Staff at the Newry branch of building supplies company Haldane Fisher have voted to strike in a row over pay, the Trade union Unite has revealed.

Workers at the branch, which employs fifty people, have balloted in favour of industrial action over an “unreasonable pay increase” offer of 2.25 per cent.

The industrial action will involve a ban on overtime work and 12 days of strike action. Unite regional officer Sean Smyth described the offer of 2.25 per cent put forward by the management as “measly”, saying it “fails to reflect the reality that workers have endured years of below inflation pay increases and pay freezes in order to safeguard the future of the company in difficult times”.

“On a ballot with a turnout of 40 workers, workers voted for strike action with a majority of 90% in pursuit of the demand of a decent pay increase,” he said.

“Now that Haldane Fisher is enjoying increased profits on a substantially increased turnover, it is time that the workforce’s productivity and contribution are recognised with a real cost-of-living pay increase.”

A spokesman for the firm said the company is continuing “to engage with employee representatives in an effort to agree a solution” and to comment any further would not be appropriate.

In a poignant tribute to former Dromintee GFC player, Peter Hughes, who was tragically killed in a car accident last year, the club’s senior team will line out this season in jerseys inscribed with his initials and player number to honour his contribution and commitment to the squad.

The inscription ‘PH6’ will appear on the jersey below the club crest, which the club says, will keep him “close to their hearts” and “is a fitting addition” to the jersey the teenager had worn “so brilliantly for Dromintee”.

Peter Hughes died alongside his two friends, Conall Havern from Newry and Gavin Sloan from Attical, in a two-car collision on the A1 near Dromore in August 2015.  The Queen’s University students were returning home from Belfast having arranged their accommodation for the incoming academic year.

Peter’s tragic death sent shockwaves throughout the entire community of Dromintee and south Armagh, and his fellow teammates and clubmates were numbed by the tragedy.

Having packed a great deal into his short life, he was held in the highest esteem, not just in his own community, but among all those whose lives he touched.  A past pupil of St. Paul’s High School in Bessbrook, where he held the prestigious position of Head Boy in his final year, Peter excelled both academically and in the field of sport.

Dromintee GFC Chairman, Colm McCoy, said the idea to include Peter’s initials on the jersey came from the senior team who felt they wanted to honour “one of their own”, adding that the Hughes family deeply appreciates the gesture.

“The response to the gesture has been overwhelming and, I suppose, demonstrates once again about the support of the GAA community,” Mr McCoy told The Examiner.

“The idea came from our senior team. Peter had such a strong affiliation with this group of players, and many of them came up the ranks alongside him from underage.  He had already broken into the senior ranks by the time of the accident, so you could imagine how difficult of a time it was, obviously for his family and friends, but also his teammates and the entire club.  The seniors felt that they needed someway to honour Peter, one of their own, and this was the perfect solution. He will now always be close to their hearts.

“I think it shows once again the strength of Dromintee as a community club and I know the Hughes family appreciate the gesture.  It’s important for Dromintee to always remember Peter, and also Gavin and Conall as well,” he added.

The Salvation Army in Newry have launched their new campaign to aid the homeless in the City. The Initiative known as, ‘One Cup’ will give an opportunity for citizens of the district who wish to help those less fortunate by purchasing an extra drink, snack or meal when visiting a participating venue, that can later be collected by those that need it the most.

The initiative which is popularly known in America as ‘Suspended Coffee’ was introduced in Newry by the local church minister of The Salvation Army, Major John Parrott as a response to the unfortunate recent deaths of members of the homeless community in Belfast. A wide range of further help and resources will be made available to homeless from the Margaret Street Community Drop-in including toiletries, hot drinks, snacks, socks, jocks, a listening ear and appropriate signposting to other local services.

A number of local establishments have been approached to take part in the campaign with a large number extremely keen to help this great cause. Participating venues include Retro Café Hill Street, Tin House Coffee, Grounded Coffee Bar, Finnegan and Sons, The Salvation Army and two other venues which have declined open publicity but are displaying the green ‘One Cup’ venue logo.

As the campaign grows it is expected that they will obtain support from many more venues throughout the district to support the homeless community.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Chairperson, Councillor Mickey Ruane visited one of the many participating venues, Retro Café, on Monday last to support and help launch the initiative.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the citizens of Newry, Mourne and Down District to come together to help those in a time of need,” he said.

“The ‘One Cup’ campaign is a great initiative that I would encourage everyone in the City of Newry and the wider district area to get actively involved in.”

Major Parrott from the Salvation Army explained, “We have had reports of people sleeping in the large industrial dustbins, in tunnels, around shopping venues and in Public Areas. We recently came across one man who has been sleeping rough for the last year. The first step in the response came in the form of launching a scheme offering practical assistance to homeless people in the area. The concept was to offer a facility from which homeless people could obtain hot drinks, pasta meals, blankets, sleeping bags some warmth and friendship where otherwise there may be none. The hub of the operation is in the Community Drop-in Centre on Margaret St. Newry.”

While there are no bed spaces available through the service, the teams are committed to building relationships with these individuals, confidentially mapping locations, and providing an on-going support service to these vulnerable people.

Members of the community can help The Salvation Army by supporting the participating ‘One Cup’ venues or by donating sleeping bags, blankets, warm hats, toiletries and a whole range of material goods.

