The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

THE €40M Development of Thomond Park is due to be completed by the end of 2008 and Munster are looking for a Stadium Director to manage all aspects of the new stadium. With a capacity of 26,000 the facility will contain two large suites with a capacity of 500 and 200 seating respectively, 20 corporate boxes, a bar with standing room for 1000 and a number of smaller suites with a seating capacity for between 30 and 60 people. This facility will play a key role in the development of Munster Rugby and offers a challenging and an exciting opportunity for the person who will be appointed to fill the key role.

Also of note but not yet announced officially is that there is a strong possibility that one of the opening matches at the re developed Thomond Park will be an international friendly between Ireland and the United States. The GAA have agreed to let the IRFU play two friendlies in Croke Park next year and as the IRFU has an agreement to play New Zealand, Argentina and the USA next year, – the odds are that the USA game will be played at the new stadium out the Northside. Some of this is a touch ironic in that Munsters first game of the new season this year is a friendly against the USA that is being played at Toyota Park in Chicago. Perhaps if the stadium director is appointed before this game he may see what the future holds!!

The game is being played on Sunday August the 26th. Toyota Park is the home ground to the MLS soccer team the Chicago Fire and was custom built with a capacity of 20,000 seats that opened in 2006. The main features of the stadium are …

…. not a million miles away from what Thomond Park will be…

I wonder will some of the head honchos at the Munster branch be looking on enviously at the sign below and wondering if they could bring it back home with them with a load of money for naming rights ???

I suppose it’s not beyond belief when at the minute Toyota are the main sponsors of Munster, although whether Toyota Ireland would be in a position to pay out millions in naming rights for the stadium is not known. One would think they would have to make quiet a pitch to their advertising teams and the person who could write the cheque!!! Whether the average fan could stomach it is another matter, perhaps “Toyota Thomond Park” might have a better ring to it…

Then again, maybe what is needed would be a rich benefactor who would contribute say 30 or 40 million to the cost of the stadium and the only condition would be that the stadium be called “Thomond Park” Perhaps it would be better again if it could be a local who has an interest in sports….. sounds too good to be true doesn”t it???? Then again, rewind a few years and if anyone can remember “Stadium Ireland” or the Bertie bowl as it was also known which was going to built in Dublin…. One man was prepared to give a sizable donation to the construction costs of the stadium…. the one condition being that his name was NOT associated to any part of the building, ie a stand named after him etc…. the size of the donation- some 50 million pounds…. the donor… a man known as Mr McManus. Perhaps the Munster branch should try and find him!

The cat is out of the bag now after Sandra’s For The Love Of Cats was featured in the city edition of the Limerick Leader.

Click the newspaper clipping to see a larger view.

A front-page story carried in this morning’s Irish Daily Mirror is grossly exaggerated, sources close to Live 95 FM have said.

According to the newspaper, a fifteen-year-old boy was followed into the toilets of an internet cafe on William Street and violently raped by a man of Eastern European extraction.

The local radio station however reports that not only did the paper get the boy’s age wrong, but also the fact that there was no claim of violence involved in the indecent attack, which is understood to have taken place last Monday.

A man in his 30s was taken in for questioning at Henry Street Garda Station, who claims that the encounter was mutually consentual and was not rape.

The man is also Irish and not Eastern European.

Live 95 FM story can be found here.

Criticism of elements of the national media are also carried in the City edition of this Weekend’s big Leade, which Gardai have described as unhelpful.

The paper also reports that while the attack happened at the Filmdrome Internet Cafe on William street, they are certain it’s proprietor had no connection with the incident.

The band “Lightning Strikes” at the Woodies DIY launch

The Ennis Rd Retail Park opened this morning ,Woodies Diy had people queing outside their door from 9 am ,waiting at least an hour before it opened hoping to get their hands on a selection of reduced items within.This new shop will certainly be of major benefit to the North side of the city of Limerick,it is a fantastic ,spacious premises ,stocked with all that DIY and home products.The car park was totally full with cars such was the opening attraction,many from our neighbours in Co.Clare.There was Music provided by “Lighting Strikes ” face painting,balloons .RTE 2 FM were there also with their outside broadcast unit.

