MAN DIES IN CO. WATERFORD FIRE

One person has died in a house fire in Co Waterford.

Gardai are currently at the scene of the dwelling, located just outside Clonmel, in Kilnamack East.

The body of the deceased, a man believed to be in his early 30’s remained at the house overnight as the scene was preserved for a technical examination. It’s understood that the deceased was the only inhabitant at the house.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at a house near Kilmacomma outside Clonmel at 4am this morning.

The Fire Brigade confirmed that they received the emergency call, made by a neighbour of the deceased.

Two fire crews of Tipperary Fire Service, one each from Clonmel and Cahir along with one tanker attended the scene. The crews remained at the scene until they were stood down at about 11am this morning.

One eye witness reported that the fire was "well ablaze" by the time emergency services arrived on site.

CLEAN UP AFTER STORM FRANK UNDERWAY IN WATERFORD AND SOUTH TIPPERARY

Clean-up operations are underway around Co Waterford in the wake of Storm Frank, which caused widespread flooding.

Many areas of Waterford City and County are still fighting the effects of the Storm which hit land over Ireland about Midday yesterday and which lasted almost 24 hours.

Outdoor Crews from Waterford City and County Council worked throughout the night to alleviate flooding in many areas of the County in an effort to keep roads open for those that had to travel this morning.

Parts of the West of the County as well as Portlaw Village were the worst effected in the area.

The River Clodagh in Portlaw burst its banks. The bridge over the River was reported to have collapsed or partially collapsed but the reports proved to be incorrect. One house in the town which has experienced historical had to be evacuated.

There were also reports of flooding in Rathgormack, and the road between Lemybrien and Carrick-on-Suir was impassable around Mahon Bridge.

Waterford city escaped much of the flooding but there were areas of the city especially in the Ballindud, the Cork Road between McDonalds and the RSC and the Inner Ring Road at Kelly & Dollard seeing roads closed to traffic.

In West of the county, the Military Road in Dungarvan close to Radley Engineering was closed after the River Colligan burst is banks while the Ballymacarbry to Clonmel Road is impassable at Kilmanahan and the Mushroom Farm. The area between the Finger Post and the Saw Mills was also closed as water levels in the area rose.

The N72 between Cappoquin and Lismore was also impassable. The water levels in the area dropped earlier today but the road has since closed again as water levels again rose at high time as the river is tidal as far as Cappoquin from Youghal. The R668 road from The Vee to Lismore was also closed to traffic at Ballyrafter due to the road collapsing.

The N72 was also closed for a while at the Finisk Bridge at Cappagh as water levels in the Finisk rose. There were also reports of flooding near by in Ballinamult, Modeligo and on the Keereen to Aglish Road.

In Dungarvan, the road outside the former Waterford Crystal Factory was closed due to flooding while the Bog Road and the road to the Old Ballyduff School in Carriglea were also closed.

The R634 in Tallow was also closed to traffic at Tallow Bridge because of high water levels in the River Bride and local diversions were also put in place.

Further on the N72 the road was closed again between Tallow and Fermoy after a tree fell onto the road.

South Tipperary was also affected as the road between Cahir and Clonmel was flooded in a number of parts, while the N24 was also shut down to just one lane around the Kilheffernan Roundabout between Clonmel and Kilsheelan.

Carrick-on-Suir was also hit as a numbers of areas between Kilsheelan and Carrick-on-Suir were unpassable. In Carrick-on-Suir itself, the North Quay was underwater and the River rescue group in the town had to help rescue some residents from their homes.

Two of the three bridges over the Suir from County Waterford were closed to traffic in Clonmel while Knocklofty Bridge on the Clonmel to Ardfinnan Road was also closed when water levels rose to a high level. In Marlfield a tree came down closing off access to the Clonmel from that direction.

No reported injuries as tractor crashes into parked cars in South Tipperary Village.

There was a miraculous escape in the South Tipperary Village of Ardfinnan this morning as a tractor driven by a man in his 60’s drawing a trailer of grade went out of control as it passed through the Main Street of the Village about 10-30am crashing into a number of parked cars.

Nobody was in the cars at the time and no injuries were reported.

