ASK any single woman of a marriageable age in Kerry where the eligible single men are and she is apt to say, "not here". The reality is rather different. Single men far outnumber single women in Kerry and, combined with the falling birth rate, the woman shortage is threatening the future of the county's population, the Kerryman reported.

According to a review of the census statistics by Father Gearoid O Donnchadha, a sociologist with Tralee RTC, there are only 61 single women for every 100 single men in the 25-29 age group in rural Kerry. In the 30-34 age group, the shortfall is even more dramatic, with just 46 single women to every 100 single men. The biggest shortage of women is in the 35-39 age group, where there are just 38 single women for every 100 single men.

"Women are now better educated and less inclined to want to stay in rural areas, where there is a small population and not much of a social life. Very few women doing the Leaving Cert nowadays want to become farmers' wives," Father O Donnchadha told the Kerryman.

"This means we now have a huge number of single men on small farms who are very unlikely to ever get a spouse and have a family. This is sounding the death knell for rural communities."

The Western People, meanwhile, was casting its eye towards the St Patrick's Day Parade in New York City, where controversy surrounds the organisers' choice of "British genocide" as this year's theme. A Mayo county councillor, Mr Sean McEvoy, believes the theme could only breed hate, boost IRA numbers and fill the coffers of the men of violence, said the newspaper.

Mr McEvoy placed a motion concerning the matter for discussion by the county council, when he complained that "some of our emigrants and especially second band third generation Irish had a totally warped and antiquated view of this country and especially of the northern part," said the newspaper.

Mr McEvoy said that "some time ago at a function in Mayo an American priest was amazed that the band wasn't playing The Men Behind The Wire and similar ballads. This is standard fare in Irish bars in New York and Boston".

Mr McEvoy went on to complain that life had been cheapened in Ireland, aided by a rash of copycat young criminals and ex members of paramilitary organisations. Life in the North was "in every respect ahead of us, more visible in its standard of living and infrastructure".

Right on cue, the Ballymena Guardian reported a quaintly phrased warning that rural folk have been warned by police to be on their guard against travelling criminals who speak with a Southern Irish brogue." These criminals are thought to be behind a recent spate of burglaries in rural areas.

THE Sligo Champion's lead story concerned rumours that some prominent business people are involved in illegal drugs running. "Drugs raids rumours are scurrilous and untrue" said the headline, quoting a senior garda. He described the rumours as quite nasty and said they were obviously the work of a malicious or sick mind.

The Meath Chronicle reported that a Dunboyne family whose 15 year old son has been charged with murder in New York are relieved to learn he will be tried as a juvenile rather than an adult when his case comes up in adult court. Robert Bright's lawyers and family had previously been told he would be tried as an adult because of the gravity of the crime, in which case he could face a stiffer sentence.

The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has taken a special interest in the boy's case and has, through the Irish Consul in New York, asked the District Attorney of Nassau County to consider the humanitarian aspects of the case, the newspaper said.

The Wexford People reported on the unconventional life and death of Michael Lindo, a Jamaican who fell in love with Co Wexford, and eventually died of natural causes in his makeshift tent in a forest. His badly decomposed body was found curled in the foetal position last week. The gardai believe he died in mid November because of the date on an unopened milk carton near his body.

The Wicklow People told of a 14 year old who drove hundreds of miles in his mother's Volkswagen Polo before he was found. Between Sunday night when he left, and Monday night when he was found, James Hughes made it all the way to Killarney, Cork and back to Co Wexford. James had warned his sister he was leaving home, but she thought he was joking.