Irish running legend, Sonia O’Sullivan, is leading a call-out for volunteers in Laois to get involved and organise a GOAL Mile in their communities this Christmas. The GOAL Mile is the humanitarian aid agency, GOAL’s, longest running and most popular fundraisers when thousands of people all over the country abandon the turkey and pudding and walk, run or jog a mile on Christmas Day. Last year more than 130 GOAL Miles took place throughout Ireland. In Laois alone there were two GOAL Miles last year in Stradbally and Portarlington. GOAL is now calling on volunteers to continue their support of these events and for others to consider a new event in their community. O’Sullivan, a GOAL patron, has been an advocate of the event for years now and gets out to do the GOAL Mile with family and friends in Australia every year where she is based. She said: “The GOAL Mile is a fantastic way to raise money for GOAL’s life-saving work overseas. Even in Australia, we do our own GOAL Mile so that we’re giving back to people in need at a time when we all receive so much. “I’m asking people in Laois, and all over Ireland. to make the GOAL Mile the best it’s ever been and follow the simple steps to organising a GOAL Mile.” She said: “There are only a few simple steps to organise a GOAL Mile in your community. “GOAL supports organisers every step of the way to ensure the GOAL Mile is fun for all ages and fitness levels. 130 events took place last Christmas in nearly every county in 2018 and this year GOAL hopes to bring a GOAL Mile to every county.” Alan Vard, GOAL Senior Development Manager, said it is hoped to have a GOAL Mile in proximity to everyone in Ireland this year: “Each year GOAL volunteers do phenomenal work to organise 130 GOAL Miles throughout Ireland. We want to make the GOAL Mile available to people in all counties this year. We are asking volunteers to contact GOAL to set up their own GOAL Mile and reaching out to our current volunteers to get involved again.” GOALies are counting down the days until the GOAL Mile, the organisation’s longest running fundraiser, kicks off. Now in its 38th year, the GOAL Mile has run annually since it was first held in the Phoenix Park, Dublin in 1982. You can play a part in this historical event by running an event this Christmas. To organise a GOAL Mile this Christmas contact [email protected] or visit goalmile.org SEE ALSO – Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit The post Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan calls on Laois volunteers to organise a GOAL Mile appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/11/01/olympian-sonia-osullivan-calls-on-laois-volunteers-to-organise-a-goal-mile/
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October has been designated Laois TASTE Month with a range of events organised to showcase what the county has to offer. You are invited to sample the tastes, meet the makers, network, make connections and celebrate! There is something for everyone, whether you have your own food/drink business, are thinking of setting up a new business or maybe you just have a passion for food. To celebrate the start of Laois TASTE Month, the Farmers’ Market in Peppers Lane Portlaoise hosted craft demonstrations at various stalls throughout the market. The Laois Craft Group demonstrated how to decoupage. Hilary O’Connor of “Make it interesting fabrics and trimmings” showcased one of her up-cycled pieces. To wrap up Laois TASTE month the Laois Farmers’ Market willbe celebrating the end of the Harvest Season with live music & children’s entertainment on Friday November 1. The Portlaoise branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will be providing music throughout the morning. Our photographer Julie Anne Miller was on hand on the night to capture the best of the action. So too was Alf Harvey and we have a selection from both of them here. Check them out below:
SEE ALSO – Kind-hearted Laois person hands in wallet to Portlaoise Garda Station The post In Pictures: Laois TASTE Month a huge success to date appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/in-pictures-laois-taste-month-a-huge-success-to-date/ Eugene O’Connor of Rollestons Solicitors and James McElwee of McElwee Solicitors are delighted to announce the merging of their respective firms starting from the 1st November next. Rolleston McElwee Solicitors will be situated at 4 Wesley Terrace, Portlaoise, Co Laois where Rollestons Solicitors has been based, with a sub-office being maintained at McElwee Solicitors office at O’Connell Square, Mountmellick, Co Laois. All services will continue as normal for all our clients. Established in 1899 and 2011 respectively, Rollestons Solicitors and McElwee Solicitors’ client base includes companies, owner-managed businesses, farmers, banks, as well as private clients. Rolleston McElwee Solicitors promises to be a dynamic, client-focused, forward-thinking firm concentrating on such areas as commercial and company law, property sales and purchases, litigation, landlord and tenant law, wills and administration of estates (probate), tax, liquor licensing, intellectual property, personal injuries, litigation and agricultural/farming law. Making the announcement, Rolleston McElwee Solicitor’s managing partner Eugene O’Connor said, “This merger represents further strategic growth for the firm and will allow us support our clients with additional expertise and experience and enable us to expand into new areas of legal practice whilst also concentrating on our core values, most important of which is a commitment to providing high quality and commercially focused advice to our clients”. Eugene O’Connor undoubtedly brings the wealth of knowledge and expertise of Rollestons Solicitors from many years of experience in private practice, together with his knowledge in the area of tax. James McElwee is a Notary Public who also has a Diploma in Commercial Property and is a registered Irish and EU Trademark Agent. Deborah Holland, senior solicitor within the firm, is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Ireland, with