A major recycling day will take place in Ashbourne Retail Park on Saturday (26th April ) where tonnes of waste are expected to be recycled The Ashbourne Community Recycling Day is organised by Cllr Joe Bonner who has been running these recycling days for the past 21 years “These not for profit events help keep our countryside litter free and reduce unauthorised and illegal dumping while continuing to promote a recycling policy," said Cllr Bonner "Our recycling days provide an avenue for the community to conveniently dispose of bulky house waste at a fraction of the cost of doing so commercially To date we have recycled thousands of tonnes of bulky household waste.” The event takes place between 8am and 4pm on Saturday in the Ashbourne Retail Park There will be free compost on the day as well as secure document shredding available to customers using the bulky waste section Cllr Bonner said they will take all types of recyclable waste and among the items most usually brought to the event are washing machines All of the items presented for recycling in the retail park on Saturday can be fully traced to their final destination Meath Chronicle is part of Celtic Media Group which includes: The Anglo Celt Westmeath Examiner and Westmeath Independent| © 2021 Meath Chronicle and Celtic Media Group Andy, peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by his loving family, in the wonderful care of the management and staff at St.Francis Hospice Blanchardstown. Predeceased by his parents Thomas and Kathleen. Sadly missed by his heartbroken wife and best friend Ena, sons Paul, Liam, Alan and Eoin, daughters Andrea and Emma, daughters-in-law Suzanne, Sinead, Sinead, Grainne and Aoife, grandchildren Grace , Stella, Amelia, Christian, sister Mary, relatives and large circle of friends. Reposing at his son Alan's home, 64 Crestwood Road, Ashbourne (A84 Y821) limited parking, on Monday 14th of April, from 5pm - 8pm. Removal on Tuesday morning, leaving Andy's home, arriving for 11am mass to The Church Of The Immaculate Conception, Ashbourne. Burial afterwards in Killegland Cemetery. Those wishing to leave a message of condolence can click on the link below. Andy's funeral Mass can be viewed by clicking the web link below. Donations if desired to St.Francis Hospice Blanchardstown Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Gardai in Ashbourne are investigating a hit and run incident which occurred on the roundabout at The Rath The driver of one of the vehicles failed to remain at the scene.  February 10th at approximately 4.50pm.  The Fox’s Den occupies a prominent trading location in Ashbourne One of Ashbourne’s best-known licensed premises has been launched to the market by veteran publicans Denis and Lila Fox who are retiring from the trade Selling agent BDM Property is seeking offers of more than €1,500,000 for a private treaty sale The Fox’s Den occupies a prominent trading location directly opposite the local Catholic Church on the main thoroughfare through Ashbourne A busy and bustling town it boasts a local population of 15,680 in the 2022 census and with its adjoining village of Ratoath it has experienced rapid expansion in population which now stands at over 20,000 it has a significant population of nearly 1.5 million people within a catchment area of a 45-minute drive the property extends to 7,014 sqft and its accommodation briefly comprises a ground-floor lounge bar to the front with the public bar located to the rear On the first floor there is a self-contained function room Today's News in 90 Seconds - November 7th Outside and to the rear there is a smoking area with parking for 25 cars accessed through an archway at the side of the pub The property is presented in good decorative order its focus is on a high level of drink-only turnover Selling agent John Ryan of BDM Property added that the sale of The Fox’s Den was an opportunity to acquire a long-established licensed premises with significant growth potential “The provision of food has the potential to significantly increase both turnover and the customer base the central location of The Fox’s Den in the heart of Ashbourne and its current popularity are key selling points.” Denis and Lila Fox have traded in the premises since 1995 and are now retiring after a lifetime of dedicated service Ashbourne has become a commuter town with access via the M2 motorway The town continues to grow and swathes of land are either being developed currently or earmarked for further residential developments Ashbourne has become a thriving community with excellent facilities including schools An enterprise zone on the edge of town close to Junction 5 on the M2 motorway accommodates five business parks and industrial estates including Ashbourne Retail Park Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel You should be seeing some content in this space that is currently blocked due to cookie settings Open the Cookie Management Tool to change your settings This weekend the senior camogie team travel to Bekan in Co Mayo to play in the Ashbourne Cup This competition is the most prestigious of tournaments for Third Level students and UCC have a proud record in the Ashbourne having won it on 31 occasions  Mossie O'Sullivan ,  Cathriona Foley (Dept of Surgery) Donal O' Grady and captained by Isobel Sheehan from Eire Og college have a semi final on Saturday against TUD with a 3pm throw in The final is on Sunday at 3pm against either UL or UoG The venue is the Connacht Centre of Excellence Dome except there is no dome but the games go ahead regardless Some of the best of sporting camogie talent will be on view at the weekend with the wish that the Ashbourne Cup comes back to UCC for the 32nd time John Grainger - UCC Gaelic Games Development Clodagh Finn of UCC in action against Aine Keane of UL during the Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup final UCC camogie team have suffered another heartbreaking defeat in the Ashbourne Cup final this time losing 3-10 to 2-11 to UL on Sunday afternoon at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence Clodagh Finn was the reason why the game was so close as the Cork star got her side back into the game by hitting 1-4 late on when their Limerick rivals were enjoying a comfortable 3-8 to 1-7 advantage It wasn’t to be for a UCC side that went into the game looking for their first title since 2003 and to put an end to a run of nine falls at the final hurdle in 21 years Lizanna Boylan of UCC in action against Aine Keane of UL Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/SportsfileIt finished as just another defeat with the only consolation on the day from a Cork point of view being the presence of Newcestown’s Claire Kingston on the UL panel UCC actually struck first with a well-worked score on the right by Glen Rovers’ star Emma Murphy UL responded by going long with Sinead Farrell’s puck-out and Mairead O’Brien managed to win the sliotar by the 45 The half-forward laid it off for Caoimhe Lyons who hit the back of the net with a venomous shot from a tight angle with just 90 seconds Sarah Corcoran then raised a white flag and Ziyan Spillane converted her first of four first-half frees and the side from Limerick surged in front at 1-2 to 0-1 at the fifth minute UCC tried to get themselves back in the game by creating a goal chance and their attempt ended with Liz Ann Boylan running into a wall by the edge of the square and the Youghal native goaled with 11 minutes on the clock and the scoreboard read 1-2 to 1-1 The Cork star followed that up by converting a free and the two teams were level for the first time since throw-in Spillane edged UL back in front with a free and Murphy ensured parity The Limerick side got two inside a minute after that with Lyons getting one and Spillane hitting her third free and any hope of an equaliser before the break was dashed by a quick-fire goal and point by Caoimhe Keher Murtage and Spillane UL led 2-6 to 1-4 at the restart and Corcoran got things back underway before Murphy retaliated for the Cork side Emma Dempsey of UCC takes on Rachel Walsh of UL Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/SportsfileThe Limerick side got their next goal with a close-range strike from Caomhie Cahill and it extended their cushion to 3-8 to 1-5 at the 40th minute Finn kickstarted a rescue mission and got the gap down to a point but UL’s Aine Keane had the final say with a free in the dying seconds more #Camogie articles Keep up-to-date with the top stories in Cork with our daily newsletter straight to your inbox Please click here for our privacy statement. Join Éamonn Murphy, Denis Hurley and Barry O'Mahony on the new season of The Echo Sport Podcast where they'll be analysing Cork GAA. Add Echolive.ie to your home screen - easy access to Cork news Apr 23, 2025 | , , , , , Cllr Joe Bonner has been busy organising the annual Ashbourne Recycling Day The community non -profit project has been a very successful event offering a recycling day It has been well supported by the local community over the years with people making use of the event for over 18 years now The independent councillor came up recycling day recognising there was a need to offer people a day that  allows them to do a clean up at a modest rate If you are doing a spring clean around your home the event offer you a chance to get to recycle You will also be able to get dispose of unused paints as well but you must have them separated The event starts at 8.00 am to 4.00 pm (sharp) For more information please contact Joe Bonner at 087 974 9563 © Meath Live | All Rights Reserved | Powered by GO2WEB.IE We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG UCC has long had a well-earned reputation for high achievement on the sports fields, which is why their recent record in both the Ashbourne and O’Connor Cups is something they’re desperate to rectify. Even though they’re second on the roll of honour in the Ashbourne Cup they haven’t won the Higher Education camogie silverware since 2003, while their last LGFA O’Connor Cup was in 2012. They’ve been knocking on the door in recent years, losing last year’s O’Connor Cup Final and the 2023 Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup Final. Cork dual star, Aoife Healy, played in both of those matches and is hopeful UCC will finally break their duck in one or both competitions this year, with their Ashbourne Cup campaign starting this evening against MTU Cork. “There's just such a drive in UCC now,” says Healy. “It feels like it's been just out of reach for us last year and the year before. We were so, so close and we just didn't make it past the line. “Knowing that we're there or there abouts in both codes just makes it so much more achievable and so much more desirable now. We know we can do it, we're definitely good enough. “We back our teams, they’re only getting stronger.” UCC looked like they were going to end their long wait for an Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup back in 2023 when they lead TUD by a point in the final with time almost up, but then Roisin McCormack hit a last gasp equaliser for the Dubliners at the end of normal time and a late extra-time winner to break Cork hearts. “It was a tough weekend because we had played extra-time the day before as well, so playing extra-time in the final the day after really took it out of us,” say Healy. “We kind of have a name for getting to the final and then losing the finals by very small margins. Hopefully I'll come out of college with one if not two Ashbourne Cup medals. “We've only lost three or four players from last year's team. For the most part it's the same group and it's a really good group.” Just like she did last year, Healy plans to play for both the Cork ladies football and