How Would You Define Your Ideal TD?

By Justin Kelly

Filip Kalebić, a Masters student in DIT is conducting a study to find out what you consider to be the most important characteristics of your ideal TD? He wants you to have your say. Filip is completing his Masters Degree in Public Affairs and Political Communication.

Does dress sense, accent or physical appearance matter? Do you like your TD out interacting with the public, or working tirelessly behind the scenes?

Filip’s survey delves into the core of what makes constituencies tick, and what makes you and I stand up to vote for our favourite candidate. “This public opinion survey is for the purpose of my thesis. I would very much appreciate any number of responses to help give me a well-rounded and detailed study,” Filip told InOffaly.

To help Filip with his studies, please take five minutes to fill out this survey. All responses are completely anonymous. To contribute, please follow the link below.

FILIP'S SURVEY:

The Public's Perception of TDs - Online Survey

Tullamore Artist To Launch ‘Timescape’ Art Exhibition

Maura Fahy at work in her studio

By Justin Kelly

Tullamore artist Maura Fahy will launch her most recent exhibition of paintings this Friday, April 17 at Áras an Chontae in Tullamore. Entitled ‘Timescape’, the exhibition shed slight on Maura’s exploration of her childhood fascination with the dandelion flower. “It was its shape, softness and its magical ability to disappear in a second that fascinated me,” Maura said.

Speaking ahead of the event, Maura revealed, “The dandelion flower created many playful moments for me as a child; using it as a clock to tell the time and watching it drift away in the wind. When blowing the ‘clocks’ and spreading their life for miles around, I felt that I was actively creating nature.”

Maura has recently started to experiment with the application of various techniques to enhance her paintings: “In the recent past, I’ve spent time experimenting and I hope this will enhance the visual impact of my work in order to express a sense of mystery,” the painter explained. “The use of the dandelion has always featured in my paintings as a final layer, but occasionally I have dedicated paintings to the theme of dandelions”, she added.

“A mystery makes the viewer more curious and invites them to look deeper into the painting,” Maura stated. “Colour has always been a major part of my work. In this series, I plan to develop my use of colour further to give more vibrancy to my pieces. This will, in turn, give more energy and movement to the work and hopefully provoke an emotional response from the viewer,” she concluded.

The exhibition will be officially launched at 6:30pm on Friday, April 17 at Áras an Chontae, Tullamore, by renowned author Geraldine O’Neill. All are welcome to attend.

For more information on Maura Fahy visit www.papillonartstudio.com.

Collection Of Choirs Unite For 'Special' Tullamore Concert

By Justin Kelly

A unique collaboration of young choirs will gather for one special concert at The Church of the Assumption in Tullamore on Sunday, April 26 at 7:30pm. The event, organised by the Association of Irish Choirs in conjunction with Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath, will welcome renowned conductor Greg Beardsell and his Irish Youth Chamber Choir, as well as a number of local school choirs. It will be one of just three performances of its kind taking place nationwide.

Beardsell has worked extensively in Ireland and the UK with the BBC Symphony Chorus, the London Bach Choir and the National Youth Orchestras of Ireland and Ulster. The young choral participants from Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath will get the opportunity to learn from the acclaimed conductor at a series of workshops due to take place prior to the event.

Three Offaly schools will be among the participating choirs on April 26, and they are Rath NS from Birr, Ard Scoil Chiarain, Clara, and Scoil Naomh Cormac of Kilcormac. They will be joined by other school choirs on the night from Athlone and Moate.

Joining these secondary schools and the Irish Youth Chamber Choir in their performance will be the award winning Tullamore Academy Chamber Choir led by Ciaran Brady. “This will be a special opportunity to hear some amazing and inspiring young voices raise the roof in the Midlands,” a statement from the Offaly Arts Office at Offaly County Council read. “It is a concert not to be missed,” it claimed.

Tickets for this unique concert are priced at just €10/€7 and can be ordered on www.uch.ie or 061-331549. They will also be available to purchase at the door on the night. For more information, visit www.aoic.ie

A Look Into The History Of Edenderry With Shoe Company Photograph

Photograph supplied by Fergus McDonnell

Can you name any of the people in this photograph?

The photograph was taken at an Edenderry Shoe Factory employees' dinner at the Eden Inn, Edenderry in 1967.

Edenderry Shoe Company was first opened 80 years ago this year in 1935, and being able to compile a list of the people in this photograph will be a fitting way to mark this anniversary.

If you can name anyone in this photograph, please comment below and specify their position in the picture.

Barry Cowen Selected As General Election Candidate For Fianna Fáil

By Justin Kelly

Barry Cowen has been selected as a General Election candidate following a Fianna Fáil party convention at the Tullamore Court Hotel this evening. The convention was attended by over 250 party members, and was chaired by Cork-North Central TD and Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Health Billy Kelleher.

Speaking following his selection Deputy Cowen said: “I am honoured to be chosen once again to represent Fianna Fáil in Offaly for the forthcoming General Election. Fianna Fáil has a proud tradition in Offaly and I look forward to mounting an energetic campaign over the coming months to bring our message to every corner of the county.”

Barry Cowen is the brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and was first elected a TD in the 2011 General Election. He served as the party spokesperson for Social Protection from April 2011 until the summer of 2012 when he was appointed spokesperson for the Environment and Local Government. He continues in that role within the party and the Clara native and former County Councillor will be hopeful of retaining his seat at the next General Election due to be called next year.

“This election will be of fundamental importance to the people of Offaly. Since coming to office the current government has abandoned rural Ireland. It has overseen significant cutbacks to supports that were put in place down through the years to promote growth across Ireland,” Cowen added on Wednesday evening.

“Towns and villages in Offaly are continuing to struggle. Ministers are increasingly clapping themselves on the back for bringing about an economic recovery that people simply are not experiencing in their daily lives. At the same time the government is overseeing the closure of local Garda stations, post offices and other vital community services.”

“Fine Gael and Labour have no plan for the present and no vision for the future. All they are interested in is being returned to government so they can continue with their regressive policy agenda that targets the most vulnerable in our society.”

“We have published a wide range of policy proposals to deal with issues such as mortgage arrears, the promotion of growth in areas such as Offaly and to bring about meaningful political reform.

 Over the coming months Fianna Fáil will be unveiling a comprehensive manifesto that sets out in further detail our vision for a fairer Ireland.”

Deputy Cowen also paid tribute to his competitors in tonight's convention. He commented, “I would also like to pay tribute to Councillor Eddie Fitzpatrick and Councillor Peter Ormond. They have been working hard in the community for many years. I look forward to working with them over the coming months to return an Offaly Fianna Fáil TD to Dáil Éireann”.

