Goals from striker Domhnall Cosgrove and midfielder Joe O’Neill proved decisive for the NAFL Premier Division side who currently lie second in Intermediate Division One within the Ballymena and Provincial League played well throughout but Star had the edge who are still firmly in the hunt for title glory in their league created more chances than the team from west Belfast in the entertaining encounter which was played in front of 2731 spectators at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park On six minutes Star’s Martin Donnelly whipped a free-kick into the area which was comfortably collected by Swifts keeper Paul McLaughlin Then Star full-back Nathan Watters delivered a cross to the near post In the 14th minute St James’ Oran McManus ran from deep and let fly A minute later Star centre back Matthew Devine had to intervene in the six-yard box to turn a dangerous delivery from Michael Feerick out for a corner In the 19th minute Star centre forward Cosgrove was upended by Swifts keeper McLaughlin as he broke into the area – and Cosgrove dusted himself down to smash home the resulting penalty to make it 1-0 St James’ equalised on 28 minutes with a peach of a goal Ciaran Rooney jinked past a couple of players and fired in a shot which was blocked the ball spun towards veteran defender Garry Breen about 25 yards out and he blasted it low into the bottom corner Crumlin Star right-back Watters tested McLaughlin with a shot from distance There was a lengthy delay after Swifts skipper Eugene Gallagher was injured in a collision with Star captain Niall Hawkins Gallagher was subsequently replaced by Deaglan McDiarmid Just after the break Star had a gilt-edged chance to take the lead Donnelly cleverly slipped the ball to Stephen Smyth who fired it across the area to the unmarked Cosgrove But the striker’s low drive was kept out by McLaughlin On 58 minutes a Donnelly corner found Watters unmarked in the area however his looping header dropped on top of the net In the 64th minute Star keeper Ciaran McNeill had to be on his toes to keep out a wicked corner-kick delivery from Jude Winchester Two minutes later McLaughlin tipped a piledriver from Star substitute Patrick McDiarmid over the bar a minute after that the Swifts keeper was beaten by a stinging long range shot from man of the match O’Neill which nestled in the bottom corner In the 73rd minute Star substitute David Fearon raced clear of the St James’ defence and drilled in a shot which was pushed away by McLaughlin And a minute later McLaughlin held on to an overhead kick from McDiarmid Hawkins got his head to another dangerous Feerick delivery as the Swifts tried to claw their way back into it Then Winchester fired a teasing cross into the six-yard area which evaded everyone An excellent last ditch tackle from Swifts defender Dean Youle prevented Fearon from getting a shot away eight yards out In the 87th minute St James’ squandered a golden opportunity to level the game A deflected Ciaran Hyland cross dropped over the head of Hawkins inside the area The defender did not see Rooney drifting in behind and subsequently tripped him up Referee Ben Shepherd immediately awarded a penalty Star then saw the game out to secure the trophy for the third time in six seasons Martin McDonald; (unused) Padraig Linton (GK) Please click Accept and Close to accept the use of cookies on our website By continuing to browse our website you consent to the use of cookies on this website Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today Caerphilly County Borough Council has confirmed a ‘minor landslip’ in Crumlin shows no signs of further instability but says it will continue to monitor the area The landslip occurred on the downhill lane of Kennel Road A council spokesperson said highway engineers will continue to inspect and monitor the area to ensure safety before both lanes are reopened Traffic lights will be in place to manage traffic flow Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.Become a member today John O’Dowd is encouraging the local community to have their say on a proposed new active travel scheme between Crumlin and Glenavy The Department for Infrastructure is hosting a public engagement event on Tuesday 30 July between 2pm and 8pm will be present to provide information on the proposals to provide a shared cycle / footway from Old School Mews Glenavy to Landgarve Lodge Crumlin accessible and connected active travel infrastructure we will encourage more people to walk wheel or cycle for shorter everyday journeys Active travel has many benefits - by increasing activity and reducing reliance on the private car active travel can contribute to sustainability providing children with a better and healthier start in life and helping to improve air quality while reducing our carbon footprint “The proposed new scheme between Crumlin and Glenavy is a great example of what we can achieve by working in consultation with local communities so I would encourage people in the area to come along to the event in St John’s Hall on Tuesday 30 July to hear more about the emerging proposals for the improved pedestrian and cycling facilities and to share their views with us.” If you can’t make the event, an informal public consultation will run