The driver of the Tractor was checked by members of the emergency services at the scene.

Reports suggest that the tractor driver was coming down a steep hill leading into the village and that brake failure is being investigated as the cause of the accident.

Locals who witnessed the accident said that the driver was “very shaken” after the incident.

The village was closed off for a while as the emergency services worked at the scene which was cleared later in the afternoon and an investigation into the incident by An Garda Síochána got under way.

Bishop Phonsie takes in thee new Priests for Waterford and Lismore Diocese.

Bishop Aphonsus Cullinan has made his first clerical appointments since he became Bishop of the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore earlier this year.

Bishop Cullinan has accepted the retirement of Rev. Fr. John Kiely as Parish Priest of Cappoquin and Priest in Charge of the neighbouring Modeligo and Affane Parish.

Fr. Pat Gear who is currently Parish Priest of Ballyneale and Grangemockler will replace Fr. Kiely in Cappoquin, with Fr. Richard Geoghegan who is currently Curate in Carrick-on-Suir and Faugheen set to take over from Fr. Gear.  Both changes are set to take place later this month.

Fr. Ned Hassett who was appointed as Administrator of the Abbeyside/Ballinroad/Garranbane Parish by Monseigneur Nicholas O’Mahony while he was Diocesan Administrator after the death of Fr. Tim O’Riordan has been appointed as Parish Priest of the same Parish by Bishop Cullinan.

Fr. Michael Toomey who is Curate in Tramore and Carbally since his ordination in 2009 is set to move to Saint Peter and Paul’s Parish in Clonmel after the Curate in the Parish Fr. Ray Reidy died recently following a short illness. Fr. Toomey was ordained by Bishop Emeritus William Lee in Saint Peter and Paul’s Church. Fr. Toomey is set to be replaced in Tramore by Fr. Shane O’Neill who was ordained in July by Bishop Cullinan at Knockanore in July.

Fr. Robert Grant who currently is Curate at Saint John’s in Waterford City is set to become Parish Priest of Saint Saviours Parish in Ballybeg in January 1 following a decision made by the Dominican Order who decided to withdraw from Ministry in a number of Parish’s around Ireland due to falling numbers within the order. They will however continue to work from their base at Bridge Street in the city.  

The Parish of Saint Paul’s in Waterford City who had the number of priests working in the Parish cut last year after Fr. Richard O’Halloran transferred to Portlaw and Ballyduff will have Fr. David Keating celebrating Mass at the Weekends. Fr. Keating is currently a Chaplin at Waterford Institute of Technology. The Clergy in Saint Paul’s are also working in Butlerstown Parish after Fr. Paul Murphy was transferred to Saint John’s in Waterford City in

Bishop Cullinan has also announced that three Priests of the Heralds of the Good News Order are set to take up positions in the Diocese.

Fr. Soosai Selvanathan has been appointed Curate in Carrick-on–Suir in and takes up his duties in October, once a Visa is secured. Fr. Francis Xavier Vijaykumar to take up a similar position at the Sacred Heart Parish in Waterford again once a Visa is secured in October. A third priest from the order will become curate in St. Mary’s Parish, Clonmel, once he has been released for duty from his present post in India after Christmas.

Rev. Lazarus Gidolf who was appointed as the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore’s first permanent deacon earlier this year has been appointed to help in the Clonmel parishes.

It has also been announced that two men from the Diocese are to begin formation in seminary this year in Maynooth and Rome.

Meanwhile Two women first professions at St Mary’s Abbey Church at Glencairn Abbey outside Lismore where Ireland’s only female Cistercian Community reside

Sr. Elizabeth Deasy made her First Profession took place on the 54th anniversary of the dedication of the Cistercian Abbey church in Co Waterford last week.

Earlier in the month Sr. Angela Finegan made her First Profession marking the end of her formal novitiate period of formation, and initiating her as a junior professed member of the community.

She is now allowed to wear the black Cistercian Scapular and belt and will continue her initial formation for a further three year period, renewing her vows on a yearly basis.

Sr. Angela comes from Dublin and Sr. Elizabeth comes from Co Cork. Both entered the community January 2013.

