The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

Remanded to Limerick Prison: A man who was moved into, and subsequently evicted from the Quality Hotel after a five day detention in a Garda cell was ruled unlawful was yesterday remanded to Limerick Prison. John Ughamadu (25) had been before the court for allegedly assaulting a porter at the hotel. Ughamadu was held in a Garda cell for five days when it was found there was no bed availible at the Central Mental Hospital. After the high court ruled that his detention in the cell was unlawful, he was moved to a room at the Quality Hotel, where he was subsequently evicted for allegedly flooding his room and walking naked around the hotel.

St. Patrick’s Festival: Futurama productions, who were behind the Ireland On Ice, will be the organisers of this year’s St. Patrick’s festival in Limerick. The theme of this year’s festival will be United Colours of Limerick.

Fears for the future of Shannon Airport continue to linger despite news that direct flights between Shannon and Atlanta will continue.

On June 3rd, Delta will commence four flights a week to Atlanta, which will increase to one flight a day on July 1st to October 1st.

However, there are fears on the cargo side of Shannon Airport’s business from Clare’s Mayor, Patricia McCarthy.

“Air France claims that any plan to relocate the scheduled service, which carries an estimated 3000 tonnes of airfreight annually, is due to network reorganisation rather than specific airport issues. That will come as little consolation to Shannon’s major global logistics firms and internationally trading companies, which rely on such services for the viability of their own operations.” said the mayor in a statement released today.

“The airline’s Boeing Jumbo 747 aircraft is capable of carrying freight of 20-30ft in length, significantly larger than any of the other Shannon-based operators. Each Saturday afternoon the service carries an average of 50 tonnes of airfreight to destinations worldwide, including Asia, Europe, and North and South America. To lose such a valuable direct service would have a detrimental effect on the surrounding region’s international trading performance, which depends on Shannon’s cargo services and facilities for timely access to their major markets”

“I would ask Aer France to immediately clarify its intentions regarding its future operations at Shannon Airport. The facility’s unrestricted runway, round the clock operation, efficient handling and the presence of major multinational firms nearby make it an ideal location for a scheduled airfreight service, which is why I cannot understand Aer France’s proposed move to an overly congested airport”

February banner contest – The People’s Park – Latchiko

Originally uploaded by limerickblogger

Showing both the band stand and the monument at the People’s Park, this entry from Latchiko.

February banner Contest – Spring shines on Henry Street – Anonymoose

Originally uploaded by limerickblogger

Last month’s winner Anonymoose has sent in a new entry for February. Spring shines on Henry Street

From YouTube – The Hitchers at Dolans Warehouse in 2001 to brighten up a dreary Tuesday

Cheer up folks, only two more days ’till payday!

This is just too damn funny to ignore!

An Irish Rail train, from Dublin to Limerick, with 300 passengers waiting to get on board, left Dublin’s Heuston Station with only one passenger.

After CIE staff helped a visually impaired man on board the train, it went on it’s merry way to Limerick leaving the stranded passengers with no choice but to board the Cork train and make an unscheduled stop at Limerick Junction.

€20,000 was spent on tickets for the train, but the only person to actually get on it probably had a travel pass.

One wonders if the thing stopped in Newbridge, Kildare, Portarlington, Templemore and Thurles before arriving in Limerick.

As for the blind man that did get on it, he must have thought his fellow passengers were ignorant feckers as no one would talk to him.

Woulfie has more.

Suspicious Circumstances: It is believed that the fire at Byrne Avenue in which a house was gutted may have been malicious in origin.

Horse Trading: Land belonging to the Department of Defence at Knockalisheen could become a centre for horses as part of the Regeneration programme. The Defence Minister Willie O’Dea is said to be exploring the possibility of the land being used by the Northside Regeneration Committee for horses. The Defence Department had already given up land for the expansion of the Model School on O’Connell Street

Tomorrow’s Irish Star is to carry a story on it’s front page claiming that a flight between Toronto and London had to be diverted to Shannon after the flight’s first officer had a nervous breakdown mid-flight.

More when I get my hands on the actual paper.

UPDATE: From the independent:

Officials at Shannon Airport last night confirmed that the male co-pilot was admitted to the psychiatric unit of the Ennis General Hospital in Co Clare yesterday after he was forcibly taken off the flight by fellow crew members and an off-duty member of the Canadian Armed Forces who assisted in restraining him.

Air Canada flight AC848, en route from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport to London Heathrow, was diverted to Shannon with less than an hour to go before reaching its intended destination after the co-pilot began “acting in a peculiar manner and was talking loudly to himself,” during the transatlantic crossing, according to aviation sources.

The co-pilot was taken to the Midwestern regional hospital at Ennis, however his condition is unknown.

UPDATE:

Canadian broadcaster CBC news coverage (RealPlayer required)

February banner contest – Kilkee – CianB (2)

Originally uploaded by limerickblogger

The second entry from CianB of Kikee, County Clare.

February Banner contest – Kilkee – CianB- (1)

Originally uploaded by limerickblogger

The second entry from CianB shows the first of two images of Kilkee, County Clare.