from the 30 July 2024 to 23 August 2024. You can have your say or if you wish to arrange to view the plans, simply email dfiroads.northern@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or call 0300 200 7899 to speak to a member of the Northern Division Active Travel team Former Cliftonville man Martin Donnelly was in action with Crumlin Star Crumlin Star lifted the McComb’s Coach Travel Intermediate Cup after a 2-1 win over St James’ Swifts at Windsor Park the Ardoyne boys made it two wins in three Final appearances The sides reached the prestigious decider following last four victories on Wednesday evening over Queen's University and outgoing holders Immaculata respectively got past the Students with a goal in each half at Seaview Aidan Lillis fired the NAFL Premier Division side in front as early as the ninth minute a slender lead they held until Stephen Smyth booked their place in the big showdown five minutes into added time Swifts released 'Mac's grip on the trophy at the Blanchflower Stadium Connor Farrelly opened the scoring for Swifts on 11 minutes but Immaculata got back on level terms around the hour mark following Daniel McHugh's own goal Swifts hit back with 10 minutes remaining when Ciaran Hyland bagged what proved to be the winner Swifts midfielder Jude Winchester was named man of the match.Image: Crumlin Star's James Doyle receives his man of the match award from Brian White Chairman of the Irish FA's Intermediate Cup Committee The 2024/25 McComb’s Coach Travel Intermediate Cup Final between Crumlin Star and St James Swifts will be held on Wednesday 23 April (7:45pm) at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park Part of the old Crumlin Institute building can be turned into flats despite fresh complaints about a lack of nearby parking Objectors said the addition of eight flats to Crumlin Square will pile pressure on the local road network – and a council highways officer agreed the current situation there is “quite problematic” But the building’s new owner believes his vision for the property will provide “good homes for good people” The debate over parking is likely to set the tone for many future decisions on town-centre developments which increasingly do not have to cater to car users Amended plans for Crumlin Institute went before Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee, on Wednesday October 9, six months after planning permission was originally granted The project has been revisited because new building owner Michael Osborne wants to change the layout of the proposed flats Instead of the eight one-bedroom flats approved in April Mr Osborne now wants to build six one-bedroom and two two-bedroom flats on the building’s upper floors he said he had bought the property in July from the previous owner who had applied for the original planning permission After spending “a lot of time looking at the plans” he decided to make adjustments to “maintain structural integrity” and alter the “tenant type” of the future occupiers By adding in a couple of two-bedroom flats Mr Osborne said he could “give accommodation opportunities to families looking for a place to live” The committee heard impassioned arguments about parking pressures when they considered the original plans in April and much of the discussion at this second meeting was on similar themes Crumlin ward councillors Carl Thomas and Kristian Woodland both made fresh speeches to the committee Cllr Thomas complained that street view images showing a relatively quiet Crumlin Square were “very misleading” because they had been taken during the Covid-19 pandemic said he had met with residents concerned about a “lack of parking in the surrounding area” “A further increase in the number of vehicles [will] make it even more difficult for local businesses,” he added Council highways officer Lisa Cooper acknowledged Crumlin Square is a “very busy area” and said she could “fully appreciate there is huge parking demand” But the existing use of the Crumlin Institute building The proposed flats will require eight parking spaces Planning officer Carwyn Powell warned the committee it had already granted planning permission for eight flats at the same site in April – so was not in a position to reject the amendments for reasons it had previously considered acceptable “We would have significant difficulties defending that at an appeal,” he said Planning services manager Ryan Thomas said the Crumlin Institute parking debate is a sign of things to come He said national planning policies were “trying to encourage far more mixed use [developments to] … revitalise town centres” “We will have more of these going forward – carless developments in sustainable locations “Members need to recognise the direction of travel.” A majority of committee members voted to approve the amended flats plan for Crumlin Institute 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 (late of Crumlin) 3rd May 2025; passed peacefully after a short illness bravely borne surrounded by her loving family in the wonderful care of the staff of St Predeceased by her parents William and Lily Elizabeth and Michael and adored nanny to Lauren Betty will be forever loved and very sadly missed by her loving husband Reposing at her home on