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our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism Man accused of assaulting two women and other offences in Portarlington A man appeared in court accused of assaulting two women in Portarlington Andrew O’Neill (33) of 89/90 Gardiner Street Lower Dublin 1 is charged two counts of assault causing harm being intoxicated in public and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour and causing €180 damage to a Samsung phone at Killnacourt Woods Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client had been before the court earlier in the week and was refused bail that bail would now be sought in the High Court.  Judge Susan Fay adjourned the matter  back to Portlaoise District Court on May 15 " + $(".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 Leigh Kavanagh is consoled after Offaly's defeat THROWBACK TUESDAY: Who will you spot out and about in Offaly back in the day The volunteers will be delighted to welcome friends old and new at St Patrick’s Hall in Delvin (N91 X449) on Sunday MEMORY LANE MONDAY: A stroll through the Offaly archives – Recognise anyone today 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 https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/section/1239/advertise-with-us All the latest breaking local news from Laois County Read the latest crime and court news from Laois Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Laois Read about the latest properties available in Laois Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Laois Recent death notices and obituaries from Laois Latest environmental and climate change news in Laois County Pictured: Portarlington in the People's Park under construction in February Laois County Council hopes to have a new playground open for the May Bank Holiday Weekend.  The new playground had been due to open earlier this month but the project has been dogged by acts of mindless vandalism.  Further vandalism of the yet unopened children’s playground in the People’s Park in Portarlington in recent days has caused anger and frustration locally Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins said “people are genuinely angry because there is so many parents with kids can’t wait for it to open.”  Cllr Mullins said the playground would be very busy if it were open on a sunny day like today.  He posted images online of the recent damage which was caused to a bench.  “More damage in the People's Park by the mindless morons we have in town If you have any info on those responsible please come forward,” he posted beside an image(Pictured Below) of the latest damage They breached the temporary fencing there knowing it is not open,” he said.  Due to a previous act of vandalism at the playground a new part had to be ordered from Italy The part was dispatched on Monday and Laois County Council are hopeful that it might arrive ahead of an inspection which has been scheduled for Thursday evening.   “If the part comes hopefully this week; inspection immediately and open straight away,” said Cllr Mullins who explained that it was contingent on the part arriving While he is optimistic about the prospect of the part arriving and the inspection approving the opening of the playground Cllr Mullins said he has concerns about the ongoing vandalism He believes the community will need to police the issue by reporting any anti social behaviour.  “I just fear for when it opens is there going to be more serious damage and anti social behaviour,” he said.  READ ALSO: Over 6,000 learner drivers in Laois as demand for tests 'unprecedented' Cllr Mullins said while there is a need for more gardaí in the town he’s not convinced extra gardaí alone could prevent such vandalism How mastering your Cashflow can drive your business forward ​Buying a house with a sibling may seem like a good idea allowing you to pool your resources and get a step on the property ladder with someone you know But the reality can mean conflict as a result of differences of opinion in design matters while unforeseen changes in circumstance can lead to one owner or the other wanting out of the agreement at some point from Clonanny – even if both agree it has required a degree of understanding “We’re different in personality and we don’t always agree on the interior design but we’ve learnt to compromise,” says Cora They bought their six-bedroom detached home in Clonanny on the Kildare/Laois border in 1986 was a bungalow with three bedrooms at the time “It was just a shell when we first came to view it,” says Carmel “It was painted a garish Neapolitan blue colour throughout and there was no kitchen and no furniture.” Cora moved to Germany and stayed there for 20 years She only returned to Ireland to live in 2010 extending the house to the front and adding another floor one of which has an en suite bathroom,” says Cora “The floor and walls were also replaced in the original house.” They also created a separate living area connected to the house The floors throughout were replaced with maple in the dining room and sitting room and all the walls were painted in neutral shades using Farrow and Ball at first we disagreed over the size of the sitting room,” says Carmel and worried we wouldn’t have enough furniture to fill it which we went for in the end – and she was right.” It’s now a comfortable reception room which fits two couches The walls are beige and pick up the beige and navy furnishings “Many of them I have picked up on holidays,” says Carmel “I’m always looking for something different to decorate the house.” They also created a hallway down the centre but we broke through it to extend the house,” explains Carmel they have added a series of archways giving it a Georgian feel with cream and beige porcelain tiles laid underfoot they did away with a window at the side and extended the room to make a kitchen which had previously been located where the pantry is now The kitchen units were previously Shaker-style pine but they painted them in Farrow and Ball ‘Lamproon grey’ to match the walls and other pieces of furniture but I think the paint brings it back to life,” says Carmel the walls have been painted in Farrow and Ball ‘Setting plaster’ and the furnishings are white and pink Cora sleeps in the self-contained living area downstairs and a sitting area with a couch and a table you can see the trees and hear the birds singing,” she says Carmel likes to paint and has long had an interest in interior design and finds she has less energy than she used to “Walking and standing can be difficult for me I sometimes paint or spray old mirrors and vintage items I’ve found in charity shops The house is well located for accessing Kildare Village Portarlington can be reached in seven minutes by car “We’re also right beside Ballybrittas Woods and Emo Park in Laois so there’s plenty of lovely walks around the area,” says Carmel Despite all the work they’ve put into it over the years the sisters are selling now as they plan to downsize or it would be perfect for a family who live with their elderly parents as they could live in the self-contained section,” says Carmel Cora is also feeling sad about leaving the house “It took us over a year to make a decision to sell the house,” she says “We’ve spent most of our lives in this house and we have good memories of living here Hopefully it will go to people that appreciate it.” The property has an asking price of €595,000 with DNG Kelly Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel TFI Local Link Laois Offaly will introduce a new bus service between Portarlington and Monasterevin This new route is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan which is a major national public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Network Route 806 will initially operate seven daily return services from Monday to Sunday including on public holidays The new route will provide peak-time and evening services as well as improved connectivity to regional bus services and to Portarlington and Monasterevin Train Stations The route will also offer improved connectivity for Portarlington town with connections at Avondale Estate along with stops in Monasterevin at Drogheda Street and Oldgrange Road Speaking ahead of the launch, TFI Local Link Laois Offaly General Manager Frances Byrne said: “This new service will provide much needed connectivity around the Portarlington town area along with connections to Irish Rail and Monasterevin.  