Elected members of Waterford City and County Council were paid €551,369-30 for the first six months of the Councils history

The 32 elected members of Waterford City and County Council were paid €551,369-30 in expenses between them for the first six months of the Councils history, a report in this week’s Dungarvan Observer shows.

The report by Paul Mooney shows that all 32 councillors were paid a representation allowance of €9,569-30 from the time they were elected midway through the year until the end of 2014.

Five Councillors (John Carey {FG}, John Hearne {SF}, Joe Kelly {IND), Michael J O’Ryan {FF} and Lola O’Sullivan {FG) were paid a further €3,449-70 SPC Allowance.

James Tobin {FF} was paid a taxable allowance of €11,279-82 for filling the position of Chairman and a further non-taxable allowance of €5,639-84 for filling the same position.

Mayor of the Waterford City/Tramore Metropolitan area Lola O’Sullivan {FG} received a taxable allowance of €5,001-92 and a non-taxable allowance of €5,043-98 for filling the position.

Damien Geoghegan {FG} as leader of the Dungarvan/Lismore area was paid a taxable €909-10 and a non-taxable €2,915-67 while his Comeragh Area counterpart Michael J O’Ryan {FF} received a €552-90 which was taxable and €2,765-09 which was not taxable.

14 of the 32 Councillors did not claim conference expenses which consists of Subsistence Allowances, Travel Mileage and Booking Fees.

Of the 18 Councillors that did claim the above expenses, Michael J O’Ryan (FF) claim the least (€86-90) while party Tommy Cronin claimed the highest expenses (€2,520-11) just ahead of another Fianna Fail representative John O’Leary (€2, 269-44) and Labours sole representative on the Council John Pratt (€2,205-15).

The full list of those that claimed such expenses are Michael J O’Ryan (€86-90), Declan Clune (€133-90), Sean Reinhardt (€326-72), Eddie Mulligan (€441-70), Jason Murphy (€514-19), James Tobin (€581-20), Seanie Power (€777-55), Mary Butler (€794-69), Liam Brazil (€895-48), Pat Nugent (€1,005-02), Laurence O’Neill (€1,333-71), Damien Geoghegan (€1,346-71), John Carey (€1,347-43), Declan Doocey (€1,488-48), Joe Conway (€1,963-39), John Pratt (€2,205-15), John O’Leary (€2,269-44) and Tommy Cronin (€2,520-11).

Of the 12 councillors that claimed mobile phone expenses, John Pratt (Lab) was paid the least (€112-28) while Laurence O’Neill received the highest payment (€541-47).

In total €306,217-60 was paid in representational allowances from June to December 2014. Expenses for the same time period amounted to €163,840-65, SPC Allowances amounted to €17,348-50, Mayor/Chairperson and Vice Mayor/Chairperson expenses amounted to €20,731-69 which was taxable with a further €19,849-81 which is untaxable was paid out.

€4,177-81 was paid in Subsistence Allowances, €13,107-83 in Travel Allowances and €2,7460-19 was paid in booking fees, while €3,339-22 was paid out in mobile phone expenses.

 

Waterford County and City Councillors Expenses – June to December 2014

Declan Clune – Sinn Féin – Comeragh Area - €14,252-16

Breda Brennan – Sinn Féin – Waterford City South - €14,427-35

Davy Daniels – Ind. – Waterford City East - €14,427-35

Eamon Quinlan – Fianna Fail – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,427-35

Siobhan Whelan – Sinn Fein – Dungarvan/Lismore - €14,427-35

Adam Gary Wyse – Fianna Fail – Waterford City East - €14,427-35

Blaise Hannigan – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,617-35

Sean Reinhardt – Ind. – Waterford City South - €14,754-07

Mary Roche – Ind. – Waterford City East - €14,904-70

Pat Fitzgerald – Sinn Fein – Waterford City East - €14,929-55

Jim Griffin – Sinn Fein – Tramore/Waterford City West - €14,929-55

Seamus O’Donnell – Ind. – Dungarvan/Lismore - €15,006-80

Mary Butler – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €15,078-38

Eddie Mulligan – Fianna Fail – Waterford City East - €15,087-29

Liam Brazil – Fine Gael – Comeragh - €15,225-97

Pat Nugent – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €15,432-37

Seanie Power – Fine Gael – Comeragh - €15,474-35

Laurence O’Neill – Ind. – Waterford City South - €16,302-53

John O’Leary – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €16,464-89

Joe Conway – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City West - €16,700-74