Wednesday 7th May from 4pm to 8pm Funeral Mass on Friday (9th May) at 10am in St Crumlin Village followed by burial in Palmerstown Cemetery arriving at approximately 12 noon To view Betty’s Funeral Mass on Friday at 10am, please click on the following link https://www.crumlinparish.ie/watch-live/ Those who cannot attend the Funeral Mass or Burial, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence book below. Please Note: The link provided to live-stream the Funeral Mass is managed by an independent streaming company. The Funeral Home accepts NO responsibility for its functionality or interruption to a live transmission. memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Died 10th April 2025 Peacefully at Hospital.Formerly of Ballynadrentagh Road Crumlin.Beloved fiancé and partner of Vera Locke Viewing from 5.00pm to 7.00pm on Wednesday 16th April at Eastwood Funeral Directors Crumlin BT29 4URA Funeral service will be held for Ivor at 1.00pm on Thursday 17th April in Crumlin Presbyterian Church Interment afterwards in Crumlin Cemetery.Deeply regretted by his partner and fiancé and entire circle of family and friends.At Peace All enquiries to Eastwood Funeral Directors Share this sad news with friends and loved ones Visit Website [email protected] Link A 58-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a shooting incident in Crumlin He has been further charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and carrying a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence on Thursday 28 November He is due to appear at Antrim Magistrates Court on Tuesday 24 December all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service Police previously said a man attended the residential area on Randox Road on what was described as a “business matter” when the alleged shooting took place PSNI Detective Sergeant Crothers stated: "We received a report that at 5.30pm a man had attended a residential property in the Randox Road area on a business matter "He alleged that a shot was fired at him following a disagreement which caused damage to the roof and rear window of his vehicle he was uninjured though very shaken by the ordeal local officers arrested a 58-year-old man on suspicion of a number of offences including attempted murder Anyone with information on the circumstances surrounding the report should contact us on 101 quoting reference number 1253 of 28/11/24." Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening Please check your inbox to verify your details Firefighters battle a fire on the Crumlin Road in Belfast on December 24th 2024 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin ScottTue 24 Dec 2024 at 08:32Firefighters have dealt with an overnight blaze in north Belfast Shortly before 2am emergency services responded to reports of a fire on the first floor of a property on the Crumlin Road close to the Oldpark Road junction Watch: Firefighters battle blaze in north Belfast Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze using hose reels a short time later The Crumlin Road was closed by police with several fire appliances including an aerial platform at the scene POLICE investigating the report of a hit-and-run road traffic collision on the Crumlin Road in North Belfast on Saturday night have arrested a man it was reported that a male pedestrian and a white van had been involved in a collision outside the Mater Hospital The white van did not stop following the collision and made off from the scene sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision and currently remains in a critical condition in hospital A 23-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of a number of offences and currently remains in custody Officers would ask anyone who was travelling on the Crumlin Road late on Saturday night and who witnessed the collision or captured dash-cam footage which could assist with police enquiries to contact them at Tennent Street on 101 A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/. Sign up to the daily Belfastmedia briefing to stay up to date with everything Belfast Donate to BelfastMedia.com today to ensure that this website remains free now Developed and maintained by Soundlining © Copyright 2025 Belfast Media All rights reserved Developed and maintained by Soundlining © Copyright 2025 Belfast Media All rights reserved LOCAL anglers have spoken of their anger after receiving confirmation that no prosecution will be forthcoming following a major fish kill last year Pollution of the Crumlin River on February 12 2023 resulted in 3,500 fish dying along a six kilometre stretch of the south Antrim river Development Officer with the Crumlin and District Angling Association said club members were alarmed to learn this week that no prosecutions will take place “As it currently stands there is no recompense for our angling club "There is no way for us to reinstate what we have lost in terms of the number of fish and the damage to the entire ecosystem and habitat "Our river is in a much poorer state due to this major pollution incident where ultimately all this pollution ends up “It was only this week that (Agriculture) Minister Muir announced an independent review to strengthen environmental governance with the appointment of a three-member panel ranking and bringing a case to completion is broken Of the major fish kills across Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2023 “Of a total of 41 confirmed pollution incidents on the Crumlin River alone over the same period shockingly only one single case was brought to prosecution “Polluters will continue to pollute with impunity while the current approach continues “It is our view the urgent change is needed We will be writing to both the Minister for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs and the independent panel asking for a meeting to urgently address these concerns.”  