Ulster Hall and it’s a bit strange to do the place where Ian Paisley did some of those speeches and it would sell out based on what we would have done in the Blame Game.”

In recent years, Neil has written and fronted two acclaimed documentaries about St Patrick and his Viking routes, which subsequently won an IFTA.

“It’s (the documentaries) massively labour-intensive. As a standalone project, you’d be massively proud of them. You’d go ‘that will last.’ It’s a complete whole.”

Unfortunately, the trophy does not reside on the Delamere mantelpiece.

“The producer gets to keep it. It’s in her house. I get visiting rights, like a divorced father who sees his child once a month in McDonalds. I buy the IFTA a happy meal and leave it on the same shelf.”

With the increased amount of TV and radio, you’d wonder is broadcasting the future path for Neil. However, the ‘B’ word proves to be an ugly, ungainly one.

“Broadcaster is a serious word. Bernard O’Shea, a good friend of mine, always used to criticise people by saying ‘he thinks he’s a broadcaster.’ There are a handful of broadcasters in Ireland. Pat Kenny is a broadcaster, Marian Finucane is a broadcaster. I’m a comedian who’s been asked to do radio and loved it.”

He doesn’t entirely rule out a full-time switch to radio and TV, but comedy is always the priority. His next project is Next Week’s News show, to be shown on RTÉ before the end of the year and he is in talks about another documentary (on Irish heroes) in 2014.

Neil first rose to national attention with RTÉ’s the Panel show, which dealt with the stories of the week in a humorous and often insightful way.

The comedian mused that there is a demand there for a live topical comedy show, as the last few years had been rich in fodder.

“Extremes create perfect breeding grounds for comedy and, Jesus, we are in extremes at the moment. If you look at the last few years, the iodine tablets for a nuclear meltdown, free cheese and thousands of people leaving the country, the troika coming in and telling us what to do. The Anglo tapes, God, what we would have done with the Anglo Tapes!”

Ultimately, the aim for Neil as his career at the top enters its second decade is to keep refining his act and to keep improving.

“I think if I can keep me interested I will keep the people interested,” he said.

Neil Delamere will perform in Portlaoise Heritage Hotel on 31 January 2014. Tickets are priced at €23 and are available on Ticktemaster and from Kavanagh’s.

The post Portlaoise gig beckons for Neil Delamere appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

THE last ever annual budget for Portlaoise Town Council was delivered last week before the council is abolished at the end of May 2014. Town manager Michael Rainey explained that a full 12-month budget had been undertaken at last week’s meeting of Portlaoise Town Council. After May, the budget will be handed over to Laois Co Council’s head of finance Gerry Murphy to deliver for the remainder of the year.

The budget, however, was created in a backdrop of ambiguity.

Mr Rainey said that there was still no information on the new regional municipal districts and their budgeting powers.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said that there had been “no follow-through” on the local government reforms. “No-one knows what is going on with the budget,” she said. “They brought this in, but there has been no follow-through. We are working in the dark.”

In the final town council budget, expenditure is set at €102,822 with income projected at €38,352. The deficit will come from a Laois Co Council grant.

Most of the budget’s headline figures are roughly the same as last year.

The allocation for councillors’ expenses was, however, cut from €30,000 to €15,000 to reflect the May deadline.

The mayor’s allowance of €1,000 remains the same as the 2013 figure, while €750 for civic receptions is also unchanged.

€2,000 each was allocated for St Patrick’s Day and Christmas lights for 2014. €30,200 will be spent in 2014 on five local school wardens.

In his manager’s report, Mr Rainey outlined the work that had been done in 2013. ‘Welcome’ signs to the town were erected on all the approach roads. Strengthening works took place on the old Abbeyleix Road at Clonminam, Marian Avenue and Beladd. New street lights were erected on Grattan Street. Re-alignment of the road at Kyletalesha was also carried out.