More photos below the fold.

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The Cast of Tentacle, Back Row, left to right, Marc Atkinson, Bud McLaughlin, John Jordan, Lennon Clarke. Front Row, Clare Hogan, Maria Larkin, Fiona Ryan, Irene Keehan.

Stephen Ryan, Meadhbh Haiceid, Kate Conneely, Shane Whisker, Marie Boylan, Maeve Stone, Naomi O Kelly, Ann Blake Ciarda Tobin, Miriam Lohan.

From the statement:

To celebrate 10 years of work and play, Limerick Youth Theatre has invited 10 past members to work professionally on writing, directing, designing, lighting and coordinating the annual summer production. This summer, the new generation of practitioners return to the Belltable Arts Centre, workplace-playhouse-home to LYT, to guide the latest talent. Comprising 8 original set-pieces, Tentacle is an eight-armed embrace of physical theatre, magical realism, literature, performance art, film and radio. Performed on stage and in secret places all around the Belltable, Tentacle takes the audience on a tour through the past decade of excellence and innovation.

The production takes place between 13 and 23 August inclusive, but excluding Sunday 19 August.

Due to the nature of the production, seats are limited to 50 people per night.

Complete statement below the fold

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Skateboarders using the courtyard outside Liemrick Tourist Information Office as there are no skate parks availible in Limerick.

This is what Limerick City Council have posted on their website..

In accordance with Article 81 of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001, as amended by Article 17 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2006, Limerick City Council intends to carry out the following works:
Construction of a 700 square metres skateboard park, with fencing and ancillary works, at Mount Kennett, Dock Road, Limerick.
Construction of a 700 square metres skateboard park, with fencing and ancillary works, at Mount Kennett, Dock Road, Limerick. Plans and particulars of the proposed development will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making the copy at the Development Department, Limerick City Council, City Hall, Limerick (Tel. 061-407100), Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a period of 6 weeks beginning on Monday 23rd July 2007.Planning and Submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development dealing with the proper planning and development of the area in which the development is situated may be made in writing to the Planning & Development Department, Limerick City Council, City Hall, Limerick, before 4pm on Monday 17th September, 2007.
DATED THIS 19th JULY 2007
JOHN FIELD, Acting City Manager

For more information see the link below.

Link

The five men convicted of the murder of crime boss Kieran Keane have lost their appeal at the Court of Criminal appeal.

After the verdict was handed down, a copy of the 105 page judgement was thrown at one of the presiding judges, while a female friend of the accused men hurled abuse at the Justice Nicolas Kearns, the presiding judge.

After the judges had left, the appellants spat in the direction of the prosecution legal team while supporters of the five men were hurling abuse at members of the press.

The five men, Anthony McCarthy from Fairgreen in Garryowen, Christopher Costello of Moylish Avenue in Ballynanty Beg, David Stanners from Pineview Gardens in Moyross, James McCarthy from Delmege Park in Moyross and Desmond Dundon from Hyde Road, were appealing their cases after they were convicted of murdering Kieran Keane and for the false imprisonment and attempted murder of Owen Treacy in 2003.

The judges dismissed claims, which included media coverage, and the credibility of Owen Treacy, impeded them having a fair trial.

The appellants were told that it would have been impossible to delay the trial until a “fade factor” had kicked in with the media because the feud was ongoing at the time, and the media could not be expected to not cover ongoing gangland crime in Limerick. They were also reminded that on numerous occasions, justice Paul Carney, who presided over the original trial, explicitly told the jury to disregard any media coverage relating to the trial.

RTE News has more.

