Late of J.K.L Street Edenderry. Peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his brothers Jackie, Vin, Brendan and Paul and his sisters Muriel and Eileen. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his family; children Edel, Tracey, Níall and Niamh and their mother Patricia, sons-in-law Shane, John-Paul and Michael, grandchildren Kalem, Ali, Cara, Eabha and Erin, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Niall will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Tuesday from 6pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Wednesday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Niall's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Personal messages of condolence can be left using the link at the bottom of this page. The family would like to thank you for your kindness and support at this sad and difficult time. 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 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 sports news Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland 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 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 Prominent building in Edenderry to get major overhaul after plans approved A prominent building in Edenderry is set to get a major overhaul after development plans were approved.  Offaly County Council has approved the plans for the work at 4 O'Connell Square in Edenderry.  The plans include the demolition of sheds and reconstruction of existing house and shop to form two two-storey dwellings. The building is a protected structure Planning permission was granted with seven conditions attached READ NEXT: Three months off road for motorist speeding in Offaly in Mercedes READ NEXT: Out and about for a big Bank Holiday Weekend night on the town in Tullamore " + $(".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 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 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 It's hoped construction work on the new 1,000-pupil building for Oaklands Community College in Edenderry will get underway in December of this year with the new school campus expected to take 30 months to build the long-awaited new secondary school would be completed around May of 2028 The timeframe was outlined in tender documents issued on behalf of Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) for the construction contract at the school which caries an estimated value of €38 million excluding VAT Offaly County Council granted planning approval for the new school building which is to be built on a 4.62 hectare brownfield site at Fr McWey Street to the north of Edenderry town centre and close to the Edenderry Shopping Centre where Dunnes Stores in the anchor tenant The site is currently occupied by the partially-constructed Eden Plaza hotel which began development in 2007 but was never completed The new two-storey school is to cover an area of 10,989 square metres making it one of the largest secondary schools across Laois and Offaly The construction contractor is to demolish the part-built Eden Plaza hotel structure and replace it with the new school campus The new campus will include 122 staff and visitor parking spaces along with 200 covered bicycle spaces and six fenced ballcourts Vehicular and pedestrian access to the new school is to be provided from Downshire Ring road will all vehicles and pedestrians exiting the school on the northern side The school itself is to include 37 general purpose classrooms it's hoped that the successful contractor will commence works on site at the beginning of December Tenders are being sought from companies with a minimum yearly construction turnover of €21 million and the deadline for the receipt of tenders is 5pm on February 28 TD welcomes tendering process for new school development Offaly Fine Gael TD John Clendennen welcomed the news that the new Oaklands Secondary School in Edenderry has gone to tender "This is exceptionally good news for students and families in Edenderry and the surrounding areas the best educational facilities and that is precisely what this project will deliver," Deputy Clendennen said "This undertaking will deliver not just great conventional classroom facilities for pupils and teachers but also the most modern offerings in terms of science labs "I am particularly pleased to see the commitment to providing art engineering and home economics facilities in the new college "Not enough emphasis is placed on apprenticeships and I believe that providing suitable facilities and opportunities at second level is key to addressing this issue "I intend to work closely with my colleagues Councillors Noel Cribbin and Liam Quinn along with the new Education Minister to ensure this project remains a priority within the Department of Education and that it is delivered in a timely manner," the TD concluded Ann passed away peacefully at Tullamore Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Predeceased by her parents John and Molly and her brother Sean. She will be deeply regretted and sadly missed by her family: daughter Jessica, sisters Mary and Dolores, partner Robert, son-in-law Adrian, sister-in-law Joan, brothers-in-law Joe Cleary and Joe McCreanor, adored grandchildren Jack and Emma, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends. Ann will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Sunday from 4pm to 6pm with Rosary at 6pm. Her Funeral Mass will take place on Monday at 11.00am in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's Cemetery. You can also take part in Ann's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Family flowers only please, donations if desired to The Irish Cancer Society. Personal mesages of condolence can be left using the link at the bottom this page. The family would like to thank you for your kindness and support at this sad and difficult time. If you would like to make a donation to the chosen charity please click on the button below. Major Offaly road 'to be ripped up' and closed amid confusion and traffic chaos There has been major confusion over a road closure of the Dublin Road out of Edenderry in recent days with a last minute decision made to push back the works The R402 is the main road out of Edenderry and part of it is due to close next week after the St Patrick's Day Bank Holiday weekend A sign had been erected at the site near the Lidl junction in Edenderry suggesting the work would begin this week and would see the road closed for the best part of a week.  Offaly County Council has now confirmed that the closure which is expected to cause major traffic issues in the town will come into force on March 18 for two days with the road re-opening at 6pm on March 19.  The road is busy with commuters and school traffic and school bus operators and emergency services are among those sent specific notice this week of the closure Two diversions will be in place; one for cars and ordinary traffic via Kishawanny Lower and the other for heavy goods vehicles via Broadford Traffic marshalls will be in place to warn of the closures which will effect other parts of the town with the new inner relief road facilitating the diversions.  READ NEXT: Offaly man was 'a danger to himself and others' at train station Fine Gael councillor Noel Cribbin has said: "All those serious pot holes on the Dublin Road are being repaired avoid if at all possible." The council says the closure is for "road reconstruction works." Locals were left scratching their heads over different dates for the closure with no public notice on the council website.  One local resident said: "What times is it starting and finishing How are people supposed to commute to and from Dublin for work A map of the works supplied to the Offaly Express shows that diversions will start in the centre of the town at the old Bank of Ireland roundabout.  The area engineer explains this is to avoid an excessive build-up of traffic at the works site which will begin between the Lidl junction and Boyne Meadows.  "While the works are shown up to the Bank of Ireland this is to ensure that traffic are made aware to divert at Bank of Ireland towards Carrick so as to not travel all the way down as far as Boyne Meadows and then be turned back," a statement from Edenderry Municipal District explained "This is especially important for HGV traffic for obvious reasons Local access will be able to travel down as far of the works area from both approaches If the traffic management plan does not extend up as far as Bank of Ireland we will have a lot of traffic travelling down towards Boyne Meadows only to have to travel back up to Bank of Ireland to access the detour route." Edenderry community group Creative Places are offering a number of grief workshops titled 'Until We Meet Again' The first of the workshops is set to take place this evening from 5pm to 6:30pm in Edenderry Youth Café Three further workshops are set to take place on March 31 This is a Seed Funding project supported by Creative Places This series of workshops involves using the artistic outlets of creative writing and arts & crafts to facilitate the expression of any feelings related to the sensitive experiences of grief and loss It is a unique opportunity to creatively approach this topic participants are most welcome to share as much or little about their experiences thoughts or fears relating to these themes as they wish 'Scandalous carry on' - Offaly residents in fear as glass bottles rain down on busy road Residents in Edenderry have expressed anger and fear of injury