expertise in the area of trusts and estates and the administration of wills and estates of loved ones who have passed. Together as a merged firm, Rolleston McElwee Solicitors have achieved the Q6000 standard, which is an advanced practice, risk and quality management standard awarded to solicitors’ firms which have demonstrated exceptional levels of client practice and risk management. Rolleston McElwee Solicitors will operate a comprehensive range of expert legal services including property, wills and probate, litigation, personal injury, agricultural licensing and commercial law services. Together, Eugene O’Connor, James McElwee and Deborah Holland will play a leading role in driving Rolleston McElwee Solicitors forward in an era of uncertainty to best advise and assist clients in all legal and business matters. We hope to be able to do business with you in the very near future. SEE ALSO – Check out the dedicated jobs section on LaoisToday The post Laois legal firms announce exciting merger appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/laois-legal-firms-announce-exciting-merger/ Five Laois towns and villages have been allocated €437,761 for improvements from the Town and Village Renewal scheme. Laois TD Charlie Flanagan welcomed the funding from The Town and Village Renewal scheme. The scheme is an initiative under the Action Plan for Rural Development and the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 Programme for Rural Regeneration. The sum will be divided between Camross, Ballacolla, Portarlington, Ballinakill and Castletown. Camross will receive €35,000 to proved lighting to Camross Village Walkway and secure the perimeter of the Village Park. Ballacolla will receive €55,000 for the installation of footpaths and construction of wildlife walking track in wildlife park. Portarlington will receive a massive 200,000 towards the Public Realm Works and improvement of pathway at perimeter of People’s Park to link the Leisure Centre with the Lake Development. Ballinakill are set to receive €100,000 to upgrade and re-open outdoor swimming pool while the remaining €47,761 goes to Castletown to upgrade the Community Centre. Laois TD and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan said: “These excellent initiatives will ensure our smaller towns and villages are more attractive and sustainable places in which to live and work. “The benefit of previous funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme is now being felt countrywide and I am delighted today that even more areas in Laois will benefit from the funding.” “I want to thank the Local Authorities for engaging with local communities in these instances to help them to identify good projects which have merited support,” the Fine Gael TD added. SEE ALSO – Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit The post Five Laois towns to reap the benefits of substantial new funding under national scheme appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/five-laois-towns-to-reap-the-benefits-of-substantial-new-funding-under-national-scheme/ The next Laois U-20 Football Trial has been arranged for this Thursday, October 31 at 7pm sharp in LOETB CoE, Portlaoise. Clubs are invited to send in players (born in the year 2000/2001/2002) who they consider to be of suitable standard to attend the trials tonight. Also as noted for them to please only submit names of players who are willing to commit to Laois Under 20 Football Panel 2020, if selected. It is intended this will be the only U-20 Football Trial, with U-20 Football panel to be finalised after this Trial and Training Schedule to be in place in coming days. Leinster U-20 Football Championship will commence in 2020 in February and conclude by the end of March (changed schedule from 2019). Laois U-20 Football Management Team 2020 (subject to ratification by County Committee in coming weeks) is as follows: Manager: Eddie Kinsella – 087/6868543 Any issues or enquiries, please contact Eddie on 087/6868543 SEE ALSO – Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit The post Laois U-20 football trials set to continue tonight appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/laois-u-20-football-trials-set-to-continue-tonight/ Emo National School hosted James Soper on Wednesday, October 16 to celebrate Maths Week 2019. The students of Emo National School and St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Mountmellick were in for a very clever treat. The psychologist spoke to the children about maths and the human brain, how we are all natural mathematicians. Maths Week is a week-long festival that ran from October 12-20th with various events taking place in schools, libraries, museums and other venues all over the country. Last year over 400,000 children took part, making it the biggest maths festival of its kind in the world. The aim of Maths Week is to promote a positive attitude towards maths and its applications. It aims to show children that maths will be important in their lives. It is not just something that they have to do at school. Maths Week at Emo National School was organised by Laois Outdoor Education. SEE ALSO – New Portlaoise ring road set to officially open this Friday The post Laois school students celebrate Maths Week appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/laois-school-students-celebrate-maths-week/ LISTEN: Leinster championship Cumann na mBunscol and All Stars its all in our latest GAA Podcast10/31/2019 Our latest GAA Podcast is here. The majority of the action may be concluded for 2019 but we still have plenty to talk about. A host of Laois clubs are currently involved in Leinster action and we review how last weekend went and look ahead to this weekend. The Castletown footballers and Sarsfields Ladies footballers saw their journeys ended but Rosenallis hurlers marched on. They are in action on Saturday in O’Moore Park against the Kilkenny champions while Rathdowney-Errill, Mountmellick and the Camross camogie team are also in action this weekend. We take a look at all of