CTS Projects Ltd, an Industry leading heating installation company based in Warrenpoint, is celebrating being awarded ‘Northern Ireland’s Heating Installer Of The Year 2016,’ by UK wide, Installer Magazine.

The awards, judged by industry experts and sponsored by Continental Underfloor in conjunction with Daikin UK, Graham Plumbers’ Merchant and Adey, were created to shine a spotlight on the industry and reward the very best work of the 120,000 plumbers and heating engineers across the UK, for their outstanding work and dedication.

Regional winners were announced during last week, with CTS Projects lifting the award for the Northern Ireland region, on the strength of an outstanding testimonial provided by their client, Clanmill Housing Association, for work carried out at the Curzon Apartments, Belfast.

The company will now compete to be crowned the UK’s National Heating Installer of the Year 2016 and the overall winner will be revealed at the National Heating and Plumbing Show, Installer 2016, which takes place in May at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.

Connaire McGreevy, Founder and Managing Director of CTS Projects said; “The management and staff of CTS Projects are truly delighted to be the recipient of Northern Ireland’s Heating Installer of the Year 2016 Award.

“As a small business, it is particularly gratifying to receive this award on behalf of a team of extremely skilled and dedicated people.  Our company maintains a sound environmental ethos, the highest health and safety standards along with absolute consideration for all our clients and their tenants who are affected by the work that our company carries out, particularly when installing heating systems in the homes of the elderly or vulnerable.”

Recent contract wins over the last year have seen the company increase its market share in social housing across the Island of Ireland, with nearly 25% of the Northern Ireland social housing heating maintenance and upgrades carried out by CTS.

Mr McGreevy pointed out that the national award is voted for by the public and, as such, the company would be grateful if its clients, customers and suppliers, both past and present would show their support by voting online for CTS Projects at www.hi-awards-2016.org.uk/shortlist/.

A former nurse from Crossmaglen aims to pass on an important message of hope for the future to those dealing with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia via her self-penned guide to  choosing a nursing home. Retired nurse Ann Marie Gallogly, who practised for over 30 years, has used her vast knowledge and experience to compile an accessible guide for Alzheimer’s patients and their families, reiterating the idea that sufferers and their families can have a valuable life with the support of the right Nursing Home.

The book, “Alzheimer’s – Dementia:  Find the Best Nursing Home with Sister Ann”, is essentially  an information guide on how to recognise a good nursing/care home for people suffering from dementia and in particular Alzheimer’s type dementia. The book deals with areas such as location, décor or unit, trained staff, nursing care, activities, and abuse, which are all important factors when choosing a home.  It advises families on everything they need to know before visiting their first nursing home, necessary questions and important details to look out for when visiting a home. Also discussed is challenging behaviour and the benefits of admitting the Alzheimer’s patient to the home.

Dementia and person-centred care (PCC) are also discussed in detail.

The book is written in a step by step approach in layman’s terms to help families decide which home to choose for their loved one. This can be done effectively by walking around the home, observing and knowing what questions to ask.

The book differs from others on the market in that it uses real life case studies, which the author has drawn from her working life as a nurse, The book also assumes that the reader has limited knowledge of how the care home operates and how the home can influence and benefit the resident.

Sister Ann’s guide will be of invaluable help to people who have recently been diagnosed with dementia, their families and friends but can also be used as an educational guide for all people working in the care industry with particular reference to staff in care homes.

At present the book is available to purchase through Authorhouse, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Ann’s own website  (www. srannsalzheimershome.com). Books can also be purchased direct from the author by emailing srannshome@gmail.com.   Arthouse publicists are currently arranging advertisements in The New York Times, Readers Digest and other publications and newspapers and the book is being publicised in International Book Fairs.

Ann has embarked on a publicity campaign which included book signings in Newry Library on Saturday 26th March from 11am to 1pm and later on Saturday 26th March at Eason in Buttercrane Shopping Centre from 2pm to 5pm. Everyone is invited to come along to support the local author.

Local voluntary groups in Newry have warned that they will oppose any plans by the Council to build a new multi-million pound Civic Centre at the city’s Albert Basin site.

It is understood that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has hired consultants to help identify a site for a new state-of-the-art facility as the current Monaghan Row base does not meet space requirements.  It is expected that consultants will look at a number of potential locations including the council-owned Albert Basin which it attempted to sell 6 years ago for £10million.

Voluntary groups, Newry Maritime Association, Newry 2020 and Newry Urban Sports have all said they will oppose any such plans, and have called for the site to be transformed into a green recreational space for the public.   The groups are urging the council to turn the site into a sprawling “central park” for the city which would be used for recreational and social purposes., The Newry 2020 group have pointed out that Newry is the only city in Ireland without a city centre park and have cited research which shows that access to green space is critical for the health and well-being of children and older people. The group say they have received huge support from local groups and individuals for its green space vision and say the Albert Basin site is the only viable location in the city for a central park whereas there are numerous locations to house a new Civic Centre.

The group have called on elected representatives to protect the site as a shared space for the people of Newry and are urging individuals to show their support by adding their signature to the online petition launched last year at http://change.org/p/newry-needs-a-central-park.

Meanwhile the Council say the civic centre project is in its infancy and that progress reports will be tabled at future Council meetings for consideration.

The Newry branch of Hughes Insurance has announced it is set to close its doors this April.

The closure is part of an organisational restructure which will see half of the company’s branches close, resulting in the loss of 20 jobs.

The company has said that the re-structure has been prompted by changes in consumer habits as more and more people purchase insurance policies online.

The company has its headquarters in Newtownards and has 11 branches in total. Staff have been informed that branches will close in Ballymena, Ballynahinch, Lisburn, Magherafelt and Omagh as well as Newry, with the 5 other branches remaining unaffected.