camogie teams in 2025. Aoife Healy of Cork in action against Maryanne Jordan of Galway during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Cork and Galway at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile. Campaigning on two fronts with both college and county this year will be challenging, but Healy has learned a lot from fellow Cork dual stars Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger. “They're such organised people and if you want to have a dual career you need to be that organised too,” says Healy. “I know when I was in first year I wasn't as organised and it was just pure chaos. This year I feel like I have a way better set-up and much clearer communication with the managers when it comes to organising my week. “Once I have my week sorted, that's that, I just stick to it and I don't have too much issues with it then. “Last year I was travelling up to college from home on the bus which made things more difficult whereas I'm living up here now, but I also have more college work so I need to get up earlier to do more work to allow time to go to the gym in the evening. “But for the most part I'm able to get one or two days off in the week for a recovery day or some sort of light gym session. Once it's organised it's okay.” She’s hopeful that Cork can retain their All-Ireland camogie title in 2025 and go further in the All-Ireland LGFA Senior Championship than last year’s semi-final exit, but for now Healy is fully focused on winning some silverware with UCC. “It's an experience that I really want to savour because I know I only have four years of it. It's a group of people that are in such a similar stage of their life to you and it creates such a tight-knit bunch. “Even the girls from counties that you'd nearly be enemies with on the pitch when you play against them, when you're with the college and in such similar situations you become really, really close.” Official Sponsors of the GAA Football All-Ireland Championship Official Sponsors of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship A 22-year-old student from Ashbourne has beaten thousands of poker players to win Ireland’s largest ever poker tournament and secure a huge prize of €600,000. Simon Wilson, from Ashbourne in County Meath, won the Main Event of the Irish Poker Open over the weekend beating a field of 4,562 entries featuring players from almost 60 countries. The €1,150 buy-in Main Event was so popular that it broke records to become the biggest ever Irish poker tournament, with the 4,562 entries generating a huge prizepool of €4,447,950. After his victory, Wilson, who is a keen rugby player and is studying Economics and Business at Trinity University, said: "It’s really special. We come every year, thousands of people enter, it's always just a pipe dream, you know. The first-place prize is incredible, but the memory of winning this tournament... it's second to none. It’s the biggest achievement I've had and I'm going to remember this day forever." Wilson had a big show of support from friends and family members at the event during the final table play, who enthusiastically sang and chanted for hours. The Irish Poker Open, sponsored by PokerStars and Paddy Power, is Europe’s longest running live poker series and is the world’s second longest running event after the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. This year marked the event’s 45th anniversary, and thousands of poker players from all over the world descended on Dublin for a week of world-class poker, unforgettable moments, and plenty of ‘craic’ from April 10-21. Meath Chronicle is part of Celtic Media Group which includes: The Anglo Celt, Connaught Telegraph, Offaly Independent, Westmeath Examiner and Westmeath Independent| © 2021 Meath Chronicle and Celtic Media Group. All rights reserved. The Fox's Den pub in Ashbourne, Co Meath Chris Kelly Group has bought one of Ashbourne’s best-known licensed premises, the Fox’s Den, in Co Meath. The group is led by Chris Kelly, and owns and operates multiple bar operations in Dublin and the provinces. These include the Capitol, Aungier Street; Sinnott’s, St Stephen’s Green; The Black Lion, Inchicore; The Gate Bar, Crumlin and Kingswood Lodge, Tallaght, as well as the recently acquired leasehold interest in Old-Fashioned Sam’s on Harcourt Street. A man has been arrested after gardai were alerted to an alleged criminal damage incident at a residence in Ashbourne at approximately 11:30 this morning. On arrival of the Gardaí, a male had barricaded himself into the property, refused to engage with Gardaí and threatened to self-harm. Gardai say they initiated its Operational Command protocol, appointing an On-Scene Commander and local Garda negotiators from the National Negotiators Unit also attended the scene. The incident was peacefully resolved shortly after 4:30pm following negotiations. Lisa Ann Boylan, UCC, Ellen Baker and Ciara Hickey, UCG. UCC continued their Ashbourne Cup campaign with their second win in the competition with a 1-20 to 1-6 victory over University of Galway at The Mardyke on Tuesday night Last week they destroyed MTU Cork and tonight they were too good for University of Galway It is going to take a very good team to stop them in this current form Cork star Clodagh Finn stole the show by tallying 0-8 which brings her total for the competition to 1-15 after two outings That followed an emphatic victory over local rivals MTU Cork on opening night while the University of Galway started out with a 2-18 to 1-6 hammering of DCU UCGThe home side picked up where they left off at the derby with an early goal chance for Isobel Sheehan flashing just wide inside the first minute Finn followed that up by splitting the posts from play and her second O’Neill’s club stalwart gave the home side a 0-4 to nothing advantage before Sabina Rabbitte opened the University of Galway’s account Finn and Meabh Murphy combined seconds later to stretch UCC’s cushion out to 0-6 to 0-1 Then Galway got a penalty over a foul on Sabina Rabbitte and the forward’s effort from the spot was stopped by Caoimhe Buckley Orlaith Kelleher retaliated after UCC won the puck-out and the gap between the two teams widened when Liz Ann Boylan hit the back of the net with a venomous strike at the 22nd minute the home side were firmly in control even with Galway raising three white flags before the break UCC held firm and went into half-time leading 1-9 to 0-4 thanks to a late rally by Emma Murphy and Finn Boylan put over her only point within seconds of the restart and Sheehan got another as Galway scrambled to ignite a comeback Suddenly it was 1-11 to 0-4 and UCC went up another level with a burst triggered by a Finn free Tipperary’s Eimear Heffernan and Meabh Ring were on target to pad a cushion that was growing bigger and bigger at the 40th minute a well worked goal from Sabina Rabbitte following a neat passing play but there was no big finish as Miriam Murphy and Avril Cashman announced their arrivals with white flags with Sheehan ending the proceedings from the 45 Scorers for UCC: C Flynn 0-8 (3f); L Ann Boylan 1-1 University of Galway: S Rabbitte 1-2; L Kelly 0-3 (1f) Subs: A Cashman for De Murca (25); G Murphy for Heffernan (47) Subs: K Coleman for Canning (40); C Kelly for O Rabbitte (50) more Cork GAA articles © Examiner Echo Group Limited, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712. Add Echolive.ie to your home screen - easy access to Cork news, views, sport and more The devastated father of an vulnerable teenager who was mugged at knife point by a gang of masked youths in Ashbourne on Halloween night has vowed to get justice for his son. The youngster who was approached by the group as he walked home on 31st October was threatened with the deadly weapon and had his phone stolen in the terrifying incident that occurred on Frederick Street at approximately 9.30pm. The horrific ordeal only ended when a passing motorist stopped and came to the boy's aid. Gardai are investigating the incident but it is understood that no arrests have been yet made. The victim's father who has asked to speak anonymously to protect his son's identity, this morning met with Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee who promised to help the family to get the perpetrators before the courts. Frustrated by what he perceives as a lack of action by Gardai, The Ashbourne resident says he "will go to the ends of the earth" to get justice for his son. "I'm not going to let this go, this is my crusade now as far as I'm concerned," said the angry dad. "My son is suffering unmercifully, he is terrified at the minute," he added. "He suffers from anxiety and this has really hit him hard." What started out as a fun evening, ended in a Halloween nightmare as the concerned father explains: "We were encouraging him to go out with his friends and join in on the Halloween thing so he went off to a friend's house where they had a mini Halloween party. "I was in regular contact with him throughout the evening and he started walking back to our house around 9pm. I had warned him to not go down any alley ways and to stick to the main roads which he did. "When he reached Frederick Street opposite Dunnes Stores, between four and six lads in masks grabbed him, roughed him up a bit and threatened to stab him multiple times, then they physically held him until he unlocked the phone and they took a wallet and took cash. They also riffled through his bag that he had with him." The family is desperate to speak to the passer by who saved the youngster from any more harm. "A passer by stopped the car, let a roar and these fellas took off and he took my son in the car to the Garda station," said the Ashbourne man. "If he didn't come along when he did, things were going to get an awful lot worse. "Thank god for this person, we are so grateful and we'd love to get in touch with them to thank them. The frustrated dad who says he was left to make enquiries and source potentially crucial CCTV footage himself regarding the incident due to a lack of urgency from authorities says he is "not letting this go." "I met with Helen McEntee earlier today and she has made a commitment to assist us and stay in touch with us about the situation. "My fear is that the next time an incident like this happens, someone could end up dead." Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses or anyone who may have been travelling on Frederick Street between 9.10pm and 9.40pm on this date and has Dashcam footage, to please contact Ashbourne Garda Station on 01-8010600 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111. Andrew’s Spar in Balrothery, Co. Dublin, has been revealed as the location where the largest scratch card win of 2025 has been sold. A player from Dublin won the top prize worth an astonishing €500,000 from the All Cash Extravaganza scratch card, setting off celebrations at the store.  The Co. Dublin winner, who collected their €500,000 prize at the National Lottery’s exclusive winners' room, shared their excitement about the win:  "I still can’t believe it! When I scratched off the numbers, I was in total shock—especially when I saw I had matched the number 33. It’s crazy because I catch the number 33 bus every day! Maybe I’ll use my winnings to buy the bus!"  In another significant win, a player from Co. Waterford claimed the top prize of €75,000 from the All Cash Platinum scratch card. The player, who purchased the winning ticket from D. Kirwan’s Store, Main Street, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, shared her reaction:  "This is a game-changer for me! When I saw all the numbers match, I was completely taken aback. I’m already planning to treat myself to a few holidays over the next year to celebrate this incredible win!"  