Hundreds of Midland Health Board workers have been walking off the job over the past few weeks, but this has nothing to do with the public service pay dispute. They have been taking part in the board's "It's cool to be ag siuil" campaign, designed to encourage midlanders to increase their physical activity and to raise funds for charity.
On Sunday the final walk of the campaign will be led by the Donegal singer, Daniel O'Donnell, whose charity, the Romanian Orphanage Challenge, will benefit from funds raised. The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, will also be there. The walk will begin at the Tullamore Court Hotel at 4 p.m.
Roadblocks will be in operation throughout over the midlands tomorrow in a co-ordinated attempt by a number of bodies to reduce the number of road accident deaths in the region.
In a campaign involving Midlands Radio, the Garda, Offaly, Laois and Westmeath County Councils and the National Safety Council, thousands of leaflets will be handed out to motorists urging them to take greater care. Over the past three weeks the local radio station has been running hourly advertisements warning motorists about the dangers of speeding.
A large contingent from Co Wexford will travel to Offaly at the weekend to commemorate the events of 1798 when insurgents from the county were slaughtered at Clonard and Edenderry.
The Comoradh '98 Pike Men Committee will lay a wreath on the grave of Father Kearns and Anthony Perry, two of the United Irishmen who were hanged in Edenderry. They will also visit the Croppies' Grave in Clonard on Sunday.
A large attendance is expected on Sunday at the Westmeath Show Society's annual event in Mullingar. The show is one of the largest in rural Ireland, with an emphasis on livestock.