Further details of required donations can be obtained from The Way by telephone on 028 3026 3537, through Facebook or by email on newry@salvationarmy.org.uk

If successful in this week’s Assembly election, promoting tourism in the area will be a key focus of her time in Stormont, Sinn Fein’s Megan Fearon has promised.

The outgoing MLA says South Armagh “has huge potential” as a national tourist destination: “We’re located between the two biggest cities in the country; an idyllic rural getaway in the middle of the eastern economic corridor.  We have stunning scenery, an incredible history steeped in myth and folklore and of course, our greatest asset; the people of the area.

“With the right investment south Armagh could be booming.  We’ve seen with Slieve Gullion what can be achieved when the proper resources are put into place.  This is why, with our latest billboards, we’ve made tourism and investment a central theme, and what better way to highlight it than using the always stunning Slieve Gullion as a backdrop.”

Meanwhile, the three Newry/Armagh Sinn Fein candidates have released their party manifesto outlining plans for the constituency.

Megan Fearon (South Armagh), Cathal Boylan (Armagh) and Conor Murphy (Newry), which they say shows the party’s commitment to local as well as national issues.

“We wanted to outline a plan specifically for the constituency to show that while there is huge work to be done nationally across Ireland, we are first and foremost representatives of the people and these are the bread and butter issues we will be dealing with,” Ms Fearon said.

Conor Murphy said the manifesto showed how Team Sinn Féin would represent people locally, nationally and internationally, making voices heard “from Ballybot to Brussels”; while Mr Boylan says the document clearly illustrates Sinn Fein’s focus “on work and delivery on the ground”.

The charity foundation set up in memory of former Crossmaglen woman, Ann McGeeney, has given her husband and children a focus for their grief and a determination to carry on her community work, her husband, Jimmy Murray, has said.

Ann passed away from cancer in September 2014, aged just 52.  During her life, she was renowned for her community work, both in her native south Armagh and in the wider Warrenpoint area where she later made her home.

Several months after her untimely passing, Jimmy and the couple’s four children, Daisy, Holly, Ardal and James, established the Ann McGeeney Trust in her memory. Having consulted with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI), fundraising began and to date more than £70,000 has been raised.

The Trust is based on the principals by which Ann lived her life – a community worker helping those who needed it most – and money raised through it will help society’s most disadvantaged in areas such as cross-border community work and peace-building, Jimmy has said.

He revealed that it wasn’t until after his wife died that he began to realize just how far-reaching her community work really was.

“I knew Ann was a community worker, but she didn’t come home bragging about people she had helped or things she had done. I knew she worked with those who most needed help – women’s groups, the disadvantaged and the marginalised. In fact, one of her first jobs was in Crossmaglen working on inter-community development,” he said.

Having been contacted by many whose lives she touched, he added: “All these letters from people she had helped started to arrive and I realised what a remarkable job she had done. She had just worked away quietly behind the scenes making a real difference and impact on people’s lives.”

Speaking of the objectives of the Trust set up in her memory, Jimmy said: “We want to echo Ann’s work and are looking at the disadvantaged in society – single parents, new immigrants, cross- border community work and peace-building. These are all the areas Ann was passionate about,” Jimmy said.

“We want it to be about giving money, no matter how small, that will really transform lives and make a difference.”

A special advisory committee oversees the running of the Trust and determines the recipients of grants.

Jimmy says Ann’s death has also brought the family a lot closer and continuing to hear how she touched people’s lives has helped them cope.

“Letters keep coming in. I got one recently from a member of the Travelling community who talked about how much Ann inspired her and how she got into education and a job because of her. Things like that keep me going as I know she will live on because of her family and because of the Trust.

“I just want to stay strong and make her proud.”

For further details on the Ann McGeeney Trust, contact Jimmy Murray on 07776 152595 or Eamon Donaghy, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, on 028 9024 5927.

A woman has been charged in connection with a number of distraction type burglaries which took place across south Armagh last week. The charges were made as concerns were raised amongst the general community in light of a spate of incidents where thieves have forced their way into homes while the occupants were present.

In a recent burglary in Dromintee, thieves entered a house via the back door and stole a handbag while the residents sat in their living room. A vehicle was seen leaving the area and the discarded handbag was found two miles away shortly afterwards. The incident prompted Slieve Gullion Sinn Féin councillor Mickey Larkin to call for vigilance within the community.

Mr Larkin urged residents to increase security at their homes and be aware of unfamiliar cars and people in the area. The theft followed a number of reports of suspicious activity at several properties during the past week.

Intruders fled when challenged during the early hours of the morning at two other homes and police have also visited local business people to warn that they may be the target of criminal gangs operating in the area

In the latest disturbing incident, a Belleek pensioner was left badly shaken after intruders entered her home under the guise of needing a glass of water for a young boy who was feeling unwell. At approximately 7.30pm last Tuesday evening the elderly woman heard someone in the hallway of her property. On checking, she found an adult female and a young boy in her house. The woman claimed that the young boy was ill and asked for a glass of water. The lady asked them to step outside of the house whilst she went into the kitchen. However, when she returned the two intruders were back in the hallway. She escorted the pair from her premises, where it is believed they got into a grey car which was waiting in the estate. The car subsequently left the area.

The woman is described as being between 45 to 50 years of age, approximately 5 foot to 5 foot 2 inches tall, of medium build, with blonde or fair hair tied up in a bun.  She was wearing a grey dress with a pattern on it. The dress had a belt around the waist.

The young boy is described as being approximately 14 or 15 years of age with short fair hair, very slim build and wearing a red hoodie.