over incidents of bottles being thrown onto a busy road in the town There are fears car tyres will be burst or someone walking will be injured with locals voicing frustration about being unable to reach the local Garda station One concerned resident took to the Edenderry Residents Facebook page to warn others about the behaviour They wrote: "Road from Fairgreen to Granary covered in broken glass People in Wallers throwing them out smashing them all across the road William Wallers is a disused grain store and yard which has attracted some anti-social behaviour but is planned for works including housing and a new library and arts centre in the coming years Other locals reacted to the behaviour with one woman saying she had phoned the Garda stations in Edenderry and Tullamore eight times but got no answer READ NEXT: Just one litter fine issued in Offaly over last year The resident said: "I rang both Edenderry and Tullamore eight times and got no answer I tried ringing the guards before posting on here warning others to avoid that area A second said: "That’s disgraceful there’s little kids live up there," while a third described it as "scandalous carry on." Another concerned resident said it would be "bad if someone was walking with a buggy and a bottle hits a baby." One local suggested they were also throwing slates off the old grains store roof onto the road and that a resident nearby had to clean it up off the road recently.  Gardaí have not yet responded to the Offaly Express after a request for comment.  Louie will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm. Her Funeral Service will take place on Thursday at 2pm in Castro Petre Church, Church Walk, Edenderry followed by burial in the adjoining graveyard. The Edenderry Swimming Pool Project has received a funding allocation of €8.9 million as part of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) The allocation for the Edenderry Pool facility, which was destroyed by a fire in January this year is one of the largest funding allocations in the country Announcing the €8.9m towards the new Edenderry Pool project Green Party Minister for State Pippa Hackett said close engagement with her Party colleague has delivered this hugely significant and much needed funding package for the north Offaly area and the Ministers’ support from the outset so don’t let any solo politician tell you this is down to them will be due to the commitment of literally hundreds of people – from Offaly County Council and more recently Andrew Murray who has been liaising with me to Cllr Noel Cribben and the pool committee and Brenda manager of the original pool which is so badly missed - to the 140 people families and organisations whose written submissions counted towards the success in achieving the funding announced today “The LSSIP fund is highly competitive and today’s announcement is a major achievement But to deliver this project for the community we mustn’t be complacent and most of all community patience during the construction phase; but I believe it is realistic to expect that a state of the art and fully accessible pool regardless of ability or age or any other characteristic is possible in the next couple of years.“ Fine Gael Councillor John Clendennen also welcomed the announcement “Edenderry has encountered some dark days with the immediate closure of the swimming pool earlier this year but today's announcement reaffirms the government's commitment to the town and the proposed €15 million facility which will include a competition-standard swimming pool facility and fitness centre and a hydrotherapy recovery area with hot and cold baths Local Fine Gael Councillor and Swimming Pool Committee Chair Noel Cribbin described the news as “the best news ever received in his twenty-five years in politics and representing the town” Cllr Cribbin acknowledged the work of so many in getting the project to this stage in less than twelve months “The committee with the great help and assistance of Offaly County Council have worked alongside Pool Manager Brenda Hennessy to submit an application to Government for €15 million package that it will cost to build a new pool “This has been a key priority for me and I’m delighted with this funding commitment by government” There are a number of large scale projects currently earmarked for Edenderry primary care facility and a new site location for Oaklands College Councillor Clendennen acknowledged the work and commitment of Cllr Cribbin and the swimming pool committee and the many more stakeholders involved in getting the project to this stage I’m looking forward to seeing construction commence and delivery of this important facility in the future ensuring the continued progress of Edenderry as our primary town in the east of the county” concluded Cllr Clendennen Fianna Fáil Councillor Claire Murray said she is delighted to hear the news that Edenderry Swimming Pool has been allocated the funding towards the development of a brand new facility Minister for Sport and informed of this fantastic news All through the local election campaign and now the General Election Campaign The loss of our swimming pool in Edenderry was highlighted and has been felt by people throughout the county It is one of the topics that we discuss regularly at Municipal District Council meetings “I know that the Swimming Pool Committee and Offaly County Council put in extensive work to apply for this funding and the allocation of these funds will ensure that the people and schools of Edenderry and surrounding areas will not only have a brand new library a new secondary school and now a brand new swimming pool to look forward to "I have heard from many people throughout my campaign that Edenderry and North Offaly needs to be put "back on the map" The addition of these facilities will undoubtedly help us move forward Edenderry Swimming Pool successfully secured funding of €2 million for the development of plans for the new pool "The allocation of a further €8.9 million is a terrific boost for the people of Edenderry and will ensure a new state of the art facility will serve the people of Edenderry It is important to everyone that the pool is highly accessible for people with disabilities and also that the pool is as sustainable as possible “I am also hopeful that the new pool will be accessible financially for people I raised this at the Municipal District Meeting in September as it is important to me that cost does not prohibit marginalised people from enjoying the new facilities." "I am thrilled to see the ambitions in our hopes for this new facility Hydrotherapy and a pool that will cater for competitive event hosting would surely help put North Offaly on the map," concluded Cllr Murray The facility has been closed since fire broke out in the plant room of the swimming pool on the Carrick Road on January 16 Up to a dozen adults who were swimming in the pool at the time were evacuated by staff who were afterwards widely praised for their quick reactions Micháel will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Thursday from 7pm to 9pm with Rosary at 9pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Friday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Micháel's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Members of the Student Council in Edenderry's Oaklands Community College were thrilled by the overwhelming support for their Daffodil Day fundraiser which raised more than €1,400 for the Irish Cancer Society Donations were made to the fundraiser both in-person and from online contributors The Student Council has issued a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the Daffodil Day event helping to make a significant impact on the fight against cancer EDENDERRY held on for a dramatic win against Shannonbridge in a very low scoring fiercely fought Junior Football Championship final in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon Tullamore Court Hotel Junior Football Championship final Late points from Cillian Forde and a Cian Murphy free gave Edenderry the win but Shannonbridge will harbour huge regrets about this one They missed a great chance of forcing a replay right at the end of injury time as Kieran Flannery blazed a free to the right and wide Around the 20 metre mark and fairly central it looked a straightforward kick but the experienced Flannery held his heads as it flew wide Shannonbridge had been fortunate to get that chance as the first free awarded for a foul on David Corbett out on the left wing looked on the soft side Ronan McEvoy went short with it to Flannery and he was fouled while shooting It was unfortunate that Flannery ended up such a central figure as he had been one of the best players on the field a major reason why Shannonbridge were so close to the win Apart from that Shannonbridge have only themselves to blame really and shouldn't point the finger at one individual as they controlled a lot of the second half against the wind but never scored after the 31st minute They had ample possession to get more but even allowing for playing it safe against the wind They were a point up during a long scoreless spell from the 32nd to the 55th minute and had they got two points up in this spell they would more than likely have been able to hold on two points would have been a huge lead but Shannonbridge not only didn't break the line but didn't really attempt to do so once they got into the opposition's half They went backwards frequently and also kicked too much ball away allowing a stuttering Edenderry to snatch it late on Edenderry laid the