Tag Archives: Longford

Residents of Legan in Co Longford meet last Friday night after a fire destroyed a family home in the area

This morning.

Lisa McCormack, from Legan in Co Longford, writes:

“On Saturday, January 18, our community were left devastated after our neighbours’ home was left uninhabitable after a fire destroyed it.

This has left the Mazurek family – Mickola, Wiola, Patrizia, Mia and Philip – without their belongings as everything was damaged during the fire.

Fortunately they were not harmed in any way and it didn’t take long for the community of Legan to rally around and assist them in any way possible.

We held a community-based meeting with a massive attendance and all agreed that to help provide the basic necessities for the Mazureks, we would host a fundraising 5K walk in Legan to help raise as much funds as possible.

We invite our neighbouring communities, parishes, friends and family to attend this.

All proceeds will go directly to the Mazureks and will help them out as much as possible until they find their feet.

This fundraising event will take place on Sunday, February 16th at midday, meeting at Legan GAA grounds with the walk to follow.

Refreshments will be served and a raffle afterwards.

We ask all our friends and family to join us and show that our community spirit can make a positive impact and difference to alleviate the misfortune this family have endured.”

Thanks Lisa

Delicious.

Spochadóir tweetz:

Lads I bought a fu**in jambon and a cup of coffee this morning at a filling station in Longford and it cost €5.40.

Now, I’m no fu**in’ economist but I’m a great man for a filling station breakfast and lemme tell ya fu**in something, the arse is about to fall out of the economy….

No need for the language but anyone?

Pic: Our Best Bites

This afternoon

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the opening Of Centre Parcs in County Longford – home to Love Island contestant Maura Higgins.

Earlier…

This afternoon.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended the official opening of the €233million Center Parcs Longford Forest outside Ballymahon in Co Longford.

Ceremony to mark completion of Center Parcs in Longford (Newstalk)

Previously: Gaslighting By Fanny

Longford, You’re A Lady

Pics: Merrion Street



Last night.

New Street, Longford town, Co Longford.

Eamonn Farrell writes:

Armed Garda Units back up uniformed gardai assigned to try and deal with increased levels of criminal violence which is making life difficult and dangerous for local residents.

The problem is compounded by the fact that the violence is believed to be between a number of families engaged in criminal activities and settling their scores on the streets of Longford town.

Members of the local business community and politicians have called for more sustained Garda action with the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) being introduced into the fray.

The recent violence has involved guns, knives and arson.

Longford is a clean, tidy town, acting as a gateway to the North West, but the sight of armed gardai on its streets draws parallels with the worst of gangland crime in Dublin city’s black spots.

Name that weapon, anyone?

Eamonn Farrell/Rollingnews

Yesterday morning and all last week.

Anna Kavanagh, from Longford, who volunteers with Athlone Community Radio, reported via Facebook on events from Strokestown, County Roscommon.

Her videos here, here and here have had close to a million views so far.

Further to this…

Last night Anna posted a letter she wrote to the Irish Farmers Journal in 2016 about the difficulties that farmers are facing when it comes to meeting their loan repayments.

Anna writes::

I predicted in April 2016 that we were about to see a land grab in Ireland not seen since Cromwell and I called on the Government to put a contingency plan in place to prevent this happening.

I’m very shaken by what has happened in Roscommon this week and my reporting from the scene of the eviction has taken its toll on me. I do not want to see any further breakdown of the rule of law and order in this country. We are a democracy and I believe in the power of the ballot box.

I’m pleading to Leo Varadkar, Charlie Flanagan and Drew Harris to restore the rule of law to the courts, the Gardai and the body politic because history teaches us that the alternative is anarchy. I’m unable to respond to all the requests for the moment and I appeal that you continue to keep your comments respectful.

Many thanks to you for reading and for your support.

Anna Kavanagh (Facebook)

Thanks Johnny Keenan

UPDATE:

Anna writes:

“I’m live on air at 3.20pm to bring you breaking news from Roscommon eviction. You can listen live on the net at this link. Please share and let others know.”

From top: This morning’s Irish Daily Mail; Irish Times

Further to the shooting incident involving a Garda detective in Longford on Monday evening…

Michael Doyle, in The Irish Sun, reports:

“During the incident, what appeared to be a warning shot was fired and Blondie [Christopher ‘Blondie’ Stokes] was hit by a bullet in the foot from a Garda-issue Sig Sauer handgun.

Sources said an Alsatian dog attacked the cop and had to be shot in self-defence…“

However…

The injured man’s uncle Ned ‘Sonny’ Stokes, who arrived on the scene minutes later, said no pooch was killed.

He told the Irish Sun: “When I got there, I met the garda and asked him what happened.

“I went over and I saw Chris after being hit in the leg.

“They have two dogs and I could see them tied up at the back, not a bother on them.”

Anyone?

TWO SIDES OF THE TAIL: Family of man wounded by armed garda in Longford say no dog was shot in incident while gardai say mutt was killed in self-defence (Michael Doyle, The Irish Sun)

Yesterday: Meanwhile in Longford

410269-207117

A lamb that was attacked by a pine marten on Pauraic Brady’s farm

Anthony Jordan, in the Farmer’s Journal, reports:

Numerous pine marten attacks on livestock have been reported by farmers in Co Longford, the Irish Farmers Journal has learned. Farmers in the Midlands have expressed concerns and anger over increased attacks on animals by pine martens.

The attacks have been ongoing over the past 18 months, with fowl and sheep being the most targeted livestock.

Farmer Michael Quinn has been the victim of numerous pine marten attacks in the last two years, with seven lambs killed this year and four killed the year before.

“It is not nice to go out and see your stock attacked and killed by a pine marten,” Quinn told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“Every morning you go out you hope that there is no damage done in your field. It is really hurting farmers around the area.”

Recently, a farmer had €600 worth of pheasants wiped out in a single pine marten attack, while another farmer reported that a dog was attacked.

Drumlish farmer Pauraic Brady, who has had two lamb fatalities himself this year, believes that the situation has become critical around the county.

“Farmers are coming to the stage where they are fed up. Fowl is being wiped out, lambs are being attacked and the cost for farmers from vet’s bills is extensive.”

Pine martens have been protected in Ireland since 1994 under the Habitat Directive, but Brady, who is also a local councillor, believes numbers are rampant in Longford.

“The population has become out of control in the county. I know of up to 20 farmers who have had stock attacked. It is coming to the stage where something has to be done.”

The Irish Farmers Journal has been in contact with the Department of Art, Heritage and the Gealtacht on the topic but has not received any comment on the issue.

There are fresh calls from local farmers to have to the protected status of the pine marten lifted after the series of attacks on livestock.

Pine marten?

Pine marten attacks sheep in Longford (Irish Farmers Journal)

Thanks Aisling Hussey