Meanwhile, a player from Co. Meath took home €50,000 from the All Cash Extravaganza scratch card, bought at Reilly’s SuperValu, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. The winner explained how the moment unfolded:  "I don’t play scratch cards often, but on this occasion, I had a feeling. I watched the person ahead of me in the queue pick out a few cards, and I thought, ‘Why not?’ The next thing I knew, I was holding a winning scratch card worth €50,000!"  Darragh O'Dwyer, National Lottery spokesperson, said.   "We’ve seen an exciting wave of significant wins across our scratch card games recently, including the largest scratch card win of 2025, worth an incredible €500,000 from Andrew’s Spar in Balrothery. It’s always a pleasure to see how these wins impact players’ lives, and we’re thrilled to continue celebrating these milestones with our winners."  Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. In total, more than €6.5 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 37 years ago. In 2023 alone, €227.9 Million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.   Fashion retailer New Look is to wind down its Irish operation leaving its 347 workers around the country are facing redundancy. New Look Retailers Ireland Ltd today sought the appointment of Provisional Liquidators as it sought to wind down its Irish operations following several years of sustained losses and challenging market conditions. According to RTE News, the High Court today approved the appointment of Shane McCarthy and Cormac O'Connor of KPMG Ireland as Provisional Liquidators over the business and its assets. New Look’s staff were notified immediately following this appointment and further staff engagement is planned over the coming days. New Look employs a total of 347 staff across its 26-store network in the Republic of Ireland including branches in Navan and Ashbourne. A majority of its stores are of small to medium size, employing an average of 12-13 staff per store. A 30-day staff consultation process will commence over the coming days. "Regrettably, a collective redundancy process, impacting all colleagues in the ROI is also envisaged," the company said in a statement. "The decision to seek the appointment of liquidators was not taken lightly. New Look’s Irish operation has struggled for some years, impacted by a range of factors including supply-chain and in-market costs, and squeezed consumer spending," New Look said. The company said that following a strategic review of the Irish business, New Look Group concluded it was no longer viable to continue trading in Ireland. "The group will refocus investment on its UK business and its digital offering." "Our Irish business has struggled for many years due to rising costs and squeezed consumer spending, despite our efforts to turnaround the performance," a spokesperson said. "Our focus now is on supporting our colleagues through this process." New Look stores will be closed over the coming days, before re-opening on February 23rd for a clearance sale. New Look first entered the Irish market in 2003 and operates a network of 26 stores across the Republic of Ireland. As the roadworks that have caused huge disruption in Ashbourne for well over two years finally near completion, the local chamber of commerce has said that lessons must be learned by Meath Co Council for future projects. There is huge relief among businesses in the town that the works, which have taken twice as long as originally estimated, are due to be finished by the end of the month. Residents who have had to contend with lengthy traffic delays while the works were ongoing are also relieved that the end is in sight. The active travel scheme to install cycleways and new footpaths along a 2km stretch of the R135 were initially scheduled to take 65 weeks but have been ongoing for two and a half years, driving many shoppers to take their business elsewhere. Brian Osborne, PRO with Ashbourne Chamber of Commerce, outlined that businesses have suffered greatly because of the traffic and he is appealing to the shoppers who have gone elsewhere to come back to Ashbourne in two weeks time when the road works are finished. He also says lessons must be learned by Meath Co Council to open up communication lines with residents and businesses earlier, to give better time estimates, to keep them regularly updated and to do works in the evenings and at night as much as possible. When contacted by the Meath Chronicle, Meath Co Council failed to outline the reasons behind the delay with the works, nor did they give any details of cost overruns associated with the project. When questions were put to them on how much over budget the project went, a spokesperson said: "In terms of the final costs, these are determined in accordance with the procedures in the contract between the employer and the contractor." Brian Osborne of Ashbourne Chamber of Commerce said: "We are not trying to get into the root causes of the issues that delayed it. We’re not going to get any straight answers. It is what it is, and thank God it is nearly finished. Businesses in the retail park have suffered the most. The Ballybin Road junction works in particular have caused great pain. "Ashbourne was a great draw for people from Ratoath, Dunshaughlin and Garristown who would all come to do their shopping but that stopped purely because of the traffic and they started to going to Swords and Blanchardstown. He said the ongoing roadworks had been hard to take for local businesses. "Nick's Fish has really suffered very badly. It was a destination shop for people from outside who came to it and now we are encouraging those people back. The same for Hugh Maguire's, it’s a unique offering. Businesses have had a tough time. They’ve had to cut back their opening hours because the business wasn't there to support them." Brian also says that lessons must be learned from mistakes with this project just finished before works start between the community centre and the Ninemilestone roundabout and that Meath Co Council must communicate with businesses and residents from a much earlier stage and give regular updates, and also have better estimates on the time it will take. "They need to bring people with them, not have them against them. If people know what is coming, at least they can make plans. The works shouldn’t have been as disruptive as they were, night-time works should have been done sooner." The R135 Cycle Network Scheme Ashbourne involved a 2km stretch from Dunnes Stores to the Pillo Hotel. Apart from the new footpaths and cycleways, it also included undergrounding of utilities, the installation of new traffic signals at the Ballybin, Castle Street and St John's Wood junctions and new public lighting and crossings. In its October update, dated 3rd October, the Council said: "The final section of the scheme is now being completed. The last of the drainage and underground services are now being installed after which works will commence on the installation of the final road surfacing and road markings. "The new bus shelter has been installed on the southbound lane beside the Pillo Hotel. Works are advancing well on the new signalised pedestrian crossing north of the Apple Green filling station. “By the end of October all major construction works will be complete and only minor completion works and snagging will remain. "The last of the public lighting columns have now been installed and are due to be commissioned this month." “Stop/go systems have been in place between 7pm and 9pm with full road closures from 9pm to 6am two days last week aas well as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week to facilitate the resurfacing works. Controversial plans for 39 apartments in Airbnb style short term accommodation on Ashbourne's High Street have been given the green light by Meath County Council. The plans also include four residential apartments and require the construction of two additional storeys on existing buildings to facilitate the proposal. Star Stone Property Investments lodged a planning application last year seeking permission for two additional storeys to provide four residential apartments and 39 new short-term tourist letting accommodation units. Works also include limited rearrangement and change of use of some of the existing accommodation on the floors below. The development address is listed as apartments 1-4 The Square, Units 5-12 and Level 1.0 / Level 1.5 of the Existing Multistorey Carpark, Killegland Street, Ashbourne. A total of 25 submissions were received on the plans raising several concerns including that the need for tourism accommodation was not demonstrated. Meath County Council has recently granted planning permission for the development, subject to conditions. Star Stone Property Group acquired High Street Ashbourne Shopping District in 2022. The property has over 40 commercial tenants within the area including New Look, Boots, Regatta and Gym Plus. Goals proved decisive as Ashbourne CS advanced to the Leinster Colleges SF B FL final following victory over Meath rivals St Peter's College Dunboyne on Thursday. St Peter's, who reached the All-Ireland SFC B semi-finals, were hot favourites, but at the end of a tight opening half the teams were tied, 1-7 each, with Eoin Branagan's goal giving Ashbourne a boost. Playing into a strong wind Dunboyne struggled to make an impact as Ashbourne's superb defence held them to just two points. Two goals by joint captain Max Duffy and one from Niall Daly put Ashourne in the driving seat and they never looked back. Ashbourne will play Rathangan from Kildare in the final. Ashbourne CS - Cillian Gleeson, Killian Daly, Colm O’Leary, Caylum Stafford, Dylan Rowland, Sean Ward, Eoin Brangan, Mylo Hussey, Alex McCann, Danny Dunne, Daniel McGill, Aidan Keogh, Dannan Donnelly, Finn Warnock, Max Duffy, Niall Daly, Ryan Lynch, Harry Begg, Daniel Morris, Aaron Murray, John Robertson, CJ Tuite and Shane McGrath. A man who barricaded himself into an Ashbourne residence and refused to engage with gardai was arrested today after a five hour stand-off. At approximately 11:30am this morning, Monday 24th March 2025, Gardaí were alerted to an alleged criminal damage incident at a residence in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. On arrival of Gardaí, a male had barricaded himself into the property, refused to engage with Gardaí and threatened to self-harm. An Garda Síochána initiated its Operational Command protocol, appointing an On-Scene Commander and local Garda negotiators from the National Negotiators Unit attended the scene. The male, aged in his 40s, was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in the Eastern Region. Gardai had requested a Media Blackout for the duration of the incident. 2024: Mairead O'Brien of University of Limerick steps forward to collect her player of the match award after her side's victory in the Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup final. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile The title holders won last year's final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence and will return to the Mayo venue this weekend First up is Saturday's doubleheader of semi-finals with 11-time winners UL set to face tournament hosts University of Galway at 1pm UCC will face TU Dublin in a repeat of the dramatic 2023 final immediately afterwards at 3pm with the winners of both games advancing to Sunday's final (3pm) at the same location acknowledged that back-to-back games will be challenging for whichever teams reach the final But he said the positives outweigh any negatives with the opportunity now for players to make lifelong memories the friendships and the memories that you can make on weekends like these are huge," said Ferncombe "I've experienced it at Fitzgibbon Cup level I've experienced it in management on both sides of it in the Fitzgibbon Cup and the Ashbourne Cup The memories you take away from it are second to none Those are things that stay with you for life "Obviously player welfare and trying to deal with playing two full games in two games is challenging but there are huge merits in a weekend like this also Ferncombe is delighted to grab any opportunity to highlight just how special the Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup competition is captained by Galway's 2024 All-Ireland senior camogie finalist Jennifer Hughes is jam packed with inter-county talent who deserve the recognition "We have 30 players who are part of our panel this weekend and in 2024 we reckon that 24 or 25 of them played inter-county between minor The problem for UL is that opponents University of Galway who beat DCU 2-16 to 1-14 in last week's quarter-final "We haven't come across eachother in the league or championship yet," said Ferncombe "But they've got a large number of inter-county players there from the likes of Galway have shown strong form in the tournament so far too They have huge experience in their coaching team which includes Jerry Wallace UCC kicked off their Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup campaign with big wins over MTU Cork and University of Galway and will face a TU Dublin side that beat UCD in the quarter-finals "As far as I'm concerned the four best teams in the competition are now going to be competing with eachother in the semi-finals," said Ferncombe The UL chief's hope is that with the majority of last year's successful team still available to him "We had some really good final year students last year but we also had a phenomenal bunch of third year students," said Ferncombe "So they're in fourth year now and still with us so I'd be very confident again that we have depth in our panel and we'll need that over the weekend to try to help us get as far as we can "But genuinely there has been no talk about retaining it it's just been about looking forward to 1pm on Saturday And when we get to 3pm on Saturday we'll know where we stand whether we have a final to look forward to or are we finished?" Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup weekend fixtures  UL v University of Galway - University of Galway UCC v TU Dublin - University of Galway Connacht From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in SKORT PROTEST: Laois’ camogie players have become the latest team to join the skort protest by lining out in shorts before the throw-in of Monday’s Leinster intermediate camogie semi-final By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser You have accepted push notifications for this content. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here https://www.tipperarylive.ie/section/1235/advertise-with-us Keep up to date with the latest news in Tipperary as it happens with TipperaryLive.ie The latest Tipperary news,sport and business from TipperaryLive.ie National - Tipperary Live - Find the latest Tipperary Clonmel Ireland Local County Region breaking news What's on - Tipperary Live - Find the latest Tipperary Clonmel Ireland Local County Region breaking news sport and business from Tipperary with the team from TipperaryLive.ie sport and motoring as it happens from TipperaryLive.ie Tipperary Live Met Eireann Weather Forecast Deaths - Tipperary Live - Find the latest Tipperary Clonmel Ireland Local County Region breaking news Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism Tipperary had numerous players on the playing fields throughout the Ashbourne Cup final weekend The University of Limerick claimed another Ashbourne title with a narrow win over UCC in Bekan defeating UCC on a 3-10 to 2-11 score-line UL had two Tipperary and Moycarkey Borris players in action with Sarah Corcoran starting at midfield while Kate Ralph played her part from the bench Niamh Cunneen from the Silvermines was also on the victorious squad Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla Kickhams) and Lorna Ryan (Clonoulty Rossmore) played a part in the Cork side's run to this year’s decider Also on the panel from the Premier were Cashel King Cormacs duo Anna Fahie and Grace Moloney " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news 5 March at the Halla Na Féile in Cashel In Pictures: Meet the cast of hit play 'The Ferryman' including a 'very well behaved baby' Night of nostalgia at Tipperary Museum with 125 year Clonmel High School reunion Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie Mar 19, 2025 | , , Ashbourne also enjoyed a large turnout on Monday We have put together a collage of the parade As in Navan and other towns the day stayed dry clubs and organisation gave the town a lot of colour Mark Muldoon has a bright future ahead of him The Ashbourne native is already competing on the national and international stage and hopes to one day make it to the PGA tour which means every time Mark goes out on the course he is generally expected to shoot in or around two under par Mark's love of the game began at a very young age He was barely able to walk when he started to swing a golf club Mark and his family attended the Irish Open and at that stage he was already keen to make a name for himself I got plastic clubs for Christmas and absolutely loved them I brought the clubs along and managed to sneak onto one of the tee boxes with a ball and take a shot It got a bit of coverage in the media at the time," recalled the Ashbourne teenager Mark has been a member of Ashbourne Golf Club for 10 years now As with everyone who starts golf at a young age the frustrating aspect of the game took some time to get used to "I joined Ashbourne Golf Club when I was six and just loved it I used to get out as much as possible but sometimes you wouldn't last very long I was really young and once I hit one bad shot A big influence on Mark's budding golf career has been the support of his parents Mark's dad has been crucial to his development and his love of golf while his mother has sacrificed endless hours bringing him to and from events up and down the country "I played a lot with my Dad when I was younger He isn't the biggest golfer in the world but he played it to play with me really She is brilliant and she brought me to a lot of the events this year." The Covid lockdown was a challenging time for the young aspiring golfer but it didn't stop Mark from getting out onto the green in his estate to try to perfect his short game I put a bucket down on the green in my estate and I used to try and hit the ball into it from about 60 yards When things opened up again my short game was so good." 2024 was a big year for Mark as he realised his potential and his ability to compete with the best in his age group He had a very busy schedule and while some results didn't go his way he was happy with the way he played in a lot of the big events that he competed in "I've been golfing in regular GUI National competitions for a few years now but this year is the first year that I've realised that I'm now playing at a level where I am good enough to compete with everyone." Competing out of his age group at the renowned Ballybunion Mark performed exceptionally well at this year's Irish u-18s He also had some good results in the Munster u-16s and across the water in Scotland "I was pleased with how I performed at the Irish u-18s at Ballybunion I came 15th in that but I played really well It's obviously an unbelievable course as well so that was nice," said MArk "There were a few events that I struggled with I came 11th but I was disappointed with that because I had a tough last day I came fourth at the Munster u-16s so I was really happy with that it's a nice course and you have planes flying over your head "I went to the Scottish and English u-16s as well and finished fourth in the Scottish one which was a great result Mark looked like he might have success in another sport The young athlete was a very good soccer goalkeeper and competed at quite a high level an injury in 2022 was a big factor in Mark turning his attention fully to golf "I was playing a lot of soccer at one point I was playing for St Kevin's and I had a few trials with a few League of Ireland clubs I broke my forearm in a training match for Kevin's," he said "I was a keeper and I was backpedaling to my goal my foot got stuck and I fell back on my wrist I had a bit of time then to consider what to do The golf season started in April and at that stage I still play a bit of GAA but from April to September The teenager has big plans for the future and he hopes to follow in the path of elite golfers from Ireland who have made it to the pinnacle of the sport - the PGA Tour There is a lot of golf to be played yet before that dream becomes a reality but Mark has a clear pathway in his head about how he is going to get there "I plan to get a D1 college scholarship to the States My long-term aspiration is obviously to go pro and play on the PGA tour," said Mark you need to try and aim at the States and see where that takes you go to Q school afterward and try and qualify for the tour I've some time before I have to worry about all that but it won't be long coming around." Mark is currently in his fourth year at Ashbourne Community School The nature of transition year allows him to work and perfect some of the aspects of his golf game before he puts his head down and prepares for his Leaving Cert exams "This year I'm working on a few changes in my swing I'm in transition year so I have time to change things I want to get my swing to a good spot before I reach fifth year "I'll have to balance my studies and golf at that stage because grades are very important if I'm going to have a chance of getting into a D1 college in America It'll be about getting that balance right," concluded the Ashbourne teenager who seems destined for the very top Residents and staff at Kilbrew Nursing Home recently marked a significant milestone in their journey celebrating a name change to 'The Residence Ashbourne' with a celebration party there was a lively performance from The Rams in Rhythm a musical group made up of talented retired men Family members of the residents were invited to join the celebration shared his father’s experience at the Nursing Home He is so impressed with everything; he says it is like a five-star It is a credit to all the staff working there." The Residence Ashbourne will be hosting an evening presentation on Dementia and Long-term Care Preparation on Wednesday 2nd of October from 6.30pm – 8.30pm in the Pillo Hotel in Rath This is a free event for members of the public to come along and have an opportunity to ask questions about dementia and care options available for long-term care who is a manager of the Nursing Home Support Scheme who will provide information on the Fair Deal process a dementia care consultant,will provide advice on supporting loved ones through dementia If you are interested in booking a place or hearing more about the event The Residence Ashbourne is an exclusive nursing care and retirement complex in Meath located within 20 acres of parkland and three minutes north of Ashbourne town with 24 nursing homes across Ireland and a homecare service They pride themselves on their high standards of care An Ashbourne resident has vented her frustration over the ongoing roadworks on the R135 Cycle Network scheme in the town which were due to take nine months but are now ongoing for over two years Businesses and locals are all suffering due to the traffic chaos that have become the norm since the roadworks began where works are now taking place and told how she spent 25 minutes in a queue waiting to turn out on to the R135 last