foundations in the first half they recovered from a three point deficit to lead by 1-1 to 0-3 after 20 minutes The goal was a great finish by Aaron Murphy after he made a great fetch from a long ball Shannonbridge got on top in the last few minutes of the half with Jack Darcy pointing two frees and Kieran Flannery floating over a lovely point from play That gave them a 0-6 to 1-2 half time lead but they needed more than that with the wind Kieran Flannery (free) and Jamie Dolan (mark) swopped quick points in the second half to make it 0-7 to 1-3 and there was a 23 minute wait for the next score A lot of the football in this period left a lot to be desired but it was so close that it was still engrossing Edenderry struggled badly to get their hands on the ball for much of the second half and they were on the ropes but Shannonbridge held back The equaliser was a great score from Cillian Forde and then Cian Murphy's free won the day Ronan McEvoy (Shannonbridge): Edenderry were thrilled to win considering they were not at their best and survived on their wits It was great to win in these circumstances and even their captain Aaron Murphy acknowledged that they hadn't played well in his acceptance speech Edenderry had a collectively solid display with no player really standing out Bobby Reynolds did some great work at midfield and Cian Murphy showed class at times and Jake Mooney carried the ball well from defence A couple of the best performers were Shannonbridge players Kieran Flannery may have missed that late free but he was a serious contender took responsibility and got two points from play in the first half – he was Shannonbridge's only scorer from play He also used the ball simply and effectively in the second half and clearly wanted it late on using most of it well and breaking the line when he could – on a day when many team mates opted for safety in the second half Jamie Dolan (Mark) and Cillian Forde 0-1 each Shannonbridge: Kieran Flannery (1f) and Jack Darcy (3f) 0-3 each SHANNONBRIDGE: Trevor Mahon; Rory O'Connor Darragh Mannion for Christian Brazil (47m) He was right to punish Edenderry goalkeeper Eric Corcoran for taking too long over a kickout when playing against the wind in the first half – Shannonbridge got a point out of that throw in He was consistent and there were no big talking points Kieran Flannery's late miss was the deciding moment here That concludes the year for both sides as the intermediate winners go into the Leinster junior championship Wides: Shannonbridge – 9 (5 in second half); Edenderry – 3 (1 in second half) Yellow cards: Shannonbridge – 0; Edenderry – 2 (Mark Forde and Aaron Murphy) Predeceased by partner Michael (Mangan), her parents Mick and Annie, her dear sisters Maureen, Carmel, Helen, Kathleen, Claire, Patty and Joan. Monica passed away (peacefully) in the excellent and tender care of the staff of Ofalia House, Edenderry. She will be very sadly missed and fondly remembered by all her loving nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces, great grandnephews, cousins, Michael's family, extended family, neighbours and many friends. Monica will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Sunday from 4pm to 6pm followed by removal to St Mary's Church, Edenderry arriving for 6.30pm prayer service. Monica's Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday (10th March) at 12 noon followed by burial in St Mary's Cemetery. You can also take part in Monica's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Personal messages of condolence can be left using the link at the bottom of this page. The family would like to thank you for your kindness and support at this difficult time. The Edenderry community has showed its immense support for the Madigan family was diagnosed with leukemia on December 23 Baby Ricardo is receiving treatment in St John's Oncology Ward in Crumlin after his diagnosis with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia have been supported by the love and prayers of their community as their youngest child faces into a long journey of treatment including chemotherapy and immunotherapy and runs a dance school Retox Dance - a passion which has led her to play a very active role in the Edenderry community she said: “There are no words to thank all the love and affection towards Ricardo and our family I'm not going to lie I can feel a tremendous energy surrounding us and I know that God and the Virgin of Guadalupe do not let go of our hands," said Yolanda “Nobody is ready for this kind of news but there was something inside me telling me we have a big mission in this life “With this news I keep getting messages saying and reminding me that I am a strong Thank you for reminding me in these moments who I am but I am more than ready to be a strong and present mom and wife “I thank God and that Ricardo has chosen us as his family because we are ready for the battle to show everyone that whatever comes with the hand of God we will go ahead fatigue and where you maybe feel like you want to run out because at the end of the day we are human and we are selfish but I know that I have an immense support network.” set up a GoFundMe page in order to show support to the family in their time of need Having passed the original target of €13,000 with the community donating a total of €14,448 from some 671 donations as of January 21 Orla said: "Any donations fundraised will go directly to supporting Ricardo and ensuring he will be as comfortable as possible during his treatment including most importantly having Yolanda and Ciarán by his side every day “Any remaining funds will go directly to St John’s Oncology ward in Crumlin who have been a great source of support to Ricardo "Ricardo is a happy strong baby and we are sure with your love and support he will win this battle." Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/raise-for-ricardo LOETB Edenderry is offering a variety of free workshops and courses this month the traning centre will be offering a series of classes designed to help you learn new skills and connect with others in the local community and delicious recipes to make the most of your air fryer in this 5-week course Classes run on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 12pm at Green Harbour This 5-week course runs on Tuesday afternoons from 1:30pm to 3:30pm at Edenderry Library (Eircode: R45 RX48) Improve your phone and computer skills in a relaxed setting This 5-week course runs on Monday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm at Edenderry Parish Centre (Eircode: R45 E840) Improve your CV and gain confidence for future interviews in this one-day workshop This workshop will take place on Wednesday this session will provide practical tips to enhance your daily wellness This workshop will be held at Green Harbour Don’t miss this opportunity to learn new skills An exciting new era of secondary education beckons for Edenderry with the news that Offaly County Council has granted planning permission for a long-awaited new 1,000-pupil school to replace the existing Oaklands Community College The new school building is to be built on a 4.62 hectare brownfield site at Fr to the north of Edenderry town centre and close to the Edenderry Shopping Centre The site is currently occupied by the partially-constructed Eden Plaza hotel which began development in 2007 but was never completed permission for which was granted to Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) on Wednesday of this week will cover an area of 10,989 square metres and will be one of the largest secondary schools across Laois and Offaly It will consist of 37 general purpose classrooms and 24 specialist classrooms and will also have three courtyards The plans also make provision for 122 staff and visitor car parking spaces seven of which will be accessible; 200 covered bicycle spaces; six fenced ballcourts and a GAA pitch to the north of the site The current site for Oaklands Community College has long been regarded as being unsuitable for expansion with an Architect's Report which accompanied the planning application for the new school stating that possible further expansion “of circa 25%” on the existing site was considered as part of the project brief The report went on to state that the existing site was found to be “too restricted to make any further provision for future expansion of the school buildings” and that the school building itself and site had “reached full capacity.” which was prepared by Cork-based architects which has in excess of 850 pupils on its roll book has “no space for further expansion to accommodate the long-term needs of staff and increased projected enrolment.” Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board had long been seeking a site for a replacement school for Oaklands Community College and the 4.62 hectare Downshire site was acquired by Offaly County Council in 2015 and subsequently transferred to the Board for use as a suitable site for the new secondary school The site was originally acquired by a development company which began construction of a 90-bed hotel the project was never completed when the development company experienced financial difficulties and the partially-constructed hotel has lain idle ever since The site has been the subject of a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the intervening years with numerous local elected representatives raising concerns about the need for the site to be developed The Principal of Oaklands Community College was not in a position to make any comment about the new secondary school when contacted by this newspaper yesterday morning (Thursday) The Edenderry Community Policing unit has recently made a visit to Oaklands Community College to warn students of the dangers of drug abuse Guards engaged with 160 second year students from the school to discuss the dangers of drug misuse The unit were joined by Martina from the Midlands Regional Drugs and Alcohol Task Force who provided valuable insights on the impact of substance abuse and the support services available "Educating young people on these issues is crucial in helping them make informed and positive choices," Edenderry Community Policing unit said "A huge thank you to the school for facilitating this important discussion and to the students for their engagement." The Offaly Ógra Fianna Fáil delegation took part in the Ógra Fianna Fáil's national youth conference which was held at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone over the weekend The conference marked a significant milestone as Ógra celebrated 50 years of youth engagement and activism within the party A major highlight for the Offaly group was the election of their own Leanne Mallen as the new President of Ógra Fianna Fáil is a former student of Oaklands Community College in Edenderry Her election was met with great enthusiasm and pride from fellow delegates and party members alike The conference was attended by key figures in Fianna Fáil including Taoiseach Micheál Martin The Offaly delegation was also joined by local TD Tony McCormack Offaly Ógra Fianna Fáil said the weekend "provided an opportunity for young members across the country to connect and shape the future direction of youth politics within the party "Offaly's strong presence and leadership at the conference signal a bright future for the next generation of Fianna Fáil," it added EDENDERRY were forced to dig deep before booking their place in the semi-finals of the Senior Football Championship with a hard earned win over a fiercely motivated Bracknagh in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship quarter-final When the outstanding Cian Farrell kicked the opening point of the second half to put Edenderry 0-9 to 0-4 clear they looked set for a comfortable run in but Bracknagh did very well to pose the most serious of questions of them Two sensational Mikey Cunningham goals changed the whole game and a Bracknagh upset loomed large for a few minutes The first was scored in the 32nd minute when he ran onto a misplaced Mark Young kickout He had more space but drilled low and hard to the net from fifteen metres and suddenly the gap was two Cian Farrell replied with an Edenderry free but Cunningham trumped his first goal with an even better second one in the 40th minute There didn't seem much danger when he gathered possession out on the left but he blasted a super shot to the roof of the net to level it up He added a mark to put them ahead and older brother Peter curled over a super point to put them two to the good with sixteen minutes left Edenderry were in trouble but their response was very impressive Jordan Hayes got a point when Ricky Geoghegan spilled the ball as he moved out of defence and Cian Farrell levelled it up in the 49th minute Peter Cunningham was doing what Bracknagh needed at this stage and he gave them back the lead with another quality point in the 50th minute they never scored again as Edenderry took control in all sectors Bracknagh ran out of steam and ideas but Edenderry played very well in the last ten minutes with their defence cutting out a lot of ball Cian Farrell got three of their last four points two from play while Sean Doyle got an injury time free as Edenderry won tactical battle and both sides served up an entertaining Bracknagh named Charlie Keogh as a replacement for full forward Jamie Sheridan but he went to corner back picking up Cillian Lowry while Adam Kelly roved around the defence The downside of this was that it allowed Edenderry to keep a couple of players back on Peter Cunningham and Bracknagh struggled to create chances in the first half The underdogs played well for much of the first half but Edenderry's 0-8 to 0-4 half time lead was fair And the town side really should have had a goal on board as Jordan Hayes blasted over the bar from close range in the 9th minute while Bracknagh keeper Keith Keogh made a great save from Sean Doyle a minute later The sides were level on four occasions in the first fifteen minutes with Anthony Cunningham's great point making it 0-4 each failed to score again in the half as Edenderry got on top in most sectors with one from play and the odds were very much in their favour at the break Cian Farrell (Edenderry): Cian Farrell and Jordan Hayes had outstanding games for Edenderry Hayes got three points and went through a mountain of work at midfield but Farrell was on fire Six of his ten points came from play and the Bracknagh defence never came to grips with him Mnikey Cunningham was a contender for Bracknagh while Peter Cunningham had great spells Ciaran Farrell and Sean Doyle (f) 0-1 each Bracknagh: Mikey Cunningham 2-3 (2f and 1m) Anthony Cunningham and Eoghan Geoghegan 0-1 each Colin Broderick for Rickly Geoghegan (56m) He didn't suffer fools easily and give soft frees but his awareness knowledge of and implementation of the rules commanded respect He did allow four minutes injury time in the first half and that seemed excessive despite Colm Byrne receiving treatment before going off with a shoulder injury early on Mikey Cunningham's second goal was worth the admission fee but Jordan Hayes' point after Bracknagh got two clear was important it came from a mistake but it took the momentum out of their challenge and Edenderry always looked like they would get home from then on The O'Connor Park pitch was in pristine condition and it was easy to manage the crowd Edenderry go into the semi-finals while Bracknagh are in the relegation play offs Wides: Bracknagh – 6 (1 in first half); Edenderry – 7 (3 in first half) Yellow cards: Edenderry – 0; Bracknagh – 1 (Adam Kellly0 Offaly man conferred with Professional Certificate at event in Dublin Castle PICTURES: Fun in the sun at Day 2 of the Punchestown Festival PICTURES: Kildare comes alive as crowd gathers for Day 1 of Punchestown Festival The role offers an attractive package for the right candidate so do the challenges that come with ageing - highlighting the importance of compassionate care Moate CS are through to the Leinster quarter finals Local News Ireland is in for another week of glorious weather as Met Eireann is forecasting that high pressure will remain nearby The generosity of the Edenderry community has overwhelmed local parents Danielle Dempsey and John Rogers during an ongoing health battle with their 'miracle baby' Kai Family friend Keara Cullen has raised over €3,800 for the family and now Stephen Dylan and Ryan Monaghan have dedicated the Annual Edenderry Light Up tractor run to Kai the baby boy weighed a mere 850 grams when he arrived prematurely into the world “I went into Mullingar hospital with pains in my back and they told me I was in full labour,” said Danielle “I was told there was a chance that my baby wouldn't survive.” Danielle was transferred to The Rotunda in Dublin to give birth The mother-of-five had two previous premature births "We were moved to Temple Street 11 days after birth to get a stoma installed He spent 120 days in total in PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) after multiple surgeries and severe health complications "He had three cardiac arrests at 14 days old where he had to be resuscitated." Danielle and Kai have been in and out of the Rotunda with the infant requiring countless surgeries and medical interventions Danielle and John have only spent 76 days at home with him They have four other children who are missing their little brother and mammy,” said family friend Keara Cullen The 18-month old has been suffering with a multitude of health complications since his birth “We don't know how bad the brain damage is,” said Danielle We didn't even know about the brain damage until this year." “He is a high risk of Cerebral Palsy can’t be diagnosed until he's two and is also a strong carrier of Cystic Fibrosis.” Danielle said the impact of Kai's health issues has been incredibly challenging “My partner John had to leave work in March and he became a stay-at-home Dad to our four children while I've been here by Kai's side “My house has turned into a hospital – it's so hard on the kids.” The financial burden has also been taking a toll on the family with Danielle having to pay for her accommodation whilst Kai is in Temple Street The Rogers-Dempsey family are incredibly grateful for the generosity of their community Danielle said: “I'm so grateful for everyone helping in any way they can The Annual Edenderry Light Up tractor run is set to take place on December 7 at 6pm To donate to their GoFundMe, search 'Helping a family with a sick baby' by Keara Cullen, or go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-a-family-with-a-sick-baby A computer generated image of the new building LAOIS Offaly Education and Training Board is seeking tenders for the construction of a 10,989 m² two-storey premises for Oaklands Community College in Edenderry The development will replace the current college The work includes the demolition of existing partially completed hotel structures and all associated site works including vehicular and pedestrian access from Downshire Ring Road on the western side and pedestrian access and vehicular exit on the southern side The new school is to be located on the partially-constructed Eden Plaza hotel where work was abandoned in 2007 The new college will cater for 1,000 pupils and 122 staff The development will include car parking spaces of which 7 will be accessible spaces; bus and car set-down areas; 200 covered bicycle spaces; 6 fenced ballcourts; boundary wall and ancillary structures including ESB mini-pillar and external store The time-limit for the receipt of tenders or requests to participate is February 28 next The contract is for the duration of 30 months Tenders for Electrical and Mechanical Subcontractors are also required Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. Predeceased by her parents Peter and Rose and brother Freddie. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by her loving family, adoring husband Maurice, children Wayne and his partner Amanda, Sonia and her husband Michael, Basil and his wife Áine, sister Bernadette, grandchildren Dylan, Riáin, Cillian, Aibhín, Aidan, Ben and Niall, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Mary will repose in Larkin's Funeral Home Edenderry this Monday from 5pm to 7pm with Rosary at 7pm. Her Funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday at 12 noon in St Mary's Church Edenderry followed by burial in St Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Mary's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Enda passed away (peacefully) at Beaumont Hospital after a short illness surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his father Brennie and his mother Monica (Mon). Enda will be deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family: Niall and his wife Trish, Áine and her husband Paul, Brendan and his partner Saskia, Kyran and his wife Elaine, Donal and his wife Martina and David and his wife Jen, nieces, nephews, aunts, relatives and a large circle of friends, Enda will repose at his brother Brendan and Saskia’s home in Killane, Edenderry (Eircode R45 X347) this Sunday from 2pm to 7pm with Rosary at 7pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Monday at 12 noon in St. Mary’s Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary’s cemetery. You can also take part in Enda’s Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Mountlucas Parkrun compiled this profile of one of its participants who has been taking part in the local parkrun for the last year What is your favourite thing about parkrun I love the welcoming group run feeling and words of encouragement How does it feel to have completed a year of parkruns My brother has been parkrunning since 2014 and when he visited home he'd go to Mountlucas for parkrun I thought he was mad until I eventually went with him one Saturday morning It's perfect for me; an excuse to get out early and get the run done and have the chats with like-minded people thanks to kind sponsorship from Bord na Móna there are sometimes treats like a selection box at Christmas or commerative t-shirt and the support for fellow parkrunners is my favourite memory I suppose What words best describe Mountlucas parkrun lovely one lap loop with parking and toilet facilities; this is an appealing parkrun Add to that the great team of volunteers and friendly atmosphere every week Can you tell us about your parkrun tourism After starting parkrun a year ago it has given me an extra excuse to travel I have visited some of the local Midlands events I set myself a challenge/excuse to collect the 5 flags of the UK and Ireland in my first year That encouraged me to visit Holyrood in Edinburgh so I suppose you can say I've become obsessed Mountlucas parkrun is one of a number of parkruns in the Midlands. To find out more about Mountlucas parkrun see: www.parkrun.ie/mountlucas Light Up The Night Truck Run is taking place in the early hours of tomorrow morning from Edenderry to Kanturk.  Inspired by darkness into light the run is beginning at 3am in Edenderry and truckers will drive until sunrise.  This is it's second year running as the longest truck run in Ireland.  The event is raising awareness and funds for Sosad Ireland and Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention.  Paul Cocoman comittee member of light up the night truck run says it's magical to see the support of so many:   Gas Networks Ireland has commenced the planning process for a proposed 22-kilometre underground pipeline connecting Bord na Móna's Edenderry Power facility with the national gas network is now moving to the preliminary consultation phase with An Bord Pleanála ahead of the formal lodging of a planning application at a later stage "The project involves the construction of an underground gas transmission pipeline linking the existing Dublin to Galway high-pressure gas pipeline to Bord na Móna's Edenderry Power Station in Offaly," a Gas Networks Ireland spokesperson told the Offaly Independent on Wednesday but it has been designed to accommodate renewable gases such as biomethane and green hydrogen as the gas network transitions to net zero the pipeline will enable Edenderry Power Station to switch from its current fuel sources to gas reducing its CO2 emissions by approximately 40%." When asked about the possible timeframe for delivery of the project the spokesperson said: "The project is currently in the planning and development phase construction is expected to commence in 2027 with the pipeline anticipated to be fully operational by 2029." Gas Networks Ireland described the development as "An important strategic project designed to enhance Ireland's energy infrastructure with a strong focus on reducing carbon emissions and supporting the transition to renewable energy." said it would have "a transformative effect" on the power station in Edenderry which is now being described as the Edenderry Renewable Energy Complex Mr Reilly said it would "facilitate the transmission of natural gas in the immediate term with an opportunity to shift to renewable gases like green hydrogen and biomethane in the future "Our existing diesel generation assets located at the Edenderry Renewable Energy Complex play a key role in supplying 116MW of electricity to the national energy grid during periods of high demand when solar and wind energy availability is limited "This development will ensure these generation assets are operating even more sustainably as one of the largest on-demand renewable electricity generators in Ireland," he said Martin will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Friday from 4pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry, followed by burial in St. Mary's Cemetery. You can also take part in Martin's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. David will repose at his home (Eircode R45 Y732) this Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in David's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Beaumont Hospital Foundation AIB has announced three appointments to manage its retail bank branches in Tullamore has appointed Julie Martin as its branch manager in Tullamore With over 30 years of banking experience and knowledge of customers in Offaly Julie was described as an exceptional advocate for customers in the region "I am looking forward to meeting new and existing customers and welcoming them into the branch," she said adding that promoting a customer and community-focused culture and helping to build a sustainable future would be some of her key focus points Michelle Coleman is the new branch manager at AIB Birr Michelle started working in AIB in 2007 and has been working in Offaly branches since 2020 Speaking about her appointment she said: "I am immensely proud to take on the role of branch manager we understand the importance of a strong branch network to local communities and I am looking forward to supporting the community and customers in Birr and surrounding areas." Leanne Gannon has been appointed branch manager in Edenderry The importance of community and how AIB can support customers in Offaly is a key priority for Leanne "Whether you are opening your first account we are here to support you," she explained Adrian Moynihan said: "I am delighted to appoint these new branch managers around county Offaly "With their wealth of banking experience and their deeply rooted knowledge of our customers in the county they will be exceptional advocates for our customers in the county AIB is deeply committed to making a positive contribution to our local communities across Ireland." The bank recently announced a €40m investment programme in its nationwide network of branches A date for horse racing enthusiasts awaits as Edenderry Lions host a pre Cheltenham evening in Larkins Lounge on Thursday A panel of four including multiple Grade1 winning trainer will afford their pre-race meeting thoughts over the course of the evening can be purchased at the door or by contacting any Lions Club member A raffle on the night will include prizes for race day tickets and free bets Maureen will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry (R45 VK24) this Sunday from 5pm to 7pm with Rosary at 7pm. Her Funeral Mass will take place on Monday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry, followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Maureen's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Offaly County Council is due to make a decision next month on a planning application for eight new townhouses in Edenderry with an address at JKL Street in the north Offaly town is seeking permission for the construction of eight new single storey car parking and all