Clothing Discovered In Edenderry During Broadford Murder Probe

Silvestras Stoskus

By Justin Kelly

Items of clothing found on a laneway at the Grand Canal in Edenderry, Co. Offaly are being forensically examined today in connection with the murder of 20-year-old Silvestras Stoskus. The man’s body was discovered by a passer-by in a field in the Broadford area of Kildare on Wednesday afternoon. His body was found face down and due to the apparent violent nature of his death, Gardai immediately treated his death as suspicious.

Midlands Correspondent for RTE Ciaran Mullooly reported on radio this morning that Gardai found the clothes in Edenderry while working on a lead linked to Mr Stoskus’s death. Although no official information linking the discovery to the murder investigation has been released by the Gardai, Mullooly said that sources have suggested to him that the Kinnegad resident may have been held against his will in an area not far from Edenderry in the days leading up to his murder.

Mr Stoskus had been missing from his home in Kinnegad since March 8, and his family had been offering a €10,000 reward for information relating to his whereabouts. One line of inquiry being considered by the Gardai is the possibility that the young Lithuanian national had been involved in a dispute over money. He had no criminal convictions but was known to Gardaí for involvement in robberies, assaults and drugs offences. He had been due before the courts on charges prior to his disappearance.

Gardaí say they are not releasing the results of a post mortem examination for operational reasons. They have appealed to anyone who may have seen or spoken to Mr Stoskus between March 8 and March 18 or who may have seen any suspicious activity during that time at either Bun Daire, Kinnegad or Broadford to contact Leixlip Garda Station on 01-6667800, the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666111 or any garda station.

Offaly Mother Gives Birth To Quadruplets

By Justin Kelly

An Offaly woman has given birth to quadruplets at Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital, the lifestyle and parenting website HerFamily.ie has reported. The four baby boys were born to Anita and David Kelly from Kilclonfert, Co. Offaly on Saturday, February 28.

The happy big brother

The four boys are said to be doing well, and their aunt Aisling Kelly spoke to HerFamily.ie to express the family’s delight over the new arrivals. Aisling said that all four boys are healthy, and Anita is recovering after the caesarean section delivery. "There has been so many lovely messages from people; it's unreal," the proud aunt told InOffaly on Sunday night.

Aisling also shared the all important names with InOffaly, and the four boys have been called Luke, Charlie, Tom and James. “David and Anita’s 14-month-old son Matthew was delighted to hear the news that he had become a big brother,” Aisling said. A photograph of the quadruplet’s excited older brother displaying his delight at now having enough brothers to field a five-a-side football team was shared with the website.

Incredibly, the babies were conceived naturally, making this delivery a rare occurrence, given that the chances of naturally conceiving quadruplets is 1 in 729,000. Only six per cent of all quadruplets born worldwide are conceived naturally.

Anita and David will now return to Kilclonfert to a happy household of five boys.

Killeigh And Killurin Join Forces To Form Clodiagh Gaels GAA Club

By Justin Kelly

A new GAA club will come into existence in Offaly in the next few weeks after neighbouring clubs Killeigh and Killurin amalgamated, jointly proposing the formation of Clodiagh Gaels. The decision was taken in the wake of dwindling player numbers leaving both clubs vulnerable to outright extinction.

Both Killeigh and Killurin held emergency meetings earlier this month to give the proposal the greenlight. The merger received overwhelming support from both clubs in the co-ordinated vote, and Clodiagh Gaels will formally become the newest Offaly GAA club when the county board ratifies the move at a meeting on March 10.

A recent note from Killeigh GAA read: “After a busy few weeks of meetings and discussions both Killeigh and Killurin GAA clubs voted resoundingly in favour of an amalgamation, thus bringing into existence a new club to represent the two communities. The hurlers and footballers of the wider Killeigh and Killurin areas will now play under the banner of Clodiagh Gaels.”

This will be the second merger in Killeigh’s history after previously joining forces with Raheen in the 1980s and 90s. It will be the second merger in Co. Offaly in just two years after Ballyskenagh and Killavilla formed one club in March 2013.

Falling player numbers has been a problem in the GAA in the last number of years as the downturn in the economy in 2008 led to mass emigration. The midlands was particularly affected as job losses were more severely felt in rural communities. Young people left for the bigger urban centres, as well as moving further afield to countries like Australia.

The Killeigh statement said that “the disbanding of a GAA club is always an emotional issue,” but it expressed hope for a “smooth transition,” owing to the “close ties between the two communities.” 

“The exploits and integration of the players from both communities with underage Na Fianna teams and school teams in recent years will ease the transition. With plenty of hard work both on and off the football and hurling fields along with the continued good will and support of the wider community, Clodiagh Gaels can be a successful club for generations to come,” the statement concluded. 

Tickets Selling Fast For ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ At Birr Theatre

The production opens on March 15

By Justin Kelly

Birr Stage Guild will present a new production of the classic musical ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ at Birr Theatre next month. The hugely popular show, which has been wowing audiences for more than fifty years, will open on Sunday, March 15, running over a week until the following Saturday, March 21.

Set in 1905 during the final years of Tsarist rule in Russia, the local milkman in a village called Anatevka struggles to maintain the traditions and customs of his Jewish heritage. Tevye enlists the help of a matchmaker to find husbands for his five daughters, but the strong willed young women have designs on breaking the shackles of traditional matchmaking, finding love and happiness in their own right.

Tevye is the portal for the audience to enter his story, and he spends long periods pouring his heart out to those gathering to listen. He also sings, dances and prances across the stage at different times, endearing the audience to his emphatic energy of spirit.

The result is a fast paced stream of traditional Jewish songs like ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Sunrise, Sunset’, and ‘Matchmaker’. "With Director Paul Norton, Musical Director Enda O'Connor, Choreographer Grace Mc Grath, Birr Stage Guild has assembled a highly talented cast of singers and actors, both new and old, for what promises to be one of their finest productions ever," a press release from Birr Theatre read.

‘Fiddler On The Roof’ opened to audiences for the first time in New York in 1964, running for a colossal 3,242 performances. A 50th anniversary production ran across the UK and Dublin last year, and ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ continues to draw crowds across the world. It is a staple of modern and traditional theatre, each production putting its own stamp on it.

The Birr Stage Guild will put their stamp on it this March, and with tickets selling fast, the production is expected to sell out.

“We invite you to become a patron to experience the wonderful Gala Opening Night which has an atmosphere all of its own,” a statement for the production team read.