week because of the works "The works have moved to the industrial estate at the back of the Pillo Hotel "I was 25 minutes trying to get out on the road Trucks leaving the industrial estate don't have enough road to swing out and if they meet another one On another occasion she said an ambulance couldn't overtake traffic as there isn't any space for cars to pull in to let them by I know myself I would be quicker to go to Swords or Drogheda than to try go into Ashbourne Every evening people are complaining on the Ashbourne Notice Board on Facebook "It has gone way over budget and was due to finish in June 2023 and is now well over schedule They have put in wider footpaths and cycles lanes and raised flower beds but this has meant the road is much narrower and you can barely get through." Susanne said that for traffic coming from the industrial estate one for those turning to Ashbourne and the other for those going for the N2 but because of the footpaths now there is only room for one I work in Bray and I was late for work two morning because of it We want to know what is going on and when the works will be finished." Over 200 submissions have been lodged against a controversial social housing development in Ashbourne Meath County Council lodged a Part 8 planning application for the proposed development of 79 new residential homes on lands north of Ashewood Green and Ashewood Glen will consist of 41 two bedroom houses with a further 34 one bedroom apartments In 2023 Meath County Council announced plans to build this fully social housing project under 179a a section of planning law that allows local authorities to proceed with planning applications without the obligation to engage with the community The government introduced the emergency legislation in the same year to address the housing crisis Under the regulations a local authority could build social or affordable housing on land they own bypassing the normal planning process Residents of Ashewood Green previously stated that they “refused to be bullied” by Meath County Council into accepting this new development that was being rushed through under temporary legislation without proper due diligence the Part 8 planning process now in place means that the council needs to get support of local councillors to be able to forge ahead and residents are hopeful that they will be met halfway and that the development will a mixed tenure of social and affordable housing although they claim to be so far “ignored” by Meath County Council Residents had outlined their worries about road safety issues already existing in the area that need to be addressed before any building work goes ahead Last year the Housing Minister issued guidance on how housing should be build within the state In the “Design Manual for Quality Housing” building housing estates consisting solely of social housing units is not recommended “Residents of Ashewood and the wider Ashbourne area have had their say and have serious concerns about this development,” said a spokesperson for Ashewood Sub Committee “From the outset we wish to make it clear that we are not against development of this site but there are major concerns which need to be addressed before any planning is granted These requests are to ensure and they mainly centre around The residents group say that all they asking for is that the mixed tenure guidelines that are set by the government be adhered to “The safety issues need to be addressed and as a matter of common decency and to ensure the safety of our residents Again we have tried to engage with Meath County Council but to no avail “In the wider Ashbourne area issues centre around amongst other traffic congestion public open recreation spaces and lack of childcare places “Meath County Council have made a lazy attempt to justify that there is ample green space and school space available in their planning documents “They have listed playgrounds in private estates and green spaces which are part of other estates as available recreation space These green spaces are not adequate nor are they maintained by Meath County Council.” Ashewood Sub Committee say that it is well documented that Ashbourne has “a chronic shortage of recreational greenspace” for the existing population and a couple of greens dotted around nearby estates is not sufficient for a town the size of Ashbourne “In relation to the schools they have listed they are all full and most have stopped operating waiting lists In the case of one pre school- little ruggers- it is no longer open and hasn't been in over a year This shows the attitude towards Ashbourne and the extent of the research carried out by Meath County Council “We are now calling on all our representatives both national and locally to ensure that we the residents of Ashewood and wider Ashbourne are listened to and this build is not allowed go ahead until our wishes are granted.” Meath County Council has been contacted for comment Catherine, suddenly, predeceased by her parents Catherine and James. Loving wife of Frank and dear mother of Cody, Shauna and Kathleen. Sadly missed by her family, her adored grandchildren, Layla, Nevaeh, Robert, Everleigh, Damien, Ruby, Fraya, Savannagh and Monroe, her siblings, Jean, Imelda, James (Jimmy), Declan, Cyril, Mary, Ann, John, Patricia and Clare, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, her extended family and her many good friends. Reposing at Ryan's Funeral Home, Ashbourne (A84CX52) from 5pm to 7pm this Sunday evening. Removal on Monday morning to The Church Of The Immaculate Conception, Ashbourne, arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am which can be viewed live from the Webstream Link below. Burial afterwards in St. Declans Cemetery, Ashbourne. CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday, memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one. Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Clodagh Finn of UCC about to get a shot away in the Electric Ireland Ashbourne Cup game against the University of Galway at the Mardyke last month. Picture: Jim Coughlan highlighting how playing at college level brings one into contact with stars from other counties For former Kilkenny player and third-level camogie ambassador Miriam Walsh the Waterford IT [now SETU Waterford] Ashbourne Cup win of 2015 remains a special memory and she was glad to have Cork’s Laura Treacy on her team rather than against her for a change you're kind of making unexpected friendships You're playing with your rivals and playing against your friends so it's a fantastic competition “I was actually playing with Laura Treacy from Cork She was centre-back on our team and I would have marked her a good bit against Cork But then when you're playing against her with county it's different she was a tremendous leader and it was so good to play with Laura she was on our team as well and Trish Jackman from Waterford “We won it in 2015 and we got to the final the following year UL have been the strong campaigners really and TUD so WIT haven't really been on the map since.” seen here after winning an Echo Women in Sport monthly award is cited by Kilkenny's Miram Walsh as a prime example of how third-level players benefit from playing alongside stars from other counties Picture@ Larry Cummins As mentioned by Walsh her alma mater are not at the business end of this year’s Ashbourne which concludes this weekend with the semi-finals and final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence with wins over MTU Cork and the University of Galway in January earning them a direct passage to a semi-final spot which sees the University of Limerick taking on the University of Galway Clodagh Finn has been in scintillating form for Jerry Wallace’s side scoring 1-7 in the big win over MTU in the Cork derby and then eight points a fortnight ago as Galway were seen off on a 1-20 to 1-6 scoreline fellow All-Ireland winners with Cork Méabh Murphy (Ballinora) Aoife Healy (Aghada) and Emma Murphy (Glen Rovers) are likely to be key if UCC are to end their long wait for the inter-varsity title UCC have been in eight finals but victory has proven elusive on each occasion The most recent appearance in the decider was two years ago when they lost by a point to TU Dublin in Belfield UCC and Cork star Aoife Healy will be key if they are to end a 22-year wait for the Ashbourne Cup Picture: Inpho/Dan SheridanThe final of the Ashbourne takes place on Sunday at 3pm In the second-tier Purcell Cup semi-finals today UL take on SETU Carlow while Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College do battle with Queens University of Belfast preceded by the Fr Meaghair Cup final at 11am with Ulster University or DCU meeting UL or Trinity College Feb 19, 2025 | , A 27-year-old man with an Ashbourne address who appeared at Trim District Court charged with robbery has been sent forward for trial Neville Giles with an address at Ashewood Heath in the town was charged with robbery of e200 cash from a woman at Frederick Street Garda Cailin Donohoe gave evidence of having served a book of evidence in the case Judge Cephas Power issued an alibi warning to the accused who was then sent forward for trial to Trim Circuit Court on 21st February next The accused was remanded in custody until the date of his trial Mar 9, 2025 | , , At an inquest in Trim last month Coroner for Co Meath Nathaniel Lacy called for a review of systems at Kilbrew Nursing Home following the death of resident Margaret O’Reilly Dublin who died while she was eating her lunch in the dining room of the home on 13th July 2023 Attempts were made to dislodge it but were unsuccessful and the resident went into cardiac arrest and passed away A “do not resuscitate” notice in case of cardiac arrest had been agreed with the family was present in the resident’s system “in toxic levels” The inquest also heard that the alarm had been raised by a staff member named “Kate” but this person had since moved on from the nursing home to continue studies The coroner returned a verdict of misadventure saying that death was due to choking with secondary pulmonary aspiration obstruction of the larynx and the bronchial tree A contributory factor was “toxic levels of Sertraline” Mr Lacy said a file on the inquest should be sent to HIQA in terms of any investigation it was conducting also in addition to whatever interaction it was having with HIQA should carry out a review of its procedures in relation to reaction to choking hazards and he wanted confirmation of that from the nursing home HIQA carried out an unannounced inspection of the nursing home which has 74 male and female adult residents between 9am and 4.35pm on 13 th November last year The report said that residents there spoke positively about their experience of living at the home On the day of the inspection no complaints or concerned were raised The HIQA inspector noted that some residents’ records were stored in an external storage unit which was not part of the registered designated centre and wanted that situation reviewed and changed HIQA found the centre to be a “well-governed” one with effective management systems to monitor the quality of care to residents with good levels of care and oversight of the service across regulations reviewed with further improvement required in respect of storage of records In 13 items listed under the title “Capacity and Capability” including staffing managing behaviour that is challenging 10 areas were found to be “compliant” and three “substantially compliant” Meath Live asked HIQA if it intended to carry out a further inspection of the home in the light of the inquest’s findings a spokesperson for the organisation said that the chief inspector was committed to ensuring that all nursing homes are inspected at