Works continued on the Borris Road, Portlaoise, which is part of a long-term plan to realign the existing road to the schools. Extensive improvement works were carried out at Portlaoise cemetery during 2013.

Cllr Kathleen O’Brien said that the council could be proud of its efforts and many of the works had originated following motions at council meetings.

Cllr Mathew Keegan hoped that support for local initiatives, such as the St Patrick’s Day festivities, would continue with the municipal districts.

The post Final budget delivered … but councilors claim they are ‘working in the dark’ appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

LAOIS Co Council purchased the old Shaws building on Main Street, Portlaoise for a sum in the region of €450,000, according to Fine Gael councillor Willie Aird. The building is set to be the new premises of Portlaoise library, which is currently located in Lyster Square.

At a meeting of Portlaoise Town Council last Tuesday, cllr Aird was quick to clear up any confusion over the cost of the building. Laois Co Council stated last month that the total capital cost of the library project would be around €2.5 million. This had led some to mistakenly believe that the purchase of the Main Street building would be the same.

The revelation came about following Fine Gael cllr Kathleen O’Brien’s motion suggesting the old library in Lyster Square become a museum.

Cllr O’Brien said that Portlaoise is a town with no museum and when a vacant, council-owned building presents itself, it is the perfect time to establish a museum for the community.

Cllr O’Brien’s motion received support from cllrs Jerry Lodge and Caroline Dwane. “I think the idea and concept is excellent,” said cllr Lodge. He also said that he was confident that there would be locals willing to donate historical local artefacts should a museum open in the town.

The post Council purchases Shaws building for €450,000 appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

A THIRD of CCTV cameras operated by gardaí in Portlaoise are blocked by trees.

That information was provided by Garda Supt Yvonne Lundon at a meeting of Portlaoise Joint Policing Committee recently.

Out of 15 CCTV cameras in Portlaoise, five are currently blocked by trees said Supt Lundon.

“I am going to raise that with the town council in terms of getting the tree surgeon in and getting them removed,” she said.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald had initially asked that CCTV be used to focus in on expensive Christmas lights in order to protect them.

Cllr Fitzgerald recalled trouble at Christmas in Market Square, where the nativity crib had been damaged.

“We’ve had enormous trouble over recent years at the shrine in the crib,” she said.

Supt Lundon said that gardaí would focus on the crib in light of previous trouble.

“I appreciate not only the cost of it, but the image it presents as well is important if this is the type of media attention it’s getting in terms of the crib destroyed or vandalised; we’ll certainly focus on that,” she added.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said that it is important that people know the equipment is watched, particularly in an area where revellers congregate for taxis or buses after a night out.

“We want to make it very clear today that the gardaí and CCTV will be watching them like a hawk if anyone interferes with them,” said cllr Fitzgerald.

The post Trees blocking one-third of CCTV cameras, but gardaí will be watching like hawks appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

GARDAÍ in Portlaoise reported a reduction in overall crime in the town over the last year at the last meeting of Portlaoise Joint Policing Committee for 2013 last Tuesday.

Crime up to November was down 7% compared with the same period in 2012. Supt Yvonne Lundon also announced a 19% reduction in overall crime in the months of September, October and November compared with the previous quarter.

While there were reductions in burglaries, assaults, drink-driving and possession of drugs offences, increases in thefts and possession of drugs for sale and supply were also recorded.

Detections of burglaries are down 17% over the calendar year, while over the last quarter that figure has been reduced by 9%.

Supt Lundon said that this was due to increased patrols, excellent investigative work and the public taking steps to secure their homes.

Over the past three months, there has been a 44% increase in the detection of controlled drugs offences. “They were 24 detections of the sale and supply of drugs in the town. These offences cover the whole array of drugs, from heroin to cannabis, and they are currently before the courts.”

There were 28 detections of drugs for personal use during the same period, a decrease of 40% from the previous quarter. There has been an increase of 14% in the number of drugs offences in the calendar year compared with 2012.