Passengers can avail of the TFI Leap Card and Young Adult Card with fares starting from €1.70.” For route and timetable information visit www.locallinklaoisoffaly.ie Learn more about the five year Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan here. Portarlington is poorly served when it comes to the provision of social housing, said local councillor Aidan Mullins While cllr Aidan Mullins acknowledged that Laois County Council had exceeded it’s ‘Housing for All’ targets over the past three years, he said, “the units in Portarlington when you drill into the figures doesn’t make for very good reading. Portarlington has been neglected in regards to the provision of social housing and the figures show that.”  “Schemes at planning/designer stage we (Laois County Council) have 231 and just 12 units and two apartments for Portarlington. But nothing in the pipeline for this year. On the design and tender stage Mountmellick has 51. “Looking at the figures for affordable units, there’s 864, of which there’s 139 for Portlaoise, but just 15 for Portarlington. It’s all Portlaoise centric all the time. While I don’t begrudge that, I think somebody has taken their eye off the ball when it comes to Portarlington, which is the second largest town in the county.”  “To me, there’s questions to be answered on the whole issue of planning and social housing in Portarlington in comparison to other towns. There’s nothing either for Portarlington when it comes to energy efficiency and retrofitting (council owned houses). Nothing. Not one.”  Cllr Aisling Moran said that very few social houses are being provided in the Graiguecullen/Portarlington Municipal District. She said: “We’re building and building in Portlaoise. People there are saying they can’t get school places and have to go to different towns and villages. The solution is to start building social houses in other towns and villages, so that we’re not piling everybody into Portlaoise.”  The Director of Services at the council Donal Brennan said he would have no issue in meeting with cllr Mullins to discuss the provision of housing in Portarlington. Get Laois news delivered directly to your inbox. Laois auctioneer handling sale of Savoy cinema The landmark Savoy Cinema in Portarlington which is adorned with a mural marking the Laois Offaly town's link to the hit movie Into the West is on the market Matt Dunne is the auctioneer handling the sale of the property, which is on the market for €300,000.  The Portarlington estate agent describes this as "a rare opportunity" to refurbish a landmark building in the Market Square of this historic Huguenot town The former cinema is described as an imposing three-storey 4,000 sq ft building with potential for retail plus residential overhead, or to remodel for the "theatre world" Mr Dunne adds that the entire building has recently been reroofed at "enormous expense" He says it is located on the Market Square for which extensive regeneration plans are in place The nearby Market House is being renovated for public use the auctioneer says Portarlington is one of Ireland's fastest growing towns with a great train service to and from Dublin.  Laois County Council has backed public calls for it to be returned to some use as part of the preparation of the 2030 Portarlington Regeneration Strategy "This Old Savoy Cinema is in private ownership; however Laois County Council is in support of its redevelopment subject to proper planning and sustainable development and an appropriate use being proposed for it This would add great benefit to the Market Square and align with plans by Laois County Council for the Market House," wrote the then CEO John Mulholland The Strategy proposes to remake the Market Square as a place which is usable as a public amenity and event space Port Art Collective have carried out a feasibility study on the old Savoy Cinema in Portarlington Chairperson Mark Garvin told the Leinster Express / Laois Live in 2024 that it presents a unique opportunity “It’s not that we are looking to open an arts centre and eventually build up groups- Portarlington has the groups “This is a unique opportunity to give a new lease of life to a building with deep ties in our community The building itself is beautiful and is perfectly situated,” he said READ ALSO: 'Mindless morons' damage Port PLAYGROUND Their plan would see the transformation of the old cinema into an ambitious three-floor arts centre similar to the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise The Savoy Cinema in Portarlington first opened in 1945 but closed in 1989 While it was subsequently taken over by a new operator and re-opened in August 1990  it closed its doors for the final time in the mid-1990s was partly filmed on location in the Savoy Cinema and at nearby Lea Castle in 1992 Ossie and Tito and their epic adventures across Ireland with their horse Tír na nÓg featured Ossie and Tito bringing their horse to a cinema matinee The mural on the building was created by the local resident and street artist ADW on the façade of old cinema to mark the link with Into the West. ADW’s mural was launched in 2019 as part of a Laois-wide celebration of Cruinniú na nÓg The artists described the front of the building as being in "terrible condition" with two days needed to prepare the walls for the main image New SAVOY letters were also cut and installed Accomplished Portarlington woman Lisa Hainsworth has thrown her hat into the Laois Rose Selection to helping sick children and launching her interiors business Lisa says "community is at the heart of everything I do" She told the Leinster Express / Laois Live all about herself ahead of Laois Rose Selection Night this Good Friday.  I’m honoured to be one of this year’s Laois Rose applicants I work as a Club Community Rugby Officer and Media Officer for Portarlington RFC where I coach the U5s and U10 girls’ teams "I volunteer with Children in Hospital Ireland offering support and comfort to children and their parents during difficult times and I’m currently training for the Dublin City Marathon to raise funds for them Being able to give back through both sport and volunteering is something I care deeply about "I’m studying Interior Design and recently launched my own business I dream of bringing life back to derelict houses and creating homes filled with meaning and history," she said WATCH: Meet eight of the Laois Rose entrants She has previously taken part in the Rose of Tralee Canada selection "From 2021-2023 I lived in Vancouver as an au pair I took part in the Western Canada Rose Selection and was honoured to receive the Moira Quirke Friendship Award "I was raised with the belief that giving back to your community is one of the most important things you can do I’m proud to represent Portarlington Rugby Club and I’m excited for the journey ahead," Lisa Hainsworth said The Laois Rose Selection Night takes place in the Midlands Park Hotel when 17 entrants will be interviewed on stage by Ollie Turner cheered on by their supporters in the audience The winner will then be announced who will take part in the televised International Rose of Tralee in Kerry this August.  The Leinster Express / Laois Live is the proud Media Sponsor for the Laois Rose Selection The former AIB Bank on the Main Street in Portarlington A derelict former AIB bank branch on the Main Street in Portarlington has gone up for sale prompting a call for it to be put to community use.  