Declan Doocey – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €17,345-33

Tommy Cronin – Fianna Fail – Dungarvan/Lismore - €17,797-36

John Cummins – Fine Gael – Waterford City South - €17,798-08

John Hearne – Sinn Fein – Waterford City South - €17,877-05

Joe Kelly – Ind. – Tramore/Waterford City South - €17,877-05

Jason Murphy – Fianna Fail – Waterford City South - €18,325-24

John Pratt – Labour – Dungarvan/Lismore - €18,483-28

Damien Geoghegan – Fine Gael – Dungarvan/Lismore - €19,842-63

John Carey – Fine Gael – Waterford City East - €19,842-63

Michael J O’Ryan – Fianna Fail – Comeragh - €22,652-81

Lola O’Sullivan – Fine Gael – Tramore/Waterford City West - €28,463-75

James Tobin – Fianna Fail – Dungarvan/Lismore – 433,859-91

Average Payments

The Fianna Fail members on the council received an average of €18,680-06

The Fine Gael members on the council received an average of €18,666-48

The sole Labour member of the council received €18,483-28

The Independent members of the council received an average of €15-573-82

The Sinn Fein members of the council received an average of €15,140-50

 

The Average payment for the members of Waterford City East was €15,603-15

The Average payment for the members of Comeragh was €16,524-93

The Average payment for the members of Waterford City South was €16,580-72

The Average payment for the members of Tramore/Waterford City West was €17,835-95

The Average payment for the members of Dungarvan/Lismore was €19.012-59

Government funding for Waterford airport

Waterford Airport is one of four regional airports have been handed a lifeline after Europe rubber-stamped State aid over the next four years.

Donegal, Kerry, Knock and Waterford Airports will now all be able to receive a slice of a €42.5 million government investment under the move.

The EU Commission approval paves the way for each airport to apply for the critical funding.

Waterford Airport’s inclusion in the programme will allow for the State to provide financial supports to the four regional airports, over the lifetime of the programme.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe has said "Approval of the 2015-2019 programme will greatly assist the regional airports in working towards a position of viability over the course of the programme".

The Minister however, has warned that, under European guidelines, the regional airports will have until April 2024 to become self-sufficient as financial support is to be axed.

"The level of funding provided in each year of the programme will be determined on the basis of submissions from the airports, including five year business plans, and the availability of exchequer resources in any one year," he added.

"The formal approval permits Ireland to provide financial supports to the regional airports, under the two main schemes over the period 2015 to 2019.

Negotiations to allow for the State aid of Irish regional airports had been ongoing with the past twelve months.

Paraglider recovering after Comeragh Mountains Crash

A paraglider is recovering from minor injuries after he was involved in a crash in the Comeragh Mountains on Saturday afternoon.

Two members of a Clonmel Mountaineering Club, Gerard Sheehy and Pat Beardmore were out walking in the mountains when the paraglider flying over them crashed into the summit of Seefin Mountain, overlooking the Kilbrien and Kilrossanty areas of County Waterford at about 1-30pm.

The pair who are part of the Clonmel Peaks Mountaineering Club immediately ran the emergency services and in less than an hour the injured man was removed to hospital.

Man killed in County Waterford plane crash

One man has died following an air accident in Co. Waterford this evening around 7pm.

Emergency services are currently at the scene.

The dead man is believed to be in his sixty’s and was the sole occupant in the plane.

Reports this evening say that a light aircraft came down close to Bridie Terries near Dungarvan.

The Irish Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 117 based at Waterford Regional Airport is assisting at the scene of the accident.

Its understood that Shannon Air Control received a May Day Call from the aircraft this evening.

The aircraft is understood the light aircraft took off from Waterford and was heading towards Shannon.

The man is understood to have been travelling to an air show in the Limerick area tomorrow.

