The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

The mid west region is in for a winter of discontent, (what, another one you say?) as various transport companies plan massive cuts to services being offered in the region.

This morning’s Irish Times carried a report that Aer Lingus is planning cuts to it’s Shannon-New York and Shannon-Chicago services in in’s winter schedule.

Delta Airlines have already announced that it is to cut it’s Shannon-New York service from October, and there are concerns that there are to be further cuts to Ryanair services out of Shannon.

In relation to the Aer Lingus report, Jan O’Sullivan, Limerick TD for the Labour Party said in a statement:

With the US economy seemingly set for recovery next year, there is reason to believe that Americans will begin to travel abroad again sooner rather than later, and we should be in a position to benefit from this upturn. If the capacity of our transatlantic services is to be reduced so dramatically, this will not be possible and I would urge transport Minister Noel Dempsey to put whatever pressure he can to urge Aer Lingus to rethink this.

Meanwhile, it looks like bus services in the city face major cutbacks.  An article on limerickleader.ie says that all services will see cutbacks, and that apart from the Castletroy and Raheen routes, there will be no bus service in the city after 1900 hrs.

In Dublin, some time in 2010, the unwashed public will be able to decide who they want to be the ambassador for their city.  Here in Limerick, that privilage will not be afforded to us, and I can tell you now, who is  going to be Mayor right up until 2014 and when they are going to be Mayor.

2009-2010 Kevin Kiely

2010-2011 Maria Byrne

2011-2012 Jim Long

2012-2013 Cormac Hurley

2013-2014 Denis McCarthy

Source: City Edition Limerick Leader (hardcopy)

Independent councillor John Gilligan has put asside his left wing leanings in exchange for a chairmanship of the Council’s environmental committee.  He is understood to have signed the agreement ensuring the majority required for there to be an all Fine Gael Mayoralty

Maybe, just maybe, John Gormley might just wake up and give the other cities directly elected Mayors

A woman who stole almost €100,000 from a GAA club in County Limerick has received a 12 month jail.

Patricia Carroll of Kilfinane had previously pleaded guilty to stealing almost €63,000 from from the Blackrock GAA club’s lottery takings, and writing fraudulent cheques for a further €35,000.  The offences occurred between 2005 and 2007.

It was agreed in court that she would attempt to compensate the club through the sale of her mother’s home.  However, this only managed to raise €60,000.  The court was told that Carroll, a single mother on social welfare, was not in  a position to offer any further compensation.

Imposing the sentence, Judge Carol Moran said  “This is an offence which goes to the very heart of the proper running of a social club in the community and the gravity of offence must be reflected in the sentence passed.”

An application to defer commencement of the sentence until next tuesday at 1700 hrs was granted.

No, that is not Willie O’Dea’s phone number, it is in fact, the number of people on the live register in Limerick City and County in May.

Figures from the Central Statistic Office show that the live register figures is rapidly approaching the 20,000 mark.  The recent high profile lay offs in Dell are starting to impact on the numbers.

There has been a 99.9 percent increase overall in the figures for both the City and county.  The number on the register in 2008 was 9,911 whereas now it is 19,810.   There has been a 7.1 percent increase since last month.

Since last year, there has been a 113 percent increase in live register figures in the Kilmallock area, up from 1,094 to 2,336 this year.  There has been an increase of just under 2 percent (1.96 percent to be exact) in the live register since last month.

In the Newcastle West area, there has been a 126 percent increase in the live register numbers.  This is up from 1,467 last year to 3,329 this year.  There has been a 10.5 percent increase since last month.

In Limerick City the increase is 92.4 percent.  This time last year there were 7,350 on the live register, whereas presently there are 14,145.  There has been a 7.2 percent increase since last month.0

The rate of growth in the live register figures has increased since last month.  At the beginning of May, the CSO reported an annual increase in Limerick of 97 percent, as can be seen above, this is now 99.9 percent.

Some scenes from Saturday night and Sunday Morning at the Limerick City Council count

Be advised, there is a substantial amount of flash photography in this video

UPDATE: Vimeo is having some sort of shit attack.  The video will return whenever they get around to fixing their service.  This is out of our control.

Limerick City Council Election count – Highlights from Limerick Blogger on Vimeo.

