A round-up of today's other regional news in brief
Call for less Sunday trading
A senior member of the Catholic Church in Co Galway has called on the business community to respect the Sabbath and close up on Sundays with a return to times past when Sunday was the Christian day of rest. Fr Stephen Farragher, administrator to the Tuam archdiocese, said he had also advocated the early closure of business premises on Good Friday as a mark of respect.He called on businesses to close their shops on Sundays and Good Friday at 3pm. “I am not even asking them to close down altogether – as indeed is the case in many European cities – but I would be advocating an early closure on these holy days.”
He said that during the era of the Celtic Tiger, the need for rest and reflection seemed to have been replaced by commercial interests and he now believed there was an opportunity to make Sundays and Good Fridays days on which to “take stock”. “I am a great believer that Sunday is a day for slowing down, relaxing, meeting our neighbours and friends and returning to our Christian roots,” Fr Farragher said.
Jet-ski and horse ban on Donegal beaches
Donegal County Council has banned jet-skis from its seven most popular beaches and a river estuary. The move follows a series of consultations with groups on both sides of the debate. Councillors this week approved the recommendation which will be implemented under a new bylaw that will also ban horses and ponies from most major beaches in the daytime between June and August.
The main beaches where the jet-skis are banned are Rossnowlagh, Tullan Strand at Bundoran, Fintra near Killybegs, Marble Hill, Rathmullan, Portsalon and Lisfannon. The eighth location is the Erne estuary in Ballyshannon.
Fine Gael county councillor Barry O’Neill said there were 60 other beaches where jet-skis could be used.
Tralee awarded Fairtrade status
Tralee in Co Kerry has been awarded Fairtrade status, making it the 38th town – and the first Kerry town – in Ireland to achieve the mark. Last year some €30 million of Fairtrade products were sold here, a large increase on the previous year, the Fairtrade Mark organisation said yesterday. The award ceremony at Tralee Town council heard from Ugandan coffee grower John Muwagaba who said the set price for the product under the Fairtrade system benefited the whole of his community.
Sub-post office in Carlow raided
Armed raiders made away with a substantial amount of cash after holding up a sub-post office inside a supermarket yesterday morning.
The two raiders, who were armed with a sledgehammer and a knife, entered Hosey’s Spar and post office, Staplestown Road, Carlow, at about 10.30am. “Two men wearing balaclavas ran into the shop and smashed a window at the post office counter,” said shop owner Michael Hosey.
“They then forced their way into the post office and left with a quantity of cash. This was an unbelievably terrifying experience for the four members of staff who were working in the post office at the time and thankfully no one was hurt,” Mr Hosey added.
The raiders made their getaway in a black 2003 BMW and no one was injured in the raid.
Gardaí at Carlow are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on (059) 913 1505.