Indeed, the branches in Coleraine, Derry, Glengormley, Portadown and Belfast have been earmarked for growth amid the company’s £1 million investment on a new e-commerce platform.

It is understood that some staff members will be offered the opportunity to relocate to company headquarters or other branches.

In a statement, Hughes Insurance said that it would “make every effort to avoid redundancies where possible.”

“Where it isn’t possible, any redundancies will be voluntary led, or for certain roles, the opportunity to reapply for new positions may exist.”

Hughes Insurance said that it had written to all affected branch customers about the changes.

Meanwhile, Orla Jackson, the Chief Executive of Newry Chamber of Trade and Commerce commented: “It is with great sadness that we hear of the closure of Hughes Insurance in Newry and five other locations in Northern Ireland.

“This will have a devastating impact on the employees affected within these branches.

“I trust that those employed in the Newry branch will be afforded every opportunity for redeployment within the company structure.”

A Newry man who discovered a cache of power tools dumped in his back garden has been commended for alerting his local councillor to the find.  The tools, which are believed to have been stolen were found in the the garden of a Meadow resident last week.  The man contacted Sinn Fein representative Charlie Casey and the items were handed over to the PSNI.

Former Newry Mayor, Mr Casey praised the man for getting in contact with him.

“On viewing the items it was clear that the tools had been lying there for some days as some of the cases had partly filled with water,” said the Sinn Fein Councillor.

“I would like to commend this person for contacting us and recognising that someone’s livelihood had been taken from them.

“There has been an upsurge in burglaries at houses and garden sheds in recent weeks and I would appeal to residents to be vigilant and make sure that all doors are properly locked and secured.

“I would also condemn those thugs who prey on the vulnerable and steal at will; you are not wanted in our communities and your actions will not be tolerated.

“The tools have been handed over to the PSNI in the hopes they can track down the rightful owner. If you think you might own the tools contact the PSNI in Ardmore.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has confirmed that admission charges to Slieve Gullion Forest Park will not be introduced ahead of this weekend’s Easter holiday period.

There has been widespread public opposition to speculation that visitors to the popular tourist attraction would be charged a £5.00 admission fee to access the Slieve Gullion Courtyard, which features children’s favourite, The Giant’s Lair trail, and the facility’s award-winning play area.

It had been suggested that the charges would commence this week ahead of the Easter break, which traditionally sees an influx of visitors to the site.

Revealing that the introduction of a proposed admission charge is currently under consideration, a Council spokesperson confirmed to The Examiner that a final decision would not be reached ahead of the Easter holidays.

The Council says the admission charge is necessary to help fund investment in the park and maintain its facilities and will only be charged in high season with free entry continuing “during the winter period and midweek outside the Easter and summer season”.

Nevertheless, the move, together with the Council’s plan to permit hot food and ice cream vendors to operate in the park, has impacted on the decision of the Courtyard’s café owner to terminate his managing of the park’s on-site restaurant.

Graeme Finegan of Grounded said unfavourable lease renewal negotiations, along with the proposed £5.00 admission charge and the presence of “unlicensed food vendors” are behind his decision to pull out.

The lease of the café premises is overseen by the Clanrye Group, which is also based in Slieve Gullion Courtyard.

When contacted by The Examiner, Mr Finegan said he did not “point the blame at any one party involved” in the running of the facility on his reluctant decision to leave, but admitted he and his team are “distraught at leaving our home in Slieve Gullion”.

Taking a swipe at the Councl’s plan for admission charges and mobile food vendors, he said: “If the outrage at proposed charges and the presence of fast food traders in a place which was intended to create more active and healthy families makes the authorities even backtrack a little on their proposals, it will be a win for the community at large.”

On the subject of outside food operators, the Council spokesperson said: “To meet visitor demand and provide the visitor with choice, the Council have appointed two mobile vendors, one hot food and one ice-cream. This will provide the visitor with the choice of visiting the cafe, using the picnic facilities or the mobile vendor.”

The Council also confirmed it did not have a contractual arrangement with Grounded for the café provision in Slieve Gullion, which, it said “ is a private arrangement with Clanrye Developments, and Council can therefore not comment on this matter”.

Meanwhile, the Courtyard café is to reopen this Thursday under the management of Synge and Byrne, the south Armagh coffee brand owned by Silverbridge brothers Damien and Adrian Garvey, directors of the BWL group.

On the subject of admission charges, the Council endeavoured to justify the move, saying such fees are necessary to maintain the current high standard of the facility.

Public opinion on the proposals, however, has been vociferous with many taking to social media to vent their opposition. One user accused the Council of being “shortsighted” in its decision to introduce an admission fee, while others slammed the proposed development without proper public consultation.

Responding, the Council spokesperson said: “Slieve Gullion Forest Park is an excellent resource for both the local community and an increasing number of visitors. The Park has received substantial investment in recent years, which is a major factor on the huge numbers who choose to visit.

“To provide a facility to this high standard requires substantial annual investment by the Council in staffing, litter control, parking and toilet facilities. In addition further investment is required to provide enhanced parking and additional toilet facilities, which is some of the future capital investment planned. To help fund investment in the Park and ensure the facilities at Slieve Gullion are maintained to a high standard, the Council is considering the introduction of a charge into the car park.

Traffic congestion at Slieve Gullion Forest Park last Easter.

“It is anticipated free entry to the Park will continue during the winter period and midweek outside the Easter and summer season. No date has been agreed to commence charging and advance notification of this will be provided once agreed.

“In addition a season ticket will be available which will be particularly beneficial to regular visitors to the Park. It is anticipated free entry to the Park will continue during the winter period and midweek outside the Easter and summer season.”

This news has done little to quell public concern over the charge with some individuals pointing out that the charge will affect everyone, even those who live near the mountain as they need to drive to the Slieve Gullion car park due to the dangers of walking on the Forkhill Road.