The landmark property had fallen into a state of disrepair leading to Laois County Council placing it on the derelict sites register and planning to buy via a Compulsory Purchase Order Described by many in Portarlington as an eye sore, as result of its dereliction, Auctioneer Matt Dunne said the imposing Georgian Building is “crying out to be restored”.  “The current owners, even though they are builders themselves and spent a fortune obtaining planning permission for ten apartments, have decided to sell as they concentrate on bigger projects,” Mr Dunn told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.   he said he was ‘blown away’ with how beautiful a building the former residence is and he thinks the adjoining kiosk (the former AIB bank) with its ornate ceiling would make a beautiful restaurant.  it will be a ‘labour of love’ and to ease their pain they may qualify for up to €70,000 in grants (the vacant property refurbishment grant) and as the building is listed / protected it may also qualify for Heritage Grants,” said Mr Dunne The house was constructed in 1780, Georgian style renowned for symmetry, brick facades and tall windows. It was first occupied as a spacious, rectory house with the addition of the kiosk in the late 19th century. The latter served as a busy office for the community until it became a Laois branch of the AIB bank in the 1950’s.  The house with its five bays and two storeys over basement accommodation is well laid out with many of the original features still intact such as the winding stairs According to Mr Dunne,  “in the not-too-distant future the development lands to the rear will be built upon most probably as a shopping centre (all Zoned ‘Town Centre’) and this building standing on 0.25 acres will be as valuable to the back as it is to the front” He said “hopefully the buyer will want to painstakingly restore the building as a Georgian masterpiece and it may even feature on an episode of RTE’s The Great House Revival.” Mr Dunne said his clients are “anxious to sell” and  “with a disclosed reserve of only €125,000 for the house and bank and €25,000 for the adjoining development site Mr Dunne said anyone seeking an appointment to view can contact info@mattdunne.ie / 087 258 6247.  Meanwhile,  Local Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins said he would like Laois County Council to consider purchasing the former bank building.   There are groups in the town crying out for space,” said Cllr Mullins.  READ ALSO: Council says CPO next step for derelict Laois bank He believed the council had been preparing to obtain the property by Compulsory Purchase Order(CPO).  Additional residential zoning was sought at two locations in Portarlington during a council meeting to approve a new draft plan for the town.  Councillors voted in favour of changing the zoning of a piece of land at the between Bracklone Street and Station Road near the Presentation Primary School in Portarlington.  Denise and Scott Fitzpatrick of Bracklone Street had requested the measure in a submission to the Draft Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2025 to 2031.  In their submission to the council they said: “We are formally requesting the rezoning of the land outline in red(marked as 2) from the current designation to residential zoning These lands were  originally zoned as residential when we purchased the property and we seek to return them to their original zoning status.”  “The land is currently designated as educational amenities in the most recent town development plan(2010)However this land is simply the back gardens of homes located along  Bracklone Street and does not serve any current educational purpose,” they stated.  Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins asked councillors to consider the application to rezone at a recent meeting to adopt the plan.  He proposed that the section of land be rezoned residential as he said there was adequate land for educational purposes in the area.  I don’t think the expansion of the school would be negatively impacted,” said Cllr Mullins.    Denise and Scott Fitzpatrick’s submission maintained that rezoning to residential would contribute positively to Portlarlington’s housing strategy and urban renewal objectives.  “The development of these lands would improve the streetscap along Bracklone Street potentially off-setting some of the on-street parking and enhancing the town’s entrance This would also promote the development of several derelict cottages on Bracklone Street Their application to rezone the land was put to a vote at the council meeting in Portlaoise Councillors voted 14 to one in favour of changing the zoning of the land.  councillors also voted to rezone a second piece of land belonging to the  Slattery family at Bog Road in Portarlington as residential.   Cllr Mullins said the land covering a number of hectares was located in Laois and Offaly He requested that the council consider zoning the Laois portion of the land as residential.  “I am going to propose that the site in Laois is zone residential,” he said.  He explained that it was located around 200 metres from Spa Street Bridge which he said was “closer to town than some of the developments that are ongoing.”  the Slattery family said some of the land was zone agricultural and it adjoins residentially zoned land.  “The Slattery family propose that the proximity of this site to the town centre and the presence of existing footpaths amenities and public transport make this land ideal for zoning New Residential with a mixture of houses for older people and younger families This is a good location for housing for older people in Portarlington Access to facilities that are within walking distance ensures that residents are not isolated and have opportunities for healthcare travel and leisure and supports independent living The presence of younger families would enhance overall security and integration through residents' associations and younger agile neighbours,” the family stated.  They said “the Slattery family also own the land across the opposite side of the Bog Road This land is zoned flood plain and special area of conservation In cooperation with the County Council this land could be used for enhanced amenity and leisure space.” councillors voted in favour of rezoning the land.  READ ALSO: €3 million for social housing in Laois The proposed zoning amendments to the draft plan will now go out to public consultation for a number of weeks.  Director of Services Angela McEvoy said the amendment in the draft plan would go on display for three weeks before returning to the council for final approval in May or June this year.  The refurbishment of the playground section in the People's Park in Portarlington which is undergoing a transformational redevelopment is expected to be complete by mid-March.  Portarlington based Councillor Aidan Mullins provided an update on the ongoing work this week.  "Works have now been completed in respect of the Central Plaza and Edible Garden in the People's Park in Portarlington bicycle stands and a tree trail have also been installed," said Cllr Mullins.  "Works have not yet been completed to the Playground section of the Park but it is expected that this facility will be completed and open to the public in mid March In the meantime the public are being asked not to enter the Playground or climb on the equipment." A Laois councillor is complaining that his rapidly growing town is being left behind for new council housing Portarlington in Laois has more than doubled in size in two decades and is still growing now at nearly 9,300 people and second only to Portlaoise which has nearly 24,000 Despite this, out of the 505 social houses under construction or planned in Laois, just 27 will be built in Portarlington The town has a tenth of the county's residents but is getting just one twentieth of the new social homes Cllr Aidan Mullins is unhappy that his constitutents are not being served right down to the lack of planned home energy retrofits He spoke out at the Laois County Council monthly meeting on February 24 The figures in Portarlington are nearly bottom of the list "The 12 houses listed in Portarlington for this year have already been finished Portarlington will get 12 for the elderly and two apartments Someone is taking their eye off the ball here That includes energy efficiency and retrofits "Why is the second largest town being ignored for social housing?" he asked Cllr Mullins also asks about the people on the council's housing list waiting for a tenanted home in their own town "If they are given an offer and it's outside the town Director of Services and Portarlington town manager Donal Brennan said he will go through figures "I am more than happy to engage with Cllr Mullins on housing in that area," he said Read more: Laois people can apply to be buried in own gardens the council lists 274 social homes under construction this year but only 12 are in Portarlington, being the final phase of Ballymorris Green include two in one building on French Church Street There will be 11 2-bedroom houses on Bracklone Street The homes include both apartments and houses built either directly by Laois County Council contractors or by Approved Housing Bodies for council tenants Portarlington has a population of nearly 9,300 people most of them on the Laois side of the Barrow river It is predicted to rise by another 1,200 people by 2027.  USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO BROWSE THROUGH THE FULL GALLERY An image of the machine which was abandoned on the road Bungling thieves are believed to have stolen a trailer and large machine which ended up blocking a rural road near Portarlington on Monday night.  The Ifor Williams trailer and large machine belong to Irish Rail. It’s understood they were stolen from an Irish Rail yard at Cloneygowan not far from Portarlington at around 7.30pm on Monday Gardaí were alerted to the incident when they received a call about machinery discovered blocking a road at Bogtown Gardaí suspect the machinery had been loaded onto the trailer but fell off in the middle of the rural road as the thief The trailer has yet to be located and gardaí have issued an appeal for information.  Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of a trailer being towed in the area on Monday. Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057 867 4100 A coffee and snack container at a Laois GAA club ground has failed in its bid to secure planning permission.   An Bord Pleanala has upheld Laois County Council’s decision to deny retention permission for the coffee shop in a converted shipping container at Portarlington GAA grounds in McCann Park Owen Donegan had appealed the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission at the GAA Club carpark last August.  Laois County Council had rejected the plans as it said the mobile coffee and food snack container contravened the local area plan.  Mr Donegan stated that the business was similar to a coffee shop operating at Sarsfields GAA Club in Newbridge He stated that the container only takes up a small footprint and provides employment to seven people and a livelihood to the owner.  An ABP Inspector said: “The development to be retained consists of a converted shipping container described as ‘a mobile coffee and food snack container’ The container is located centrally on the north-western boundary of the car park backs onto the road boundary and has a roped off seating area to one side It is connected to existing mains water and sewerage supply via existing GAA clubhouse connections.” She recommended refusing permission as: “The development to be retained is located on lands zoned Open Space and Amenity in the Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2018 – 2024 A small café or a retail use (convenience less than100sqm) is not permissible in the Local Area Plan zoning matrix on lands zoned Open Space and Amenity materially contravene the Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2018 – 2024 and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.” The planning authority agreed with the Inspector and Laois County Council and refused the application for planning retention.  “Having regard to the fact that a small cafe or a retail use (convenience less than100 square metres) is not permissible in the Local Area Plan zoning matrix on lands zoned Open Space and Amenity it is considered that the development proposed to be retained would materially contravene the Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2018-2024 be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” ABP said in its direction Ireland's workplace safety watchdog has issued a warning to employers about the vital importance of work place safety after big fine was handed down to a Laois firm for the death of a Laois dad in 2017 Portarlington firm John Fletcher Limited was fined €400,000 and a director of the business, David Fletcher was fined €5,000 arising from the death of Laois man in a workplace incident in a Dublin hospital at the Central Criminal Court on March 5 Judge Martin Nolan imposed penalty on the Laois electrical contractor arising from the tragic death of Emo man Alan Mulhall who was crushed to death when a fuse box fell on him at St Patrick's University Hospital in Dublin Mr Mulhall was working as part of a four-person team tasked with installing plant and equipment on a site at the hospital on James Street In a statement issued to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on the outcome of the case the Health and Safety Authority said the system of work deployed involved the employees manually handling a section of the LV switchgear (weighing 772Kg) into an upright position inside the plantroom.  It said one of the team was fatally injured when he was crushed between the side panel of the plant and equipment The HSA said John Fletcher Limited had previously pleaded guilty to four charges in breach of Safety Health and Welfare legislation. These included failing to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure health and welfare at work of its employees It also admitted to failing to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure The company also agreed that it failed to provide systems of work that were planned maintained and revised as appropriate so as to be Fletchers also admitted a failure to take appropriate organisation measures to avoid the need for the manual handling of loads by its employees Judge Martin Nolan imposed a fine of €5,000 on David Fletcher Mr Fletcher had previously pleaded guilty to two charges in breach of Safety He admitted to failing to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure health and welfare at work of its employees.  