A young boy was taken to hospital for a “check-up” after a police car collided with a vehicle belonging to a member of the public on Tuesday night on the Crumlin Road at the junction of Tennant Street A spokesperson for the PSNI said: “Police in north Belfast received a report of a two vehicle collision involving a police car responding to an emergency call “The collision occurred on the Crumlin Road at the junction with Tennent Street and Hillview Road shortly before 8pm “A boy travelling in the second car was taken to hospital by family members for a check-up following the collision "The road was closed for a period of time but later re-opened to traffic "Enquiries into the collision are continuing and officers would appeal to any witnesses or anyone who might have captured any dash cam or mobile phone footage to get in touch with officers at Tennent Street on 101 MALLON ROSEMARY ANNE died 3rd January 2025 Peacefully at hospital surrounded by her loving family.Beloved daughter of Sean and Mary and much loved sister of Stephen Rest in Peace.Viewing from 3.00pm to 6.00pm on Tuesday at Eastwood Funeral Directors Removal afterwards to the Mater Dei Church Requiem Mass will be held at 11.00am on Wednesday.This can be viewed at https://www.churchservices.tv/materdeicrumlinInterment afterwards in Crumlin Cemetery.Family home strictly private The family kindly asks you to consider making a donation to Stanton Pregnancy Care Belfast Supporting the littlest among us was a cause very dear to Rosemary’s heart or online at: www.stantonbelfast.org Deeply regretted by her father nieces and entire family circle.Our Lady of Knock Donate View [email protected] CRUMLIN Star boss Paul Trainor had the worst Christmas ever last year after watching his side suffer Steel & Sons Cup final heartache to Comber Rec – but the Ardoyne men have the chance to avenge that defeat in the NAFL Border Cup final over the festive period. ‘Star were coasting in the first half of last season’s Steel final, but Comber came right back into it in the second half, forcing extra-time before Simon Hanna hit the winner for the Co Down men. The search for the Holy Grail goes on for the highly rated Amateur League Premier Section outfit, while they hope to claim their fourth Border Cup on Friday under Trainor’s watch. But last season’s Steel Cup defeat still stings. “I felt like throwing cream potatoes all over the house,” Trainor said. “It was the worst Christmas Day. We were excellent in the first half, should have been out of sight and Comber hung in there. I just thought the officials had a bad day and hopefully they’re better for this final. I’m not saying it cost us the Steel & Sons, but it cost us extra-time.” Last Christmas, Paul McKeown’s Comber side were hoping to pull off an historic Steel and Border Cup double – but it proved a bridge too far as they were humbled by Willowbank 6-1 in the Border final a week later. The sides have already squared up twice this season with Comber hammering ‘Star 5-1 in a Steel Cup round three game but the north Belfast men claimed a 3-2 league win later in the season. Trainor is aiming to win his 10th major title having guided ‘Star to two Intermediate Cups, three Borders, a Clarence Cup and three NAFL Premier League titles. “It’s brilliant to be in a cup final over the Christmas period,” said Trainor. “Without being arrogant, being in cup finals over Christmas is a regular occurrence for Crumlin Star. Comber will bring a big crowd to Seaview and so will we, so it’s set up to be a cracking game.” Both squads haven’t changed a great deal over the last 12 months – but ‘Star have unearthed a brilliant young striker this season. Donal Cosgrove, brother of Larne’s Tomas, was signed from Crumlin United and is already nearing the 20-goal mark in Crumlin Star colours. Their last league game – against Mossley on Thursday night – had to be abandoned due to an injury to Crumlin Star player Ciaran McNeill. Subsequently, the player’s injury didn’t turn out to be as serious as first thought. “We’ve been a wee bit slower than normal to get going this season,” admitted the Crumlin Star boss. “We’ve had five or six long-term injuries and I don’t particularly like going down the injury road and blaming that, but they are all definite starters. “In saying that, we’re in the Border Cup final, we’re in contention for the league and the kids we’ve brought in have done very well.” A few times over the past decade or more, Trainor has contemplated stepping away from the hotseat – but his decision to continue is made easier by having good players to choose from. “It’s very, very hard at times but the players have been fantastic. When you have good players, it makes it a lot easier. We’ve our new facility at the Marrowbone, we’ve an U18 team up and running now and doing very, very under Anto Crawford, and we’re trying to introduce some of them into the reserves and move them up. “I’ve still got the hunger to keep going, as long as the players don’t get fed up with me!” Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feed@2025 The Irish News Ltd There have been 25 fires at Belfast’s historic Crumlin Road Courthouse since 1998 with all but two deemed to have been set deliberately construction on the courthouse was completed in 1850 Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family Dearly beloved wife of the late Joseph and much loved mother of Anthony Mary will be removed from her late residence at 10.45am on Thursday to the Mater Dei Church Crumlin for 11.00am Requiem Mass.This can be viewed at https://www.churchservices.tv/materdeicrumlinInterment afterwards in St James’ Cemetery 02894454114Very deeply regretted by her sorrowing sons [email protected] Caroline and late David and John.House strictly private A Service of Thanksgiving for Catherine’s life will be held in Crumlin Presbyterian Church on Saturday 7th December at 10am and afterwards to Crumlin New Cemetery.Family flowers only please Donations in lieu if desired made payable by cheque to RNLI c/o Bairds of Antrim Antrim BT41 4BE or visit www.bairdsfuneralservice.com to donate online.Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her entire family circle Antrim BT41 4BE or visit www.bairdsfuneralservice.com to donate online Donate Visit Website [email protected] Shauna and the late John.Martin will make his final journey at 10.20am on Friday 3rd January 2025 Crumlin BT29 4XL for a Service celebrating his life in Antrim & Newtownabbey Crematorium at 11.00am.Deeply regretted by his sorrowing father sister and entire circle of family and friends.All enquiries to Eastwood Funeral Directors [email protected] Daisy and Reggie and adoring great-grandad of Elsie and Sofia A Service of Thanksgiving for Brian’s life will be held in Crumlin Baptist Church Crumlin BT29 4ZN on Wednesday 19th February 2025 at 1pm and afterwards to Crumlin New Cemetery made payable by cheque to Caring for Life c/o Bairds Funeral Directors Please visit www.bairdsfuneralservice.com to donate online Will be always loved and missed by all his family “In your presence there is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16 v 11 Donate [email protected] THERE will be a fresh name on the Intermediate Cup as Ciaran Hyland was the match-winner for St James' Swifts against holders Hyland struck 11 minutes from time to restore the lead for his team that started and finished this semi-final well but had to work for the win as the holders didn't go down without a fight In front of a large crowd at Blanchflower Stadium the St James' contingent went home happier and in truth they were deserving winners as they carved out the better opportunities on the night but did have to dig in when pegged back early in the second half as the Divis side grabbed the momentum But Swifts rallied and having gone close on a couple of occasions Hyland popped up with the winner to send his side to Windsor Park for the final "We scored after early on and then I thought for 20 minutes they were getting the better of us and we just wanted to sit in and be a bit more compact," Swifts' manager "We knew Jude Winchester was causing major problems so we sat in and asked him to attack in behind invited them in a wee bit and they got their goal we were the better side and had enough chances to win the match twice over 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑺𝑶𝑹 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑲 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬 𝑾𝑬 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑬…St James’ Swifts 2 - 1 Immaculata A well deserved win and fantastic display sees the club make history tonight and book our place in the Intermediate Cup Final for the first time. pic.twitter.com/tJiOlb8CCa Swifts were straight up to the pace of the game with an early sight of goal for Hyland The St James' side was sharp and playing with a good tempo which put pressure on an Immaculata defence and Ciaran Hyland was to cut in on his left with the shot not far away The goal would come after 11 minutes and was preventable from an Immaculata point of view as Michael Mervyn's pass back didn't have enough on it Connor Farrelly pounced with goalkeeper Murray charging off his line and although he got a boot in it rebounded off the Swifts man and into the net Immaculata began to come into it and Brian Kennedy forced a good save from Paul McLaughlin The closest they came to an equaliser in the first half came from a free-kick on the edge of the box as Brendan Shannon curled over the wall but just over the crossbar Another free-kick was stopped low with the rebound falling to Cian Dynes but he was charged down Swifts remained a threat and had a great chance to double their money as Ciaran Hyland did well to get on the ball and play in Jude Winchester but Murray got down to make a fine stop and ensure it remained 1-0 at the break The onus was