Another has called for local councillors and MLAs to question the Council’s motives for a charge, suggesting that “because the Council has woken up to our mountain’s commercial potential, we are now expected to pay for the privilege of taking our children to the very same mountain”.

The issue of parking at the tourist hotspot reached crisis levels during last year’s Easter holiday period when it became a “victim of its own success” as record numbers of visitors  flocked to the area, creating traffic tailbacks stretching several miles, with the volume of cars effectively blocking the main Newry to Forkhill road.  The situation led to the Council introducing a Park and Ride facility in July last year to help minimize the impact of high visitor numbers on residents living close to Slieve Gullion.

The service drew mixed reactions from the public with some branding it impractical for families and others believing that it did not adequately address the parking problem.  The Council admitted it was a temporary measure and that it was working on a permanent solution.  It seems its latest commitment to a parking charge during the peak season as a way of tackling parking issues is also proving to be controversial, despite the presence of admission charges at a number of forest parks and recreational spots throughout the area, including Tollymore Forest, Gosford and Castlewellan.

The controversy surrounding Slieve Gullion and its activities was also compounded by a social media post which appeared on the Giant’s Lair Facebook page advising visitors that “Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have made a decision to not permit any events, activities or story tours at the Giant’s Lair over the Easter and Spring term”.

The innovative ‘living storybook’ project, led by Newry-based Sticky Fingers Arts, features fairy houses and art features dotted along a mile-long woodland path through the forest.

The Giant’s Lair team followed up the initial post with another which claimed that since a Council meeting which took place last June, the group has been attempting to resolve issues between them and have now been told by the local authority that “they [Council] now own Giant’s Lair and ordered Sticky Fingers to hand over the keys and leave”.

The post continues: “[Council] also stated that they had made a decision to stop all activities and events.  All of this is documented.  Slieve Gullion Councillors were aware that this happened and did not take any action.”

In response to The Examiner’s enquiry into this issue, a Council spokesperson said: “The Service Level agreement between Sticky Fingers Arts and Newry and Mourne District Council sets out the roles and responsibilities of each party to ‘regulate the running of the Giant’s Lair Project at Slieve Gullion Forest and associated activities and maintenance of artwork, play pieces and interpretation panels.’

“The agreement is silent on the matter of formal programmes, which confirms it was not the intention of the parties that Sticky Fingers Arts would organise formal programmes around the project.

“Furthermore the Licence Agreement Council has with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in respect of permission to use the lands at Slieve Gullion for the Giant’s Lair project, does not include permission to use the lands for events for which an entry fee would be charged.

“Any intention of Sticky Fingers Arts to organise formal programmes in Slieve Gullion would be subject to the approval of the Department and Council, which would require an agreement in respect of revenue sharing to demonstrate best value is being obtained by the Department and Council, particularly as the Council has committed significant funds towards the project and the maintenance of same over the next ten years.

There will be a full programme of Council run events in the Park over Easter.”

The Sticky Fingers Art Group had not responded to The Examiner’s request for clarification on their claims ahead of printing deadline.

A local Independent councillor is set to draw on his own experiences in order to tackle the issue of youth homelessness and “sofa surfing” across the district.  Kevin McAteer has teamed up with his fellow Indy/Alliance councillor Patrick Brown in setting up a unique homeless project to help local people who are homeless or under threat of becoming homeless to get themselves back into employment.

Tuff Cycle NI is a new initiative for Northern Ireland spearheaded by the pair in order to empower homeless people in the area to improve their employability, skills and wellbeing. The project aims to also recognise and offer assistance to those living in a situation which is often referred to as “invisible” or “hidden” homelessness as those affected by it are not living on the streets but are relying on the generosity of friends and family for somewhere to sleep. Tuff Cycle hopes to equip homeless people with the tools and resources they need to make sustainable, positive change in their lives.  Workshops and advice sessions aim to better enable people to take steps into employment, training or education whilst also reducing social isolation and facilitating the personal development of those affected.

For Kevin, who went through a period of “sofa-surfing” himself, the project is something he is fiercely passionate about as he has first hand experience of the vicious cycle which can affect employment prospects and in turn any hope of securing a permanent home.

“I used to be homeless and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,” Kevin told The Examiner.

“I sofa surfed for about three months and, mentally, it’s a really hard thing to go through and an extremely difficult situation to get out off.

“When I was going through it I used to go to Newry Library every day to use their computer to search for jobs.  I got an interview for my current job and had to borrow and shirt and tie from a friend for the interview,” added the Councillor.

“Luckily, I got the job and used the first month’s wage to put a deposit down on private rented accommodation, so I was able to get myself out of the cycle of sofa surfing, but it definitely wasn’t easy.”

Kevin says the message to young people in the same predicament is that the Tuff Cycle programme will provide all the help and support it can, with workshops on interview skills and CV writing and advice and guidance on housing and other issues, but successfully escaping the sofa-surfing cycle requires total commitment from participants in the project.

“I’ve already reached out to a few people in this situation who I’m trying to help and the first thing I advise is that we can help as much as we can, point people in the right direction but you have to be committed to pulling yourself out of this hole. Ultimately you will be the one that pulls yourself out of this situation. We will be helping people to help themselves.”

Tuff Cycle is the brainchild of Kevin’s colleague, Independent councillor Patrick Brown, who set the project up as a student in Sheffield, where it has continued to operate over the last few years.  When Patrick heard about Kevin’s personal experience of homelessness the pair decided to join forces to try to help people in Northern Ireland living in this situation.

“We’re starting off the project in Newry and if it’s a success here we hope to expand our reach into other cities, like Belfast, where the homeless issue has reached crisis levels,” explained Kevin.