Ticket Prices:
Sunday Patrons Gala Night €40; Mon €14; Tues/Wed €16; Thurs/Fri/Sat €18

All performances commence at 8pm.

Help Build Tullamore Rugby Club’s New Development By Becoming 'Gold' Supporter

By Justin Kelly

Tullamore Rugby Club have rallied after being denied funding for a new development last year to harness the power of community spirit in continuing the building of new dressing room facilities at their clubhouse.

A huge increase in player participation, especially through the further development of youth and women’s teams at the club, has put an adverse demand on the club’s existing facilities, creating the need for updated dressing room, shower and eco-friendly water harvesting amenities. Despite the club executive receiving approval for this construction work, their subsequent application for funding to the National Lottery in 2014 was unsuccessful.

However, following offers of voluntary support in respect of the building work, the club executive decided at their January meeting to proceed with the works. The work will be carried out by direct labour and club volunteers. In order to raise the funds necessary for materials, the club has devised a plan to offer supporters a Gold Supporter Package at a reduced rate of €350, a sum that will be pumped directly into the new development. “We just need the funds to buy the materials – the volunteers will carry out the work for free,” a club official remarked.

A club statement from the Gold Supporter Package co-ordinator Paddy Galvin read: “As you read through your invitation to become a gold member you’ll see that something really wonderful is currently happening in Tullamore Rugby Club. And the wonderful thing is that more and more volunteers are coming forward to offer their expertise and services for free to help us build new showers and dressing rooms for our rapidly growing club.”

By becoming a gold member on the new scheme, these investors will receive a personal option on home and international tickets for two years, bar vouchers to the value of €50 for two years, a dinner option for two people at every home game for two years, while their name will also be displayed for all the players to see on the dressing room sponsors board. They will also be entered into every club lotto draw for an entire year.

The project will co-ordinated by a committee chaired by club chairman Billy Fryday. This committee will coordinate the funding, volunteers and work to ensure that the project is brought to a successful completion. If you’d like to donate, you can pay the €350 in full or in instalments, you can contact Paddy Galvin on 087-6696911, and he will arrange the rest, including your package of benefits.

“If you become a gold member you’ll play a leading role in helping the club complete these essential works, furthering the development of all levels of rugby in the club, from under-6 upwards,” the statement said.

Offaly TD Condemns Government As Motor Tax Revenue Used To Prop Up Irish Water

By Justin Kelly

Laois/Offaly TD Barry Cowen has hit out at claims that €290 million of motor tax revenue collected nationally last year was handed over to the set-up of Irish Water. Cowen has said his Fianna Fail and Laois/Offaly constituency colleague, Sean Fleming has come into receipt of information as part of Public Accounts Committee meetings that confirms what he calls the “raiding of local tax revenues.”

“I want to know how much of that money was taken from Offaly,” Cowen quipped. €18.8 million was paid by Offaly motorists in motor tax bills in 2014, and Cowen is demanding answers on the issue. “Motorists are under the impression that their motor tax is being spent on upgrading our roads, not funding a lavish new super quango that has failed to muster any public confidence whatsoever.”

Irish Water was founded by the current Fine Gael/Labour government in the summer of 2013, and a series of protests and extended registration deadlines has shrouded the new utility in controversy. 

From January 1 last year, the responsibility for public water supplies in this country was transferred from local county council authorities to Irish Water. Cowen has slammed the company as “a failed entity with no public confidence or support.” “It should not be a further drain on the resources of our people.”

“People will be utterly shocked to hear this news. It comes at a time when over €500m is being wasted on water meters which will not be used for at least 5 years, while another €90m has been spent on consultants’ fees,” Cowen commented. The Clara TD bemoaned the fact that “not one single cent has actually been spent fixing leaks or pipes so far.”

“Irish Water should never have been established in this way,” Cowen wrote in his statement on the issue. “I believe that Fine Gael and Labour have created a monster that they have lost all control over, and now to mask the fiasco, they are plundering money from local services into their failed funding model,” he said.

The first bills for Irish Water are expected to arrive in households in April, and Irish Water say that almost 1.1 million people have now registered for the amenity, meaning a third of people have not yet returned their details. The Right2Water campaign has urged people not to confirm their details with Irish Water, and they have planned their next mass protest against the introduction of water charges for Saturday, March 21.

A Right2Water statement on the planned protest read: “A large turnout on March 21 will not only restate our core assertion that water is a human right and underline our continuing demand for the total abolition of water user charges.  It will also send a clear message that we refuse to be bullied and intimidated.”

Offaly County Council ‘Fully Engaged’ With Scoil Bhride And Residents To Find Killane Drive Traffic Resolution

By Justin Kelly

Senior Executive Engineer with the Edenderry Municipal District of Offaly County Council, John Connelly has said the council are “fully engaged” with Scoil Bhride and Killane Drive residents in Edenderry to “find workable solutions” to the traffic issues that have arisen since the school’s opening earlier this week.

In correspondence with InOffaly on Thursday evening, Mr Connelly said that the council “have been engaging with the residents of Killane Drive, the school, the Gardaí and the parents” over the past few days. “We are aware of some of the traffic issues which have arisen following the opening of the new Scoil Bhride, but we are fully engaged in assisting the school in trying to find solutions to the issues involved,” he added.

Mr Connelly explained that traffic management and regulation in this case “is not the sole preserve of Offaly County Council. “There are responsibilities attaching to the school, the residents, the parents, the road users, and so on,” he remarked.

Residents of Killane Drive in Edenderry have protested by forming a blockade at the entrance to the housing estate, barring access to parents who had begun using the area to drop off and pick up children in their cars at the recently opened Scoil Bhride primary school. A walkway connecting the school to Killane Drive, which was in the plans for the school site back in 2011, was opened for use earlier this week, resulting in excess traffic converging at that point of access. An Offaly Independent article dated August 25, 2011, read: “The site is to be landscaped, with the hedgerow along the boundary with Killane Heights retained and reinforced if needed. Provision for cycle and pedestrian access is to be made through to Killane Drive.”

Residents and parents of young children from Killane Drive and surrounding areas took to social media in recent days to vent their frustrations and objections to the inadvertent influx of traffic that has descended on their previously quiet housing estate. They have expressed concern at the lack of calming measures in place to manage the traffic, and are worried about the safety of children in Killane Drive as a result. One resident wrote: “With over 100 children walking through our estate to access their schools, parents driving through are increasing the risk to these children, and there has already been a report of one near miss with a car and a child.”