those games and also discuss some of the main GAA stories from the past seven days. The Cumann na mBunscol football finals, the Divisional Competition, U-20 hurling and football championships and the All-Stars all get a mention. No guest this week so Steven Miller is joined once again by Alan Hartnett. But we have a huge guest lined up for next weekend’s Podcast so stay tuned for that. Check out the latest discussion below: SEE ALSO – Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit The post LISTEN: Leinster championship, Cumann na mBunscol and All Stars – it’s all in our latest GAA Podcast appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/listen-leinster-championship-cumann-na-mbunscol-and-all-stars-its-all-in-our-latest-gaa-podcast/ Sinn Féin TD, Brian Stanley is calling on the Government and the Minister for Health to sort out much-needed frontline services as Laois Home Help situation is “past breaking point”. With only new services available to only palliative care patients, the Stanley said: “The Home Help situation in Laois/Offaly is a National Scandal matters have now become critical. “Numerous people have now been told they have been granted home help hour’s but they are ‘waitlisted’’. “Some of these patients are in the 90’s. In reality, these have little or no hope of getting home help hours even in the medium term,” he added. With HSE staff facing increasing demand, he said: “(they) have absolutely no resources to cater for new clients or extra hours. In fact, they are only able to grant new or extra hours in the case of Palliative Care (end of life). “This is absolutely scandalous. Government Ministers are constantly announcing that extra hours were granted this year and that they have budgeted for an extra one million hours in the recent budget. “The reality on the ground is that services are past breaking point. €17 Billion of public money is gone into Health Services this year. Yet this important and critical frontline service is not available to those who badly need it,” he continued. According to the TD, HSE officials confirmed that no new services or extra hours can be provided to new clients until they can reduce the overall monthly cost of what is currently provided to below the amount allocated by the Department of Health to cover this. SEE ALSO – Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit The post Laois TD Stanley calls for action as Laois Home Help situation is ‘past breaking point’ appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/laois-td-stanley-calls-for-action-as-laois-home-help-situation-is-past-breaking-point/ Three Laois players have been named to represent Ireland in the annual Hurling Shinty International clash. Clough Ballacolla’s Willie Dunphy and Castletown’s Ryan Mullaney were named on the senior squad while Colt’s James Keyes has been named on the U-21 team. Mullaney represented Ireland in the Shinty competition in 2017 as part of the U-21 squad who travelled to Scotland. Dunphy earned his place on the squad after a strong season where he was named Man of the Match against Dublin in the All Ireland qualifiers during the summer. Hurlers from 17 different counties will represent Ireland. Also named on the squad are Tipperary’s Willlie Maher, Kilkenny’s Conor Phelan and Joey Boyle of Westmeath. The squad will be captained by Donegal’s Champion 15 Team nominee, Danny Cullen. International matches between Hurling and Shinty teams have taken place since 1896, Scotland being the more victorious team for the majority of the games. The games are taking place at the National Games Development Centre in Abbottstown on Saturday, November 2. The U-21 Hurling Shinty International will also take place at 12pm while the Senior match will take place at 2pm. SEE ALSO – BREAKING: Laois players miss out as Hurling All-Stars announced The post Three Laois players named on the Hurling Shinty International Squads this weekend appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/three-laois-players-named-on-the-hurling-shinty-international-squads-this-weekend/ Laois was hit by a spate of robberies and attempted burglaries last night at a range of locations around the county. Three primary schools, three privates houses and a business were all targeted by robbers between 8pm yesterday evening and 4.45am this morning. The spree began at 8pm in a house in Arles which was unoccupied. Three males broke in through a side window but were disturbed by a next door neighbour and left the scene. Two Laois primary schools were then broken into within an hour of each other – The Rock NS and Ballyfin NS. The burglars gained access to The Rock NS at 10pm by smashing through the front door while Ballyfin NS was broken into through the back window at 11pm. Raiders took money from Ballyfin NS but dropped some of it on the way out and that has been recovered by Gardai. Two private homes in Portarlington were then broken into at 12am and 1.30am. The spree then turned back to the other side of the county when a third primary school, Tobair an Leinn Raheen NS, was broken into. It is unclear as yet what exactly was taken from here by inquiries are continuing. Finally, McElwee Pharmacies in Portlaoise beside the Cedar Clinic was broken into at 4.45am. Raiders crashed in through the front door and took a quantity of cash and jewelry. The pharmacy remains closed this morning and will continue to be until 12pm today. A spokesperson for Portlaoise Garda Station said: “We are currently investigating to see if there is a link between all of these crimes and inquiries are ongoing. “We are asking for anybody who saw anything suspicious in any of the areas last night to come forward. “If anyone seen any strange cars or people hanging around, please let come forward and assist us.”
The post Laois hit by overnight crime spree as host of businesses, schools and homes hit appeared first on Laois Today. from https://www.laoistoday.ie/2019/10/31/laois-hit-by-overnight-crime-spree-as-host-of-businesses-schools-and-homes-hit/ |
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