“There is very little in Newry for homeless people and there are a lot of hidden homeless here.  Just because they’re not sleeping on the streets doesn’t change the fact that they don’t have a secure roof over their heads and instead are relying on friends to put them up on a sofa or floor.  That’s a tough existence that can really drag you down if you don’t have access to resources and programmes like this which can help.”

Tuff Cycle has been funded from the Big Lottery project and the councillors are currently looking at premises in the city to house the organisation.  Even in its infancy, the project has received very positive feedback and Kevin says they have been inundated with offers from volunteers hoping to work for the programme.

“You only have to look at the news to see that people are dying on the streets in Belfast and I think people are beginning to realise this is a massive issue.  I’m a firm believer that every one of us is just a few pay packets away from being homeless. Tuff Cycle aims to help those living in this isolating and soul destroying situation, to escape the cycle of despair into the security of a home to build a life in.”

For more information on the service and to keep up to date on its progress, follow the  newly created Tuff Cycle NI facebook page.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has denied claims that visiting boats are being prohibited from accessing the Albert Basin in Newry but has admitted that berthing points on the Quay have been allocated for this year.

The issue came to the fore last week after local boat owner Jonathan Cully claimed that boats were being denied access at Victoria Lock on the advice of the Council’s Tourist Information Centre who informed them that access to berthing alongside the Quays Shopping Centre at Albert Basin is to be “restricted to the ten craft currently there.”

Taking to social media to reiterate his concerns, the skipper of the vessel SY Jorodeta said that,

“Eleven boats want to come up, 3 have been refused, others that are in are scared to leave as it is indicated the berth can not be reserved and two boats outside have been waiting since last year having paid in full in advance. New policy as yet unconfirmed by council and not available in minutes as of yet, suggests that no more than ten connections to electricity are to be made, however as of last night the ten boats on the quays, only 5 are connected. there is in excess of 180′ of berthing available and 5 electric hook ups unused…but no boats allowed in.”

The ship master added that “new and emerging council policy suggests that as far as tourism for 2016 forwards for water based activities, Newry is off the map” and that vessels intending to visit Newry “will now need to sensibly consider ignoring the widely advertised and published access information provided by the official agencies for navigation, remove Newry as a possible destination for commercial, historic or leisure tourism, and make safe alternative arrangements to shelter from sea.”

Restoration of the sea gates at Victoria lock was completed last year and it was assumed this could herald a new beginning for recreational users of the canal.  According to Mr Cully though, “following a period that has seen maritime events, water sports and mooring facilities thrive, it is regretful now that access to this extraordinary and historically significant public monument, is to be denied to the rate-paying, voting public.”

Maritime group IWAI Newry and Portadown echoed Mr Cully’s concerns calling for an explanation for what it described as a “ridiculous policy.”  Speaking via the group’s facebook page, the IWAI reiterated that, in 2014, Newry was fast becoming a yachting destination and safe harbour for sea-going boats, with almost 30 boats spending the winter in the Basin.

“Most departed when repairs to Victoria Lock started in 2015 and we were left with only 10 this winter.”

“The repairs are now complete but it seems we won’t be seeing any more boats in the basin as the Tourist Information Centre has informed local yacht Jorodeta that the basin is full and no-one else will gain admittance. It is beyond belief that this virtually untapped local resource is so badly managed by the Council. Why spend all that money on the lock when no more boats will be able to use it?”

Responding to the access claims, a Council spokesperson told The Examiner that,

“Newry, Mourne and Down District Council would encourage visiting boats to continue to come to Newry, Mourne and Down District via Albert Basin for commercial, historic or leisure days out. Access will certainly not be denied however please note that all mooring/electrical points on the Quay have been allocated for 2016.”

With the understanding that the limiting factor for berthing at the Albert Basin is the presence of just 10 electricity points, the IWAI Newry and Portadown group have suggested that “the simplest way out of this dilemma is to allow additional berthing without access to electricity,” insisting that genuine boaters would not be deterred from mooring by not having shore power.  “Boats use a harbour as a safe haven not for provision of electricity,” said the IWAI.

Retaining its status as a one of the north’s “must see” visitor attractions, Slieve Gullion Forest Park is expected to receive the customary high influx of visitors over this Easter holiday period and extending into the summer season.

To facilitate demand and maximise the opportunity for visitors to experience Slieve Gullion, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has established a Park & Ride facility, aimed at reducing problems with access and parking which have previously been an issue during holiday periods.

The park and ride service will operate from 10am to 6pm every weekend from Easter to June and daily during July and August.  The cost is £1 per person return and free for children under 3 years of age.

With the proposed introduction of a £5 admission charge to Slieve Gullion carpark, the park and ride facility will, undoubtedly, be welcomed by many potential visitors to the park.

Speaking about the service, Council Chairperson, Councillor Mickey Ruane said, “The past five years have seen an investment of £1.4 million in the facilities at Slieve Gullion which has no doubt contributed to the 4 star rating for visitor attraction received from Tourism NI.”

“The Council recognises the potential of Slieve Gullion has to be one of very few 5 star visitor attractions in the north of Ireland and has identified the need for continued investment, with funding in the excess of £400,000 planned to provide a new toilet block and provision for additional parking.  Combined with Council resources, the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership are planning a range of projects which will see investment of £310,000 over the next three years that will continue to enhance the product offering at Slieve Gullion.”

Councillor Ruane revealed that a “major event” that “promises to bring Cú Chulainn to life” will be staged at Slieve Gullion later this year, as part of the Council’s vision to establish the attraction as “the premier outdoor tourism destination in Ireland”.

He also pointed out how Slieve Gullion and its resources can feature as part of school curriculum activities and said tours for schools, playgroups and youth groups can be arranged by contacting Newry Visitor Information Centre on 028 3031 3170.