A local member of An Garda Siochana attended the scene of the protest at the entrance to Killane Drive on Tuesday and Wednesday, where residents blocked access, stating that they did not want traffic flowing through their estate. On Wednesday, the protesters held a banner which read: “Stop! Walking Only.”

Commenting on the ongoing saga on Facebook, Cllr Noel Cribbin of Offaly County Council wrote: “This is a housing estate with young families and was not built for this traffic; nobody wants to see any child knocked down or hurt.” Cllr Cribbin said he had been in contact with the local engineer to enquire about the plan for resolution. He also reiterated his assertion that Scoil Bhride is “a fabulous new facility” and asked for people to “work together until the teething problems are sorted.”

The council remains in contact with all parties involved, and is committed to reconciling the issue as soon as possible.

Offaly GAA Turns To Croke Park For Financial Bailout

The redeveloped O'Connor Park, Tullamore

By Justin Kelly

Ongoing repayment problems linked to the O’Connor Park redevelopment in Tullamore has led Offaly GAA bosses to request a financial bailout from GAA headquarters at Croke Park.

According to local reports, the GAA’s National Finance Committee recently intervened and will present Offaly with a bailout plan later this month. The Offaly county board recently revealed their repayment struggles, centring on €200,000 in debt owed to creditors involved in the redevelopment of O’Connor Park.

Offaly GAA chairperson Pádraig Boland has said that “O’Connor Park has to be more self-sustaining” going forward, but also re-iterated its potential to do so. “We need to be more focused on that. We have been run like a voluntary organisation, but we need to be more professional,” Boland added.

Boland said he was not casting “aspersions on anyone that has been in control of Offaly GAA before,” and expressed confidence in the ability of the county to get out of the strife currently afflicting its finances. “The people who were here before did very well to keep the ball in the air while playing into a gale force wind but we are where we are and my job as chairman is to lead us out of it,” he remarked. “We need help from Croke Park”, he added.

Offaly are not the first county to encounter financial difficulties in recent years. Kildare and Sligo have both turned to GAA headquarters to request help from the organisation’s central funds.

The bailout plan put forward by the GAA’s National Financial Committee is set to be ratified by officials at an Offaly county board meeting next month.

CCTV Tapes That Could Solve The Death Of Offaly Man Mysteriously Turn Up 13 Years Later

Shane Tuohey

By Justin Kelly

CCTV footage that could solve the disappearance and death of Shane Tuohey in 2002 have been found 13 years after they were reportedly lost by Gardai, according to reports from journalist Philip Boucher-Hayes.

Writing on his website, Boucher-Hayes stated that he has seen “correspondence which shows that 13 years on the tapes have been found, and the truth about what happened may now be established.”

Shane Tuohey went missing after a night out in Clara in February 2002, and after a week long search, his body was discovered by his brother in the River Brosna. Although his family suspected foul play in Shane’s death, Gardai treated his death as a suicide. They collected CCTV tapes from around the town while investigating at the time, but they allegedly went missing while in Garda possession.

This meant that nobody’s movements could be verified from the night in question, and there was allegedly a lot of evidence suggesting that Shane Tuohey had been assaulted. Two individual coroner’s reports concluded homicide in his case. The tapes collected by Gardai would have been crucial to any investigation, but two separate Garda investigations were carried out without the use of the tapes, following their disappearance.

In the post on his personal website, Boucher-Hayes wrote: “On the basis of what he had been told, the then Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy, wrote to me in 2006 confirming the tapes hadn’t been available to the investigation team. He wrote that a more professional investigation would have made reference to the CCTV which should have been available. But it would appear that somebody in An Garda Siochana deliberately or accidentally misinformed the Commissioner’s office because I have obtained correspondence which indicates that 17 tapes related to the investigation are in Portlaoise Garda station in addition to other unspecified evidence.”

These tapes may reveal Shane’s last movements, or could corroborate or contradict the statements given by those questioned in the aftermath of the man’s death. Boucher-Hayes wrote: “What is even more puzzling is that it is evident that nobody looked at the tapes. The file sent to the DPP with a Garda recommendation that there was no foul play involved makes no mention of any CCTV evidence.”

Shane’s father Eamonn and his brother Edwin now aim to get their hands on these tapes, and provide them to the Independent Review Mechanism in the Department of Justice that is currently reviewing Shane’s case. During the course of his work on this story, Philip Boucher-Hayes contacted the Garda Commissioner’s office to ask whether or not the tapes will now be handed over to that Independent Review Mechanism, but their reply gave very little away, reading as follows: “As the independent review team is examining this matter, it would not be appropriate for us to comment on it. An Garda Siochana is co-operating fully with the independent review team and will continue to provide them with any information they require.”

The Department of Justice are yet to comment on how they plan to proceed, and both the rediscovery of the tapes after 13 years and Shane’s death itself remain a mystery. 

New Bar & Nightclub To Open In Tullamore This Summer

O'Connor Square, Tullamore

By Justin Kelly

A new nightclub and bar venture will open in Tullamore this summer, resulting in the creation of more than 30 jobs. Located at Woodchester House in O’Connor Square, Tullamore, the Phoenix bar and Coppers nightclub have now received the green light after planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanála last month.

The joint venture is the brainchild of Eddie Brady, his father Eamonn, and wife Elena. “This is very much a family venture,” Eddie explained to InOffaly this week. “We have interests in several properties in the Midlands, mostly in the pub and club trade, including Coppers nightclub in Portlaoise.”

Eddie also ran Coppers nightclub in Athlone until 2013 when he sold that business to concentrate on branching into the Tullamore nightlife scene. “We have been using the name Coppers since establishing the Portlaoise venue in 2007,” Eddie explained. The Killeigh man is well aware of their famous namesake in the shape of Copper Face Jacks in Dublin, but insists that his nightclubs “very much do their own thing.”

Coppers will be using the entire ground floor of the former bank building in O’Connor Square, and works will begin in the coming weeks to extend to the rear of the premises, almost doubling the size of the existing space to incorporate the bar, nightclub, and large smoking area. 

It is currently in its tendering phase of planning, but Eddie aims to keep jobs local during the building process. “We will be concentrating on the building phase for the next few months before looking to hire staff for our venue,” he remarked.

As an Offaly man himself, Eddie would like to think that most of the 30-strong staff employed by Coppers and Phoenix will be locals. “Initially we will be employing upwards of 30 people but we would of course like to expand on this if we move towards serving food in the future.”