Detectives from Reactive and Organised Crime Branch in Newry revealed that a 43 year old woman has been charged in connection with the distraction type burglary in Belleek, along with a number of other offences, including a similar burglary in the Art McCooey Park area of Crossmaglen last Thursday and an attempted burglary in the Castleblaney Street area of Newtownhamilton which also took place on Thursday last.

In total the woman has been charged with 2 counts of burglary, attempted burglary, and a number of motoring offences. She is expected to appear before Newry Magistrates Court today (Monday 2nd May.) May.

Police continue to appeal to anyone with any information about distraction burglaries in the south Armagh area to contact them in Newry on 101. They are particularly keen to speak with anyone who noticed any suspicious females calling at houses in the area trying door handles..

This Saturday (14th May) hundreds of trucks will converge on Silverbridge GFC grounds for the inaugural Thumbs up for Micéal Fords Cross Truck Run in memory of young Silverbridge man Micéal Murphy.

It is expected close to 300 lorries, of all makes and size, will be part of the convoy, which will wind its way from Fords Cross through Mullaghbawn, Forkhill, Lislea, Camlough, Belleek, Newtownhamilton and Cullyhanna, before returning to Silverbridge club.

Commencing at 2.00pm sharp, registration at £30 per vehicle is available online at www.justgiving.com/Lorraine-Ohare ahead of the event or on Saturday at the clubrooms.  Firms registering three or more vehicles can do so at a cost of £25 per truck.

All participants and spectators are invited to enjoy live music and refreshments in the clubrooms during and following the truck run.

The charity fundraiser is being organized by the family and friends of Micéal, who at just 20 years of age passed away in September last year following a short illness.  The Queen’s University student had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour just four months earlier.  Micéal packed a lot into his short life and had already made his mark at University where he was an award-winning student; a talented footballer with his beloved Dorsey Emmet’s club and a keen farmer.

Throughout his short illness, Micéal received unparallelled support from the NI Cancer Fund for Children, a charity which offers assistance and moral support to young cancer sufferers and their families.  To show their appreciation and honour Micéal’s memory, the Murphy family have chosen this charity to benefit from the proceeds of the fundraising Truck Run.

For more information or to make a donation, contact Paddy on 07955870558 or Mark on 07999 012791.

Irish welfare organisations from around Australia came together last week to honour Newry couple Colin and Eithne Bell for the work their repatriation charity has done to assist the families of Irish people killed while travelling or working there.

The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT) was set up by the Bell family  in June 2013, following the death of their son Kevin in a hit and run accident in New York. In the aftermath of his death, his friends and supporters in Newry and abroad rallied round to raise funds to repatriate his body.  Within days the fund grew to £150,000 and when Kevin’s American employers agreed to cover the cost of transporting his body home, the Bells decided to use the money raised to help other families who were visited with the same tragedy.   In just under three years, the KBRT has helped to bring home 170 people who have died overseas, The majority of these tragic deaths have happened in Australia.

In addition to alleviating the financial hardship of repatriation for other bereaved Irish families, Colin and Eithne, along with their six sons and daughters, help to provide emotional and practical support and advice to families, taking on the often painstaking administrative and logistical process and liaising with Irish welfare organisations around the world. The work is done entirely on a voluntary basis from the kitchen table of their Newry home, without any type of government funding.

Last week, the inspirational couple were presented with a bronze sculpture of a wild goose in flight in recognition of their amazing work.   The sculpture, called Flying Home, was created by Smith Sculptors, Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith, an Irish couple who emigrated to Australia in 1984.  The flight theme is in keeping with the symbol of a goldfinch on the KBRT crest -  a poignant reminder of Kevin, who had bought his mum a bird table for Christmas one year and because he was the “only redhead in the family.”

“I see Kevin there with the birds,” said his proud mum Eithne, “Birds always come home to nest, and that’s why we have the trust.”

Presenting the beautiful sculpture to the couple during a LINK conference held in Perth last week, Joan Ross, president of the Claddagh Association in Perth, described the Bell family’s service to the Irish abroad, and their families at home in Ireland, as “truly remarkable”.

Colin Bell thanked the Irish organisations gathered at the conference from Perth,Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, who also provide assistance to the families and friends of people killed in Australia, and said the KBRT was “getting amazing support throughout Ireland, and around the world”.

“I have travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to collect cheques, because people have taken this cause to their hearts,” he added.

The only change on the political landscape in the Newry and Armagh constituency following Thursday’s Assembly election is the new face for the SDLP in the form of Justin McNulty.

Taking over the party mantle from his predecessor, Dominic Bradley, McNulty held on to the party’s sole seat in the constituency, his running mate, Karen McKevitt, came up short in her attempt and was eliminated at the final count.

The overall share of the six seats in the constituency remains the same with Sinn Fein retaining its three MLAs – Megan Fearon, Conor Murphy and Cathal Boylan; and one each for the DUP (William Irwin), the UUP (Danny Kennedy) and the SDLP’s Justin McNulty.

Clever vote management by Sinn Fein saw both Megan Fearon and Cathal Boylan elected on the first count with 6,838 and 6,822 first preferences respectively.  Their colleague Conor Murphy had a longer wait and was deemed elected at the eighth stage as the marathon count came to a close at 1.00am on Friday.