The Slieve Gullion Park & Ride facility is located close to Junction 20 off the M1 motorway.  For more information contact Newry Visitor Information Centre.

Bringing the issue of ambulance cover in south Armagh to the attention of the Assembly recently, Sinn Fein MLA Megan Fearon says she is “deeply disappointed” at Health Minister Simon Hamilton’s response to the matter.

Ms Fearon says she questioned the Minister on 19th February over what steps were being taken to improve ambulance cover in south Armagh, however it was five weeks later before she received a less-than-satisfactory reply.

“His answer, when it did come, hurried out in the last days of the Assembly, contained nothing of substance for the people of the area,” she said.

“This is an incredibly serious issue; literally life and death, which is why, firstly, I’m hugely disappointed that it took the Minister five weeks to reply to my question.

“He even went so far as to cite the First Responder Scheme in his reply, an organisation set up by the community because of the lack of adequate ambulance cover in the area. I find it astonishing that the Minister is now relying on a community group that was set up to try and offset the potentially tragic consequences of his failure to provide proper ambulance cover for South Armagh.”

Ms Fearon went on to reveal details of a recent incident which highlights such inadequate cover: “A guitarist took a heart attack during a gig in a south Armagh GAA club.  Thankfully, he is fine and the paramedics who treated him were exceptional.  However, the band playing was able to call a replacement guitarist who, at short notice, was able to come from Banbridge and was on stage playing before the ambulance even arrived,” she revealed.

“This is not a criticism of the paramedics, who do an outstanding job with the resources they are given, this is an issue of the distribution of those resources and it seems quite clear to me that the Minister has decided the people of south Armagh can just do without,” she added.

“It’s unacceptable and neither myself, nor the people of south Armagh, are going to stand for it.”

As controversy surrounding Slieve Gullion and its activities continued last week,  the group behind an innovative living storybook set in Slieve Gullion Forest Park have opened up to The Examiner about their own long running dispute with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

In a statement provided to The Examiner, Grainne Powell, Chief Executive of Sticky Fingers Arts, the group who created the must see cultural attraction, the Giant’s Lair, have claimed that during a meeting with Council representatives last year, they were informed that “the new super-Council was in charge of the project and that any previous arrangements or partnership were not being honoured.”

She added that subsequent letters to the Council and Slieve Gullion Councillors asking for a meeting to resolve the problems were “rebuffed” before the group were told in June to “hand over the keys of the Giant’s Lair and the Hobbit’s houses.”

“We have no idea why the council has behaved in this way – it was always clear from the outset that the Giant’s Lair was devised as a long-term project,” said Ms Powell.

“The supporting paperwork is extensive and the only conclusion we can reach is that the Council never actually read any of the supporting documents and therefore had no idea what the project entailed, despite spending ratepayers’ money on its development.

“It would be fair to state that the Giant’s Lair was a success not because of the Council’s input but despite it.”

Sticky Fingers say that the group was solely responsible for coming up with the concept and the ideas behind the flagship project and the site was designed to change with the seasons, “come alive with performance, music and stories throughout the year.”

“Basically we completed all the work,” added the Chief Executive.

“Sticky Fingers secured, raised and invested over 60% of the funding needed for the project as the lead partner.

“The funding from NITB was secured on the condition that Sticky Fingers would jointly manage the project for a minimum of ten years by devising professional quality arts events with regular programmes and activities, create employment within the cultural sector and sustain this through activities and merchandising. A ten-year service level agreement with the Council was signed.

“The details of the full project aims and objectives and all associated programmes and activities were clearly outlined within the business plan and again in the marketing plan and are a matter of public record.”

“The artistic team put so much work, passion and creativity into creating the Giant’s lair, we are extremely proud of what was achieved and by the overwhelming support and appreciation by the local community in south Armagh as well as from across Ireland and beyond.

“It is heartbreaking to now see the little fairy village abandoned and derelict looking with no proper care in maintaining what was such as magical place just left to rot and ruin at the hands of our super council.”

Ms Powell said Sticky Fingers was now in breach of contract with a number of funders, “as we have failed to deliver on the conditions of the grant, which has now jeopardized future events and projects within the area.”

It would seem that the dispute between Sticky Fingers and the Council may also lead to a name change for the project as a Council spokesperson revealed that the arts group have advised they had copyrighted the Giant’s Lair name.

“Since receiving this notification the Council have been referring to the area as The Slieve Gullion Fairy Walk,” said the spokesperson who also claimed that the Council have provided Sticky Fingers Arts “with a number of dates to discuss these matters, but, unfortunately, they have been unavailable on all dates offered.”

Despite the controversy, the Ring of Gullion AONB are keen to reiterate that the Giant’s Lair is open as usual over the Easter break for families to enjoy the magical fairy trail.

The family and friends of Belleek’s woman Séanín Smith have stepped up their fundraising campaign in order to secure vital surgery in America for the 23 year old, whose fragile health has continued to suffer serious setbacks in the last number of months.

In 2012 Séanín was diagnosed with a rare and debilitating condition known as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS).  The progressive and incurable disease affects the skin, joints and muscles causing frequent strokes and seizures as well as affecting vital organs.

She has been hospitalized countless times and has faced huge medical setbacks since her diagnosis, but the inspirational young woman has braved it all with an infectious positivity and determination, with her devoted family and friends by her side.

Over the last six months, Séanín’s condition has deteriorated rapidly and has been told she urgently needs fusion stabilisation surgery to repair the cranial instability she has developed, which has left her unable to support her head.

Her sister Louise told The Examiner that the family had initially hoped Séanín would be one of the first EDS patients to undergo the surgery in the UK but, unfortunately, a leading neurosurgeon has advised that her condition is too complex and she will need to travel to America for the procedure to be carried out by one of the top neurosurgeons in the world, Professor Fraser C. Henderson.

