Westmeath news

Man with Down syndrome ‘thrilled’ at election to senior position in Fianna Fáil

A young man from Co Westmeath has said he is “overwhelmed” and “overjoyed” at becoming the first person with Down syndrome to be elected to a senior position in a political party in Ireland.

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Budda’s boys produce the goods as Castletown Geoghegan finally get the job done in Westmeath

Alan Mangan knows a thing or two about winning and losing. In Westmeath, the man they call ‘Budda’ is a history-maker, part of the lauded 2004 vintage that delivered the county’s only Leinster title under Páidí Ó Sé during a riotous summer.

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Roddy Collins: ‘I went off missing, to England, with Vinnie Jones, having a few pints, for a day or two...’

Footballer, manager, and broadcaster, Roddy Collins is a big man, with big emotions, and a big life. He seems to attract controversy – and cause it – effortlessly. Right now, it’s a row about Sky Sports apologising for the behaviour of Celtic football fans around the time of the Queen’s funeral. Next week, it’ll probably be something else.

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‘You might think he has a brass neck, but you have to admire his staying power’ – Golfgate organiser Donie Cassidy campaigns to be Fianna Fáil vice president

Golfgate organiser Donie Cassidy has raised eyebrows with a campaign to become Fianna Fáil vice president this weekend.

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Funeral of Thelma and Mikey Dennany, children who died in Westmeath car fire, takes place today

The funeral service for Thelma and Mikey Dennany, the two children to died in a car fire in Westmeath, will take place in Co Longford this morning.

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Westmeath car fire: Prayers for child victims ahead of funeral service

Prayers will be said this evening for the two children who died in a car fire in Westmeath, ahead of their funerals tomorrow.

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Fianna Fáil ministers insist Michael McGrath will take over Finance Minister job from Paschal Donohoe

Fianna Fáil ministers have been briefed to say there is a Coalition agreement Michael McGrath is to be Finance Minister after the change over in power later this year.

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Funeral details announced for Westmeath car fire victims Thelma (5) and Mikey (2) as suspect expected to be questioned in coming days

Funeral details have been announced for the two children who died in a car fire in Westmeath.

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Westmeath community that feels abandoned by Government transforms building of departed bank into digital hub

A rural community in the midlands has fought back after losing its bank branch and ATM cash machine.

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Gabija Gataveckaite Opinion If Fianna Fáil rebels don’t make their move against Micheál Martin soon, he won’t be going anywhere

The Fianna Fáil think-in across today and tomorrow is set to be a sight for political junkies. Let’s look at Micheál Martin’s report card as Taoiseach: two ministers have resigned due to scandals and one got sacked.

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The Burkes of Castlebar and their countless legal battles

As teacher Enoch Burke languishes behind bars over his ongoing refusal to honour a court order, he has his family’s unwavering support.

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Westmeath car fire that claimed lives of boy (2) and girl (6) being treated as suspicious

A car fire which killed two small children is being treated as suspicious by gardaí.

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Shane Phelan: The question now is how long will Enoch Burke spend behind bars

Teacher Enoch Burke has told the High Court he would never leave Mountjoy Prison if, to do so, he would have to “violate” his conscience and religious beliefs.

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Enoch Burke spent night in isolation at ahead of transfer to main prison

Teacher Enoch Burke is to be transferred to into the general population of Mountjoy Prison after spending a night in isolation.

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Judge orders arrest of teacher Enoch Burke for breaking injunction in row over using ‘they’ pronoun to address transgender student

A judge has ordered that teacher Enoch Burke, who objects to addressing a transgender student with the pronoun "they", be arrested for alleged contempt of court.

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School seeks to have teacher Enoch Burke jailed over alleged breach of court order in row over transgender student

A teacher who objects to addressing a student with the pronoun "they" has breached the terms of a temporary injunction preventing him from attending or teaching at the secondary school where he is employed, the High Court has heard.

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Editorial Opinion Government transparency has taken a battering in Robert Troy debacle

Just as there is a transcendent power in good example, failure to set one has an equal and opposite debilitating effect. Yet when it comes to standards in public office, compromise is not up for negotiation. That is why the Robert Troy debacle has been so damaging, not only for the reputation of politics, but for its character.

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Judge warns of need for progress in court case against men accused over €8.5m of cocaine flown into Longford

A judge has warned the State it will have to “start explaining” unless there is progress in the court case against two men accused of being found with almost €8.5m of cocaine after it was flown into the country.

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Senan Molony Opinion Lawmakers cannot feel sorry for themselves if, like Robert Troy, they are found to have broken the rules

You don’t get to cry at being caught.

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John Downing Opinion Robert Troy’s belated exit just heaps damage on both Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar

Robert Troy’s belated quest for a “fool’s pardon” was a dead loss and it damaged Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar, who as late as yesterday afternoon had each renewed their support for the beleaguered junior minister.

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Dáil committee says it can’t investigate Robert Troy over failure to declare property interests after he quits as junior minister

A Dáil committee has said it cannot investigate former junior minister Robert Troy’s failure to fully declare property interests, the Houses of the Oireachtas have said.

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New Rose of Tralee Rachel Duffy: ‘I hope I'm a role model for young girls’

Newly crowned Rose of Tralee, Rachel Duffy, said she hopes to be a role model for young girls, as she lacked a prominent female figure in her life.

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Mullingar man’s Victoria Cross from 1857 could soon reach €500,00 at auction

Nearly 165 years ago, an Irish clerk working for the Bengal civil service in India risked his life on a daring espionage mission to save thousands of people trapped by rebel soldiers.

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Ministers and TDs do not have to declare sale of property to local authorities – watchdog

Ministers and TDs can sell property to local authorities and other public bodies without having to publicly disclose the transactions, the State’s political ethics watchdog has confirmed.

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Colin Murphy Opinion Old-fashioned digs are the way out of this student accommodation crisis

Recent days have produced headlines about the student accommodation crisis in the Connaught Telegraph, Donegal Live, the Mayo News, Tipperary Live, the Limerick Leader, the Westmeath Examiner, the Kerryman and the Connaught Tribune. A Waterford students’ union president warns it will be “worse than ever”. A Tipperary TD warns about it “spiralling out of control”. A Limerick businessman predicts “Armageddon”.

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Mourners to form special guards of honour at joint funeral for siblings who drowned in sea

Special guards of honour by sporting and community groups will be provided at the joint funeral of a heroic brother who died alongside the sister he desperately tried to save from the sea off Kerry last week.

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Owners of plane carrying €8.4m worth of cocaine into Longford 'shocked it was on news'

Owners of private aircraft risk losing their expensive planes if they do not know who is using them and for what purpose, a senior drug enforcement officer said.

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Like a scene out of Narcos: How Kinahan cartel has been using Longford to fly in millions of drugs

Gardaí have seized cocaine worth €8.4m after it was flown into Co Longford in a scenario straight out of crime series Narcos.

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Mullingar publicans and hoteliers welcome ‘tsunami of business’ from Fleadh visitors

Publicans in Mullingar have seen a “tsunami of business” as the town hosts the first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann after a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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My pet: Freddie was born in a hayshed but has a taste for the finer things in life now

Hi. My name is Freddie, even though I’m called everything from The Fred to Sir Frederick to You Little Fecker. I’m 15 years old and am a proud Westmeath dog. I live with my owner Emma, brother Keith and Mam and Pops. I was born in a hay shed and I’m very fond of the land.