Early reports suggest that the pilot in his May Day call reported a fire on board the place before crashing.

Locals have reported that the aircraft was seen flying very low before it hit the ground

Units of Waterford City and County Council Fire Brigade Service as well as Gardai and an Ambulance were called to the scene and some are expected to remain there for some time.

The scene of the crash has been preserved, and the Air Accident Investigation Unit attached to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is believed to be on their way to the scene.

The pilot’s remains are reported to have been now brought to University Hospital Waterford.

The man’s identity will not be released until next of kin are informed.

No Waterford voice on Committee set up to look at Two Mayor Systems in Waterford and Limerick

A committee set up by Local Government Minister Alan Kelly to look at two-mayor system in both Waterford and Limerick has no representation from the City or County in either county.

In 2012, then Local Government Minister Phil Hogan brought together a programme to the Cabinet which was passed seeing the unification of Town Councils across Ireland into the County Councils as well as both Waterford and Limerick City Councils merging with the County Councils in the two respective counties, after the local elections which were to be held in 2014.

Tipperary North Riding and Tipperary South Riding Councils also merged to form one Council.

The move to merge Town and County Councils as well as Waterford and Limerick City and County Councils came on the back of recommendations made by a committee set up by Phil Hogan to examine the feasibility of such a move.

When then Minster Hogan introduced his plan it was announced that the merger of Waterford City and County Councils would save between Five and Nine Million Euro a year following the removal of duplication. The merger of the two councils in Limerick it was reported at the time would save up to fifteen million euro a year while the merger in Tipperary it was envisaged would save up to six million euro a year.

The Limerick Leader’s Website is reporting that Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan raised the issue of Limerick having both a Metropolitan Mayor and an overall City and County Mayor. Minister Alan Kelly the report says “has said he had initiated a review into this”.

The group set up to look at Duel Mayoralty contains representatives of local authorities in Carlow, Kildare, Tipperary, Donegal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, there is no-one from Limerick, or indeed Waterford, where there is also a two-mayor system in place.

The website report goes on to say that Limerick Councillor Jerry O’Dea has called on current Minister Alan Kelly to include a Limerick Representative on the committee.

The report says that Fine Gael council leader in Limerick Council John Sheahan met Minister Kelly this week and urged him to “desist” from making any changes to Limerick’s dual mayoralty system, at least for the time being.

Councillor Sheahan added that “The power was given to us in the Local Government Reform Act to decide on roles. We have done so, and are putting a protocol around the pecking order of the Mayors and the Chairs. We would be hoping this will solve any confusion around the system.”

Councillor Sheahan is PRO of the Local Authority Members Association.

Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick Jerry O’Dea in the report says that he “would be calling on the Minister to make sure there is representation from both Limerick and Waterford on this committee so the unique positions and the history of both cities could be represented.”

Labour Councillor in Limerick Joe Leddin who saw a motion to abolish the Metropolitan Mayoralty in Limerick defeated last month has said: “I’m just delighted this review group has been established. It shows intend on behalf of the minister that this issue of a dual Mayoralty, be it in Limerick, Waterford, or anywhere else, is not sustainable going forward.

“It might be a problem in Waterford and Limerick today, but who’s to say it won’t be a problem if they decide to merge Cork city and county, or Galway city and county? The same issue will arise. The mettle needs to be grasped.”

Bishop Phonsie calls for end to Church Gate Collections for Political Parties

The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, the Most Very Rev. Aphonsus Cullinan has added his voice to that of the Bishop of Elphin, Most Very Rev. Kevin Doran calling for political parties to put an end to Church Gate Collections.

Speaking to ‘The Irish Catholic’ Newspaper this week, Bishop Cullinan urged politicians to be “consistent” and not to “pressurise” mass goers and called on political parties to “find alternative sources” for fundraising.

The Countries newest Bishop told the newspaper that many people were annoyed at political parties collecting money outside churches despite holding views which directly oppose Church teaching on such vital and basic matters as the right of life and the nature of marriage.

Bishop Cullinan’s call for political parties to end to Church Gate Collections comes after Bishop Doran questioned why some parties are fundraising at local church gates.