Megan Fearon, the Assembly’s youngest MLA at 25, has represented her party in Stormont for the last four years, having been co-opted to replace the then MP, Conor Murphy, who stood down in line with Sinn Fein policy on double-jobbing.  Having securing a ringing endorsement from the electorate this time around, Ms Fearon says she is “simply thrilled” and paid tribute to those who orchestrated the “thoroughly disciplined” campaign, adding: “We got all the right votes in the right places for the right people”.

While Sinn Fein commanded a 40.9% share of the vote, it was the DUP’s William Irwin who topped the poll in Newry and Armagh with 7,980 first preferences, more than 1,100 over the quota.  He said his success is down to “hard graft” and added: “Our work for all the people ensured we were strong not just in areas like Richhill, Loughgall and Hamiltonsbawn, but across the whole constituency”.

With the quota set at 6,817, the candidates polled first preference votes as follows: William Irwin DUP 7,980; Megan Fearon SF 6,838; Cathal Boylan SF 6,822; Conor Murphy SF 5,854; Danny Kennedy UUP 4,904; Justin McNulty SDLP 4,775; Karen McKevitt SDLP 3,923; Sam Nicholson UUP 1,841; Paul Berry Ind 1,663; Emmet Crossan CISTA 1,032; Martin McAllister Ind 940; Craig Weir Alliance 493; Michael Watters Green 335, Alan Love Ukip 315.

Tributes have been paid following the death of Newry’s oldest resident, Mrs Sally Brady, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 107.

The mother of Sinn Fein MP for Newry and Armagh, Mickey Brady, Sally celebrated her milestone birthday just two months ago.

A mother-of-five, with 27 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren, she was an avid reader and witty conversationalist, described by her family as “a typical Irish mother”.

Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, expressed his sympathy to the Brady family and recalled how he had “the honour and privilege” of meeting Sally during a visit to Stormont with her son.

Stating that he learned of her death “with great sadness”, Mr McGuinness said he found her to be “a charming and intelligent lady with a great spirit”.

“She lived a long and full life which spanned two centuries and witnessed many changes in that time.  My thoughts and prayers are with Mickey, the wider Brady family circle and their friends at this sad and difficult time,” he said.

Sally was predeceased by her husband Willie in 1985, and her son Jim in 1998.

Left to mourn her passing are her surviving children Mickey, Mary, Theresa and Lilian, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Catherine’s Church, Dominic Street, Newry on Saturday and Sally was laid to rest in Monkshill Cemetery.

A Newry woman who has been outspoken in her criticism of the current train service from Newry to Belfast and Dublin, has launched a petition calling on Translink to provide a “better, more fair” rail service for the city.

Gemma McCann, who regularly commutes by train from Newry to Belfast, has accused Translink of discriminating against the people of Newry by offering what she describes as a “substandard service”, providing just 10 trains from Newry to Belfast per day as opposed to 46 per day running from Portadown to Belfast and 49 per day running from Lisburn/Bangor to Belfast.

Gemma believes the disparity in service is down to discrimination by Translink against the predominantly Catholic population of Newry. Highlighting that the last train home from Belfast to Newry is at 8.05pm – over 3 hours earlier than to any of the other stations, Gemma questions why citizens of Newry are expected to travel home so early after an evening out in Belfast or a concert in the SSE Arena.

“Why are the people of Newry being discriminated against in this way? Why are Translink allowed to be treating the people and city of Newry as second class?,” asks the irate commuter who is calling for the issue of late trains to be resolved with the last train home also coming to Newry and not ending in Portadown.

Gemma, who has pledged to present the petition to Translink, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy and Newry SDLP, is demanding that commuter services are enhanced to Belfast from Newry and that all services are direct without changing in Portadown.

She has also called for the frequency of trains throughout the day to be enhanced without any the current two hour gaps in services and for more local NI railways services to be provided during the day to and from Belfast to serve Newry.

The angry train user urges Translink to provide extra services during busy events and to work with Irish Rail to enhance the frequency of trains to Dublin as well as provide Dublin passengers with a proper commuter train home at 6pm.

With signatures on the petition currently standing at over 300, Gemma is appealing to everyone to get behind it.

“The more signatures, the more chance of a fair deal from Translink,” she says.

“There is huge potential for Newry and for our local economy if we can provide a better rail service to our city.

“We would see much more people from Belfast, Dublin, Dundalk, Portadown and Lurgan visit our city centre and great shopping centres if it was easy for them to get here. However, currently it is so difficult for anyone to plan coming here as the times of trains are so restricted!”

To sign Gemma’s petition visit www.change.org/p/translink-call-for-a-fair-rail-service-to-newry-city

Newry girl Jamie Malone is ready to get on her bike and join intrepid cyclist Darren Rowland for the last leg of his epic 4000 mile charity cycle from San Francisco to New York.  Jamie will take to the saddle for the 800 mile trek from Louisville Kentucky to New York, providing Darren with some well earned company on the road for the final 3 weeks of the cycle.

The Culloville man embarked on the gruelling challenge on 3rd April and, apart from a recent two week break due to the intense heat, he has been fervently pedalling his way across America, all in aid of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT).

Having donned his cycling gear once again last week after a well earned break during which he took in the sights of Arizona and New Mexico and attended the Texas Rose of Tralee Festival in Dallas, Darren made it to the Texas/Arkansas state line on Friday.  He described Dallas as a physical and mental midpoint in his journey, being 2000 miles from his start and finish points as well as marking a route change as he will now travel north easterly, heading for New York.

