A game for the Gathering

Fri, Jul 19, 2013

Sunday’s historic Connacht final will provide an unrivalled weekend of entertainment and sport in Mayo. You can’t help but feel excited about the occasion on so many different levels.

What justice is sufficient for such a heinous crime?

Fri, Jul 12, 2013

The people of Castlebar are showing their solidarity against the brutal and awful murder of two of the town’s much loved gentlemen.

Mayo has it all going on this July

Fri, Jul 05, 2013

You have to love July. Festival fever and all that. And this year is a little bit more special with all the Gathering events happening across the county.

The swearing, the singing, and the scheming

Fri, Jun 28, 2013

For years now the people of this country have been taking our medicine, swallowing the bitter pill. Sure weren’t we all part of it. We all bought into the dream. The holidays, the cars, the second houses, the au pairs, the gadgets, etc, etc. The flamboyancy of it all. When the banks told us to take out a home improvement loan or a car loan to buy the latest model with all the bells and whistles, or to extend our mortgage and put a few bob into savings, or when they kept increasing our credit card limits, we went along with it. We’re as guilty as Drumm et al, or so they’d have us believe.

More special needs cuts is austerity gone too far

Fri, Jun 21, 2013

The measure of a country is how it looks after its most vulnerable. That might include the elderly, the homeless, those who are marginalised from society, and children. It also includes children and adults with special needs, and the latest Government cuts in teaching hours for special needs students is an appalling attack on a section of society who do not always have the voice to stand up for themselves. They rely on others to ensure their rights are protected, and when the guardians of our society, the Government, let the austerity axe fall on them, someone needs to shout stop.

A place to turn to in the aftermath of a suicide

Fri, Jun 14, 2013

When suicide strikes a family and community its impact is far reaching. First of all there is the suddenness of this tragedy, the realisation that the deceased is gone. Then there are funeral arrangements, a wake, the whole shaking hands process to be gone through before they are lowered to their final resting place or their ashes are scattered somewhere meaningful to the deceased and their family.

Pat on the back for Enda and co

Fri, Jun 07, 2013

The bright sunshine which lightened the hearts of everyone this week was matched with some exciting news for the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar. The €11 million funding which was allocated to bring the facility up to HIQA standards, hopefully in time for the 2015 deadline, was greeted with genuine relief and happiness across the county.

A monumental breach of trust

Fri, May 31, 2013

The harrowing and shocking scenes shown on RTÉ Primetime Investigates programme ‘A Breach of Trust’ on Tuesday night featuring a number of named childcare facilities repulsed and shocked the nation.

People power prevalent at LEADER public meeting

Fri, Apr 12, 2013

People power can never be underestimated and when 400 people turn up at a public meeting in Mayo to support a cause that has changed so many of their lives, then a clear and concise message must be taken from that.

Think before you type

Fri, Mar 29, 2013

Finally the issue of cyberbullying, which has devastated so many lives in this country, is getting the attention and headlines it deserves.

The power of the high vis

Fri, Mar 22, 2013

You’d often hear people say look at your man with the high vis jacket. He thinks he’s running the show just because he’s wearing that. They scoff because he has the authority to tell them where they can’t loiter, much to their disdain. These remarks are usually heard at local community events where a group of organisers don the high vis to ensure the smooth running of the particular event. And there is always one dude who thinks he’s been handed the freedom of the village when he gets the high vis on his back.

Frontline workers being hung out to dry

Fri, Feb 22, 2013

Ireland’s frontline workers are being hung out to dry by this Government. Members of An Garda Siochana, nurses, firefighters, ambulance personnel, and prison officers cannot and should not be targeted again for pay cuts, dressed up in any guise.

E-paper

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