Coppers and Phoenix have secured a prime location in Tullamore, and Eddie admits that his family “fell in love” with Woodchester House when they were viewing properties in the town a number of years ago.  “There is almost a rebirth of the square in recent years with new places like Robbins, Bake and Eddie Rockets opening there,” he explained.  “Hopefully our pub and club will nestle in here nicely and add to this regeneration.” 

Eddie is aiming for further success with Coppers Tullamore, adding to the continuing success of his other Midland ventures. “I would like to believe we will establish ourselves as the premier venue in Offaly just like our sister venue is the premier spot in Laois.”

The Phoenix bar, which was named after a social media appeal for name submissions, will operate as a “friendly and cosy traditional bar with a twist,” according to Eddie, and it will be open seven days a week. After some appeals from potential patrons on social media to make Coppers an over 21s or 25s nightclub, Eddie revealed to InOffaly that he will in fact “be aiming for a more mature audience.” “That’s all I can divulge at the moment,” he said.

The newest nightclub owners in Offaly are also aiming to support local beer brewers, having already been in contact with craft beer producers in the locality. “I am happy to say that we will definitely be stocking craft beers. We invite all craft breweries, both local and national, to get in touch with us. This is one industry we won’t be shy about getting behind, particularly if they are local enterprises,” Eddie explained.

Eddie is remaining tight lipped about the opening of both Coppers and the Phoenix bar, but vows to be open for business “sometime” this summer. “I’m sorry I can't be more specific than that at the moment,” Eddie said, “but we won’t be rushing things; we want to provide a top class place from the get go.” 

The plans for opening night are also “classified information,” according to Brady, but “I’m sure we won’t disappoint,” he promised.

Tullamore Hospital Consultant Warns Of Growing Consultant Shortage

By Justin Kelly

Consultant haematologist at Tullamore Hospital, and President of the Irish Hospital Consultant Association, Dr Gerard Crotty has warned of the lack of expert consultants practicing in Ireland.

Speaking on the subject earlier today, Dr Crotty explained that an increasing number of specialists are leaving positions around the country, either for early retirement and emigration, or to take up jobs elsewhere. He explained that there are 300 consultant positions across the country that hospitals are struggling to fill as a result.

“You will hear of an increasing number of colleagues stepping down in early retirement or to seek opportunities abroad, and it is going to be very difficult to replace these people,” Dr Crotty said.

“This is a worsening problem, and we have been calling for action to correct this problem for quite some time,” he added.

Respected cancer surgeon, Dr Kevin Moran quoted a lack of resources as the reason for his decision to leave his post in Letterkenny Hospital next month. Dr Moran has held his job in the Donegal hospital for nigh on a quarter of a century, but informed management of his decision to step aside in December.

Dr Crotty expressed a worry that the consultant situation in Ireland will get worse before it gets better.

'Irish Emigration In The 19th Century' Seminar Takes Place Friday

By Justin Kelly

This Friday, February 13, Edenderry Historical Society will host an evening seminar focussing on Irish emigration during the 19th century.

The seminar will commence at 7pm in Edenderry’s Town Hall and will run until 10pm. Admission has been set at €10.

Speakers on the night include Edenderry’s own Dr Ciaran Reilly from NUI Maynooth, who will give a lecture entitled ‘The Irish in South Africa: A Miscellany.’

The other speakers are Dr Regina Donlan, Fidelma Byrne, Damian Shiels and Jarlath McNamara. The topics they will cover range from the Irish in Minnesota from 1880-1930, to the search for Irish emigrants in the American Civil War. 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War.

Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore

Jarlath McNamara’s talk will tell the story of Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore and his role in 19th Century American Music. Sarsfield Gilmore left Galway for the US when he was just 19 years old and went on to become an acclaimed American bandmaster and virtuoso cornetist. He was famous for his flamboyant showmanship.


Edenderry Historical Society would like to invite you all to experience this fascinating facet of Ireland’s history.

Charleville Castle To Host Open Paranormal Investigation Night

Charleville Castle in Tullamore

By Justin Kelly

Charleville Castle in Tullamore, Co. Offaly will play host to a special open paranormal investigation night on Saturday, February 21. The night is being held to raise money for the castle’s restoration fund as well as the popular arts and culture festival 'Shakefest' which takes place at the castle each year.

Shakefest will mark its 10th anniversary at Charleville Castle this May, and the paranormal night will go some way to fund the community run festival. The night will be led by David Wenger from the Paranormal Research Association of Ireland, and a Shakefest statement describes the event as “a great opportunity to get acquainted with the ghosts and unexplainable happenings at the historical Offaly site.”

Participants will begin to arrive at the Tullamore castle at 7pm on Saturday, February 21, and will be split into two or three groups. David Wenger will then take you through the specialist equipment that will be used by the investigators when trying to contact the castle’s spirit world. While the group settles in, the other castle and paranormal volunteers will share their personal stories of spirit contact, as well as explaining some of the castle’s rich history. The groups will then be led around the castle to separate rooms, including the dungeons, children’s nursery, and library.

The attendance price for this event is €60 per person, and that includes a complete overnight experience at the castle. Sleeping bags and other sleeping materials must be provided by participants personally. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the price for a couple is €100. If you would like to attend the investigation and leave at 3am rather than stay overnight, that can be arranged for a price of €45 per person. A 50% deposit is required when booking to hold your place, and group rates are available upon request.

Charleville Castle has long been associated with paranormal activity, attracting investigators from all over the world. The castle was built between 1800 and 1809 by Francis Johnston, the same architect responsible for the design of Dublin’s GPO. The source of its paranormal reputation stems primarily from one ill-fated little girl, and the tragic circumstances of her death. Her name was Harriet, and she was the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Charleville. In April 1861, Harriet was expecting her friends and relations for a mid-summer party, and was playing in the castle’s nursery. The nursery is located on the third floor of a staircase that turns on itself through the centre of the castle. Harriet was looking over the railing for her friends, but the railing was low, and she leaned over too far and fell to her death.

To find out more about this story, or experience Charleville Castle for yourself, contact Terri at info@shakefest.net. Participants are warned to wrap up warm, and not to forget that all important torch. The lights go out just before 9pm so the spooky tour can be conducted in complete darkness.

If you would like to read the feature I wrote following my stay at Charleville Castle with paranormal investigators in February 2013, just follow this link: http://inoffaly.blogspot.ie/2015/02/offalys-haunted-staircase-in-woods.html

Offaly's Haunted Staircase In The Woods

By Justin Kelly

The existence of ghosts divides opinion; firm believers are forthright in their views, but science rails against them. Like most divisive issues, there is a middle ground, and in that middle ground are the intrigued sceptics. They are the people who are interested, but need to discover the truth for themselves, whatever that truth may be. It is human instinct to investigate that which we are unsure of, and in order to come down strongly on one side in this debate, we must investigate.