Mr Fletcher also accepted that he failed to ensure Mark Cullen is the Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority “It is vital for employers to ensure that all works being undertaken by their employees are planned employers must take appropriate measures to avoid the need for manual handling of heavy loads failure to do so can lead to tragic outcomes,” he said READ NEXT: F**KING JOKE - Anger in court after sentence handed down to company responsible for Alan Mulhall's death Alan Mulhall was originally from Emo but lived in Portlaoise at the time of his death He was closely connected to Stradbally where played soccer with Stradbally Town and Gaelic football with Stradbally GAA Club He also coached underage teams and was well known by many people in both Emo and Stradbally He was a loving father to wife Vikki and their two sets of twins his widow said everything her late husband did was for their family. Mrs Mulhall said he kissed her on the cheek that morning like he did every day on his way to work He was handed a death sentence that we will carry for the rest of our lives,” she said She said what happened could and should have been avoided “Mistakes cost me my husband and my children’s father,” she said later telling the court their lives had been “shattered” and would “never be the same again" “After seven long years of dragging us through courts all we can hope for today is justice for this devastating and negligent crime,” she said John Fletcher Limited describes itself as a company which specialises "complete range of electrical and mechanical services" for many clients throughout Ireland The company has worked on Dublin Airport Terminal 1 hotels and universities as well as at An Post distribution centres The Central Criminal Court heard that the company apologises for the breach of duty as an employer which led to Mr Mulhall's death Fáilte chuig leinstergaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil Comhairle Laighean CLG Home » Tinahely Edge Portarlington By Alan Hartnett at Laois Hire O’Moore Park Tinahely pulled off a shock by dumping Portarlington out of the Leinster Club SFC following an entertaining Round One clash The Wicklow outfit held on for a one point victory and will advance to play Tullamore in the quarter final next weekend who had only won their first Wicklow title in 40 years eight days ago but goals from Matthew Ging and Eoin Darcy proved crucial Portarlington won the Laois SFC three weeks ago but the team that took to the field in this game was much different to the one that dismantled Portlaoise in that game Paddy O’Sullivan and Robbie Pigott have all returned to Australia while midfielder Eoin McCann also missed out as he is away travelling Pat Roe’s charges had more than enough chances to win this one and will be left with plenty of regrets as to how they went out They had enough chances to win two matches taking just 10 out of 27 chances created over the course of the hour And they had late opportunities to force extra time only to run into dead ends and for Tinahely to hold them out The game began with Jake Foster and Paddy O’Rourke trading points before Port enjoyed a purple patch with Jason Moore An absolutely brilliant pass from Cillian McDonald was won well by Matthew Ging who danced around a couple of Port challenges and finished really well Rioghan Murphy hit back but Tinahely had their second goal after 19 minutes Eoin Darcy had been relatively quiet up to that point but he did brilliantly with a wonderful sidestep to create space for himself and then a brilliant finish to the bottom corner Ronan Coffey replied with a free but Tinahely kicked the last two points of the half via Matthew Ging to lead 2-3 to 0-6 at the break Port improved when play resumed as Foster scored twice and they were level when Coffey pointed a free after a foul on Jason Moore Tinahely nudged ahead with a Ging free and the same player put them two ahead on 56 minutes Port cut the gap to one via Rioghan Murphy and had late chances to force extra time but Tinahely held on Scorers for Tinahely: Matthew Ging 1-4 (2fs) Scorers for Portarlington: Jake Foster 0-3 (1f) Portarlington: Luke O’Reilly; Cathal Bennett Posted under: Latest News Stay up to date and follow Leinster GAA on our social networks: Enter you e-mail address to stay up to date with everything Leinster GAA related: Website by Club & County Portarlington people on the waiting list for a social home might have a long wait ahead, with almost no plans by Laois County Council to deliver any new such homes in 2025 "I don't think it's good enough in November 2024 to have nothing in the 2025 programme That means it will push into 2026," Cllr Aidan Mullins said at the November meeting of Laois County Council The council will get 12 new homes in Ballymorris Green next spring through Clúid Housing It also plans to build 11 two bedroom council homes on Bracklone Street for the elderly We are the second largest town in the county The Director of Services for Housing Angela McEvoy said the council owns residential zoned land in Portarlington "We are very much looking at land banks across the county We have 19 acres zoned for residential development We have one or two proposals by Approved Housing Bodies where there has been planning permission granted but they are not taken up yet," Ms McEvoy said By Christmas Laois County Council will have delivered almost 120 new homes in 2024 to people on its waiting lists the local authority has already surpassed its 2022-2026 Government target of 534 new social homes in Laois On top of that there are 1,150 houses at planning There are 279 social houses and apartments under construction in Laois This includes homes built by Approved Housing Bodies and by private developers who will sell them as turnkeys to Laois County Council There are over 1,600 individuals and families qualifying and waiting for a new social home in Laois The Portarlington Senior Citizens Party took place in the Heritage Hotel Killenard on Sunday Photographer Michael Scully attended for the Leinster Express/Laois Live to capture the event.  Tributes have poured in for Laois man Benny Maher who died recently at The Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.  Benny was from Arlington Estate in Portarlington in Laois and died peacefully surrounded by his loving family He will be greatly missed his loving stepchildren Denise and Derek Heartfelt messages have been left on RIP.ie from those who knew and fondly remembered Benny "One Of Portarlington's Greatest Characters & Entertainers So Talented and a lovely Person and absolute gentleman.......You Will Be So Missed By So Many.....Thanks For All The Great Nights Out & Memories.......RIP Benny." "Sincere condolences to the Maher family on the passing of Benny Have such wonderful memories music nights out with him and the Arlington Shows Benny always had time to chat one of Port’s finest The bed of heaven to you Benny," another person wrote READ NEXT:'Witty, erudite, hospitable and sparkling company' - Laois antiques auctioneer to be laid to rest Another message said, "Deepest condolences to all of the Maher family on the death of Benny.Benny was a wonderful person, a gifted musician and singer and a great friend to all he knew. Sadly missed". "My sincere sympathy to the Maher family at this sad time. Many a music session I enjoyed with Benny , he never missed a request, & always with such a smile. He will be greatly missed. May his gentle soul R.I.P," another tribute said. Another person wrote, "Condolence to all Maher Families on the sad passing of Benny, who I fondly remember from Finalys of main street where he often held court with his great wit and a personality to match, and it would be nice to think that he is somewhere this evening having a chat with his great friend Mick, RIP Friend." Reposing at Maher's Chapel of Rest Portarlington on Tuesday evening from 6pm with Rosary at 8pm. Removal on Wednesday morning at 9:20am arriving St Michael's Church Portarlington for Requiem Mass at 10am. Funeral afterwards to St Michael's Cemetery Portarlington. " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g, ' To continue reading this article, 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! Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, 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. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie. John was predeceased by his father John on13 March 2025. Sadly missed by his loving daughter Jessica, son Dylan and their mother Franscoise, grandchildren Kingfisher, Ollie and Charlie, his partner Tracy, mother Mary, sisters Ellen and Linda, brothers-in-law Joe and Andy, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, extended family and friends. John’s funeral will take place in Australia. The family would like to thank you for your help and understanding at this sad and difficult time. You can leave your messages of condolences on the Rip.ie online Condolence Book. Laois county councillors have given planning approval for the authority to convert a town house into two apartments Barrow Villa on French Church Street in Portarlington next to the River Barrow previously had a boutique business on the ground floor before the council purchased it Now the property will be remodelled and insulated externally to provide two homes for social tenants The Part 8 planning which sidesteps public planning procedures was first advertised last December but no public submissions were received The council say it benefits by being off the public footpath Local Government and Heritage,  because they note that the site is inside the zone of Recorded Monument town defences.  The site is in the 100 year flood risk map but can proceed because there is no extra footprint added to the building.  Cllr Paddy Buggy proposed the Part 8 planning approval Cllr Mullins who is from the town complained later in the same meeting at the low number of Portarlington social homes planned by Laois County Council.  The project will now be submitted to the Department of Housing for Stage two funding approval 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 It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Frank Higgins but peacefully in the tender care of the doctors and staff of the Regional Hospital Tullamore on the 27th March He will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 62 years Maeve and Áine and beloved father-in-law to Paraic He will be missed by his adored grandchildren Conor wider family and a large circle of friends Predeceased by his brother Terry and his nephews Bill Bruno and Frank and his sister-in-law Kathleen Portarlington (eircode R32 X5XV) on Sunday evening from 6pm with Rosary at 8pm Removal on Monday morning at 11:20am arriving St Michael's Church Portarlington (eircode R32 HY38) for Requiem Mass at 12 noon Funeral afterwards to St Michael's Cemetery Frank's Requiem Mass will be streamed live on https://www.mcn.live/Cameras/st-michaels-church-portarlington You can leave your condolences on the online Condolence Book below. The family would like to thank you for your help and understanding at this sad and difficult time. memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Still of a video of the fire in Kilnacourt Families of small children are among those receiving emergency supports after a fire devastated their Laois apartment block early on Thursday morning The three storey apartment building in Kilnacourt, Portarlington, called The Oaks, went on fire in the early hours Two people were taken by ambulance to Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise One is understood to have jumped from the first floor Evacuated residents have been brought to Portarlington GAA club blankets and support on hand by Laois County Council housing staff and Laois Civil Defence TERRIFYING: Two people hospitalised after fire rips through apartment block in Portarlington Laois County Council Director of Services Simon Walton gave a report of the fire to the Leinster Express "Laois Fire and Emergency Services received a call at 05.55 this morning (Thursday) reporting a fire in an apartment building at Kilnacourt Woods "Portarlington and Mountmellick Fire Crews attended the scene and were subsequently supported by Portlaoise and Monasterevin Fire Crews water tankers and a Hydraulic Platform are all deployed at the site 41 Fire Services personnel are in attendance "Two individuals were passed to ambulance crews one rescued from the second floor by Fire and Emergency Services personnel and one injured whilst escaping the building "There is serious structural damage to the building in addition to adverse impacts from water and smoke "From a Fire and Emergency Services perspective the situation is now under control  and crews are damping down and dealing with structural damage to the roof," Mr Walton reported Cllr Aidan Mullins is at Portarlington GAA club where the evacuated residents are receiving care "People are meeting the council housing staff to assess their needs look for accommodation for them and give them advice on social welfare Those in need of emergency assistance are all being brought here I got a call at 7am and came up to the site.  there has been a great mobilisation of help "They will be given emergency accommodation but some will need long term housing "It's the worst fire since the Maher family fire There's a plaque in this room to the Maher family This is another devastating fire," Cllr Mullins said His reference is to the 1996 fire that engulfed the home of the Maher family in Portarlington with a memorial now standing to them in the town.  Heartbroken by the recent loss of her husband Frank (27 March 2025) surrounded by her loving son Ciarán and daughters Críona Bridie borne her illness with great dignity and grace Predeceased by her brothers Eamonn and Pat Bridie will always be remembered with love by her adored grandchildren Conor Sadly missed by her brothers Brian and Mick and her sister Ita Portarlington (eircode R32 X5XV) on Holy Thursday evening from 6pm with Rosary at 8pm Removal on Good Friday at 11:20am arriving St Michael's Church Portarlington for Funeral Liturgy at 12 noon Interment afterwards in St Michael's Cemetery Donations If Desired To The Irish Cancer Society https://www.cancer.ie/ Bridie's Funeral Liturgy will be streamed live on Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Fire crews and the National Ambulance Service attended the scene, after a fire broke out soon after midnight. The blaze erupted in a unit at a three-storey apartment block on the town’s Link Road, shortly after 12.30am. Fire units from Portarlington and Mountmellick rushed to the scene and the blaze was brought under control quickly. Two people were treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics but there were no serious injuries. The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established but it is understood that foul play is not suspected. In a statement following the blaze, the Laois County Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘Laois County Council Fire Authority personnel responded to an apartment fire within a three-storey apartment premises at 00:32 today. The apartment building is in proximity to Portarlington Fire Station and the R420/Link Road. ‘On arrival, fire crews from Portarlington and Mountmellick entered the building wearing self-contained breathing apparatus and quickly contained the fire.’  The statement added that both occupants of the apartment received treatment at the scene from crew members of the National Ambulance Service. The fire and rescue service stressed that the activation of a fire alarm meant the occupants were able to get out quickly, while fire crews were able to respond immediately. The fire service said: ‘The building’s fire detection and alarm system provided early warning to the occupants of the apartment block, allowed for the quick response of the local fire crews and contributed to the subsequent successful outcome of the incident. ‘The occupants of the apartment building, and all emergency services personnel responding on scene, benefited from the early warning provided by the fire alarm system and therefore we are encouraging all apartment building owners/managers/residents to make sure that the fire detection and alarms system is working and being serviced regularly.’ The incident happened just 12 days after a devastating fire at The Oaks in Kilnacourt Woods, when more than 40 people had to flee their homes in the 18-unit apartment building. Three apartments were destroyed in the blaze and 15 suffered severe smoke and water damage. About 15 residents are still in emergency hotel accommodation. There were joyous scenes on Sunday evening as Pat Roe's Portarlington side defeated Portlaoise in the 2024 Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship final It makes it four championships in five years for Portarlington and they'll now go forward to represent Laois in the Leinster Club Championship Pictures are a mix of Sportsfile and Denis Byrne The exterior of the property on Patrick Street in Portarlington Edel Ryan and Bella in their Portarlington home Niall TonerSat 9 Nov 2024 at 03:30Patrick Street ​Edel Ryan must be at least a decade or so ahead of her time Though her Portarlington home could easily be a star of RTÉ’s The Great House Revival she bought the Patrick Street townhouse back in 2004 14 years before the popular series featuring the renovation of period properties under the watchful eye of restoration expert Hugh Wallace first aired purchasing a doer-upper in a rural town might have been considered unfashionable at a time when most home buyers would have had their eye on a three-bed semi in one of the new estates sprouting up in the suburbs of burgeoning commuter towns whose three-bedroom townhouse a few minutes walk from the centre of Portarlington now has all of the modern detail you would expect “It was a whole load of different rooms,” she says Ryan transformed the former multi-unit dwelling back into a family home over the following years she tried to be as respectful as possible to its period origins The semi-detached townhouse now has over 3,350sq ft of living accommodation On the ground floor is an entrance hall and inner hall the master bedroom has an en suite bathroom and dressing room there is the enviable detail of a laundry chute which magically conveys your dirty clothes down to the ground-floor utility room and commuted to Dublin daily by train for work “The station is a 25-minute walk exactly from the front door The townhouse is well protected against the elements with its B2 BER rating thanks in part to high-quality insulation and an air-to-water heat pump as well as several solid fuel-burning stoves thanks to intelligent positioning of roof lights really love the place and I am loathe to give it up,” she says I think it is time to move a bit closer to them I hope to find a place with a bit of space for my other ‘child’ My friends and my son’s friends have been in all over the years and they love the large kitchen where you can sprawl out with a substantial decked area and a large garden shed Ryan says she found the garden really came into its own during Covid when she could have friends around at a safe distance Ryan’s eye for colour and detail is in evidence everywhere In the main living room is a dark blue bookcase — an epic piece of furniture which was one of the last items to be completed Ryan advises against rushing into things when it comes to interior details that are going to be there for a long time “Everything that was done in the house has progressed We were updating stuff all the time with new ideas But then there were original details such as the hardwood floors throughout the whole house Everything was finished to a really high standard “It is important to take your time and do your research That’s really what I would think because sometimes if you’re just going by something that you see Colours and stuff you can always change easily you have to sit down and have a good think about.” One of Ryan’s favourite rooms in the house is the kitchen you’ve got your lovely seating area where you can have a nice You can hunker down and have that little bit of quiet.” As someone who has lived there all of her life Ryan has seen huge changes in Portarlington and in this case A true commuter town roughly 70km from the capital there are up to 32 train departures for Dublin each day the population of the town roughly doubled and currently with over 60pc of residents owning their own homes “I wouldn’t say when I was growing up there were enough amenities There are way more now than when we were kids,” Ryan says They can get on a bus to Portlaoise or Tullamore easily and there are plenty of trains up and down to Dublin It’s like everything is much more amenable.” And it doesn’t get much more ‘amenable’ than laundry chutes Patrick Street has an asking price of €465,000 with Sherry FitzGerald Hyland Keating Two people required medical attention following a fire at an apartment in Portarlington shortly after midnight last night.  The fire at an apartment in a three storey apartment building on the Link Road near Portarlington Fire Station was attended by crews from Portarlington and Mountmellick Laois County Council Fire Authority personnel responded to an apartment fire within a three storey apartment premises at 00:32 today. The apartment building is in proximity to Portarlington Fire Station and the R420 / Link Road fire crews from Portarlington and Mountmellick entered the building wearing self-contained breathing apparatus and quickly contained the fire,” Laois Fire and Rescue Services said in statement.  They said “both occupants of the apartment received treatment at the scene from crew members of the National Ambulance Service.”  Laois Fire and Rescue Service highlighted the importance of early detection and urged people to ensure fire alarms are operational.  “The building’s Fire Detection and Alarm system provided early warning to the occupants of the apartment block and allowed for the quick response of the local fire crews and contributed to the subsequent successful outcome of the incident and all emergency services personnel responding on scene benefitted from the early warning provided by the fire alarm system and therefore we are encouraging all apartment building owners / managers / residents to make sure that the fire detection and alarms system is working and being serviced regularly,” they said.  The redesigned Portarlington People's Park First photos have been revealed of the radically redesigned Portarlington Public Park in Laois.  Laois County Council CEO Michael Rainey praised the work done to date "I congratulate Annemarie Maher (council sports officer) These are great pictures of the people's park in Portarlington Congratulations to all involved," the recently appointed CEO said Recent severe weather including Storm Éowyn has delayed the completion of the park by a month The council's monthly report says that a new central plaza and an edible garden were expected to be complete by the end of January with refurbishment of the playground and signage work yet to be done They said an official opening was expected in mid February However local Cllr Aidan Mullins from the town gave a later date in a local update this week.   In the meantime the public are being asked not to enter the Playground or climb on the equipment," Cllr Mullins said Portarlington Tidy Towns has urged the community to respect the new facilities "Fantastic news the park will be completed in the next week We are very lucky that the park has been designed with different needs and abilities catered for As you can see there is a fantastic play centre for young children A natural play area consisting of mounds and banks of grass to facilitate natural play of rolling and climbing "Wheelchair accessible picnic benches and roundabout. A huge amount of work has been put into the park for everyone in the community. Seated areas for teenagers For all to enjoy an edible garden with different sensory plants and paths A detailed tree trail with information and an orienteering route being established A batong pitch will also be placed in the development "The only thing we ask as a community is that people respect the new park The park is for the community and we ask all to put the message across be respectful and enjoy this fabulous new development and facilities Official opening will be mid March to allow the turf mounds to seed We will keep you all updated and thank all involved in this project," the volunteer group announced.  