Advised not to fly due to her complex medical conditions, Séanín has recently received the fantastic news that, after months of research and communications, Professor Henderson will meet with her at the beginning of July, and she will sail to New York before travelling on to Maryland for extensive tests ahead of the surgery.

The ‘Fight On’ Campaign set up two years ago has garnered huge support across the country and with the generosity of the local and wider community, it has raised much needed funds enabling Séanín to travel to London’s Hypermobility Clinic at St. John and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital where consultants have finally begun to understand her myriad of EDS-related health problems.

Louise says the news that Séanín will be treated in America has prompted her family and friends to step up their fundraising campaign to help meet the significant medical bills that lie ahead.

Describing her sister’s present condition, she explained: “Séanín has lost an inch in height as her skull has sunk downward onto her spine over the last few months. Due to this, her other health problems have dramatically worsened and she has had very difficult week, suffering prolonged bouts of unconsciousness, seizures and breathing difficulties.

“She is wracked with pain throughout her body, including chest pains and pressure in her eyes. We can only hope Séanín gets a break soon and is able to prepare herself for the extremely difficult journey she has to make and the extensive testing that lies ahead of her.

“We are hoping new members will come on board our committee and help with the fundraising that lies ahead. Our next committee meeting will take place on Thursday 14th April in Tully’s Bar, Belleek at 8pm. If anyone can help in anyway with upcoming fundraising or can give us new and exciting ideas, please come along. We would love to see new faces, everyone is more than welcome,” she added.

In response to an unprecedented demand from supporters wishing to make a donation to the Fight On Campaign for Séanín, the family has set up a Justgiving crowdfunding page to receive donations.

“We are urging people to show support as we try to meet a target of £100,000 to cover the consultations, testing, surgeries and medical bills that lie ahead,” said Louise.

“Séanín desperately needs to get to America to receive treatment from experienced and knowledgeable doctors who understand all of her conditions. We would very much appreciate it if you could donate whatever you can afford to improve Séanín’s quality of life.”

The Smith family hope that Séanín’s appearance in a new “Medical Mysteries” TV series beginning on Channel 5 this week will also help to raise awareness of her sister’s everyday struggle and fight for life and generate even more support for their fundraising campaign. The series begins on Channel 5 this Thursday 24th March at 8pm and Séanín will feature in the programme on Thursday 12th May.

To donate to the Fight On Campaign for Séanín visit the justgiving crowdfunding page at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/fighton-seanin.

Traditional Irish band Cúig launched their album ‘New Landscapes’ with a stunning performance at Dundalk’s Spirit Store on Friday night.

The five-piece group featuring local lads Miceál Mullen from Killeavy; Camlough brothers Eoin and Cathal Murphy alongside the group’s second set of brothers Ruairí and Rónán Stewart from Dungannon treated fans to their own unique style of Trad which has been shaking up the Irish Trad scene since the group formed in 2013.

With a classic mix of banjo, box, pipes/fiddle, guitar and drum kit, the young musicians have already created a distinctive and exciting sound together and their latest musical offering seems set to attract much deserved praise and recognition in the industry.

According to music blogger Clive Price (who can be found at

http://celticworld.tumblr.com/) the band put on an “outstanding” set at Friday night’s album launch.

Speaking about the lads’ unique sound, he said,

“Even to call it ‘traditional Irish’ doesn’t quite catch it all, such are the twists and turns, dips and dives they inject into the old tunes.

“You can be spinning on a reel one minute but rockin’ to a solid beat the next. And then, in the midst of it all, experiencing contemplative calm with a quiet guitar piece.

“Cúig are destined to become lead characters in the ongoing narrative of Irish music. And a good time will be had by all.”

Intrepid cyclist Darren Rowland has set off on his epic 4,000 mile cycle across America in aid of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. The Culloville man took off from Ocean Beach, San Francisco on Sunday morning to embark on the first leg of a two-wheeled trip spanning the breadth of the United States, from San Francisco to New York.  Darren will spend the next two and half months on his bike, travelling south of the Rockies across the Nevada Desert to Dallas Texas, Memphis Tennessee, Nashville Tennessee and Philadelphia before finishing his mammoth journey in New York City on June 16th.

The solo cyclist will have some company for the last leg of his journey when pal Jamie Malone joins him for the 800 mile trek from Louisville Kentucky to New York.

To fulfil a lifelong dream, cycling across the United States, the Mechanical Engineer decided to complete the coast to coast bike ride whilst raising funds for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, a charity close to his heart having known Kevin Bell during his school years.  Darren’s commitment to raise funds for the renowned repatriation charity was also compounded by the tragic death of Silverbridge man Niall Quinn in a boating accident in Australia in January.

A series of hugely successful fundraisers have been held both at home and stateside ahead of his trip and both Darren and Jamie have set up fundraising pages on idonate.ie. Supporters of the intrepid mission can keep up to date on Darren’s cross country trek on the 2Wheels2NewYork Facebook page and blog.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s temporary Park and Ride service, set up to resolve traffic and parking issues at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, has come under fire again with several users contacting The Examiner to express their concerns about the arrangement over the Easter period.

The Council introduced the measure over the Easter holidays last year in an effort to combat severe traffic congestion at the award winning attraction as a result of unprecedented visitor numbers. Despite pledging to provide a long term solution for the 2016 season, the Park and Ride arrangement has once again been established on a temporary basis – this time based at the Jade Centre in Jonesborough.

Some members of the public have questioned the logic of the Council’s decision to operate the Park and Ride facility from Jonesborough as many visitors to the attraction will be unfamiliar with the area and, for local people, it presents an added journey in order to catch a bus to Slieve Gullion.

One parent in particular was also keen to point out that, despite a hugely enjoyable day out at the facility, the unreliability of transport arrangements to and from Slieve Gullion had effectively “ruined the day” for them and will deter them from returning during peak season.