least once a year as the vast majority of inspections were unannounced it was unable to confirm the date of any future inspection of the Ashbourne home It confirmed that inspections at Kilbrew had taken place on 14th February and 13th November 2024 https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/section/1237/advertise-with-us All the latest breaking local news from Kilkenny County Keep up to date with the latest sports news Read the latest crime and court news from Kilkenny Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland Find whats happening in and around Kilkenny Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Kilkenny Read about the latest properties available in Kilkenny Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Kilkenny Recent death notices and obituaries from Kilkenny Latest environmental and climate change news in County Kilkenny Sinead Farrell and Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh celebrate UL's Ashbourne Cup win over UCC Picture: Diarmuid Greene There were three cheers for Kilkenny camogie as a trio of county stars were feted for their onfield achievements at college level Sinead Farrell (St Lachtain’s) and Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh (The Rower-Inistioge) were part of the University of Limerick camogie team who made history by securing their second consecutive Ashbourne Cup title with a 3-10 to 2-11 win over UCC at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Mayo at the weekend Goalkeeper Farrell picked up her second Ashbourne Cup title while Keher-Murtagh was on the scoresheet Acting UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins welcomed the team to a special reception at Plassey House He commended their unwavering dedication to both their sport and their academic pursuits highlighting how their achievements contribute to the University’s strong sporting culture “Sport plays a fundamental role in life at UL and our camogie team has once again shown the determination and resilience that make them such outstanding ambassadors for this university and we are incredibly proud of them,” he said “Achievements like this will stand the test of time you’ll take great pride in knowing you were part of something truly special the team has once again demonstrated the strength of university sport and team spirit that define the university’s sporting legacy,” he added The victory was particularly historic for third-year medicine student and sports scholar Caoimhe Lyons who became the only player in UL history to win six Ashbourne Cup medals The UL Ashbourne Cup team celebrate their success “I feel an immense sense of pride to have been part of six successful Ashbourne Cup teams,” she said I could never have imagined winning six titles but each team I’ve played with has been full of incredible players and I feel privileged to have shared this journey with them This achievement also strengthens my role as an ambassador for UL Sport Caoimhe also encouraged future UL camogie players to embrace the experience highlighting the strong team culture at the University “There is a special energy within the UL camogie teams and the friendships you make here last a lifetime UL GAA is an elite setup where male and female athletes are treated equally and I’d encourage any prospective female students looking to play at a high level to get involved and embrace every opportunity—you won’t regret it!” The reception was attended by the full UL camogie squad all of whom played a vital role in securing the title The win further cements UL’s reputation as a powerhouse in GAA with UL’s GAA club boasting 26 teams across hurling and football under the guidance of GAA Development Officer Jason Coffey The University’s long-standing tradition of producing top-tier athletes continues a six-time senior All-Ireland winner with the Cats Tracks & Trails returns for a fresh new season this Friday (File Photo) Doctor365's walk-in clinic in Kilkenny is open 7 days a week Heat Pump Pro are here to keep your boiler in top condition Up to 30 Ukrainian families who have been living in an Ashbourne hotel for the last two years are said to be “devastated ” at being informed they will be relocated with just four week’s notice Residents staying at the Ashbourne Court Hotel received a letter for the Department of Integration last last month stating that they would moved on to alternative accommodation before August 25th The letter states residents will be provided with approximately 48 hours notice in advance of their transfer to new accommodation It goes on to say that due to the extreme shortage of accommodation available anyone that declines an offer will not receive any further ones there has been a decrease in the number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine seeking accommodation in Ireland As a result of this decrease the Department has begun consolidating its accommodation portfolio,” states the document Fine Gael Cllr Alan Tobin has slammed the move "They were given notice last week that they were to pack their bags more or less and be gone by the end of the month,” he said It's predominantly families in the hotel and many of them work in the locality and their children all go to school,” he added "They have been here for the better part of two years you have one girl starting college so they are very much part of society and are devastated at having to move." The current shortage of home and sky rocketing rents will make it virtually impossible for the families to be able to remain in Ashbourne according to Tobin who said; "It is crazy how short an amount of time they have been given as this in an Ashbourne that you can not rent in for love nor money "I know some families who moved through choice ended up going to Donegal because that was place where they could get a job for a decent wage and rent that wasn’t through the roof "A lot of the towns and villages these people are from are occupied so they don’t even have the option of going back "No one actually came into the hotel and said ok we need to move people on what does that mean now when you are turfing people out on to the streets Ukrainian refugees now go to designated accommodation centres for up to 90 days and are provided with food laundry and integration support during this time They are paid a €38.80 subsistence allowance per week and an additional €29.80 per child Arrivals had previously been entitled to a jobseeker’s allowance of €220 per week and unlimited time in State accommodation Earlier this may the Taoiseach confirmed that Dozens of accommodation centres for Ukrainian refugees would be set to close Harris said that Almost 70 contracts for Ukrainian refugee accommodation would expire “shortly” Mr Harris said that many hotel and community facilities which were being used as refugee accommodation will made available again for local use He added that the state needed to move “beyond this emergency response” to migration The Department of Integration has been contacted for comment A new €19m reservoir and upgraded water network to enhance security and resilience of water supply in Co Meath has been completed by Uisce Éireann The works involved construction of a new elevated treated water storage reservoir on site at Windmill Hill along with the installation of 7km of new water mains from the reservoir site to Ratoath This key infrastructure for the area has significantly increased capacity providing up to 24-hour storage; improving water supply security and resilience for existing homes and businesses in Ratoath Kilbride and Ashbourne; as well as improving water pressure It also provides for the future with sufficient capacity for forecasted population growth and future housing and economic developments in the area Uisce Éireann’s Infrastructure Delivery Director joined Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council along with local councillors at an event at Windmill Reservoir Also in attendance were representatives from Meath County Council who delivered the works on behalf of Uisce Éireann Infrastructure Delivery Director with Uisce Éireann said: “I’m delighted to celebrate the completion of this milestone project for the East Meath area Delivery of this project was essential to enhance the security and resilience of the water supply to local communities as well as provide the necessary capacity to support future growth and development “It is just one of a number of strategically important investments Uisce Éireann are making in Co Meath ensuring we deliver critical infrastructure that will enable communities to thrive now and into the future.” “On behalf of Uisce Éireann I would like to thank everybody involved for their hard work and collaboration in delivering this project Works on this scale are disruptive for the community and I want to thank people for their patience and co-operation while we completed this vital project.” Meath County Council Cathaoirelach Sharon Tolan added: “The importance of providing a secure water supply for a thriving community cannot be underestimated This project not only supports current development but also lays a strong foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity in East Meath into the future “A water network that is fit for purpose is essential to support future growth and development and the successful completion of this project will do just that and is a testament to the collaboration and dedication to everyone involved in this project." commented that the new works have been operational since August 2024 “Uisce Éireann and Meath County Council are extremely pleased with the immediate water supply improvements that the new reservoir and pipeline have brought to the Ratoath and Ashbourne areas I would like to take the opportunity to complement the entire project team the contractor and the community for their co-operation in the delivery of this critical infrastructure.” Meath County Council has signalled its intention to construct close to 80 new homes in Ashbourne Close to 80 new homes are in the pipeline for one of Meath’s largest and busiest commuter towns Local authority bosses have published a part 8 planning application for the proposed development of 79 new residential homes on lands north of Ashewood Green and Ashewood Glen Forty-one of those have been designed to consist of two bedroom houses with a further 34 consisting of one bedroom apartments subject to a four week public consultation be completed by a further four houses consisting of three bedrooms Public consultation is a fundamental element of a local authority’s Part 8 planning application process It requires a notice of the proposed development to be published in a local newspaper with a a site notice erected on the land that has been earmarked for development Following submissions or observations received by the council a report is commonly presented local councillors which ordinarily recommends whether or not the proposed development should proceed Council bosses have also included plans for a new vehicular access from Ashewood Green Anyone wishing to inspect the plans can do so by making contact with Meath County Council’s planning department C15 Y291 from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 4pm until February 26 can be made in writing to Planning Department Meath or via the online web portal https://planning.localgov.ie/ on or before March 13 The plans and particulars of the proposed housing development will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy during office hours at the offices of the local authority from 28th January 2025 to 26th February 2025 as follows: Planning Department C15 Y291 (Opening Hours 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm Monday to Friday); (inspection and purchase) Municipal