Public order offences have risen by 24%, with 68 public order offences recorded for the quarter.

Overall, there has been a 3% decrease in the number of offences over the calendar year.

Twenty-two assaults were reported to gardaí in the quarter, a reduction of 41% over the previous three months.

Alcohol continued to be an “ever present ingredient” in assaults, public order and domestic violence incidents, according to Supt Lundon. She said that gardaí liaised with the local branch of the vintners’ federation to prevent alcohol sales to youths.

Supt Lundon said that gardaí recently delivered a business text alert system and anti-theft presentation to businesses in Portlaoise. “We have introduced a number of new initiatives in business strategy, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, in an attempt to reduce thefts from shops. We believe that should be reasonably successful.”

The work of community policing continues to bear fruit, providing a visible presence in local estates and in the town centre. The unit also visits victims of burglaries and provides a call-back system to the elderly, offering advice and highlighting services. The unit has delivered talks on crime to primary and secondary schools and its consequences since September. Talks included road safety, cyber-safety and bullying.

Councillors attending the JPC meeting commended the reduction in crime. Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said that the increased visibility of gardaí on beat patrol was to be welcomed. She asked that patrols be carried out in areas where elderly residents live in older estates in Portlaoise and the Sue Ryder Centre in Kilminchy.

Cathaoirleach of the town council cllr Willie Aird expressed the council’s gratitude for community policing and the benefits it had in areas of Portlaoise, such as Knockmay.

The post Laois crime down by 7% in last year appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

THERE will be an increased garda presence on the roads in and around Portlaoise over the festive period, as gardaí urge people not to drink and drive.

There was good news at last Tuesday’s Portlaoise joint policing committee meeting as a 29% decrease in drink-driving detections was recorded over the months of September, October and November over the previous quarter. Announcing the figure, Supt Yvonne Lundon said that this decrease was influenced partly by an increase in the number of mandatory alcohol test checkpoints conducted by regular units and members of the district traffic corps.

Supt Lundon said the stark message of the consequences of drink-driving was getting through, but still needed to be highlighted.

“Our objective is not to try to catch people out. Our objective is to try and instil responsibility in each individual,” she said.

She referred to the recent Electric Picnic festival to demonstrate this increased sense of responsibility among motorists. Festival-goers had presented themselves to gardaí querying when they would be able to drive safely after drinking.

“If we can continue that over Christmas so we are not bringing tragedy to anybody’s door, I think that is hugely important,” she said.

Supt Lundon said that there was a specific schedule of checkpoints which will continue in the run-up to Christmas and an increased presence of gardaí on the road can be expected.

Fine Gael town councillor Mathew Keegan said that the combined use of the checkpoints and speed cameras at strategic visible locations could further reduce driving offences and drivers’ speed.

Supt Lundon said that speed was the biggest factor in fatalities on the country’s roads. She noted an increase in road fatalities across Ireland, including Laois, in 2013.

“Speed is a biggest factor in that. That is the focus to get out to people: to slow down with increased traffic on the roads and take their time.”

Cathaoirleach of Portlaoise Town Council Willie Aird said that young people were more aware of the dangers of drink-driving than previous generations. He called for the same garda resources to be applied to tackle the dangers of speed as had been used for drink-driving.

The post 29% decrease in drink-driving detections in last three months appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Cllr Jerry Lodge FF

SINN Féin was truly ‘ourselves alone’ after the co-option of a new Portlaoise town councillor was controversially scuppered at the last minute.

Fianna Fáil’s Jerry Lodge made a dramatic u-turn at last week’s Portlaoise Town Council meeting, when he withdrew his agreed support for the motion co-opting Clare Spollen onto the Sinn Féin seat vacated by Alan Hand.

The aftermath led to both Laois Co Council and Sinn Féin seeking legal advice over whether Ms Spollen’s co-option should have taken place regardless. Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley also weighed in with a rebuke to Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil town councillors.