The family claim that on Easter Monday they were turned away from the facility in their car after queuing for a considerable length of time only to be told the car park was full and had closed.

According to the concerned father of three, the family then made their way to Jonesborough and boarded a Park and Ride bus.  At the end of their day trip, the man told us he decided to get the bus back to Jonesborough to return in his car to pick up his family.  He claims that Council personnel at the facility were unable to tell him where to board the Park and Ride bus back to Jonesborough as they had “nothing to do with the Park and Ride service.” After a 45 minute wait at a spot he was directed to by personnel at Slieve Gullion he approached them again and was told to check further down the road.

The man says he decided to take his wife and small children onto the dangerous Newry Road where eventually a Park and Ride bus turned up.  He feels the situation is “unacceptable” as there was a lack of knowledge amongst security staff about the Park and Ride service and that the bus did not enter the facility to pick up passengers, instead forcing them to wait for the next bus on an extremely dangerous stretch of road for pedestrians.

The Examiner contacted the Council requesting clarification on bus times and pick up points and asked why Council staff at the park would be unaware of Park and Ride arrangements.  We also enquired what type of long term measures were being considered such as admission or parking charges and why the decision was made to move the Park and Ride embarkment point from Johnny Murphy’s in Meigh to the Jade Centre in Jonesborough?

In a statement provided to us, a Council spokesperson said:

“The Council are providing a park and ride service to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to have an opportunity to visit Slieve Gullion.

“The park and ride facility for 2015 was a temporary arrangement for 2015.  The Council considered a range of options for 2016 and agreed the most suitable option on a temporary basis for 2016 was the JADE centre in Jonesborough.

“The park and ride provision is available over the Easter period daily, weekend and bank holiday during April, May and June and daily during July and August.  The service operates from 10am – 6pm and patrons are encouraged to go directly to Junction 20 if travelling from Belfast or Dublin.  The service is signposted both from junction 20 and from Slieve Gullion.

“All Council staff at Slieve Gullion are aware of the arrangements for park and ride, a social media campaign is in place and flyers have been produced.

“The Council are currently working  on long term sustainable arrangements for additional parking at Slieve Gullion.”

An 88-year-old pensioner has been granted permission to mount a High Court challenge over a Newry playground being named after hunger striker Raymond McCreesh.

Bea Worton – whose son Kenneth was one of 10 people murdered in the Kingsmill massacre in January 1976 – is challenging the decision by the former Newry and Mourne District Council to call the park after the Camlough man who died on hunger strike in Long Kesh in May 1981.

Mrs Worton was granted leave to seek a judicial review against the Equality Commission and the Council.

In court on Friday her barrister described how McCreesh was reportedly in possession of a rifle used in the Kingsmill killings when he was captured later that year.

David Scoffield QC said: “The applicant’s outrage at this decision (in naming the park) is particularly acute.  She was and remains shocked and bewildered by the insensitivity of the decision.”

Proceedings were issued against the Commission and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Part of the case involves a claim that the naming process breached Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act, which requires public authorities to promote good relations between those of differing religious backgrounds or political opinion.

The Equality Commission, according to Mrs Worton’s legal team, should have found against the local authority and referred the matter to the Secretary of State.

Tony McGleenan QC, responding for the Commission, argued that it had gone through a painstaking process before making recommendations stating: “It’s difficult to establish any arguability that there’s been a public law wrong by the Commission.”

However, Mr Justice Maguire ruled that the challenge should proceed to a full hearing on claims that the Commission was in breach of Section 75 requirements.

He also held that an arguable case had been established against the Council over allegations its decision was irrational, unreasonable, pre-determined or biased.

Dismissing calls for the case to be thrown out due to delay, he said: “There’s a matter of public interest involved in this particular decision.”

Mrs Worton, who was present in court for the hearing, expressed her delight at the outcome.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) has said the suspension of additional clinics within hospitals and the independent sector, coupled with a rise in demand for services, has led to an unprecedented increase in waiting times for hospital services.

A spokesperson from the Trust made the admission in response to an inquiry from The Examiner after we were contacted by an angry reader who has been forced to wait more than six months for an appointment with an ENT consultant.

Further examination revealed waiting times for almost every health department are far in excess of government guidelines, with some patients waiting up to two years to see a specialist doctor.

When asked to explain the current waiting times within the Southern Trust area and how they are reflective of current government guidelines, a SHSCT spokesperson said it regretted the increasing waiting times being experienced by patients and that demand for hospital services across Northern Ireland was continuing to grow “beyond the capacity that is currently available”.

“A decision was taken (in July 2014) by The Health & Social Care Board to suspend additional clinics within our hospitals and within the Independent Sector due to the financial constraints within public services in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the loss of this capacity coupled with a further rise in demand for services has led to increased waiting times for all specialties,” the spokesperson said.

“Some additional recent funding was secured as part of November monitoring and is being used to address waiting times for both outpatient and treatment waits.

“We are continuing to work with the Health and Social Care Board (which commissions services for the public) to do everything possible to reduce waiting times for our patients.”

A petition rejecting any motion to rename Raymond McCreesh play park in Newry has received almost 2000 signatures since it was launched just two weeks ago.

The appeal comes after it was revealed that the mother of one of the men murdered in the Kingsmill massacre in 1976 has been granted permission to mount a High Court challenge over the naming of the Newry playground after hunger striker Raymond McCreesh.

Bea Worton – whose son Kenneth was one of 10 people murdered in the Kingsmill massacre in January 1976 – is challenging the decision by the former Newry and Mourne District Council to call the park after the Camlough man who died on hunger strike in Long Kesh in May 1981.  Her barrister said that Mrs Worton “remained shocked and bewildered by the insensitivity of the decision,” in light of claims that McCreesh was reportedly in possession of a rifle used in the Kingsmill killings when he was captured later that year.