District of Ashbourne Office A84NY73 (Opening Hours 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday) (inspection only); Online at https://planning.localgov.ie/ under Part 8 Reference: PT8MH194 (inspection only) Submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated may be made in writing to the Local Authority: Planning Department Meath or via the online web portal https://planning.localgov.ie/ on or before 13th March 2025 Ladies FootballNadine Doherty: Scaling back is the way forward for LGFA in face of falling attendancesWhen Kerry defeated Galway in last year’s TG4 Ladies’ senior All-Ireland decider to win their first title in 31 years they did so in front of the lowest finals attendance in a decade 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of Des will be forever loved and very sadly missed by sons-in-law Daniel and Liam Reposing at his home this Sunday afternoon (23rd February) for family and close friends from 4pm until 6pm Removal on Monday morning to the Church of the Holy Trinity To view the Funeral Mass live, please click here donations if desired to The Dublin Simon Community To leave a private message of condolence, please click here or alternatively on the condolence section below. All enquiries to Massey Bros., Templeogue on (01) 490 7601. Please Note: The link provided to live-stream the Funeral Mass is managed by an independent streaming company. The Funeral Home accepts NO responsibility for its functionality or interruption to a live transmission. https://www.offalyexpress.ie/section/1236/advertise-with-us weather & more in Offaly and County Offaly All the latest breaking local news from Offaly and County Offaly Keep up to date with the latest news from life in Offaly - Offaly Live Offaly Express Offaly News Midland Tribune Tullamore Tribune Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Offaly and County Offaly Read about the latest properties available in Offaly and County Offaly Offaly and County Offaly Met Eireann Weather Forecast Family and former colleagues of Frank Breen gathered to unveil a bench in his honour last week One of the best known factory premises in the Midlands paid a poignant tribute to a colleague who died last year and invited his family to his former workplace to unveil a special bench in his honour.  Ashbourne Meats in Roscrea welcomed some of Frank Breen's family members to the unveiling of a Memorial Bench in honour of their dear colleague and friend to mark the first anniversary of his sudden and unexpected passing at work Frank worked all his life in the meat business For those 26 years Frank wasn’t just a colleague but a hardworking and sociable member of the team Pictured above at the bench are (front) Geraldine Breen (Frank's Mother) Paddy Breen (Frank's brother) (back) Mary Keightley (Frank's Partner) Danny Houlihan (Managing Director) and PJ Butler (Site Manager) His commitment to his work and his colleagues was truly admirable Frank was an incredibly versatile and knowledgeable employee with a strong work ethic.  His willingness to step in wherever needed and his extensive experience in various roles speaks volumes about his dedication and skill The memorial Bench was unveiled by Danny Houlihan (Managing Director) where he spoke fondly of Frank and the good times shared over the years which was followed by a minute’s silence The bench in Frank's honour which was supplied by Irish Recycled Products in Birr PJ Butler (Site Manager) also shared some lovely words: “On Friday 29th March 2024 we lost a valuable member of our work family and we hope this bench will remind us all of Frank every day as we pass by or sit and remember” READ NEXT: Roscrea's Shauna headed for Paris Marathon for Roscrea Hospice so it was only fitting to display a picture of his pipe on the plaque as a tribute to the man that was and always will be a part of the furniture Frank's brother Paddy shared his thanks on behalf of the family to the management and staff of Ashbourne Meats for the kind gesture that has meant so much to them MEMORY LANE MONDAY: A stroll through the Offaly archives – Recognise anyone today Leigh Kavanagh is consoled after Offaly's defeat Clever engineering solution could solve Offaly's peat road problem The volunteers will be delighted to welcome friends old and new at St Patrick’s Hall in Delvin (N91 X449) on Sunday University of Galway are back on the national stage this Saturday (8th February 2025) as they contest the Ashbourne Cup semi-final The Galway college take on defending title holders University of Limerick at the penultimate stage of the game's highest tier looking to move into Sunday's final and possibly bridge the gap to their last Ashbourne success in 1994 University of Galway beat DCU 2-16 to 1-14 in the quarter-finals; while UL went straight through from the group stags after wins over SETU Waterford and TU Dublin University of Galway manager Kevin Connolly has been chatting to Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly Bekan on Saturday is 1pm and we'll have LIVE coverage here on Galway Bay FM.  The winners will be University College Cork or TU Dublin in the final on Sunday at 2pm Belfast in the Ashling Murphy Cup Final on Saturday at 11am.  And University of Galway's second team will face Ulster University Magee in the Uí Mhaolagáin Cup decider at 5pm.  We'll have updates from both games here on Galway Bay FM From Bridgerton to Sherwood and Alma’s Not Normal the actor has lit up our screens all year – and her ‘victory lap’ is only just starting … Has she ended up in such outstanding shows because she’s picky It’s just timing that these things have fallen into place.” when they were both starring in a play at the Royal Exchange But she has lived in London for “40-odd years The couple’s three adult children still live at home with them and Ashbourne’s parents are staying; her father has just had his 90th birthday she is experiencing what we might call a career Lorraine-aissance The first series of Sherwood ended with the surprising reveal that local crime boss Daphne Sparrow was once an undercover police officer with the code name “Keats” who had been hiding in the local community since 1984 “I can honestly say that I’ve not yet spoken to anybody that knew or guessed Daphne was the one,” she says She recalls going in to rerecord some dialogue for it and asking the studio technicians if they knew who it was yet “What a great thing to pull off,” she says ‘She’s carrying so many secrets’ … Ashbourne as Daphne Sparrow in Sherwood Photograph: Sam Taylor/BBC/House ProductionsIf Daphne was in the shadows of series one then writer James Graham moved her front and centre for series two as gang war and gun violence come to Nottingham and some of Daphne’s other buried secrets burst into the open “It was very different playing her in the first series to the second series,” says Ashbourne She was just sort of quietly simmering and strong in the background.” and playing Daphne proved to be more difficult everything was encapsulated and closed and finished beautifully the daughter Daphne had given up for adoption as a baby resurfaces and becomes embroiled in the Sparrows’ underworld “I felt like I had a lump in my throat for about four months She’s carrying so many secrets.” The series culminates in a fantastic face-off as Daphne and fellow crime family matriarch Ann Branson in Sophie Willan’s autobiographical comedy Alma’s Not Normal and she just said: ‘I see you as my gran.’” Ashbourne agreed to read the script I’ll go along with it.” It wasn’t until the cast came together for a read-through that it fell into place setting it on the path to Bafta-winning glory really proud I was there at the beginning,” she says ‘Joan is vulgar and dirty and sexy She should run the country!’ Ashbourne with Siobhan Finneran (left) and Sophie Willan (right) in Alma’s Not Normal Photograph: Matt Squire/BBC/Expectation TVIn the second series Grandma Joan is diagnosed with the cancer that will eventually kill her Such is the magic of Alma that it is desperately sad and yet stuffed with belly laughs because Willan was so close to her grandma in real life and what she’s done.” She says there’s nothing like Alma on TV showing off her penis sculptures or semi-kidnapping her daughter’s schizophrenic boyfriend “I’ve played some fantastic characters through my life Was she tempted to keep any of the leopard print “I have a strange relationship with leopard print since playing Joan Ashbourne has just finished filming Riot Women, the new series from Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright about five women in Hebden Bridge who form a makeshift punk band It is the first time they have worked together and Ashbourne says it feels like the right time “I consider this my victory lap,” she says “I’ve got to be careful not to talk about it too much.” Are you in the band “I am in the band.” What instrument do you play Or I try to play the drums.” She had to learn for the role “I suppose any instrument takes tremendous discipline and timing ‘I must take up an instrument,’ it’s come into my life It’s been brilliant.” They have played three songs together Ashbourne read that the optimum age for women’s confidence and self-esteem is 60 Riot Women addresses that we have so much to offer And I guess I feel a little like that about my career I can do this.” She is about to go back to work on Bridgerton having played the Featheringtons’ housekeeper And After the Flood will return for a second series “I like delving into other characters and their world people are starting to recognise her a bit more certain times – like in the knicker department at Marks & Spencer.” Usually “And you’re reluctant to go: ‘I’m an actress,’” she says Oh hang on a minute: are you on my darts team?’” Ashbourne Community School claimed the U16 B North Leinster title in Dunganny A narrow one-point victory in the semi-final set them up for a final date with Dunshaughlin Community College A tight match was expected and that is how it turned out We hit the first point of the match from play through captain Niall Lawless after a brilliant run through the centre Two well taken frees by centre back Reuben Clancy O’ Looney had us off to a good start A lot of wayward shooting by us proved costly as Dunshaughlin hit a purple patch of their own hitting 1-2 in quick succession to go into the lead Dara Naughton and Ciaran Dunican hit a point each in a strong response to lead by the minimum at half time. The game was very evenly poised for the second half Dunshaughlin hit the first score of the second half to tie the game A long range free by Reuben Clancy O’ Looney somehow managed to find the Dunshaughlin net as it dropped short and bounced into the net Another free by the same man pushed us 4 points up and gave us breathing space Dunshaughlin refused to lie down and came storming back hitting 4 points of their own to tie the match Their direct running had us camped in our own half struggling to get up the field We went 10 minutes without scoring under sever pressure before Luke Herron cut in to hit a good point off his right foot Mark Muldoon was kept busy in goals for us with a few very good saves and was alert to some dangerous dropping balls in our square Our defence held firm as Dunshaughlin looked for a goal Dara Naughton hit another very good point to ease the pressure on us and keep us two points ahead. Dunshauhglin to be fair never gave up and had their chances to win this match The last point of the match came from Luke Herron with a good finish from a tight angle We hit the crossbar twice in quick succession and Dara Naughton dragged a shot just wide as we held on for the win A game that could of went either way on the day Thankfully for us it went in our favour We move