By Cianna McNally ‘A visionary, a motivator, a man who worked tirelessly for the betterment of his community.’ These are the words inscribed in a plaque embedded in Lackan Bridge, Bawn, in memory of and as a tribute to the late Johnny Clerkin, who was Postmaster of Cortubber Post Office from the Fifties until his death in 1984. The sun shone brightly on Saturday morning last as the plaque was officially unveiled by Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys in front of ...

“We need to get it out of our heads that there will be a soft Border – there will be no soft Border and there can’t be,” stated Fianna Fáil’s Pádraig McNally at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council during a debate which reflected mounting concern among local political representatives at the adverse fall out the county might have to deal with as a consequence of the UK’s ‘Brexit’ decision to leave the European Union. Members were of the view that the issues facing Co Monaghan were so serious ...

Michael Fisher The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said the case for undergrounding the North South interconnector is very strong. He also said his party’s Oireachtas representatives would pursue vigorously the refusal by Minister Denis Naughten to meet them to discuss the issue. This follows the passing by the Dáil and Seanad of motions calling for a new independent analysis of the costs and technical feasibility of undergrounding the proposed electricity link across Monaghan, Cavan and Meath. Meanwhile representatives of the County Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee have met officials from Minister ...

The launch of this year’s edition of Co Monaghan’s premier rally sports event, and in terms of spectator interest one of the most significant dates in the overall sporting calendar in these parts, took place at Monaghan Town’s Four Seasons Hotel on Friday last, March 31. The Four Seasons are the proud sponsors of this year’s Stages Rally organised by Monaghan Motor Club. Clerk of the Course Thomas Treanor gave the large crowd of motor sport enthusiasts a sort of “teaser trailer” of the nature of the stages ...

Important local advice and information services in Co Monaghan, including those availed of by people in mortgage distress and other forms of indebtedness, could be curtailed by restructuring plans, it was stated at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The concerns, which were the subject of a notice of urgent business moved by the Fine Gael members of the Council and unanimously adopted, arise from Government proposals to change the structure of delivery of the Citizens Information Service and the MABS or Money Advice and Budgeting Service. The ...

By Veronica Corr It’s said that “gin makes you sin” and if you think that’s not entirely a bad thing(!), then the good news is that a local craftsman has taken up distilling the spirit. Steven Murphy, from Killabrick, Carrickmacross, has set up Old Carrick Mill Distillery in the townland of Derrylavin, just a stone’s throw away from the actual old mill building itself. The young self-employed, artisan distiller has big plans for his mill, including branching out into manufacturing other drinks and turning the old mill building into a tourist ...

• Co Council seeks input into consultation process New valuations for commercial properties in Co Monaghan for the purpose of levying rates will be in effect by 2020, Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council was informed. Councillors expressed an eagerness to have an input into the consultation process that will precede the review of the valuations in the county and it was agreed to invite representatives of the Valuation Office to address a future meeting. John O’Sullivan, Commissioner of Valuation, in a letter to Co Council Chief Executive Eamonn O’Sullivan which was circulated ...

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan Niamh Smyth is welcoming progress on the roll out of anomaly scans to pregnant women at Cavan General Hospital.  Deputy Smyth has been campaigning to extend anomaly scans to the hospital and met with the Master of the Rotunda Hospital last week. She commented, “These scans are extremely important in monitoring the development of the baby in the womb and are carried out as a matter of …

Bio-marine Ingredients plant to begin production in May By Cianna McNally Twenty-five new jobs are set to be created in Lough Egish when a new state-of-the-art food processing plant begins production in May. Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys paid a visit to Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland (BII), which is currently under construction in Lough Egish Foodpark, on Friday last. Her visit was part of a series of structured engagements with rural communities on Realising our Rural Potential, the Government’s Action ….

By PATSY McARDLE AN inquest in Carrickmacross last Thursday revealed how the death of a Dublin man at a flat in the South Monaghan town was linked to the gruesome death of the man’s brother whose body was dismembered with an arm subsequently found washed up on Dollymount Strand in Dublin six years ago. The inquest was conducted by the Coroner for Co. Monaghan, Dr. Mary Flanagan, Castleblayney, into the circumstances of the death of Thomas Nolan, known locally as “Dublin Tommy” whose body was found in a room at his ...