associated site works at Fr It site of the proposed development is0.51 acres and the developers have stated in their planning application that one of the eight townhouses will be made available as an affordable unit Offaly County Council is due to make a decision on the project by February 21 next Willie will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Thursday from 6pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Friday at 12 noon in St Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Willie's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Personal messages of condolence can be left using the link at the bottom of this page. The family would like to thank you for your kindness and support at this sad and difficult time. Willie's family would like to acknowledge the care that they and Willie received during Willie's stay at Ofalia House, Edenderry. Edenderry & District Lions Club has presented the proceeds of its recent annual Texas Hold’Em Jimmy Grady Tournament to Offaly School of Special Education accepted a cheque for €2,500 from the local voluntary organisation The school said this generous sum would directly benefit its 42 students Offaly School of Special Education serves children from across the county At present the school is in a temporary building which lacks many of the basic resources and facilities that purpose-built special schools have the only option for providing the pupils with much-needed recreational activities is to travel outside of the school grounds which is very costly as the school does not have its own transport All monies raised through fundraising go towards providing recreational resources and increasing the frequency and variety of therapies available for the school's children Mullingar had to give second best to an impressive St Mary’s Secondary School in the FAI School Boys West Leinster Senior Division 2 League decider on Thursday It was the Mullingar side's first ever senior soccer final as they broke new ground and they can be proud of their efforts this season even though they came up short in the end Played at a bitterly cold Moate Community School Centre of Excellence venue this was a game that was in the balance for long stretches of the first half but once the Edenderry boys took control before the interval St Mary’s produced a blistering start to the second half and two goals in the opening four minutes sealed the title The Mullingar side pressed hard in the latter stages and were rewarded with a second goal but overall it was a relatively comfortable victory for St Mary’s and there were scenes of jubilation afterwards when Leon Clarke accepted the trophy from Chris Clyne St Mary's Edenderry held a slender 2-1 advantage at half-time after an eventful opening 45 minutes a corner from Seán Plunkett found Ronan Byrne in space Jack McCann then forced home the opening goal in the 11th minute his follow-up header finding the net after a dangerous free-kick delivery unsettled the St Mary's defence It looked promising for Coláiste Mhuire at this stage Eoghan Cullen showed composure on the ball and their pressing game began to force errors A misjudged clearance from goalkeeper Shane Martin in the 14th minute was seized up by Cullen and it led to a free-kick opportunity but Martin atoned by holding the resulting shot Edenderry eventually made the breakthrough in the 25th minute following sustained St Mary's pressure A well-worked move involving Daniel Shannon and Gearóid Tyrell resulted in a corner Charlie Connell latched onto the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a precise low shot beyond Martin to level the match at 1-1 and Jack McCann combined well with Fionn Maguire in the 37th minute but Maguire’s low strike lacked the necessary power to trouble the St Mary’s goal who opted to punch the ball clear rather than gather St Mary's pressure paid off again just before the break A series of corners - three in succession - stretched the Coláiste Mhuire defence Tyrell’s delivery found its way to the net Martin was called into action again in the 42nd minute this time punching away a shot from Fionn Murphy Coláiste Mhuire sought an immediate response but James Murtagh’s goal-bound effort was deflected over for a corner Murtagh subsequently delivered the ball inside leading to a half-chance for Michael McLoughlin their sustained pressure proving decisive in overturning Coláiste Mhuire’s early dominance The Edenderry side produced a dominant second-half display and they wasted no time in extending their advantage Daniel Shannon unleashed a superb low drive from outside the box arrowing his shot beyond Shane Martin to make it 3-1 It was a goal of real quality and set the tone for what was to come pinning Coláiste Mhuire deep in their own half That pressure yielded another goal in the fifth minute when Shannon turned provider Eoghan Cullen reacted quickest to force it home putting St Mary's in complete control at 4-1 they struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities Their task was made even more difficult when Michael McLoughlin was forced off with a knee injury after contesting possession leading to a lengthy stoppage that disrupted their rhythm further It was an unfortunate injury for the young Mullingar man winning a couple of free kicks in promising positions but Jack McCann’s effort failed to trouble Seán O’Neill in the St Mary's goal Beau Greene rose highest in the box to meet a cross planting a firm header into the net to reduce the deficit to 4-2 managing the game well to ensure there would be no late drama their deserved victory was confirmed - a dominant performance capped by clinical finishing and composed game management in the closing stages The chants of their supporters rang out loudly throughout the game and they were rewarded as they cheered on their heroes once the presentation was complete Coláiste Mhuire: Jack McCann (11 mins) and Beau Greene (86 mins) this should be the point when the Offaly senior football championship catches fire We’ll forget for a moment the relegation semi-finals particularly in light of the news that the Offaly Competitions Control Committee (CCC) intend to recommend a switch to ten senior 'A' teams for the 2025 championships Much like the upcoming rule adjustments that are proposed by Jim Gavin and the Football Review Committee it’s only when they pass through a Special Congress that we can be sure that this is the case the Rhode vs Ballycommon and Bracknagh vs Durrow games will take place even if they will almost certainly be meaningless Sunday should be a fantastic double header with all four teams coming in on the back of either hard-fought suggesting that it’s far from certain that these ties - Ferbane vs Shamrocks and Tullamore vs Edenderry - will be as enjoyable as all that The feeling around the county right now is that Tullamore are the overwhelming favourites to retain the Dowling Cup not because they have kicked on with a relatively young panel but because most of their main rivals have regressed slightly while they are on a par with where they were in 2023 there have been fleeting signs that Edenderry might be capable of more and when we consider that the Reds were desperately unlucky not to win this exact fixture 12 months ago it’s reasonable to assume that there will have been quiet optimism inside the dressing rooms at training in Edenderry over the past couple of weeks Jordan Hayes is making a serious tilt at winning Footballer of the Year Lee Pearson and Dylan Byrne is strong going forward All the same caveats about Edenderry continue to apply and the rest of the starting forward line got one point between them To pull off the upset they need this Sunday afternoon (Glenisk O'Connor Park someone is going to have to step up and produce the type of performance that we haven’t seen from any Edenderry forward (other than Cian Farrell) so far this year Declan Hogan will be deployed on Farrell and while he won’t keep his former Offaly colleague scoreless we'll hardly see another haul of five or six scores from play by Farrell either it’s a lot easier to be confident of Tullamore holding their own in the middle third and finding the scores that bit easier to come by Expect the champions to prevail by 0-13 to 0-9 Integration and Youth has confirmed that the former shoe factory at St Mary’s Street in Edenderry will be in a position to house 55 people who are fleeing the war in Ukraine from the middle of this month That's according to Minister of State Senator Pippa Hackett who said: 2A 24-month contract has been signed with the owners to accommodate 55 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in 14 different units at the site and it is expected that women and children will make up the majority of the occupants The Department of Education is working with local schools to cater for those children of school age that have arrived as part of this cohort Minister Pippa Hackett has welcomed the news and expressed her firm belief that the people of Edenderry will receive the guests with open arms “The profile of Edenderry is one of people with a strong sense of pride of place and that is shared among those who grew up in the area and those who moved here and those who have come from further afield,” she said “This is a town where people are committed to creating a family-friendly environment and I’m completely committed to supporting them in their ambitions “There may be bad actors who will use red herring arguments such as pressure on services to try and stir up ill-will towards this decision but my answer to