on to the Leinster Semi-Final with dates and details to follow Captain Niall Lawless deservedly lifted the cup much to the delight of the Ashbourne supporters A speedy recovery to Fionn Mulvihill after a recent ski accident We will look forward to having you back with the team soon A huge well done to our management team of Mr Best for Ashbourne on the day were: Sean McCarthy Ashbourne Team & scorers: Mark Muldoon Sean McCarthy, Reuben Clancy O’ Looney (1-3) Ashbourne Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a serious incident which occurred on Frederick Street a male was walking home when he was approached by 5 or 6 males who threatened him and proceeded to take his phone The delivery of the much anticipated skate park in Ashbourne is closer to becoming a reality after the OPW gave the green light for plans to proceed We reported back in November how plans had been delayed due to the site requiring a flood risk assessment however Meath Co Co has confirmed that they have recieved Section 50 approval from the government agency and a contractor will be appointed in the coming weeks Preliminary drawings for the proposed park were released by Meath Co Council in March 2022 with the skate park expected to be up and running later that year Meath Co Council said that the tender process for the skate park was at an advanced stage with a preferred contractor identified the Office of Public Works must give consent under S50 of the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 The plan for the amenity came to fruition after local teenagers campaigned for a skate park for the town Youngsters in Ashbourne set up a committee a number of years ago and handed a petition calling for a skate park.Fine Gael Cllr Alan Tobin has welcomed the news but critised the overall delay in the delivery of the park "I feel sorry for the kids back in 2015 that went to the trouble of putting a petition together and it only making ten years on "I was talking to one of these young people who is now 23 and is still delighted that the skate park is going ahead but has missed out on using it when he was at school with his friends when it was really needed it is now an Olympic sport now we can get a club together and try to develop it so that people are partaking in a sport they can do in the centre of the town "It is a concrete structure on a flood plain that if it floods one day a year or one day every ten years that is not a flood risk That is an appropriate piece of infrastructure in an appropriate place that may flood once a year when the river is high,” Cllr Tobin said Meanwhile Sinn Fein Cllr Helen Meyer said: "This marks our closest progress yet toward making the skate park a reality especially considering the need for corresponding infrastructure to support the increasing number of houses being built in Ashbourne "While fully appreciating the ongoing housing crisis and the increased number of homes under construction in Ashbourne the local residents have been crying out for a public park for over a decade now The CEO of Meath County Council is actively working behind the scenes to help make this a reality as well I will continue to collaborate with the CEO to bring this vision to fruition." Independent poll-topper Joe Bonner has confirmed that he has had discussions with political parties in the shadow of a looming election The Meath Chronicle has learned that Fine Gael party officials had met Cllr Bonner but this could not be confirmed and the party did not respond to calls on the subject early this week When contacted the Ashbourne councillor said he always responded to invitations to meet anyone but stressed that he had not initiated the discussions and that the request to meet him had “come the other way” He said that he had had approaches from “all the major political parties except one” to meet up He did not say which party had not approached him “People ask to meet me all the time and out of courtesy I never refuse to meet anyone I will always sit down and listen to what people have to say” He would not respond to questions about local speculation that he might have been asked to run for a political party in the General Election scheduled for next March but widely expected before Christmas Cllr Bonner staunchly maintains his longstanding status as an Independent on Meath County Council He said this week that he had built up “great capital” as an Independent In the June local election she headed the poll with 2,686 votes Fine Gael head office in Dublin did not respond to calls about the meetings FCJ Bunclody celebrating their South Leinster success against Coláiste Iosagáin of Portarlington. They are now seeking a provincial double, starting with the hurling final against Portmarnock in Hawkfield on Monday at 12 noon. FCJ Bunclody sauntered through to the Leinster Schools Junior ‘B’ football championship final with a powerful performance against Ashbourne Community School in Hawkfield on Monday. The County Wexford school were battle hardened and ready for action in this encounter after edging their way past Coláiste Iosagáin from Portarlington in the South Leinster decider ten days earlier. They showed it in abundance in the opening stages, racking up enough of a tally to win the game. SoccerWexford Football League: Tombrack United take the Division 5 titleTombrack United’s ‘B’ team wrapped up the Division 5 title on Friday when a strong second-half performance saw them beat a dogged Taghmon side 3-0. UCC's Clodagh Finn and MTU's Aoife O'Niell tussle for the sliotar during the Ashbourne Cup at The Mardyke. Picture: Eddie O'Hare UCC launched their Ashbourne Cup campaign with an emphatic 1-18 to 0-1 victory over local rivals MTU Cork at The Mardyke on Tuesday night The college started slowly with five wides inside the first six minutes from eight attempts but a goal soon after from All-Ireland winner Clodagh Finn kickstarted an emphatic display by the home side That made it 1-3 to no score and UCC went on to finish the game as comfortable winners in a competition they are aiming to win for the first time since 2003 There was no talk of titles by the college who started three members of the Cork team that defeated Kilkenny in last summer’s All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final at Croke Park UCC's Isobel Sheehan shoots from MTU's Eve Dwyer during the Ashbourne Cup at The Mardyke Picture: Eddie O'HareFinn led the line with 1-7 tallied and her evening started with a well-worked white flag in the third minute The forward then played Limerick’s Sarah O’Brien through and her goal-bound shot was easily stopped by Chloe Lane Finn’s second was followed by Sarah O’Brien forcing the sliotar in off the post in the 18th minute The game’s only green flag was raised seconds later and UCC were in front at 1-3 to no score Tipperary’s Eimear Heffernan added to that from open play and opportunity for a second goal of the half came from the puck-out was scrambled away by the square UCC finished the half by rattling off 0-5 with no reply from MTU Cork with Finn and Anna Murphy splitting the posts twice during that run and Heffernan got one It was 1-9 to 0-0 at the break and the game restarted with the home side making five changes UCC's Orlaith Kelleher is tackled by MTU's Orlaith Cahalane during the Ashbourne Cup at The Mardyke Picture: Eddie O'HareOne of those brought off was Cork star Meabh Murphy These changes did very little to deter UCC as they hit 0-9 during the second half hour played Limerick’s Orlaith Kelleher kicked things off by raising two white flags in quick succession and her team-mate from the Treaty County Liz Ann Boylan responded by opening her account after replacing Meabh De Burca Finn tact two onto her tally and Isobel Sheehan got one during a burst inside the final ten minutes Orlaith Cahalane got MTU Cork’s only score from a free and the game finished with Orlaith Mullins finding the target for UCC Scorers for UCC: C Finn 1-7 (1f); L Ann Boylan Subs: L Lehane for Buckely (HT); A Cashman for M Murphy (HT) LifestyleSix of the best Garden County gardens to visit in Wicklow this summer Wicklow is of course known as the ‘Garden County’ so what better place to visit to find some of the country's garden gems whether it’s for a stroll around Powerscourt or something a bit more adventurous Meath County Council's decision to grant planning permission for a substantial housing development in Ashbourne has been overturned by An Bord Pleanála (Gareth Fuller/PA) An Bord Pleanála have overturned Meath County Council’s decision to grant planning permission for a multi-million euro residential development in Ashbourne Local authority planning chiefs originally gave Dublin based firm Killegland Estates Ltd the go-ahead to proceed with plans for the construction of 31 new homes on a two acre site at Killegland Those plans had included provision for 19 two storey houses consisting of a mix of three and four bedroom sized homes alongside the building of a three storey apartment block Killegland Estates had intended to include six ground floor two bedroom apartments and a further six maisonettes comprising of three bedrooms within the proposed apartment complex To accommodate the development’s new residents 62 car parking spaces had similarly been set out in the plans together with provision for bicycle parking and landscaping works Further information was lodged by Killegland Estates Ltd in September 2021 which detailed “significant changes” to its original application both in terms of the proposed development’s site layout and “unit mix” Those changes had seen Killegland increase the initially number of proposed three bedroom houses contained in the plans from eight to 12 while reducing its suggested number of four bedroom homes from 11 to seven respectively Changes were similarly made to the development’s anticipated mix of apartments with its overall offering being equally divided between one and two bedroom units Meath County Council consequently rubberstamped Killegland Estates’ plans in October subject to 24 conditions Those plans would later come before An Bord Pleanála in September 2023 in a move the board would also overrule but which was later quashed following a High Court ruling During the course of the local authority’s eight week decision making process a total of 35 submissions were sent into its Navan based headquarters all of which were opposed to the proposed development which were lodged as third party appeals with An Bord Pleanála detailed a series of concerns infrastructural and the height of the proposed development’s apartment block to other locally based homeowners according to an inspector’s report also revealed their concerns about Japanese knotweed an invasive species that can cause significant damage to buildings and roads if not adequately managed said had been compounded by a lack of consultation on its management with the site itself being zoned for ‘community infrastructure’ the independent planning appeals body noted that a new county development plan had come into effect in November 2021 a body of work which had materially changed the site’s zoning from one of ‘new residential’ to ‘community infrastructure’ with the objective “to provide for necessary community outlined as its principle rationale for overturning Meath County Council’s original decision with a second grounds for refusal being linked to findings contained in an archaeological assessment “It is considered the proposed development would seriously injure or interfere with historic remains within the development site and on the setting of a complex of national monuments would detract from the character and setting of a protected structure,” the board ruled they did so in front of the lowest finals attendance in a decade.