In this weeks Irish Catholic, the front page report by Cathal Barry states that a statement from the Elphin Diocese lead by Bishop Doran adds that “While noting that there is “no obligation” on any political party to support the Church or to legislate in accordance with Church teaching, the statement said it was “rather lacking in respect” for people’s faith “that political parties which have consistently advocated policies and introduced legislation which undermine marriage and the right to life of the unborn, should turn up outside our Church gates, Sunday after Sunday to ask Mass-goers to fund their activities”. Acknowledging that political parties are legally entitled to do so, the diocese suggested that “common decency would suggest that they go and collect somewhere else”.

While Fine Gael would not comment specifically on the Diocese of Elphin’s stance, a spokesperson told The Irish Catholic that local constituencies and branches arrange Church gate collections “with the civil authorities and use their own discretion in liaising with local Churches”.

A Fianna Fáil spokesperson said that wherever the party conducts collections, “it does so with the relevant permits issued by An Garda Síochána”.

Meanwhile, Bishop Cullinan will officiate at his first Ordination mass on Sunday afternoon.

Knockanore man Rev. Shane O’Neill will be ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore at the Church of the Sacred Heart.

Rev. O’Neill will become only the fourth man to be ordained as a Diocesan Priest in Waterford and Lismore since the turn of the Millennium.

Waterford City man Colm O’Brien was ordained in 2000. He died in 2009 at the age of 36 following an illness. Fr. Richard O’Halloran from Carrickbeg was ordained in 2001 and currently is Curate in Portlaw and Ballyduff. Clonmel man Fr. Michael Toomey was ordained in 2009 and is currently Curate of Tramore and Carbally and in 2012 Ballyduff Lower man Fr. John Harris who is currently Curate in Dungarvan was ordained.

Bishop Cullinan recently ordained Clonmel man Dr. Lazarus Gidoff as the first ever permanent deacon in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore at Saint Oliver’s Church in Clonmel. Last weekend Brendan Gallagher, a former Chairman of the Waterford Ladies Football County Board was accepted as a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate programme in the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore.

Dominicans could be set to stay in Ballybeg for a while longer

The Dominican Friars could be set to continue to serve the people of Ballybeg in Waterford City for sometime to come after Dominican Friars in Drogheda vowed to resist plans to move away from the parish after putting their hope in a technical loophole which would reverse plans to see Friars leave the Parish.

Last September it was announced that the Dominicans were to close centres in Dublin, Drogheda, Athy, Limerick and Ballybeg due to a decline in numbers in the Order and an ageing membership. The Dominicans however at the time said they would be retaining a presence at Bridge Street in Waterford City.

Last September a statement from the Dominican Order said that the decision by the Dominicans to close smaller centres will see them instead focus on having communities with at least six friars.

At the time a passionate protest campaign was launched in Drogheda by the Friars as well as the local community as the order had a presence in the town for almost 800 years.

It has however now been learned that the decision to close the five centres as no formal effect as the decision to close the five centres was made by decision of a Provincial county and that under the orders internal rules, a full Chapter meeting of the entire province was necessary to make a decision to close any community. There is no meeting planned of the Full Chapter until the summer of 2016.

The Dominicans have been in Ireland since 1224. They also have houses in Dublin, Cork, Tallaght, Newry, Dundalk, Newbridge, Waterford, Kilkenny, Tralee, Galway and Sligo.

The Dominican community at Ballybeg was established in 1976 although the parish of St Saviour was established and entrusted to the Waterford Dominicans the previous year.

Senior British Royal to visit West Waterford

West Waterford is set for a Royal Visit at the end of July.

Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth’s eldest Grand Daughter and currently 16^th in line of succession to the throne is set to take part at this year’s Campire International Horse Trials outside Cappoquin which take place from 22 to 26 of July.

Zara Phillips who is married to former England Rugby International Mike Tindall, shares the same love of horses as her Grandmother and is understood to be taking three horses to the event which this year has record numbers taking part.

The Royal visitor to West Waterford three years ago took part in the 2012 Olympic Games in London where she won a Silver Medal. She has also won individual and team medals at the European Eventing Championships as well as medals at the World Equestrian Games in the past.