Inspired by her friend’s determination and commitment to the challenge, Jamie decided back in January that she would join Darren on his journey and she embarked on a tough training schedule with a gym instructor. She readily admits that, although the two wheeled trip is completely out of her comfort zone, having never even owned a bike before, she is “determined to see it through” for the sake of raising money for the renowned KBRT, a cause close to her heart.

“I wanted to do something big this year for charity so this seemed perfect and when Darren said it was for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, I couldn’t have been happier,” Jamie told The Examiner.

Having known Kevin Bell in her Irish dancing years when they danced together at the Rooney O’Malley school, Jamie said she was stunned when she heard the tragic news of his death in New York in 2013.  “The work that his family have done in his memory is amazing,” added Jamie.

“I also love to travel, having seen most of Europe, lived in the Middle East and Australia, so this challenge just sounded like an adventure to me.

“I am not a cyclist by any means but I purchased a bike in February and began training then. I still find it strange that I’m going online to buy “nice” cycle gear instead of dresses but I’m really excited.

“Training has been tough going but I feel I am getting stronger and hopefully I will be able to keep up with Darren or he will just have to attach a tow rope!”

As part of Jamie’s fundraising drive ahead of her trip to join Darren on the 28th May, she held a hugely successful High Tea party at St. Killian’s GAA club yesterday (Sunday 15th May).  A prosecco reception was followed by  tea and delicious treats and a raffle.

She has also set up a fundraising page to accept all generous donations and has left sponsor cards with shops and businesses in Dublin.

“I’ve found that just by doing that awareness of the trust is being raised as so many did not know it existed,” said Jamie.

“That is our main aim for the KBRT – as well as wanting to raise as much money as possible for them, we also want to raise awareness all over America for those who don’t know about the Trust and the great work it does.”

To donate to Jamie’s 2wheels2newyork challenge visit

www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11257915_jamie-malone–s-fundraising-page.html

An inquest into the killing of ten Protestant workmen at Kingsmill, near Whitecross more than 40 years ago is to go ahead next week, despite concerns expressed by some of the bereaved families.

The inquest is scheduled to begin next Monday 23rd May and is expected to last around five weeks.  However there have been calls for it to be postponed as it emerged that more than 1,300 pages of police and army intelligence material have still not been handed over.

A lawyer for one of the bereaved families told a preliminary hearing at Belfast Laganside Court of the concerns: “The families are anxious that it is done right. They have waited 40 years,” Fiona Doherty QC, representing the family of John McConville, said.

Ms Doherty said the families wanted an opportunity to read and assess the significance of the sensitive document.

“We know there are at least 1,300 pages of this material,” she said.  “It is not my experience in this forum that an inquest has been commenced when that amount of material is outstanding or is disclosed a day or two beforehand.  A lot of this material is dense and requires extensive analysis.

“Regrettably we do not think it is sustainable to go ahead as scheduled.”

Counsel for the coroner, Sean Doran QC, told the court the outstanding intelligence documentation would not impact on the early evidence but the inquest, which is sitting without a jury, has the flexibility to recall witnesses if necessary.

Responding, presiding Judge Brian Sherrard said he was content to proceed but offered assurances he would look sympathetically at any requests for additional time.

The factory workers were returning home to Bessbrook when they were ambushed on the Kingsmill Road near Whitecross on 5th January 1976.  The only Catholic in the vehicle, Richard Hughes, was ordered to flee before his workmates were shot.  Alan Black (72) was the sole survivor of the attack, despite being shot 18 times.

An original inquest in 1978 lasted just 30 minutes and recorded an open verdict, while in 2013, Northern Ireland’s Attorney General, John Larkin, ordered a new inquest following a long campaign for justice by Mr Black and bereaved relatives.

Mr Black says it was vital this inquest is conducted correctly rather than quickly.

“This is the last chance that we have to get to the truth about what happened at Kingsmill. So it is very, very important that we get everything right.  If that takes a bit more time, then so be it.  Once this closes, Kingsmill will not be mentioned again except in an historical context. It has to be done right,” he said.

Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy welcomed the inquest adding that he hoped it would get to the truth.

“As someone who lives in Bessbrook and who has campaigned alongside the victims’ families for many years, I know how frustrating this process has been,” he said.

“I pay tribute to the families of the victims, the sole survivor Alan Black and all those who have campaigned for justice in this case. I hope that the inquest makes available the maximum amount of information on what was one of the most horrendous acts of sectarian terrorism carried out by the Provisional IRA during its campaign of violence.”

Up to half of the entire workforce at Warrenpoint Harbour could lose their jobs if Britain quits the EU, it has been claimed.

Peter Conway, Chief Executive of Warrenpoint Harbour and the Northern Ireland representative for the British Ports Association, issued the stark warning and warned the public not to “simply sleepwalk” into a so-called Brexit.

He said such a move will have catastrophic implications for Northern Ireland as a whole, and particularly those in the border region.

Outlining the issues that would affect Warrenpoint port, he said: “Trade with our partners in the European Union is the lifeblood of this harbour.  Forty per cent of our trade is with the Republic of Ireland alone.  Trade through Warrenpoint goes north and south of the border. Imagine if the UK lost its free trade status within the EU. Why should any business bother coming to Warrenpoint if there are tariffs when they could just ship to a ROI port unencumbered?”

“I am seriously concerned about the administrative nightmare we would face,” he continued.