on Immaculata to find a response after the break and they opened well probing and playing higher up the field but the final ball was missing until the 57th minute when they got back on terms in slightly fortuitous fashion Mark Sloan did well to keep the ball in play as Kennedy thumped across goal with Swifts' defender Daniel McHugh's unlucky to turn it into his own net Immaculata had seized the momentum and were now looking more likely but the Swifts grabbed it back as Ciaran Hyland forced a low save from Murray Farrelly really ought to have done better when shooting well over from close range but was then unlucky to see a low effort from inside the box come back off the post It was now Swifts with the wind in their sails and they piled on the pressure but were almost caught on the breakaway as a collision between defenders saw Cian Dynes through Swifts' manager Eamonn McCarthy said he was delighted to get over the line Swifts did get back ahead as Winchester got in on the left and he sent an inviting low ball across goal with Hyland steaming onto the box to turn it home A third almost came in similar circumstances as again Winchester got in on the left but this time his cut-back was fired wide by Farrelly The Mac were still in it and they would get their chance as the game ticked into added time as Brian McCaul clipped in a free-kick which caused panic in the Swifts' defence with Ryan McAuley getting a head on the ball to direct it goalwards with goalkeeper Paul McLaughlin just about getting to it but his punch out fell to Kevin McGovern who let fly with his effort cleared off the line That was that as Immaculata's grip on the trophy ended with Swifts now heading to represent the west of the city in the final for the first time in the club's history "I said to them today: 'I don't care the result - we just want through'," McCarthy added so we've into a final to look forward to." they will face 2023 winners Crumlin Star who are through to their third-straight final as they were 2-0 winners in Wednesday's other semi-final against Queen's University at Seaview Aidan Lillis gave the Ardoyne men the lead at the break and they sealed a return to Windsor for yet another North vs West decider as Stephen Smyth sealed it for them in the second period C FarrellyGoals: C Farrelly 11; C Hyland 79 Sign up to the weekly sport briefing to stay up to date with everything Sport 2024 at 10:34am BSTA private hospital is one of the business proposals being considered by the new owner of Crumlin Road Courthouse The listed derelict structure in north Belfast has been acquired by Co Fermanagh-based property investor David Mahon who is the grand master of the Orange Order in Co Donegal is one of the most prolific property owners in the north His interests include the Castle Archdale caravan site and marina in Co Fermanagh the Linen Green shopping complex in Co Tyrone Kings Square shopping mall in east Belfast and Murrayfield Shopping Centre in Larne he is the director of dozens of property businesses in the north His latest deal to acquire Crumlin Road Courthouse was first reported by the Belfast Telegraph Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday Morning Mr Mahon said development proposals were now being considered for the listed building He said a private hospital was one of the ideas under consideration The derelict courthouse is located close to the Mater Hospital in north Belfast the Charles Lanyon designed building has been vacant since it closed in 1998 who immediately announced plans to invest £25 million in a hotel venture Planning permission was secured for a hotel, but the property was placed on the market in 2019 following the collapse of Mr Kenwright’s Signature Living hotel business The former courthouse was significantly damaged in a 2020 arson attack. Speaking about his plans for the site, Mr Mahon appeared to rule out a hotel development. “It just doesn’t stack up financially,” he told BBC Radio Ulster. “We are meeting at the moment, meeting with architects and planning consultants, to see the best way forward and what’s most viable on the site. “It is a very iconic building and we would like to see it back in some form of use. “But nobody knows the costings yet, because of prices in the construction industry now.” DRUGS with a potential street value of £75,000 have been seized after police stopped  a vehicle on the Crumlin Road on Thursday afternoon A 44-year-old man has been charged with possession of a Class B controlled drug with intent to supply being concerned in the supply of a Class B controlled drug conspiracy to supply a Class B controlled drug and possession of Class A and B controlled drugs.He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Saturday Follow-up searches were also conducted at three properties located in East Belfast and Antrim The male has been further arrested by Detectives from PSNI's Organised Crime Unit in relation to a series of drug seizures made by officers in the past ten months in the Belfast and Glengormley areas He is currently being interviewed at Musgrave Police Station in relation to the four seizure incidents and further offences relating to human trafficking and money laundering drugs with a potential street value of £500,000 were