Tesco at the Coonagh Roundabout

Woodies DIY at the Ennis Road Retail Park

Dunnes Stores at the Jetland Shopping Centre

It is certainly all change for the residents on the Northside of the City of Limerick,Dunnes Stores in The Jetland is up and running with more units to be filled there, The Ennis Road Retail Park will officially open tomorrow with Woodie’s DIY.Tesco’s near the Connagh Roundabout is certainly progressing and will facilitate Shoppers from Co. Clare also. This will be the largest shopping centre in Munster, extra addition’s due is a much needed Cinema and many more outlets to be announced.

Damien Reale returns to Captain Limerick for their All-Ireland Quarter Final with Clare in Croke Park on Sunday.Throw in is 2.0 pm.

Limerick Team to play Clare: B Murray; D.Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey, P Lawlor, B Geary, M Foley, D O’ Grady , M O’ Brien , M Fitzgerald, , O Moran , N Moran, A O ‘Shaughnessy , B Begley ,K.Tobin .

Ticket News: Stand Tickets 30Euros ,Hill 16 Tickets 25 euros go on sale this evening at Gaelic Grounds from 7 pm to 8pm this evening.

Richie Bennis will have to watch from the stand next Sunday as a ban has been imposed on him by the G.A.A for a pitch incursion.Gary Kirby will be patrolling the sideline instead.

Last ten Championship Clashes
2006: Clare 2-21 Limerick 0-10 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
1996: Limerick 1-13 Clare 0-15 (Munster semi-final)
1995: Clare 1-17 Limerick 0-11 (Munster final)
1994: Limerick 0-25 Clare 2-10 (Munster final)
1993: Clare 3-16 Limerick 3-12 (Munster quarter-final)
1991: Limerick 0-21 Clare 1-15 (Munster quarter-final)
1990: Limerick 2-16 Clare 1-5 (Munster quarter-final)
1986: Clare 2-14 Limerick 0-14 (Munster quarter-final)
1980: Limerick 3-13 Clare 2-9 (Munster semi-final)
1979: Limerick 3-19 Clare 4-12 (Munster semi-final) Limerick 6, Clare 4.

ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINAL RECORD (1997-2006)

CLARE
1999: Clare 3-15 Galway 2-18
1999: Clare 3-18 Galway 2-14 (replay)
2002: Clare 1-15 Galway 1-14
2004: Kilkenny 1-13 Clare 1-13
2004: Kilkenny 1-11 Clare 0-9 (replay)
2005: Clare 1-20 Wexford 0-12
2006: Clare 1-27 Wexford 1-15

LIMERICK
2001: Wexford 4-10 Limerick 2-15
2005: Kilkenny 0-18 Limerick 0-13
2006: Cork 0-19 Limerick 0-18

Clare will be appearing in their 8th All-Ireland quarter-final, having won four, drawn two and lost one of their previous seven appearances. Limerick have yet to win a quarter-final, having lost in 2001-2005-2006.

Well, strictly speaking they haven’t left yet but as we predicted a few weeks ago, Bord na gCon have decided to change their mind yet again and build the new Limerick dog track at the site on the old Limerick racecourse at Greenpark. The location will also become the new headquarters of Bord na gCon who have been based at Henry Street in the city centre since it’s foundation in 1958. More than likely the sale of the premises on Henry St will pay for a large chunk of the new track!
The Limerick project will cost €20 million and the stadium will also include restaurants, bars and corporate boxes with ready made access from the Dock Road. This is good news for fans of the sport who were initially disappointed when it was announced that the new track was to be located in Co Clare out past the two mile inn on the Ennis Rd. The new track when it is open will have good access from all parts of the town as the tunnell project should be completed around the same time thus ensuing easy access and departure from the track.
Limerick dog track, Limerick racecourse, refurbished Gaelic Grounds and refurbished Thomand Park on the way and one has to say that sporting facilities are on the up and up in the area. Now all we have to do is get behind Limerick 37! where plans are also afoot to get a new stand up and running in the near future.