“I’ve been speaking to businesses across the EU and they’re already getting jittery about what an EU exit would mean for their relationship with our harbour.  At the moment we’re thriving with animal feed grain coming from France, Germany and Denmark, steel from Portugal and Spain and timber from Estonia, Latvia and Finland.  Furthermore, we export foodstuffs including dairy products, beef and poultry as well as building materials and machinery to mainland Europe.  Any customs clearance and tariffs would make us instantly less competitive and it would also be costly to process any additional customs administration,” he said.

Mr Conway claims the implications of the next month’s referendum “could not be greater or more worrying”.

“We have 200 men and women working here every day and if we lost that 40 per cent trade with the Republic of Ireland, I would expect this to have a detrimental impact on jobs at the harbour, and as many as half of jobs would be under threat. It’s a heart-breaking and deeply troubling prospect.

“This is not scaremongering or exaggeration and I agree there is room for improvement with regards to the EU’s administrative processes. For many years, the port has lobbied to get Northern Ireland the best deal possible in Brussels and we intend to continue doing that.  People shouldn’t simply sleepwalk into a so-called Brexit. The implications are catastrophic for Northern Ireland as a whole and particularly those who operate in the border region,” he added, while urging the public to vote on June 23rd to remain in the EU.

Martha McGrath, the Chair of Macmillan Cancer Support’s fundraising committee in Newry, has received a Macmillan national volunteer award, after helping raise more than £1.3 million for the leading charity over the past 16 years.

Under Martha’s leadership, the Newry and Mourne fundraising team has become Macmillan’s biggest and most successful committee in Northern Ireland, which is why she was nominated for the Richard Hambro Award at the recent Macmillan Volunteers’ Conference in Hinckley, Leicestershire. The award, named after one of the charity’s treasurers, is for individuals who inspire others to make a difference.

A busy grandmother, Martha began fundraising for Macmillan after hearing about the wide range of services and support offered by the cancer charity in Northern Ireland.

She says, “When I was looking after my Aunt, who had terminal cancer, I felt so isolated and lonely.  I would have loved to have someone I could talk to.

“I was invited to a Macmillan event, where I met a man who had been helped so much by his Macmillan nurse.  She’d helped get him a suit, when he lost weight.  More than that, she’d kept him going.  He was in no doubt of that and neither was I.  That’s when I knew it was the charity I wanted to support.”

Over the last 16 years, Martha and her fellow committee members have tried their hand at all sorts of fundraising feats.  Last year, the team organised a Kube challenge event, based on the ITV quiz show, and raised £20,000 in one night.

Despite this, she was surprised to be nominated for an award and says:  “I certainly never expected it because we really are a team.

“There are so many great volunteers who give up so much of their time and for so many different reasons.

“No matter how little, or how much you do, as a Macmillan volunteer you can be sure you are helping people living with cancer.  That’s what I tell all our volunteers and we are always on the lookout for new committee members and new fundraising ideas.”

Heather Monteverde, Head of Macmillan Services in Northern Ireland, says:

“Macmillan was set up by a volunteer over 100 years ago, and our volunteers are crucial in helping us to ensure that no one has to face cancer alone.

“We wanted to use Volunteers’ Week to say a well-deserved ‘thank you’ to all the people who give their time to help us. We also wanted to thank Martha, in particular, for her incredible fundraising efforts to help people affected by cancer in the Newry and Mourne area.

“At Macmillan, we have a variety of volunteering roles and we always like to hear from people that might be interested in helping us out because – whether it’s minutes or months, hours or days – any time you can spare really will make a difference.”

If you’re interested in finding out about how to volunteer for Macmillan please visit www.macmillan.org.uk/volunteer, emailvolunteering@macmillan.org.uk or call 0300 1000 200.

Ahead of next month’s UEFA European Championships, a young fiddle player from Camlough is evoking memories of past glory and taking Republic of Ireland fans on a trip down memory lane with his amazing remix of the squad’s anthem from the 1990 World Cup – ‘Put ‘Em Under Pressure’.

Niall Murphy had initially been commissioned by iRadio to create a soundtrack for its coverage of Euro 2016 but decided to take the challenge a step further and add a video to accompany the tune.   The result is mesmerizing, with the fiddler reproduced eleven times – representing each player on the field – as each new part of the medley is introduced.

The 24-year-old says the idea came from a version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ that he put together earlier this year while experimenting with a phone app.  That creation subsequently went viral and prompted the radio station’s request.

Speaking to The Examiner from Derry where he was hosting fiddle workshops for International Fiddle Day, Niall says creating this latest piece was “trial and error” but following the positive reaction to his Thriller creation, this time he wanted to up the ante and adopt a more professional method on the production.

Since posting on his Facebook page on Friday night, the piece has been viewed more than 40,000 times.  Niall says he is surprised at the reaction it has received, adding “hopefully it keeps going.”

With the chants of ‘We’re all part of Jackie’s Army’ and ‘Olé Olé Olé’, the instantly recognizable, catchy tune is sure to fire up football fans when Ireland begin their Euro 2016 campaign against Sweden on Monday 13th June.

“I think a lot of people want to hear the first ten opening notes.  It brings them back to 1990 when the whole country sort of shut down for about three weeks when Ireland qualified [for the World Cup]. It brings back a lot of memories for people.”

Niall says working on the production it was hard to imagine what it would finish up like but said it is “a relief” that it has turned out well.

“It’s said music and sport don’t mix but I think this tune appeals to both music fans and football fans,” he added.

Currently touring with his Breaking Trad group, Niall is also involved in studio work with folk singer Cara Dillon, and continues to give lessons and host workshops both at home and across Europe.