BREAKING

North West count expected to go through the night (RTE) … Ireland North West (Count 4) No one Elected, Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) Eliminated

Ireland’s new MEPs are:

(Three seats pending)

Liam Aylward (Fianna Fail), Nessa Childers (Labour), Brian Crowley (Fianna Fail), Pronsios De Rossa (Labour), Joe Higgins (Socialist Party), Alan Kelly (Labour), Sean Kelly (Fine Gael), Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael), Gaye Mitchel (Fine Gael),

These have piled up over the last couple of days,  so here they are:

June 10: Climate Change Awareness raiser – Baker Place

Climate Camp Ireland are hosting an awareness raiser and info night in Bakers Place pub, Limerick.
Everyone is welcome to come along on Wed 10th June for films, info, snacks, beer and chat.

June 13: Deep Fried – Underground at Baker Place

Event: Deep Fried “House Music all night long”
What: Club Party
Host: Deep Fried Residents
Start Time: 13 June at 22:00
End Time: 14 June at 02:30
Where: Underground@Baker Place

June 17-27 Excess Baggage – Beltable Offsite (36 Cecil Street)

Excess Baggage is directed by Joan Sheehy, the director of the hugely successful Buck Jones & The Bodysnatchers, which received a nomination for the best production at the Irish Times Theatre Awards earlier this year. The play is a new comedy set in a Ryanair departure lounge where a chance encounter explores the finer points of life, love and Hello magazine. Inspired by Chaucer’s iconic tale The Wife of Bath, this show guarantees a highly entertaining and fun night at the theatre.

June 19: DJ Alex Black and Bar Nightr – Scotts Bar

We’ll start slowly with funky and cocktail styles and end up with elektrohouse!

TICKETS: Girls-5, Boys-8

Everybody is welcome :)

June 20: Taste of the World BBQ cook off – Parkway Shopping Centre

People from all over Ireland and further afield will converge on the Parkway on Saturday June 20th to take part in this event. However, people living locally are especially welcome to come along and take part in the competition.  Barbeques, charcoal and some food will be provided by the Parkway Team, so you just bring your spices, seasonings and flavours, and come and enjoy a great day at the Parkway. If you play a musical instrument bring it along and join in the fun on the day. Bring your friends and family, this is a party and everybody is welcome!!!

The cook off is open to everybody but you must register in advance to be sure of a place. Entry forms are available from the Parkway website, www.parkwayshoppingcentre.com or from the security office in the Parkway Shopping Centre, and are open to private groups, families, companies and anybody else who enjoys cooking barbeque.

Parkway Shopping Centre Manager, Roger Beck stated, “This is an ideal way for the Parkway Shopping Centre to celebrate 25 years in business. What better way than to have a party, and what better kind of party than a barbeque, so come along and be part of the occasion, by cooking, tasting, listening to music or playing some music, and enjoy the atmosphere of a great day out in the Parkway Shopping Centre. Everybody is very welcome, and we look forward to meeting everybody on the day.”

Weez sent in some photos of Elton Jon’s concert at Thomond Park.  If you want to see your photos of the concert to appear here, send them to editors@limerickblogger.org.  More below the fold.

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Councillors are listed below

Limerick City Council

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael), Ger Fahy (Fine Gael), John Gilligan (Independent), Michael Hourigan (Fine Gael), Cormac Hurley (Fine Gael), Pat Kennedy (Independent), Kieran Kiely (Fine Gael),  John Leddin (Labour), Kathleen Leddin (Independent),  Jim Long (Fine Gael), Denis McCarthy (Fine Gael), Gerry McLoughlan (Labour) Orla McLoughlan (Labour), Kieran O’Hanlan (Fianna Fail),  Maurice Quinlivan (Sinn Fein),  Tom Shortt (Labour)

Elected so far in County Limerick

(Three seats pending)

Rose Brennan (Fine Gael), Richard Butler (Fine Gael), James Collins (Fianna Fail), John Egan (Fine Gael), Leonard Enwright (Fianna Fail), Patrick Fitzgerald (Independent), Francis Foley (Fianna Fail),Noel Gleeson (Fianna Fail), Tomás Hannon (Labour), Mary Harty (Fine Gael), James Heffernan (Labour), Mary Jackman (Fine Gael), Stephen Keary (Fine Gael), David Naughton (Fine FGael)William O’Donnel (Fine Gael), Patrick O’Donovan (Fine Gael) Jerome Scanlon (Fine Gael),Eddie Ryan (Fianna Fail), John Sheehan (Fine Gael), Kevin Sheehan (Fianna Fail), Michael Sheehan (Fine Gael), Brigid Teefy (Independent), Eddie Wade (Fianna Fail), Leo Walshe (Fine Gael)

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