The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

The Strand apartments on O’Callighan Strand, one of the many apartment blocks under construction within the city limits

While the apartment blocks fly up around the city, the population is still falling, according to the 2006 Census results released today.

The population has fallen by 1500 to approximately 52,500. However the population of the county saw an 8% rise to over 131,000.

The census also showed that Limerick had the highest rate of marital breakdown in the country

Full census report.

It looks as though the scum in Southill have clocked up another victory as one more family has been intimidated into leaving the area.

The Irish Independent reports on a young couple, expecting their first child, who can no longer live in Keyes Park after a neighbouring house to theirs was burned out by arsonists.

The article reports that while people in the area know who is responsible for Tuesday’s fire at Salvia Court, they are too afraid to report it in case they themselves are attacked.

It would seem that more awarness of the Garda Confidential line should be generated. It would not be a bad idea for the state to take out an advertising campaign on local and national media promoting the freephone number.

The service allows people to provide information to Gardai anonymously

The number for the Garda confidential phone line is 1800 666 111

The report on a strategy to tackle crime and social exclusion in Limerick City is due to be released tomorrow.

The Irish Independent reports that the report, compiled by former Dublin City manager John Fitzgerald was due to be released by the end of the week to the government sub committee on social inclusion.

The report covers the areas of Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston.

It seems appropriate given that the top three polluters in Ireland are here in the Mid-west that Limerick people are being asked by Green Party candidate Patricia Forde-Brennan to sign the AVAAZ petition on climate change.

The aim is to collect 150,000 signitures which are to be presented to environment ministers of the most influential countries

Click continue reading to read the full text of the statement

(more…)

As was mentioned in a February article in the Limerick Post, Sharon, from limericklife.com was adding the finnishing touches to a book on the Abbey Fishermen.

Well the book is to be launched on April 10th at the City library.

Special speaker at the launch will be historian Frank Prendergast. The book will be availible at a discount on the night.

Farmers make up most of those who landed themselves in hot water with the revenue for various acts of fraud over the last three months of 2006

Two of the biggest settlements with the revenue were with a farmer Maurice Corridon, a farmer from Castlequarter, Fedamore and a baker named Frank Broderick from Dromcollogher.

Corridan settled with the revenue to the tune of almost €34,000 when they found him to have underdeclared his income tax. It seems he was not as poor as most farmers would like us to believe they are.

Broderick, a baker by trade, had to hand over a serious amount of bread to the revenue after they investigated him for underdeclaring his income tax and possession of a bogus non residents account. In total he had to hand over close to €33,000

The list of those who were convicted of failing to provide income tax receipts in Limerick were mostly farmers and publicans.

Patrick Conway, an agricultural contractor from Ballysimon was fined €500 for the offence, but he was fortunate when compared to what happened to James Fitzpatrick, a farmer from Killeedy, who was fined a whopping €7,900, and John Garvey,a poor impoverished publican from Knocklong who was fined €10,000

The full list of all those bold people has been published on the Revenue website.

Fianna Fail TD Peter Power threatened to resign his position as a Dail deputy if the killers of Gerry McCabe were released early, it is claimed.

Deputy Power made the revelation on today’s Limerick Today program. He told the presenter Ed Myres that he informed the Taoiseach that he would “consider his position” if the men, known by their friends as the Castlerea Five, were granted early release.

More from 95FM

It seems that the young Sixmilebridge women who was the victim of an attempted abduction over the weekend is having a run of bad luck.

The 20 year old, who is a student in Limerick, was robbed nine days earlier in Limerick City.

The Clare People newspaper today reports that n march 15, the woman was robbed at knifepoint in the city and had her purse taken. Gardai set up an identity parade but she failed to identify anyone.

Nine days later, as she worked outside a flourists shop at the Square, Sixmilebridge, she was approached at 1015 hrs by a masked man who tried to force her into a green van. The van is believed to have had two other occupants at the time.

After she managed to escape, the van was driven off at speed in the direction of Kilkishen.

While the possibility of the two incidents being related is not being ruled out, Gardai are investigating the possibility that Saturday’s attempted abduction was either a sexually motivated crime or an attempted robbery.

Following on from yesterday’s post, after much gnashing of teeth, swearing and hair pulling, I have managed to upload the video of yesterday’s Green Party press conference

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

As part of an alcohol policy agreement between student representatives and authorities at the University of Limerick four years ago, alcohol sponsorship and promotion on campus was severely restricted.

But now the student population is being urged to vote yes to withdrawing from the agreement in a referendum due to be held this week, because it is felt that UL management failed to hold up their end of the bargain.

The university promised to open a late-night non-alcoholic venue on campus and to fund Clubs and Societies to the tune of €60,000 a year. This has not happened and students have become increasingly disillusioned with the policy.

It is also claimed that because of the restrictions, the on-campus bar The Stables Club, can no longer hold promotions, thus severely damaging social life.

On Thursday, students will be asked to vote onthe following resolution:

This Union resolves: To withdraw from the University of Limerick Alcohol Policy with effect from Wednesday 28th November (Week 12) in the Autumn Semester of 2007. This withdrawal shall remain in existence until such time as the outstanding agreed terms of the Alcohol Policy Action Plan and proposed amendments arising from the recommendations of the Alcohol Policy Review (in the wake of full consultation with students and others) are implemented by the University of Limerick.

A week long campaign is currently under way, urging students to vote in favour of the resolution.

According to Campaigns and Services Officer Alannah Turner, “’A living bridge on a dying campus’, is the whole essence of the campaign. The university has put so much energy into building capital projects and nothing into the Alcohol Policy. We have had to force the university’s hand because they were so reluctant to act on the promises made in the policy. We are encouraging students to vote yes in this referendum to show the university their anger at the college’s failure to fulfil its side of the bargain.�

Edit: Mike, happy dear?