His version of ‘Put ‘Em Under Pressure’ will soon be available on iTunes and is sure to attract copious amounts of airplay throughout Ireland’s upcoming Euro campaign.

Meanwhile, keep up to date with Niall’s gigs, workshops and recording etc on his new website www.niallmurphymusic.com or via his Facebook page Niall Murphy Music.

All three newly elected Sinn Féin candidates from the Newry and Armagh constituency have been placed in influential positions within the Assembly, the party has announced.

Megan Fearon has been appointed an Executive Office Junior Minister, where she will work closely with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on fulfilling the roles of his office.

Conor Murphy has been named as Chair of the Economy Committee, which will scrutinise the work of Economy Minister Simon Hamilton, while Cathal Boylan will take on the role of Chair of the Standards and Privileges Committee, responsible for examining the conduct of Assembly members, investigating breaches and ensuring the transparency and accountability of MLAs.

Ms Fearon, as the youngest MLA and now youngest to be appointed Junior Minister, will take on a wide portfolio which includes responsibilities for good relations, promoting equality of opportunity, victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse, human rights, urban villages, the Social Investment Fund and racial equality.

She said she is “extremely proud” and looks forward to working with all her Executive colleagues “in this new era of government”.

Conor Murphy says his role will present “significant challenges” that he is looking forward to addressing.

Sinn Fein's Newry and Armagh MLAs Conor Murphy, Megan Fearon and Cathal Boylan.

“Key targets for the new Executive include growing the economy through support for indigenous businesses and attracting inward investment. My job will be to lead the scrutiny of the Department’s performance in this task, to ensure that there is a balanced spread of investment and that the All-Ireland economy can reach its full potential through support for Intertrade Ireland,” he said.

“Tourism will also form a big part of our plans for economic growth and we need to ensure Tourism Ireland successfully promotes the entire island and that local providers receive the necessary assistance from the Department.”

Mr Murphy says he will ensure the Economy department develops sustainable energy policies to replace schemes that have recently ended and will lead the Committee “in engagement with all sectors that contribute to the economy and giving them a voice in the strategies that are being developed to secure sustainable economic growth”.

A Crossmaglen man who received a life-changing kidney transplant last October says he is delighted that the medical team he credits with making him feel “reborn” have become worthy winners of the Spirit of Health Award at Friday night’s Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards.

The annual gala-awards ceremony has become a key event in Northern Ireland’s events calendar, honouring the real heroes of Northern Ireland and giving recognition to all those whose good deeds and inspirational stories have previously gone mostly unnoticed.

Fifty-one year old Aidan Murtagh personally nominated the Nephrology Unit of Belfast City Hospital for the special accolade in recognition of their outstanding work in the treatment of chronic kidney disease.    Indeed the team hit the national headlines last year when it emerged they had equalled the UK record in carrying out five kidney transplants in the one day, falling just one short of the world record of six in 24 hours, held by a hospital in Texas, USA.  Aidan was one of those five transplant patients, and he counts himself incredibly lucky to have become an organ recipient after beginning his daily dialysis treatment just 12 days beforehand. Since the transplant, Aidan’s recovery has been remarkable and he was discharged from hospital after just five days, one of the quickest recovery times ever recorded following such surgery.

He says his life has changed dramatically and the previous symptoms of complete exhaustion and the overall effect of high levels of toxins in his body, have all disappeared.

Speaking to The Examiner as he returned from a great night mingling with Northern Ireland’s unsung heroes and a host of celebrities at the glittering awards ceremony in the Culloden Estate & Spa resort in Holywood, Aidan said he felt the Belfast City Hospital Nephrology team “more than deserved” the recognition and he took the opportunity to stress the importance of organ donation.

Staff from the Belfast City Hospital Nephrology Unit celebrate their Spirit of Health Award at Friday's Spirit of NI Awards ceremony in the Culloden Estate and Spa. The team were nominated by Crossmaglen man Aidan Murtagh who credits the team with giving him a new lease of life after he received a kidney transplant last October.

“I am delighted my nomination was successful and the team got the recognition they deserved,” he said.

“This was a way of expressing my gratitude to them for giving me a new lease of life and to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation. I will be eternally thankful to the family who made the decision to donate their loved one’s organs.  “Their decision opened up a whole new life for me and underlines the huge importance of organ donation. I am living proof of just how life-changing organ donation is and I would encourage everyone to sit down with their loved ones and discuss committing to be an organ donor.”

Meanwhile, Newry based charity, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT) was also honoured on the night, picking up the Overcoming Adversity Award in recognition of their tireless work in repatriating the remains of loved ones who have died abroad. Newry couple Collie and Eithne Bell turned their own personal tragedy into a renowned repatriation charity which has helped bring home the remains of over 170 Irish people to their families.

The trust was set up in the days after the hit-and-run death of the Bell’s 26 year old Kevin,  in New York three years ago. As Kevin’s friends and supporters in Newry and abroad rallied round to raise funds to repatriate his body,  the fund grew to £150,000 and, instead of asking for the fundraising to stop, the couple realised that other families would go through the same heartbreak and would need help to get a loved one home after a tragedy overseas. So the KBRT was borne and has continued to be a vital lifeline to people in times of great distress.  Collie Bell told The Examiner the KBRT team were “ flattered, humbled and honoured to be on the same stage as truly wonderful and inspirational people” and added,

“We are really grateful for the raising of the KBRT profile and so appreciate the continuous support we receive on a daily basis.”