Entries for this years event at Campire have now closed, but the visit of a Senior Royal to the area could well swell the number of spectators at the event.

Royal Visits to the area are not new.

Zara Phillips Uncle Prince Charles and his current wife Camilla visited nearby Lismore in 2004 when he stayed at Lismore Castle for the weekend.

The current Duke of Devonshire Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, the owner of Lismore Castle is a distant cousin of Prince Charles and Zara Phillips mother Princess Anne.

Woman airlifted to University Hospital Waterford following accident in West Waterford

One person was airlifted to University Hospital Waterford in the early hours of Monday morning after a rescue involving the Rescue117 Helicopter based at Waterford Regional Airport, the Ardmore Coast Guard Unit, the life boat based at Helivick and Gardai.

The search took place in the Mine Head area of Old Parish between Ring and Ardmore after a local woman who had not returned home was reported missing.

At approximately 7am this morning the injured missing woman was found in undergrowth after she had sustained injuries after a fall.

The injured woman was winched aboard the Helicopter and was flown to Waterford where was transferred to hospital to be treated for her injuries.

Search on the Waterford/Tipperary border ends successfully at 4am.

A major search and rescue took place in the Knockmealdown Mountains along the Waterford and Tipperary County Boundary late on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning.

Five members of one family were rescued as a result of the agencies that worked together in the search.

Gardai called out the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association on Saturday evening after getting reports of the family getting lost in the area. The family of two adults and three children all under the age of 12 were reported to be in an area known as The Vee and Bay Lough between Cappoquin and Clogheen.

Along with the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association and Gardai, the Irish Coast Guard, Tramore Cliff and Mountain Rescue Team and the Waterford based rescue 117 Helicopter took part in the search.

The family were found at about 4am after a search of the area. All five were reported to be safe and well when found.

Last June another major search took place in the area when a couple in their 50’s had to be rescued after they became trapped in what was described as an “impenetrable jungle” of rhododendron plants.

That search took five hours to complete after the couple who were experienced hill walkers got into difficulty while descending a steep hillside that leads to a lake in the area.

The pair were quickly found but rescuers struggled to get through the last 400 metres of shrubs to assist the stranded pair.

Once reached the rescuers on that occasion decided to call in a rescue boat and bring them to the edge of the small lake and get them into the boat and across to safety rather than to bring the pair back up the hillside through the dense growth.

Gardai in Dungarvan continue to investigate town fire

Gardai are in Dungarvan are investigating the cause of the fire at a commercial premises on O’Connell Street.

The Fire broke out at around 10am this morning and was attended to by fire personnel from Dungarvan and Cappoquin fire stations who quickly brought the fire under control.

One person was transferred to University Hospital Waterford to be treated for burns. The casualty’s injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.  

Earlier today, Gardai would not confirm if they believe the fire was started suspicious.

The area around O’Connell Street was closed to all traffic while the emergency services worked at the scene but has since re-opened.

It is the second major fire in the town that Fire units have had to deal with in recent months.

Last June, fire fighters were called to a blaze that broke out at the Glanbia premises on lower Main Street.

That fire broke out before normal business hours and no one was injured.

In June’s fire, as well as the Glanbia premises, the adjoining Shaw’s Electrical store suffered damage and the nearby St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church on Friary Street which backs onto the Glanbia site was dampened down as a precaution.

Pope Francis appoints Fr. Aphonsus ‘Phonsie’ Cullinan Bishop of Waterford and Lismore

Pope Francis had appointed Fr. Aphonsus ‘Phonsie’ Cullinan as the new Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

The appointment by Pope Francis is the seventh appointment made in Ireland since he was elected head of the Catholic Church in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI stood down.

Previous appointments made by Pope Francis are Brendan Leahy (Limerick), Eamon Martin (Armagh), Raymond Browne (Kerry), Denis Nulty (Kildare and Leighlin), Francis Duffy (Ardagh and Clonmacnois) and Kevin Doran (Elphin).