The seeds of the incident were sewn prior to last week’s meeting of Portlaoise Town Council. Two probable supporters of Ms Spollen’s co-option, independent town councillors Rotimi Adebari and Tom Jacob, were absent. It left Sinn Fein’s town councillor Caroline Dwane looking for support from among the three Fine Gael and two Fianna Fáil councillors present.

Prior to the meeting, cllr Dwane said that she went to Fine Gael’s Kathleen O’Brien looking for support, but she declined. Cllr Jerry Lodge of Fianna Fáil was then contacted and he agreed to second the motion.

However, cllr Lodge changed his mind minutes before the meeting after discussing it with fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Catherine Fitzgerald.

Cllr Caroline Dwane SF

Cllr Lodge said that he made his decision in light of not having discussed it with his party.

Cllr Lodge apologised to Caroline Dwane and Clare Spollen for the fiasco.

“I want to apologise to you publicly,” he said.

Cllr Lodge said that in the spirit of democracy that a party should be allowed to co-opt a representative freely.

Cllr Lodge said he wished to adjourn the co-option for a week to enable Sinn Féin to find support for the motion.

“What’s that going to change?,” replied cathaoirleach Willie Aird. “You either want to (support the motion) or you don’t.”

Cllr Aird said that with no support the motion could not even be debated.

“I have to deal with a proposal that has not been accepted,” he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane replied: “I have to say, I’m very disappointed.”

Laois Co Council sought independent legal advice following the meeting to ensure protocol was observed. A council spokesperson said that the council had been advised that co-option was treated as a normal motion and needed both a proposer and a seconder.

In a statement, deputy Brian Stanley said that previous co-options had taken place at Mountmellick and Portlaoise town councils and Laois Co Council without incident.

“The Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil clique on Portlaoise Town Council have now had their anti-Sinn Féin bias well and truly exposed and, by their actions, are disenfranchising the people in Portlaoise who voted for us. This is a continuation of what they have done over the past four years, i.e. kept Sinn Féin out of all positions on the town council.”

Sinn Féin and Clare Spollen will now have to wait until January for another co-option opportunity. Ms Spollen has been a member of Sinn Féin for seven years and is a member of Roselawn Residents’ Association and St Peter and Paul’s cemetery committee. She has worked as a community activist in the town and has been involved in many local campaigns for many years.

The post FF scuppers SF co-option appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

LAOIS shoppers can avail of free parking every Saturday in the run-up to Christmas in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick.

Free parking in normally paid parking areas will be in effect on Saturdays 14, 21 and 28 December. The measure will also be in effect for the busy Christmas week on Monday and Tuesday, 23 and 24 December.

Laois Co Council said legal parking was still in effect in accordance with traffic and parking regulations. There is to be no parking in disabled bays, parking on double yellow lines and loading bays.

The post Free parking on Saturdays in run-up to Christmas appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

The damaged apartment block in Portarlington

A YOUNG couple and their baby were among those rescued from an apartment block in Kilnacourt Woods, Portarlington after it went up in flames in a suspected arson attack.

Portarlington fire brigade received several calls at approximately 1.30am on the morning of Friday 6 December. The common area of the ground floor of the apartment block was on fire. Acting chief fire officer of Laois County Fire and Rescue Services, Declan Power, said that there was “a significant amount of smoke” pouring out of the windows of the three-storey building.

When Portarlington fire service arrived on the scene and assessed it, they called for back-up.

They were soon joined by fire services from Portlaoise and Mountmellick. It became apparent that there were several people trapped in the building, so the first priority was to rescue those inside. In all, there were six people saved from the building, including a young couple and their baby.

Four are understood to have been rescued by fire ladder. Two others are understood to have fashioned an escape rope with sheets and climbed out of the apartment. The six were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. Mr Power described the fire as “potentially very serious.”