Proceedings were issued against the Commission and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, after a judge ruled that the naming process breached Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act, which requires public authorities to promote good relations between those of differing religious backgrounds or political opinion.

Since it’s launch, 1937 supporters of the park name have flocked to sign the petition, with over 600 of those leaving messages on the ipetition site reiterating their support that the park, situated in the mainly nationalist area of Patrick Street in the city, should keep its name “in respect and honour of this great man.”

The petition itself demands that “The many who admire Irish freedom fighter Raymond McCreesh have as much right to remember him in this way as those who admire unionist peers, British knights and British kings.”

Those behind the petition have been sharing it on social media sites since the pensioner’s High Court challenge was announced but it remains to be seen whether the voices of local residents will be heard amid the ongoing controversy over the naming of the play park.

The “Say No to renaming Raymond McCreesh Park” petition can be found at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/say-no-to-renaming-raymond-mccreesh-park

There are fresh hopes that the stalled Narrow Water Bridge project could be kick-started again after a key figure in the business and planning permission for the scheme presented a new proposal which would involve merging the original bridge plan with the Newry City Southern Relief Road scheme.

Michael Curran, the former director of economic and cross-border development at Louth County Council,  said he believes integrating the two projects “makes a lot of sense,” and would provide “significant transport benefits for the region along with the tourism benefits which the original scheme would offer”.

Proposals to build the cross-border road bridge, across the Newry River linking counties Down and Louth collapsed in 2013 after it emerged that the  €18m originally budgeted for the project was at least €12m below what was needed.  Stormont then pulled out of the scheme after the withdrawal of European Union funding.

Mr Curran, who was involved in helping to secure EU funding for the original Narrow Water Bridge, also worked with Newry and Mourne Council at the time to investigate access to Warrenpoint port from the M1, known as the Newry City Southern Relief Road.

Before his retirement in 2014 he was part of a group on Louth County Council that investigated the possibility of merging the two projects.  Last week, he revealed that the new proposal had been presented to both the Irish government and Stormont, with “a very positive response” received.

“The bridge connection together with this ‘relief road’ link to the motorway would remove a considerable quantity of port traffic from Newry thus relieving congestion in the town and removing bottlenecks,” he said.

Outlining the significant reduction in costs for the integrated scheme, Mr Curran said,

“The estimated construction costs for the two schemes are significantly different, with the current estimates for the Newry scheme to be in the region of €200m, as opposed to our estimated costs for the Narrow Water Bridge and road upgrade scheme to be in the order of €55m,” he said.

“We consider that this scheme offers all the benefits of the proposed NI scheme and includes for significant road improvements on the existing road network in two EU jurisdictions which would offer economic benefits to the region as a whole.

“If grant aid of 40 per cent can be achieved through the Trans-European Network policy, then we would envisage the works on the bridge to proceed.

“The road upgrade and relief road section can be phased over the next three years.

“If we can achieve financial assistance from the two jurisdictions north and south, then we would anticipate the total funding requirement from each government/ council authority/ road service to be of the order of €4.12m per year over a four year period.”

“The east coast of Ireland needs this development if we want to develop the tourist potential in the Mourne/ Cooley region, give access to Warrenpoint and Greenore Port traffic, our local industry and bringing both communities closer together, ” he said.

“The potential for the Mourne region is enormous with the development and regeneration of towns and villages, not to mention the development of rural communities.

“As an individual, I want to see it happen. To open up the Mournes will open up the north even more than before.

“We should be thinking of young people and their futures and are going to create jobs for them.

“There’s so much potential for the Narrow Water Bridge project and potential for tourism on both sides of the border.”

The integrated proposal has drawn mixed reactions from political representatives with Sinn Féin South Down assembly candidate Caitríona Ruane insisting that both initiatives are “two separate projects with separate timeframes.”

“The Narrow Water Bridge project is shovel ready with planning permission on both sides of the border and Sinn Féin is committed to see it delivered,” she said.

SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie said such an idea had been suggested before and was worth considering.

“All avenues must be explored in order to ensure we achieve a Narrow Water Bridge Project,” she said.

“The bottom line is this will be one of the most significant north-south projects. I look forward to the ongoing work that is taking place between officials on the North South Council, which is to report back in June this year to a meeting.

“This has to be promoted and has to be funded by both the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive.”

Newry, Mourne and Down Distrct Council has approved a proposal to develop a cable car ‘gondola’ for the Mourne Mountains.

Plans for the ‘Donard Gondola’ to ferry visitors from a base in Newcastle up into the mountains is part of a tourism roadmap for the area known as the South-East Master Plan.

At a Council meeting on Monday last, officials approved the proposals and said identification of possible locations and tender documents will soon be issued.

Council officials say the gondola would give people a chance to see the spectacular landscape of the area from a unique vantage point.

A spokesperson for Newry, Mourne and Down Council said: “The next step for the council is to issue appropriate tender documents and appoint a company to deliver the visioning plan for Newcastle and the proposed gondola development.  Potential locations will be identified as part of this visioning plan.”

It had been suggested that the gondola would operate from Donard Park at the foot of the mountain range to Millstone Quarry or Thomas Mountain Quarry, with a timeframe of five to 10 years.

Meanwhile, in a letter to local publications, the proposal has been described as “idiotic” and would have an “extremely negative aesthetic impact” on the area of outstanding natural beauty.

Opposing the plan, the author stated: “The mountain is accessible enough and arguing for progress in this respect is just cover for the real pseudo-benefits of improving tourism (which I don’t think it will) or justifying the existence of councillors.  I have yet to meet a local who thinks this is a good idea. But I have met a lot of people who will fight this tooth and nail.”