Popular culture has created a paranormal obsession, and polarised the interest of viewers and readers all over the world. Films like Paranormal Activity have deviated from the horror genre convention in producing a work of fiction that sells itself as a real life story. They are set in what appears to be the homes of real people, and packaged with grainy amateur camera work to fulfil this effect. This has brought the paranormal interest into the lives and homes of the people consuming the movies, and this has created a phenomenon.

Paranormal research and investigation groups have popped up all over Ireland; the Paranormal Research Association of Ireland, Paranormal Study and Investigation Ireland, Dublin Paranormal Research, and so the list continues through the counties. Every weekend, these teams bring interested members of the public to locations reputed to be haunted; from graveyards to castles, manor houses to hotels. Rather than accepting individual tales of the paranormal, these groups attempt to find reasonable scientific and natural explanations for the goings on. Nine times out of ten, they can find these explanations, but that ten per cent of the time, there is that one thing that serves their very existence; doubt. With doubt comes more room for investigation, and my own doubt led me to one of Europe’s most haunted castles; Charleville, Tullamore. I was accompanied by investigators from Dublin Paranormal Research and the Paranormal Research Association of Ireland, as well as a group of other curious members of the public.

Charleville Castle was built between 1800 and 1809 by Francis Johnston, the same architect responsible for the design of Dublin’s GPO. The source of its paranormal reputation stems primarily from one ill-fated little girl, and the tragic circumstances of her death. I met with Bridget Vance, an American woman who has lived in Charleville Castle for twenty-four years, and she told me the story of this little girl. Her name was Harriet, and she was the daughter of the 3^rd Earl of Charleville. In April 1861, Harriet was expecting her friends and relations for a mid-summer party, and was playing in the castle’s nursery. The nursery is located on the third floor of an old creaking staircase that turns on itself through the centre of the castle. Bridget told the story: “Harriet was looking over the railing for her friends, but the railing is low, and she leaned over too far and fell to her death.” Bridget only discovered Harriet’s story after her own son went missing in the castle as a toddler. After searching for over an hour, Bridget found her son on the main staircase, and she recalls him saying, “don’t worry Mommy; the little girl held my hand.” Bridget wholeheartedly believes the little girl her son referenced was indeed Lady Harriet. This story sparked an interest, and led me to a night of investigation in February 2013.

At 9pm, the lights went out, and the only light inside the building was that of the moon creeping through the long, narrow, single-paned windows. Two investigators from Dublin Paranormal Research brought a group of participants to the library, which had a history as a meeting place for the Free Masons. It is said that the spirits here dislike women in their room, and often make their disapproval known to intruders. To test this contention, the women in the group sat around the table in the centre of the room, and the investigation began. Martina, one of the investigators, began the interaction: “If there are any spirits here present, can you make yourselves known?” After almost forty minutes in this room, the other DPR investigator, Barry, came over very uneasy, having been the essence of calm from the outset. He sat bolt upright from his slumped state and claimed, “there’s something moving across that wall.” “Look at that,” he directed as he expelled a deep breath into the beam of his torch. A thick icy mist was emanating from his breath, and he abruptly exclaimed, “there's something in here with us.” The women at the table began to sigh while sitting up uneasily in their seats, but Martina told everyone to relax, and that "it had happened before.” Although I can’t discredit what Barry saw or felt, I hadn’t seen or felt it, so I was still as sceptical as when I arrived. It was in Harriet’s bedroom that this scepticism would be sorely tested.

In Harriet's bedroom, situated at the top of the creaking staircase, my coolness of thought was not so assured. We sat silently in between ‘callouts’ from Barry and Martina. "Are you here Harriet?” Nothing. "We have brought a few friends along with us tonight.” Nothing. “Do you want to come out and play with us?” Within seconds of this question, the door, only visible because of the moonlight illuminating three tall back windows, slowly opened six or eight inches, and before we could question what had happened, it swung back on itself, slamming against the unhinged door jam. Martina then asked Harriet to come into the room if she was on the top of the stairs. Before she had even stopped speaking the door swung open in one deliberate and swift movement, stopping abruptly when it was about halfway open. At this point, Barry added, "come on in,” and with this, the door rattled the room as it slammed shut again. This caused me to unconsciously murmur, "wow".  I had said this, because not only did I watch the door do what it had just done, but I had clearly heard what sounded like very light footsteps scampering away from the room as the door slammed. This was the first time I had seen or heard anything that I genuinely considered to be unexplainable and truly phenomenal. Barry addressed the spirits again; "If you would like us to leave, could you open the door and let us out?" The door opened a couple of feet, and as Barry offered a "thank you,” the door slammed again. At this point, the strong sceptical opinions I had come to the castle with were vanishing into the other worldly atmosphere that enveloped the castle.

We visited other areas of the castle, but Harriet’s bedroom was the one place I felt uneasy, and while I had walked up the staircase in comfort, coming down after leaving that environment, I was slightly more wary of my surroundings, scanning each step, wide-eyed and wary of every flicker from the many torches.

Charleville Castle did not markedly change my mind about the phenomenon of the paranormal, but it certainly creaked it open a fraction more than it had been. I don’t care for blind belief in anything, and I certainly don’t advocate it in the case of this subject. What I do advocate is the experience, and the exploration of the world of paranormal research, even if only to satisfy a vague curiosity. Despite my reservations, which were deep-seated, Charleville Castle does have an essence which does purport to something not quite of this world. From the grandeur of its location deep in the midst of a seven hundred year old wood, to its impeccable upkeep befitting the century in which it was built, the castle does take you well and truly out of your comfort zone.

I couldn't help but feel like there was something very strange about Charleville Castle. 

Fun Run In Aid Of Edenderry Pitch & Putt Club Takes Place This Weekend

By Justin Kelly

Edenderry Pitch and Putt Club will host a 5k and 10k fun run in aid of their ongoing development fund this Sunday, February 15.

The event will commence from the Fair Green Community Cabin in Edenderry at 2pm, and will continue until 5pm.

Adult entry to the run is set at €10, while a family of four can join the charitable run for just €20. 

There will be prizes provided for the runners finishing in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place of the male, female, and junior categories. There will also be a prize for the winners of the male and female over 40s category.

Refreshments will be offered at the cabin following the event.