In the coming weeks and month’s, Pope Francis is expected to elect new Bishops in the Dioceses of Clonfert, Cork and Ross, Raphoe as well as Meath as Bishops John Kirby, John Buckley, Philip Boyce O.C.D. and Michael Smith will have celebrated their 75^th birthday, the age that Bishops are expected to hand in their resignation to the Vatican.

When appointments are made in these dioceses it will mean that Pope Francis will have elected 11 Bishops in the current 26 Dioceses on the Island of Ireland.

Bishop-elect Cullinan is a former school teacher who since he became a priest has gained a wide range of Pastoral Experience working in Parishes, schools, third level colleges and in hospital chaplaincy. Fr. Cullinan is also known in Limerick for his work with the Travelling Community.

Fr. Cullinan is a priest in the Diocese of Limerick and was born in Lahinch in Co. Clare in 1959, one of a family of ten of which he has four sisters and five brothers.

His family moved from Lahinch to Limerick City and attended the Salesian College where he received his early education.  He moved to the John F. Kennedy National School and later Crescent College Comprehensive for his secondary education.

In 1978 he entered Mary Immaculate College in Limerick where he studied to be a Primary school Teacher, graduating in 1981 and for six years taught at Castleconnell in County Limerick.

Fr. Cullinan moved to Valladolid in Spain where he taught English for two years before returning to Ireland and entering Saint Patrick’s College in Maynooth from 1989 to 1995 where be completed a Licentiate in Theology.

Ordained by the then Bishop of Limerick Jeremiah Newman in 1994 at St. St. John’s Cathedral in Limerick and was appointed curate of Saint Munchin’s Parish in Limerick from 1995 for a year.

From 1996 to 2001 he was chaplain at Limerick Regional Hospital from where he moved to Rome for three years to study Moral Theology. On returning to Ireland he was appointed Chaplain at Limerick Institute of Technology until 2011.

In 2011 Fr. Cullinan was appointed Parish Priest of Rathkeale, a position he held till his appointment as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

The news that Fr. Cullinan was to be the new Bishop of Waterford and Lismore was made after the 10-30am mass this morning at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Waterford.

Present for the announcement were Bishop-elect Cullinan, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, the retired Bishop of Waterford and Lismore – William Lee and Monsignor Nicholas O’Mahony the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese since Bishop Lee stood down due to health reasons on October 1, 2013.

Speaking following the announcement, Fr Cullinan said he was “honoured and humbled and excited to have been nominated as bishop of this Diocese”.

“This is an historic city and Waterford and Lismore is an historic Diocese with a Christian heritage going back to the earliest days of Christianity on this island and I am very proud to be called to do something to continue that wonderful tradition,” he added.

Waterford & Lismore includes County Waterford, and part of Counties Tipperary and Cork. There are 85 churches across 45 parishes catering for a catholic population of 152,107.

Fr. Cullinan is one of three new Bishops announced today by Pope Francis across the world.

Pope Francis appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Shinyanga, Tanzania, Msgr. Liberatus Sangu. Bishop-elect Sangu, was born February 19, 1963 at Mwazye, Diocese of Sumbawanga. After his primary and secondary education in local schools, he studied philosophy at the Major Seminary of Our Lady of Angels Kibosho, in the Diocese of Moshi, and theology at the Major Inter-diocesan Seminary St. Charles Lwanga Segerea, in the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 9, 1994.

The Diocese of Shinyanga (1956), is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mwanza, has a population of 2,440,000 of whom 745,000 are Catholics. There are 28 parishes. There are 55 priests (41 diocesan and 14 religious), and 20 seminarians. The Diocese of Shinyanga, has been vacant since 2012, following the death of the Ordinary, Msgr. Aloysius Balina.

Also appointed today was Francisco Eduardo Cervantes Merino who is to be Bishop of Orizaba (Mexico).  Bishop-elect Cervantes Merino, was born October 13, 1953, in Ocatán Merino Palafox, in the Federal District of Mexico City, was ordained priest on 24 March 1979 and was incardinated in the Diocese of Tuxpan.

He completed his ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of Jalapa and earned a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He also obtained a Licentiate in Educational Psychology at the Scuola Normale Superiore of México.

He is currently Pastor of the Cathedral and Vicar for Pastoral Care.