Walk 'n' Wheel event to raise money for Meals on Wheels A Portarlington GAA club is hosting a New Year's Eve event this year in aid of the local Meals on Wheels service Gracefield GAA across the border in Offaly is putting up a challenge to the public to come and complete just one lap of their walking track on the morning of Tuesday "We will be opening the clubhouse on New Year’s Eve at 11am and invite you to come up and walk a lap of the track "We will have a hot beverage ready for you after Any donations collected will be passed back into Portarlington Meals on Wheels they have been a vital part of our community since 1972," they say The town's Meals on Wheels service serves some 80 hot dinners to elderly and vulnerable residents in and around the town The food is cooked in Portarlington social services centre and relies on local volunteers to carry out deliveries in their own cars Second-row powerhouse Sean Peters was the star of the show scoring a remarkable hat-trick to lead his side to victory Portlaoise were knocked out of the Towns Cup last week while Portarlington powered through to Round 2 but they were unable to transfer that form back into the league Devlin McLaughlin got the home side off to the perfect start when the big imposing prop powered over for a try in the second minute Portlaoise cut the gap to two points when scrum-half Mark Kelly kicked a penalty in the fifth minute but Portarlington were the much better team in the opening period and were rewarded with a second try after a quarter of an hour gathering a wayward ball before racing in under the posts Port scrum-half Darragh Perry added the extras to push his side nine points up The visitors scored their first try of the day after half an hour after some good work from the forwards ended with a pick and drive from Peters before Kelly landed the conversion.  With the penalty count stacking up for the hosts Portarlington lost their captain Warren Murray to a sin bin in the 35th minute And they were reduced to 13 men moments later when referee Keith Condell brandished another yellow card this time to Keith Kavanagh for dissent with Peters using all his power and height to stretch out his hand and get the ball down for a second time Kelly once again converted to send Portlaoise in at half-time with a 17-12 lead Portlaoise camped in the Portarlington half after the restart but were unable to capitalise on the two-man advantage thanks to some heroic defending from the hosts Portarlington did finally subside to the pressure as Portlaoise got try number three A penalty attempt from Kelly pulled to the left of the upright and wide but the ball stayed in play leading to a Portarlington knock-on Portlaoise powered their way over the try-line with Peters emerging with the ball to complete his hat-trick Kelly's successful conversion put Portlaoise 24-12 up with 25 minutes remaining Portarlington came back at their visitors immediately with Gavin Crampton crossing for a try on the hour mark Portlaoise kept the scoreboard ticking through a penalty from Kelly and with just over ten minutes remaining the visitors crossed for their fourth try of the game Aron Kingston secured the bonus point after taking advantage of some indecision in the Portarlington defence with Kelly again adding the extras The sides were level on 30 points before the game but Portlaoise have now moved five points clear They will play away to Newbridge in two weeks time while Portarlington will host North Meath A new playground is under development in Portarlington with the opening delayed due to alleged destruction caused by trespassers this week It is alleged that parents with young children broke through the fencing surrounding the site and trampled the recently planted grass seeds Pictured: The playground in the People's Park Portarlington Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins took to social media to slam this behaviour and has called for locals to report suspicious behaviour to Gardaí Reposing at Maher's Chapel of Rest, Portarlington (eircode R32 X5XV) on Wednesday evening from 5pm with Rosary at 7:30pm. Removal from his residence on Thursday morning at 11:30am arriving St John's Church, Killenard (R32 VW77) for Requiem Mass at 12 noon. Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family Flowers Only Please. Donations If Desired To Portarlington Meals on Wheels. Donation Box in the Chapel of Rest and in the Church. Portarlington celebrate their 2024 Senior Football Championship final win over Portlaoise Photo: Denis Byrne Defending champions Portarlington will take on The Heath in Round 1, while last year’s runners-up Portlaoise are set to face O’Dempsey’s. Crettyard, the 2024 Intermediate champions, will mark their return to the Senior ranks with a Round 1 clash against Courtwood. The R424 will be closed for periods between 6 June and 30 September at Passlands Bridge near Monasterevin between the L-7053 and junction L-7049 to allow bridge remediation works. The council say it will be closed for 14 days at any one time. Traffic travelling to Portarlington from Rathangan/Monasterevin will be diverted left at the bridge. At the junction of Main Street/R445 (Moore Abbey), they will be directed right along the R445 to Portlaoise. Traffic wishing to rejoin the R424 will turn right at the junction of the R420 (signposted to Portarlington). Eastbound traffic travelling to Rathangan/Monasterevin will be diverted at Lea Crossroads away from R424 and onto the R420. At the junction with the R445, traffic will turn left (signposted Kildare/Monasterevin). At the junction of Main Street/R445 (Moore Abbey main gates), traffic will turn left on the R424. Diversionary routes will be signposted. Any objections or observations can be submitted to the active senior executive officer in the transport section at Aras Cill Dara or through the online consultation portal by Monday 17 February. Built sometime in the 1750s the Passlands Bridge is believed to be the oldest bridge of the 25 in the town, and “ is of considerable historical and social significance, as a reminder of the road network development in Ireland in the mid-eighteenth century,” according to the National Built Heritage Service. The work is required on account of the number of vehicle strikes, causing damage to both the parapets, and the pier cutwaters. Cutwaters are the pointed parts of the bridge in the water which help the structure’s hydrodynamics. “Longitudinal cracking has been noted” according to a council engineering assessment, and the works will consist of a reconstruction of the cutwaters, repairs to the parapet, the installation of rubbing strips, and the removal of vegetation It’s understood two people have been taken to hospital following a large fire which broke out in Laois overnight.   Mountmellick and Monasterevin are continuing to battle a blaze at an apartment complex in Portarlington.  Laois Fire and Rescue Services described it as a large fire but said the blaze was now under control.  TAP FOR UPDATE: Families getting emergency care after terrifying fire at apartment building in Portarlington Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins said the fire appeared to peak at around 5.30 or 6am this morning.  There is a number of units or apartments gone,” he explained.  He said the GAA Club has opened its doors to accommodate anyone who needs shelter.  “I spoke to quite a few of those affected at the site in Kilnacourt The ones I spoke to had somewhere to go,” he said.  READ MORE: Take a look as popular Tullamore store moves to spacious new premises READ MORE: Bungling thieves block road in Offaly after failed theft attempt he said there are people at the GAA club and Laois County Council has sent an official to the scene to assist people.  Laois Fire and Rescue Service said they would have a statement in relation to the fire later today Gardaí said they are aware of the incident.  Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.