The club committee would appreciate any support local people can offer at their event, and they also wish the best of luck to all competitors on the day.

For more information, contact 086-3618229.

Offaly Priest ‘Father Jalapeno Pepper’ In Boxing Fundraiser

By Justin Kelly

An Offaly priest is preparing for a boxing debut in a charity fundraiser after firing himself into the public eye with a number of YouTube ‘call-out’ videos to his opponent. Fr Pierre ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper from St. Rynagh’s church in Banagher will step into the ring on March 14 to battle it out with local man Jared ‘The Artful Dodger’ Madden at JJ Hough’s Singing Pub in Banagher.

The pair shot to fame over the weekend when an appearance on RTE’s Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy on Friday night brought attention to their comical online clips. Speaking to Ryan Tubridy as an invited audience member, the fiery priest called the fight a “win/win” situation, raising money for the charity if it’s a resounding success, and raising money for himself if his opponent dies, leaving him to say his funeral mass.

The tongue-in-cheek priest has done no harm to the fundraising efforts, becoming something of a celebrity on social media on Friday night. The event, dubbed the ‘St. Patrick’s weekend punch-up’ is raising money for St Vincent de Paul and Motor Neuron charities.

Offaly’s toughest priest vows to make his opponent “say his prayers” on the night, and hopes to ease to victory with God in his corner. “I know you're really familiar with the Bible so I'm going to give you a quote tonight: 'The Lord says vengeance is mine,” Fr Pepper says to Madden in his pumped-up promo video. Fr Pepper also jeered at his opponent’s name, calling on Jared to get a real one, but The Artful Dodger was quick to return the favour in his reply video.

“Who are you to slag my name with a name like Pepper,” he poses. “Pierre Pepper – it sounds like an ingredient to a French soup,” he quips. Madden claims to have “the sisters of no mercy” on his side as he continues training for the “white collar” bout next month. Fr Pepper downed his opponent on Friday’s Late Late Show, referring to him as “all talk.”

Fr Pepper also has the size and height advantage over his opponent as demonstrated when the pair sized each other up on Friday night. Continuing to hold the confidence of a champion, Fr Pepper has adapted Muhammad Ali’s famous slogan for his own fighting debut: “Fly like a butterfly, sting like a priest” will be his mantra come fight night.

Both men continue their training, building up to the biggest fight of the year in Banagher; Pepper vs. Madden. 

The date is March 14 and as Fr Pepper says in his clip: “Judgment day is close at hand.”

For more information about the upcoming fight, you can find the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/banagherwhitecollarboxing. 


Jared Madden replies to Fr Pepper's call-out...

Offaly’s Shane Lowry Up To Career High Mark In Golf’s World Rankings

By Justin Kelly

Clara native Shane Lowry has continued his upward surge in golf’s official world rankings, climbing to an all-time high of 40^th position following his performance at the Farmers Insurance Open in the US over the weekend.

Lowry shot a final round 68 at Torrey Pines to finish in a tie for seventh place, completing his first professional top ten finish on US soil. The Farmers Insurance Open marked the start of 2015 for the Offaly man as it was his first tournament of the calendar year. 

Lowry finished seventh on seven-under par along with Scotland's Martin Laird, and Americans Nick Watney and Jimmy Walker. He was just two strokes away from making a play-off  that would have seen him contest for the tournament outright. The play-off was eventually played out by JB Holmes, Harris English, Jason Day and Scott Stallings. The Australian Jason Day went on to win after the four-man playoff.

Lowry was taking to the course in a professional capacity for the first time in ten weeks, and he thanked everyone at the course and tournament on Twitter following his impressive weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open.

After overtaking former US supremo Tiger Woods in the rankings last month, Lowry now sits 22 places above the fading champion, who is lagging behind in 62^nd spot. That marks Woods’ lowest ranking since he joined the PGA Tour in 1996.

Lowry’s fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy remains a dominant leader of golf’s world rankings, opening up a sizeable gap between himself and the chasing pack, headed by Swede Henrik Stenson.

On Twitter on Sunday night, Lowry described his performance in the Farmers Insurance Open as “one of the best tournaments” he has played.

The 2009 Irish Open champion has started the season strongly, and will hope to maintain this level of performance as he approaches his US Masters debut at Augusta in April. Lowry received an automatic invitation to the prestigious tournament after breaking into the world’s top 50 late last year.

Controversial Comedy ‘The Interview’ Arrives At Tullamore Cinema

By Justin Kelly

Seth Rogen’s latest film, The Interview, which was shrouded in controversy before its release date, will finally arrive at IMC Cinema in Tullamore this weekend. The other new arrivals to the Offaly screens this week are silent family comedy Shaun the Sheep and expensive Sci-Fi blockbuster Jupiter Ascending.

The Interview

The Interview centres around two journalists played by Rogen and his co-star James France as they travel to North Korea, ordered to assassinate leader Kim Jung-un. The film is a satirical comedy, but is a form of comedy that led North Korea to threaten “merciless action” against the United States if Columbia Pictures went ahead with the release of the movie last year.

In November last year, Sony's computer system was hacked by a group the FBI believe has ties to North Korea, and the hackers threatened terrorist attacks against cinemas that screened the film. The group called The Interview “a movie of terrorism,” but over Christmas the movie received a limited cinema release, garnering just over $6 million at the box office as a result. It has racked up $40 million in digital rentals, making it Sony’s most successful digital release to date.

Some critics called the film hilarious, while others like Scott Foundas said it “was about as funny as a communist food shortage.” The New York Times wrote: “After seeing The Interview and the ruckus its mere existence has caused, the only sensible reaction is amazement at the huge disconnect between the innocuousness of the film and the viciousness of the response.”

Beginning at 21:10pm on Friday, February 6, The Interview will screen in the same time slot for the continuation of its run at Tullamore.

Shaun the Sheep

Shaun the Sheep is a spin-off of the hugely popular Wallace and Gromit franchise that follows the animated adventures of Shaun, the head sheep in a flock on a small northern British farm. Shaun the Sheep was a fringe character in previous Wallace and Gromit productions, but now he wants to take the day off, outsmart the farmer’s sheepdog, and have some fun with the rest of the livestock.

Shaun’s day off leads the unusually clever sheep into the ‘Big City’ where he gets more action than he bargained for. A mix-up with the farmer, a very steep hill, and a caravan means that it is left to Shaun to plot the plucky animals’ return to the safety of the farmyard.

Shaun the Sheep has been receiving rave reviews, with The Telegraph saying that “Shaun isn’t a piece of long-form storytelling, but a runaway steam-train of moments, each one self-contained but coupled to the rest, and barrelling forwards on collective crackpot momentum.”