recovered and two men were arrested in the Lisburn Road area then in September police seized drugs with a potential street value of £225,000 and arrested two men and a woman during a search in the Donegall Pass area of Belfast drugs with a potential street value of £250,000 were recovered from a vehicle in the Glengormley area and in a follow-up search of a hotel room in Belfast Two males and a female were arrested on that date Detective Inspector Kelly from PSNI Organised Crime Unit said: “Yesterday’s arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into the supply of cannabis by an organised criminal gang based in the greater Belfast area “We believe this male is a significant figure within the gang and was involved in the purchase and supply of drugs in bulk quantities to other drug gangs “Detectives have been conducting ongoing enquiries to gather evidence to bring this person before the court for a variety of offences “Drug suppliers exploit the vulnerable to prop up their own lifestyle They have scant regard for those people and are only motivated by money “I would encourage anyone who has any information about the use or supply of illegal drugs to contact police on the non-emergency number 101 with any information they have information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.” Two people have been arrested following a police drug raid at a property in Crumlin were arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply as well as possession of criminal property The raid happened on the morning of Friday August 23 said: “Two people remain in police custody after detectives and officers from our Caerphilly central neighbourhood policing team carried out a warrant at a residential property this morning DC Power added: “Serious and organised crime is a threat to our communities and we will continue to work tirelessly to crack down on the supply of illegal drugs in our towns.” Anyone with concerns about drugs in their area can contact Gwent Police on 101 Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 THE mighty Ulsterman 2X Ireland's Strongest Man Jonny Kelly returns to this year’s competition to try and secure his third title Jonny has some serious competition from current Ireland's Strongest Man Cillein Groom who will be looking to also make this competition his third title 16 men from every corner of the nation will make the Crumlin Road Gaol their battle ground to find the strongest man in Ireland will be bringing the heat along with the barbarian from Dublin Gerard Buckley The competition takes place on Monday May 5 Due to adverse weather conditions forecast for tomorrow the following funeral has been rescheduled Please see amended notice as follows – THOMPSON 19th January 2025 peacefully at his home 22 Loving and devoted husband of the late Lorraine Emily and great grandson Elliott.A Service of Thanksgiving for Sefton's life will be held in Killead Presbyterian Church on Monday 27th January at 2pm followed by interment in Crumlin New Cemetery.Family flowers only please Donations in lieu if desired made payable by cheque to either Marie Curie or Diabetes UK c/o Bairds of Antrim BT41 4BE or visit bairdsfuneralservice.com to donate online.Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his entire family circle.A smile for all one of the best this world could hold,never selfish BT41 4BE or visit bairdsfuneralservice.com to donate online Donate [email protected] Paul Toner (55) told The Irish News that he made the switch to homegrown produce several years ago for health reasons Giving a guided tour of the allotment he has created on his Largy Road property near the shores of Lough Neagh he proudly shows off produce including tomatoes “I’ve always been into ecology and all things natural Modern food’s full of pesticides so it’s been quite a while I’ve been growing my own food,” he said there’s no chemicals and it’s the only food you can really trust But it’s satisfying to know you’re eating your own produce.” Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council told him he had weeks to remove the “unauthorised greenhouse” and surrounding sheds “I put the greenhouses up this year and I absolutely love them,” he said “I was away on my holidays and came back and was greeted with a letter from the council telling me I have two weeks to take all my sheds down and my greenhouses A conservationist and member of the Lough Neagh Barn Owl group he said the greenhouse was constructed using scrap material and the food he grows is only used for his family He is also attempting to build an environmentally friendly house on the site using ‘hempcrete,’ a biocomposite alternative to concrete “The council has put every barrier and obstacle in the road I’ve already forked out £11,000 for drawings for a hempcrete house,” he said “If anyone ever came to me looking advice on building a hempcrete house in the north of Ireland I would tell them ‘don’t even think about it.’ If I was to do it over again my house would have been built three years ago using breezeblocks.” Stating the greenhouses are barely visible from the road he believes there is no logical reason to remove them “The council tell you that they’re pushing green issues and they’re not,” he said “I thought I was going to get help here instead of absolute mental torture “The green build issues in this county really need highlighted Agreeing to take down the surrounding sheds “It would break my heart if I had to take them down You can’t get any more green or environmentally sound than growing your own vegetables on your own patch,” he said “There’s that much talk about environmental issues and they’re going to penalise me for trying to grow my own food A council spokesperson said: “The council does not provide comment in relation to ongoing planning enforcement matters.” Information on the council website states that permission is not required for greenhouses, with certain conditions. These include that it is used for domestic purposes only, it does not cover more than half the total property and that no part of the structure is in front of or side elevation of the original house that faces onto a road. Other restrictions are in place for properties in areas of outstanding natural beauty. Gardaí in Crumlin after Friday night’s shooting incident Gardai speak with locals at the scene of a shooting incident in Crumlin Alan Sherry and Robin SchillerSun 23 Feb 2025 at 09:43A 39-year-old man was shot in the leg in a punishment-style attack in Dublin on Friday night was targeted by a gunman at a home on Rutland Avenue in Crumlin shortly after 9.45pm A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí and emergency services responded to a report of a firearm discharge at a residence on Rutland Avenue but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to St James’s Hospital The scene has been preserved for forensic examination and investigations are ongoing.” It is understood the man was shot in the leg in a punishment-style attack and will survive the incident but will remain in hospital over the weekend Gardaí are investigating whether his attackers deliberately shot him in the leg in a punishment-style attack rather than intending to kill him Early indication suggest the attack is not connected to any ongoing gangland feud Gardaí are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them “Any road users who were in the Rutland Avenue and surrounding areas between 9:15pm and 10:15pm and who may have camera footage (including dash-cam footage) are asked to make this available to gardaí,” a spokesman said “Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sundrive Road Garda Station on 01 666 6600 the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111 The incident comes days after a gunman opened fire on two men in a car in north Dublin The man had been sitting in the vehicle in Ballymun around 10.30pm on Tuesday when they said they were chased by two other men in vehicle They told gardaí one of the men opened fire on them as they reached a slip-road towards the M50 It is understood six shots were fired as the chase continued along the motorway and onto Clonshaugh roundabout before they sped along the N32 towards Malahide The men managed to escape their attackers and ran into Malahide Garda Station At least one bullet hit the vehicle but neither man was injured That incident is not believed to be linked to the Crumlin shooting There have been a number of shooting incidents so far in Ireland in 2025 but no gun murders so far There were just two fatal shootings in Ireland last year Gun dealer and former solider Paddy O’Mahony Sr (84) was shot dead in his home in Castlemaine Former solider Thomas Carroll (67) of Brookway was subsequently charged with murdering the father-of-five Josh Itseli (20) was shot with an AR-15 assault rifle in Drimnagh It is believed he was accidentally shot by an associate as they and others were on their way to target rivals in Drimnagh Gardaí believe that Josh was one of four people in car which was rammed when they were on the way to carry out a pipe bomb attack The three men in the vehicle with him were later arrested but were subsequently released while investigations continued and file was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions The number of gun killings in way down from the amount between the 2000s and 2010s There were more than 200 people shot dead in the decade between 2005 and 2015 as multiple gangland feuds raged across the country The killings increased during the Kinahan-Hutch feud which began in 2015 but have dipped significantly in recent years as gardaí have successfully thwarted numerous planned attacks and locked up key players Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices WRIGGLESWORTH MAIREAD (Nee McGeown) died 8th November 2024 peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family.Beloved wife of Bob and much loved mother of Carl and Zoe Rest in Peace.Mairead will be removed from her residence at 10.30am on Monday to the Mater Dei Church This can be viewed at https://www.churchservices.tv/materdeicrumlinInterment afterwards in St Aldergrove.Donations in lieu of flowers if desired to the Alzheimers Society c/o Eastwood Funeral Directors 02894454114Deeply regretted by her sorrowing husband sister Gwen and entire family circle.Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on her Soul Donations in lieu of flowers if desired to the Alzheimers Society c/o Eastwood Funeral Directors [email protected]