that is that there is pressure on services that is not an argument to turn away 55 people fleeing for their lives "Instead it is an argument to build up the local health infrastructure and to intensify the push to put in place new community facilities “Edenderry is a town that is open for business a town that welcomes visitors no matter how long they will stay and a town that has the raw material to thrive but it needs government support to do that friendly nature of the people of this community will make this a place where our new visitors can stay safe from war and violence before in time become active and contributing members of a community – whether that’s here in Offaly “We’ve all seen the horrific scenes from Coolock this morning and all I can say about that is that I condemn the criminality and I hope for a full recovery for those who were injured But that is not who we are here in North Offaly and my role now is to ensure that the town has everything it needs to cater for everyone who lives here whether they’ve been here for 50 years or 5 minutes” Here's how the Offaly Independent detailed this story in October last year. Edenderry will be greeted with a traffic jam of a different calibre A total of 200 supercars will make their way through the Offaly town as part of the fundraiser Cannonball Ireland 2024 The types of car brands on view will include Ferrari there will also be music and other entertainment Edenderry schoolchildren will be doubly excited as their schools have promised to let them out for the event The route the cars will take through the town will pass by three of the schools Fine Gael Councillor Noel Cribbin says there is a great buzz in the town about the event “it will be something they will never have seen before and may never see again.” As there will be an extra 200 cars moving through the town people also trying to pass through can expect some traffic delays.Cllr Cribbin says the plan is to set the cars off in four batches of 50 to avoid other traffic building up too much “Our new relief road will mean the impact will not be as bad as it would have been a couple of years ago Those coming from the Tullamore end and the Dublin end can go around.” “People will not be sitting in their car for an hour They may be sitting there for something more like ten minutes.” Cllr Cribbin said he was helped in bringing Cannonball back to Edenderry by Helen O'Dwyer who works with the Cannonball Ireland team They had a meeting with the council and the gardai Each town along the route also had to get sponsorship and Cllr Cribbin thanked Offaly Tourism and the council for providing this sponsorship for the Edenderry stop After making the cars make their way through Edenderry on Friday they will then blaze a trail to Kilkenny for a lunch stop at the Lyrath Estate Hotel where they fuel up at Circle K M6 Athlone at noon The finish line for Cannonball 2024 is in Trim This year the official charity of Cannonball is The Jack and Jill Children's Foundation This is an Irish children’s charity that funds and provides up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care respite support and end-of-life care for children from birth to six years of age with severe learning disability often associated with complex medical needs Cannonball was founded by Kildare businessman Alan Bannon and the benefit to the host towns for this event has been estimated at €2,567,000 per year More details are available at Cannonball.ie While members of the Republic of Ireland women's national football team like Katie McCabe are household names with huge social media followings the same cannot be said for the trailblazers who came before them One of those trailblazers was Catherine Cummins who moved from her native Finglas to raise her family in Edenderry over three decades ago Not only was the dynamic mother and grandmother a member of the very first ladies soccer team to line out for Ireland on the international stage – but she had to wait all of 50 years to collect her international cap “Things are very different today to what they were in 1973 when the first Irish ladies soccer team lined out against Wales,” she says and whatever we got to wear we had to give it back at the end of the game That's how it was and I we just accepted it because we were happy to play.” Catherine (née Rafferty) can recall a childhood spent playing soccer on the green in front of her house with all the boys from the locality all our time was spent outside kicking a ball and there was no such thing as girls teams at the time.” When Catherine and her friends read a newspaper article where the Civil Defence were looking for girls to join a soccer team “I think ladies soccer was started as a bit of a joke,” she says “but I joined the Civil Defence team anyway and I loved it.” At that time - the early '70s - ladies soccer began to gain a bit of a foothold and most of the big factories around Dublin set up their own teams Catherine Cummins joined the Jeyes team and ended up travelling to Reims to play five games over six days at various locations in France against a team which was mainly made up of international French players “Their manager wanted to highlight and promote ladies soccer at the time.” the big breakthrough for ladies football came in 1973 when the very first international team was set up – and Catherine was included in the squad that travelled to Llanelli in Wales and defeated the home side 3-2 “We had to pay all our own expenses” she recalls “and there was no TV or radio She agrees that it is all “a very far cry” from the high-profile nature of the current Irish team but she is delighted at the success of the ladies game nevertheless “I was only watching a game with my son the other night and the pitches are like golf courses and you can only imagine the kinds of pitches we played on back in the '70s,” she laughs Catherine moved to Edenderry in 1990 and has made her home in the north Offaly town ever since and reared her family of eight and says Edenderry is “a lovely town” and was the ideal place to rear her large family She says that not many people were aware of the fact that she was a member of the very first Irish women's national soccer team – even in her own family – until the FAI finally decided to honour the team on their 50th anniversary last year So began over a year of celebrations during which Catherine and her teammates were formally presented with their special 50th anniversary international commemorative caps last September They were also presented with a specially commissioned limited edition coin that celebrates the women's national team's achievement in reaching the 2023 World Cup and Catherine was one of 19 ladies soccer players to be presented by the Lord Mayor of Dublin with a special piece of crystal marking Finglas (as a Dublin suburb) with the most (19) senior International players The culmination of the celebrations for the pioneering women on the first ever women's national soccer team will be a visit to Áras an Uachtaráin on January 28 for a special reception with the President of Ireland who manages the U10 Derry Rovers team in Edenderry along with fellow trainer “It's a wonderful honour to represent your country on the international stage,” says Catherine Cummins “but we just took it all in our stride and didn't really think too much about it at the time.” https://www.kildarenow.com/section/1005/contact-us All the latest breaking local news from Kildare and county Find whats happening in and around Kildare and Leinster Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Kildare and Leinster Catch up on all the latest business news in Kildare and Leinster Read about the latest properties available in Kildare and Leinster Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Kildare and Leinster Kildare and Leinster Met Eireann Weather Forecast Recent death notices and obituaries from Kildare and Leinster Latest environmental and climate change news in County Kildare A total of 23 new homes have been given the green light in Edenderry The dwellings will be located on JKL Street with frontage onto Edenderry Shopping Centre Ring Road A decision to grant planning permission was issued by Offaly County Council A new access driveway and open spaces are also in the designs.  