Shaun the Sheep is a family-friendly flick to the core, tickling the toddlers as much as some childlike parents with its universal slapstick comedic style. It has to be slapstick and physical; there is no spoken language in Shaun the Sheep. The odd mumble or bleat is added to accentuate the hair-raising silent adventures of Shaun and his pals.

Shaun the Sheep opens at 19:05pm on Friday evening, and will continue its run in that slot. However, over the weekend, Shaun the Sheep will screen four times (12:50pm, 14:55pm, 17:00pm, and 19:05pm) on both Saturday and Sunday.

Jupiter Ascending

Sci-Fi action flick Jupiter Ascending brings the biggest names to Tullamore this weekend with a cast including Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne and Sean Bean, but the film has been receiving mixed reviews from critics.

In a complicated plot, Mila Kunis is a humble janitor targeted for assassination by the ‘Queen of the Universe’ who has seeded the Earth and all other planets in order to harvest the intelligence of humans, with the hope of eventually producing a serum that will allow her to live forever. It turns out that Kunis is an heir to the Queen’s throne, and a genetically engineered warrior, Tatum, comes to Earth to inform her of her royal blood. Tatum must then protect her from the power-hungry alien Queen who would rather kill Kunis than lose control of the Earth.

Jupiter Ascending was given an exclusive preview screening at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, but the media were not invited. It was reported that the theatre was almost empty during the preview, and some viewers even walked out during the showing. The reaction was said to be unanimously negative. However, some reviewers have praised the film visually, for its authentic stunts and smooth special effects, although the muddled plot has been slammed across the board. 

Geoffrey Macnab for The Independent reviewed the film as follows: “Jupiter Ascending, the kitsch new sci-fi blockbuster from Lana and Andy Waschowski, blends astonishing special effects work with plotting that would barely pass muster in a bad Saturday morning episode of Flash Gordon or Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.”

Jupiter Ascending runs at 18:05pm and 20:55pm in Tullamore, starting on Friday, while an extra daytime showing has been added at 15:15pm for Saturday and Sunday. 

Man Arrested Following €240,000 Offaly Drugs Bust

By Justin Kelly

A man in his 50s was arrested on Wednesday following a seizure of almost €250,000 worth of cannabis plants in a house at Cloncor, Rhode, Co. Offaly.

Gardaí from Tullamore and Edenderry, flanked by the Eastern Regional Support Network, raided the house on Wednesday, where they discovered cannabis plants with a street value of €240,000. The seizure has been sent for further analysis.

The man was arrested and brought to Tullamore Garda Station where he was held for questioning under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Met Éireann Issues Status Orange Weather Warning

By Justin Kelly

Met Éireann has issued a status orange weather warning for all counties in Leinster and Munster as temperatures are set to plummet overnight. Air temperatures will drop as low as -6 degrees over the Midlands tonight, and a warning for icy and frosty conditions comes into effect at 8pm.

The warning remains valid until 10am tomorrow morning, February 5, and the weather may result in adverse driving conditions for early morning motorists. People are also told to expect some local bouts of fog, possibly freezing.

While Leinster and Munster receive the coldest forecasts, a status yellow weather warning is also in place for parts of the North and West of the country, including Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal.

Motorists are being continually warned by the RSA and AA Roadwatch to exercise extreme care on the country’s roads during cold spells. Stopping distances need to be increased on icy roads, and fog or freezing fog will reduce visibility, making the distance between you and the car in front harder to gauge.

Following the taillights of another car (target-fixing) is extremely dangerous, and is said to lull drivers “into a false sense of security.” Motorists who engage in this type of driving are more likely to have a collision because of the inadequate stopping distance.

Drivers are told to refrain from pouring boiling water from a kettle directly onto their windscreens as this may result in cracks.

Man Dies Following Tullamore Road Collision

By Justin Kelly

A man in his seventies has died following a road collision on Arden Road in Tullamore this afternoon.

The crash happened at around 1pm when the man’s car hit the footpath and then collided with a bus near Tullamore Hospital. The man was the sole occupant of the car, and there were no passengers on the bus at the time. No other injuries were reported.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and his body was transferred to the nearby Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. The road remains closed allowing for a forensic investigation to take place, and diversions are in place at the scene.

550 Children Waiting For Treatment At Tullamore Hospital

By Justin Kelly

Laois/Offaly TD Barry Cowen has condemned figures revealed to him by the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, indicating that over 550 children are currently waiting for treatment at Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. In a statement this morning, Cowen said that 305 of the 550 children have been waiting longer than the department’s target wait time of 20 weeks.

“Figures released to me by the Minister for Health show that a total of 305 children are waiting for in-patient treatment and 246 patients are waiting for day-care procedures at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore,” Cowen commented. Almost 25 of those have been waiting longer than 12 months, more than double the targeted wait time.

Figures released in a report by the Department of Health in December revealed that 60,000 people, including 5,500 children were waiting for outpatient treatment nationwide. The report also showed that the number waiting beyond the HSE target of no longer than eight months for an adult and 20 weeks for a child has been increasing. Following the report, Minister Varadkar extended target times, and has said that some of these waiting list figures would improve as a result.

“The Minister for Health has assured me that targeting 'long waiters' for treatment is a key priority for him in the department and says rigorous waiting list management is critical to success,” Cowen said in a statement on the issue.

Cowen also commented on the number of children waiting for treatment at Tullamore Hospital: “These figures are extremely worrying and a shocking indictment of the government’s health agenda over the last four years. The Government has fundamentally failed to bring about the necessary reforms and put in place adequate resources to ensure children in need of serious medical treatment or operations can be treated in a timely manner.”

This information comes just weeks after A&E departments across the country were overrun, leaving many patients on trolleys, sparking widespread public outrage. Minister Varadkar had to return from a holiday to address the issues facing his department. At its worst, there were over 600 patients waiting on trolleys across the country, and it was revealed recently that the numbers waiting on trolleys in A&E departments in January 2015 marked a 9% increase from the same month in 2014.


Meanwhile, Minister Varadkar has revealed that 98,237 more patients were seen at outpatient departments between January and November last year than over the same period the previous year. Barry Cowen remains unhappy with the Minister’s handling of outpatient care.

Cowen said: “Unfortunately what we have seen from Minister Varadkar to date is a lot of comment and analysis of the problems facing the health service and a complete denial of the fact that it’s the government’s decisions over the last four years that have helped create a lot of the problems patients are facing.”