After the trapped residents were freed, work began on controlling and extinguishing the fire. Once the fire crews had extinguished the flames, three breathing apparatus units made their way into the building to search all of the apartments. They had to force their way into two of the apartment units as the doors were locked to ensure that there was nobody in danger inside.

There was some damage to the building with windows being blown out and there was extensive smoke damage. Nine apartments in total were affected. The scene was sealed off and technically examined by gardaí.

However, since the fire was confined to the ground floor common area, homeowners were able to return to their home soon after the incident.

An individual was arrested by gardaí following the fire, but has since been released without charge. A garda spokesperson said that anyone who saw any suspicious individuals or vehicles coming and going from the area between 1am-2am to contact Portarlington Garda Station on 057 8623112.

Gardaí conducted door-to-door enquires and checkpoints in Portarlington following the fire to gather information and seek witnesses. It’s not known precisely what caused the fire, but the spokesperson said that an accelerant was used.

The post YOUNG FAMILY RESCUED FROM BURNING BUILDING appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

Cathal O’Brien as featured in the music vidoe for I’m Coming Home

A FEW familiar local faces can be seen in a viral music video for a Christmas song dedicated to Irish emigrants.

The Jigsaw Jam and Keith O’Brien’s song ‘I’m coming home’ has garnered almost 40,000 YouTube viewings since it reached the public’s attention less than two weeks ago.

In the video featuring Irish emigrants wishing loved ones a happy Christmas are two Laois faces.

Jigsaw Jam frontman, Galway man Shane Davis, is married to Attanagh woman Laura Sheppard.

When the song was penned last year, the band went looking for people from around the globe to send their Christmas messages. Laura spread the word among extended family abroad.

As a result, Laois man Cathal O’Brien can be seen, rather memorably, on a surfboard wishing his family a happy Christmas. Based in Perth, Cathal has not been home in three years. A young Portlaoise boy, Craig Griffey, can also be seen holding a sign for his brother Colin, who is in Melbourne and won’t be home for Christmas.

The video was posted up on YouTube last December, but was a little too late to be publicised effectively. After Australian-based IrishCentral.com website caught wind of the video two weeks ago and uploaded it on their social media sites, it went viral. It attracted 10,000 views in one night alone. In the last week, the song has been plugged heavily on national radio. The band is set to appear on Pat Kenny and Colm Hayes radio programmes shortly, while a feature has been recorded for the RTÉ news.

“When we finished the song, we were all very happy with. We knew we did the best we could, but we didn’t have any expectations of this happening,” said Shane.

The post Laois faces among YouTube Christmas dedication song appeared first on Laois Nationalist.

THERE will be three GOAL mile events in Laois on Christmas Day and St Stephen’s day.

The first of the three begins in Oakvale Woods, Stradbally (near Windy Gap) on 25 December at 10am. An hour later, another GOAL mile begins from Portarlington GAA grounds, Canal Road. The following day, those interested in taking part in a GOAL mile can do so by turning up at Barrowhouse GAA community field at 11am.

Now in its 31^st year, the GOAL mile is held in villages, towns and cities all over Ireland every Christmas. It is one of the country’s biggest and longest-running annual fundraising events. The concept is simple. People run or walk a mile and donate whatever they can afford on the day to GOAL.

GOAL has also established a new page on its website that includes a global map of locations and a celebrity mile leader board, where runners can compare their best mile times against some of Ireland’s top sporting stars including Eamon Coughlan and Alan Brogan.

The aid agency is hoping this year’s miles will help highlight its emergency response programme in the Philippines, where they are delivering food and shelter to tens of thousands of people who lost their homes and possessions in last month’s typhoon.

If you would like to organise your own GOAL mile event, e-mail Cathy at fundraising@goal.ie or phone 01 2809779. To take part in a GOAL mile near you, just log on to the GOAL mile webpage at www.goal.ie.

The post Three GOAL mile events in Laois this Christmas appeared first on Laois Nationalist.