Photo courtesy of An Garda Síochána Kildare Outside Naas courthouse are: Susanna Cawley House of Hearing's experienced audiologist Matt Allen A man became ill while shopping at Lidl in Edenderry on Saturday Store staff attempted to assist the man after he became ill and also phoned for ambulance and gardai ““Our Edenderry store was closed for a number of hours on Saturday 21st September due to a customer experiencing a medical episode whilst shopping in the store “Our store team immediately responded to the incident and contacted emergency services and the Gardaí to assist but Our thoughts are with their family and loved ones.” Edenderry Golf Club will welcome the most famous trophy in world golf The arrival of the iconic trophy is being billed as a truly historic moment for the club and local community The Claret Jug will be on display in Edenderry Golf Club from 2pm until 3.30pm tomorrow and everyone is invited to join club members in celebrating this incredible milestone The club was chosen by Golf Ireland as one of the venues around the country for a visit of The Claret Jug as part of the nationwide “Road to The Open” tour ahead of The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush Edenderry was one of 20 clubs to have been chosen due to their commitment to Disability & Inclusion programmes along with their contribution to the Volunteer of the Year awards The arrival of The Claret Jug is a great honour for the Offaly club and a great opportunity for members and the wider community to witness the trophy and have their photo taken alongside it With Shane Lowry having lifted the Claret Jug the last time the event was held at Portrush this adds even more prestige Edenderry playwright Eugene O'Brien is set to shoot a new film in Offaly based on two brothers – a monk and an Elvis impersonator Set to be filmed in September of this year Eugene describes the film as “a road movie that moves about three miles an hour” They're kind of full of trauma and they have to confront various things,” he said It comes as the playwright prepares to return to Ireland for a second run of his play titled 'Heaven' – a show which first debuted in Ireland in 2022 at the Dublin Theatre Festival Eugene has toured the play across the globe in cities such as New York The Edenderry native recalled bringing his first play 'Eden' to London's West End in 2002 to a much less enthusiastic audience “I think it was because there had been a lot of Irish monologues at the time But we went to Edinburgh with 'Heaven' and suddenly the same people who reviewed 'Eden' and hated it just absolutely loved 'Heaven'.” It was 'Eden' that inspired Eugene's hit series 'Pure Mule' – which centred around life in small town Ireland “We took the structure for 'Pure Mule' from 'Eden' “It was going to be 8 episodes of 40 minutes on Channel 4 but then they dropped out and we were left floundering Thankfully Mary Callery from RTE came in but it had to be 6 hour long [episodes] “It was one of those shows that just worked we shot for 12 weeks - and the response was amazing.” Peacefully at Tullamore Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his son James (Jim) and his brothers and sisters. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family; wife Mary, daughters Carol and Mandy, daughter-in-law Jane, son-in-law Paul, grandchildren Megan, Niamh and Nell, sister Peggy, brother Jimmy, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Charlie will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home Edenderry this Tuesday from 5pm to 7pm with prayers at 7pm. Charlie's Cremation will take place on Wednesday at 1pm in Newlands Cross Crematorium. You can also take part in Charlie's Cremation via the Webstream link below. Cremation / Burial.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: George passed away (peacefully) at home surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his brother John and sisters Roseann and Josie. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family: wife Bridget, children Mag, Joe, Noelle, James and Pauric, sons-in-law Trevor and Chris, daughters-in-law Anna and Roisín, sisters Doleras (Carr) and Peggy (Dunne), sister-in-law Peg (McNamee), brothers-in-law Martin and Kevin (Carr), grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. George will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in George's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. Aidan passed away (unexpectedly) surrounded by his loving brothers and sister, under the care of the staff in the I.C.U. at Tullamore hospital . Predeceased by his loving parents Eamon and Judy and his brother Tom (Fido) . He will sadly missed by his loving family: John, Niall, Eugene, Paul, Susan, Brian, nieces, nephews, aunt Rosie, cousins, in-laws, extended family and his many friends. Aidan will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry this Thursday from 6pm to 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Friday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. You can also take part in Aidan's Funeral Mass via the webstream link below. THE type of game we feared when the format for the Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship was agreed certainly emerged in O'Connor Park on Sunday afternoon as Ferbane and Edenderry engaged in shadow boxing before it ended in a draw Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 3 a draw was the fairest result as neither side really deserved to win this one but Edenderry received the big reward for it The point earned them second place in the group on scoring difference and a quarter-final against Bracknagh while Ferbane now face a real humdinger against Rhode The impoverished nature of this game is reflected by the statistic that Edenderry were still able to draw despite scoring only a solitary point from play with their two goals coming from a mark and penalty while four of their five points came from frees Offaly football joint managers Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly were in O'Connor Park before this clash to meet the local media opting to take in the Rhode v Tullamore clash in Daingean instead that was fairly mediocre fare but they certainly missed little in O'Connor Park as the two sides served up a tame played without true championship intensity to a large extent There wasn't much that will stay in the memory here with the error count quite high and both sides guilty of misplaced passes poor shooting and dropping way too many shots short The conditions were a redeeming factor with a stiff wind blowing straight down into the Park Avenue goal It resulted in the team playing against it pulling a lot of players back Edenderry were particularly defensive against the wind in the first half often leaving Alex Kenny isolated up front Ferbane were the better side in the first half and led by 1-5 to 0-2 at the break with their goal coming from a 23rd minute penalty that Kevin Nugent converted after Cathal Flynn was fouled by Lee Pearson Both sides had six wides in the first half but Ferbane's were much more costly as they had enough possession and views of the posts to be further ahead at the break The second half was only marginally better Ferbane were not quite as defensive as Edenderry against the wind but still found it very hard to create chances and break down the opposition Still they looked to be in complete control when they led by 1-7 to 0-4 after 47 minutes Edenderry received the break they needed with a goal from a mark by Cian Farrell in the 49th minute the goal was a stroke of genius as his shot dipped into the net but it is very possible that it was a fluke as he certainly appeared to slip on the run up to the kick and may have mishit it - a later viewing on video suggested that he may have meant it and Edenderry had nothing to lose at that stage and he would have been correct to have taken a pop at it especially as Ferbane spurned a great goal chance straight after it sub Brian Carroll drawing a fine save from Mark Young but it was a miss that the west Offaly side were left to rue Edenderry got on level terms two minutes later when Cillian Lowry was fouled by David Dunican and Alex Kenny blasted to the net Edenderry were now level without getting one score from play and with the wind on their back It looked like they would get that when Adam Mahon got their first and only score from play in the 58th minute but Ferbane dug deep They didn't panic as they probed and teased and Cian Johnson got the equaliser in the 59th minute – he initially tried to claim the mark but referee Kevin Williamson indicated that the ball had been kicked from inside the 40 metre line Johnson still had the wherewithal to equalise and in the three minutes of injury time neither side could conjure up the winner – Leon Fox did have a pop from just inside 40 metres for Ferbane but it was very much in the kick and hope category and floated wide though Edenderry were much the happier with it – both for getting a result out of a game where they didn't play well and for getting what is certainly an easier quarter-final than the one now facing Ferbane Jack Egan (Ferbane): There weren't many standout players in this game Jordan Hayes had a fine second half for Edenderry and Rory Egan also found good form for them Patrick Taaffe did well in the Ferbane defence while the choice is Jack Egan Egan wasn't on the ball much but provided a great example of doing the job he was sent out to do He was on Cian Farrell for the most part and stuck to him like glue ensuring that he got very few chances to shoot The only negative for Egan was a costly one as he stood too far off Farrell for that 49th minute mark but apart from that he kept the Edenderry sharp shooter out of it Jack Clancy and Darragh Flynn (1f) 0-2 each Edenderry: Cian Farrell 1-3 (goal from a mark and 3f) Conor McCarthy (free) and Adam Mahon 0-1 each Kevin Williamson had an excellent game and was in control the whole way Cillian Lowry probably should have got a yellow for one late first half tackle when he tried to pull on the ball but he let him away with it Ferbane's first half penalty was a big call but Williamsom was correct as Lee Pearson did push Cathal Flynn and if that happened out the field Edenderry's second half penalty was also correct as Cillian Lowry was fouled by David Dunican The big game changing moment was Cian Farrell's goal from a mark in the 49th minute It may well have been more accidental than intentional but with Brian Carroll missing a goal chance at the other end seconds later Edenderry were able to salvage a very good point The O'Connor Park pitch was in great order and it was easy to host a small crowd Edenderry play Bracknagh while Ferbane meet Rhode in the quarter-finals Wides: Ferbane – 9 (6 in first half); Edenderry - 11 (6 in first half) Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.