A Crossmaglen woman, who has been an active volunteer promoting child protection within schools for the last six years, is encouraging others to consider becoming involved in the initiative.

Ann Donnelly, a retired principal and mother-of-three grown up sons, has been volunteering with the NSPCC’s Speak Out, Stay Safe service, which aims to teach every pupil how to protect themselves from abuse.

The scheme involves trained ChildLine volunteers addressing schoolchildren at assemblies and workshops by assisting them in recognising situations where they may need help and how to access support, and the sessions are sensitively tailored to ensure topics are covered in a way which is age appropriate.

Ann is now appealing for more people to come forward and sign up to deliver the programme in primary schools across her home county of Armagh.

Outlining what’s involved in the programme, she said: “The training is enjoyable and not at all daunting. Other volunteers and the staff at NSPCC put you at ease throughout the training. Initially, there are two days of face to face training, followed by the opportunity to watch the programme being delivered in schools. Then you progress to delivering small sections yourself, being supported all the way by experienced mentors.”

Volunteers do not have to have special skills or qualifications, just a positive, caring attitude, an open mind and a willingness to reach out to children and the adults who care for them, Ann said.

“Volunteering doesn’t take up as much as you might imagine. You can devote as much or as little time as you are able to this vital work. It’s what we do regularly that will make a difference to keeping all children happy and safe. They need the trusted adults in their lives to teach them the vital life skills of speaking out if they have a worry, how to recognise abuse in all its forms and how to quickly access help should they need it,” she added.

Ann began volunteering for the NSPCC when the schools’ programme was in its infancy and catered to primary six and seven pupils. Now, it consists of two assemblies, one for primary 1-4 and the other for primary 5-7, so that the descriptions and advice given can be tailored and made age appropriate.

“Personally, I am so proud to be delivering such an important education programme to pupils. The Speak Out Stay Safe programme empowers children with information at a level which they can easily understand. It enables a child to access help or advice quickly, while reassuring him or her that there is always someone who will listen and help no matter how big or how small their worry is,” Ann said.

“There is nothing more moving than an innocent child trusting you enough to tell you they have a problem and there is nothing more important than teaching a child how to recognise that what might be happening in their life should not be happening to them and they have the right to speak out to stay safe.

“Volunteering is a two way street. It can benefit the volunteer as much as the cause you are supporting. Volunteering gives you a sense of pride and identity as you work in your community and beyond. You can learn new skills and try out new career opportunities without making long term commitments. You can build on skills you already have and use them to benefit people you would otherwise never have met. If you are considering volunteering, don’t stop to think, just do it.  Volunteering has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life.”

To find out more about becoming a volunteer for the NSPCC’s Speak Out, Stay Safe programme, contact Lisa Norris on 07825 118 679 or email lisa.norris@nspcc.org.uk.

A nurse who lied about a fall taken by a resident in a Newry care home 2 years ago has been struck off the nursing register after 36 years of practice.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing held last week found nurse Mary Ellen Donnelly guilty of misconduct and issued a striking off order after considering details surrounding the incident which occurred in Ashgrove Care Home in Newry in April 2014.

The NMC said her fitness to practise had been impaired as a result of her actions which they said had put the resident “at real risk of unwarranted harm.”

The fitness to practise hearing was told that Ms Donnelly, who first registered as a nurse in 1978, was working a night shift at the Belfast Road care home in Newry on April 13th 2014 when a Healthcare Assistant alerted her that a resident had fallen whilst Ms Donnelly had been on a sleep break at about 2am.

The Health Care Assistant told her she had heard a loud cry from a resident and subsequently found the woman lying face down on the floor. Ms Donnelly and another colleague helped the woman off the floor and noticed a bruise beginning to appear on her arm.

The NMC panel heard that Nurse Donnelly had advised  the Health Care Assistant to write a false statement regarding the incident, stating that the patient had fallen out of bed and bumped into a locker during the fall, causing the bruising.  The long serving nurse then recorded the false information about the incident and the injury into the resident’s medical notes.  In addition, she did not hand over the true circumstances of the incident to the morning staff at the start of their shift or notify the patient’s next of kin of the fall.

The truth behind the incident was revealed the following night when the Health Care Assistant who discovered the resident informed senior staff what had happened, claiming that Nurse Donnelly had “pressured her into making a false statement”.

Management at Ashgrove Nursing Home launched an investigation into the allegations and Ms Donnelly was subsequently sacked after she admitted lying about the incident.

An appeal against the decision to dismiss her was upheld by the home and she was referred to the NMC in May last by the care home manager.

The fitness to practise panel was told Ms Donnelly had applied for voluntary removal from the NMC register in March of this year, stating in her application that she was no longer working as a nurse and would not be returning to the profession due to ill health.  The application was refused and Ms Donnelly admitted the five charges against her.

Following last week’s hearing in Belfast, the NMC panel said “Ms Donnelly’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse” and were “fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register”.

“The registrant’s position at the home meant that she was dealing with vulnerable patients who required the maximum degree of professional conduct.

“Her behaviour in failing to disclose and record the patient’s fall put the patient at unwarranted risk of harm.

“Her failure to recognise the serious nature of the incident at the time, and her failure to demonstrate any insight, remorse or remediation since that time, suggests a risk of repetition of such behaviour.

The panel added that they believed Ms Donnelly would not have come forward with the truth about the circumstances of the fall had her junior colleague not whistle-blown.