County Derry Post

Community representatives in County Derry are angry after local councils refused to help small villages celebrate Christmas.

Christmas has been cancelled for some small communities as they celebrate the festive holidays without even so much as a Christmas tree.

Local groups say ‘scrooge’ officials at both Limavady and Magherafelt Council have refused the smaller areas help to celebrate the Christmas season, declining requests for small grants to decorate the area themselves.

Among the villages affected were Swatragh and Gortnaghey, where residents in both areas came together to decorate the towns.

Dougie Quantz, facilities Co-ordinator for Gortnaghey Community Association, says the councils are sending out a poor message to smaller villages and community groups.

“I feel that there is definitely some discrimination to smaller villages,” he said.

“No matter what the size may be all villages should be allowed to celebrate Christmas, and have accessibility to the means of doing so. What sort of message are they sending out to smaller areas?

“Without the Gortnaghey community pulling together this year we would not have had a Christmas, and it’s put a strain on our budget as a result.”

Gortnaghey were told they would not receive a Christmas tree or any funding towards decorating by Limavady Council because they were not classed as a village.

Meanwhile in Swatragh, a well known restaurant provided the town’s main Christmas tree this year after officials at Magherafelt Council declined support.

Valerie Richmond, Director of Development at Limavady Borough Council said the issue is not one of discrimination but one of adhering to council policy.

“A policy was put in place a few years ago by Limavady Council that towns or villages can qualify to receive a Christmas tree during the Christmas period.

“Unfortunately Gortnaghey does not qualify for village status and are not eligible for support. This is not a case of discrimination but a case of council policy.”

 No one was available for comment from Magherafelt District Council.

Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney returned to his former primary school last week in a bid to raise much needed funds for the school.

Seamus Heaney spent the afternoon meeting pupils and getting a tour of Anahorish Primary School which he attended as a pupil from 1944 to 1951.

Heaney was the treated to a special assembly where pupils gathered to meet the great poet.

His visit culminated in a gala dinner on Friday night to help raise vital funds for the school which houses 191 pupils.

Principal Danny Quinn said: “It is a great honour to have Seamus Heaney with us, not just today in the school but also at the Gala dinner tonight.   This day will be a great memory for the children here in the school.”

Heaney was overwhelmed by the welcome he received from pupils: “Mr Quinn was saying this was a memorable day, I will never forget this either.

“This day has been very rewarding, very moving, one of the best days of my life to come back here.  I haven’t been back here in fifty years.”

The Mossbawn native was honoured with unveiling a special plaque for the school during the assembly.

“To have this plaque in the school is a great honour- this is as good as a Nobel Prize,” said Mr Heaney.

As a reminder of his visit, he presented the school with some of his poetry books, including a copy of his translation of Beowulf, which has recently been made into a blockbuster movie.

Heaney said: “What I’ll carry away from here is the memory of this day.   I am just overcome.”

The day concluded with a Gala dinner which was held in the Tullyglass Hotel, Ballymena.   The highlight of the night was the auction of three of Heaney’s manuscripts which he kindly donated.

Principal Danny Quinn  said: “It was a fantastic night, we all really enjoyed it.   Seamus Heaney had an excellent rapport with the children during the day and the gala dinner at night was just the icing on the cake.”

Despite still being opposed to player grants in principle, newly returned Derry County Chairman Seamus McCloy believes that Gaels in the county may have to resign themselves to the prospect of financial remuneration for county players following amended proposals by the GAA’s Central Council.

A major sticking point in the original plan to award grants to players was that they were to be administered by county boards. The Oak Leaf chairman had already made it clear that the Derry board would have nothing to do with disbursing the money but, according proposals arising out of Saturday’s Cental Council meeting, grants will now be administered centrally.

From a personal point of view McCloy still opposes the payment of grants to players but feels that there is little he can do to prevent the process going ahead now that county boards will not be involved in the process.

“Personally, I am opposed to grants to county players but you can’t be like a Japanese soldier stuck on an island still fighting World War II years after it has finished. One of the big bug bears for us was that amateur officials were going to be charged with the responsibility of signing off on the payment of money to players. It seems that that will no longer be the case and to some degree it’s out of our hands,” he explained.

Saturday’s proposal from Central Council stressed that money is being provided by the Irish Government and the GPA had formally accepted that the GAA would not be responsible in future for providing grant money should the funding be cut off at a future date. As long as the grants are administered by the Governement, McCloy believes that there is little that can be done to halt the process.

“If the government wants to hand out grants to county players well then what can you do? If a club plays a county player £200 or £500 to speak at a dinner dance then there’s nothing you can do about that either. If any individual organisation outside the association, be it a businessman or whatever, wants to give money to players I don’t think that there’s and awful lot that we can do about it. There is no point a few of us fighting a war on our own that we can’t win,” he said.

 McCloy was returned unopposed as Derry Board Chairman at the county’s annual convention on Sunday. 

A County Derry community has been plunged into grief after a horrific road accident claimed the life of a teenage GAA star. 

Karl McAuley, from Strawmore Road, Draperstown, died after his grey Seat Leon left the road outside Tobermore at around 2.40pm on Saturday.  It is understood the teenager was on his way to buy Christmas presents when the accident occurred just a few miles from his home. 

A rising GAA star, the 17-year-old was tipped for a bright future and played both hurling and football for his club, Saint Colm’s, Ballinascreen. 

The talented teen attended Saint Colm’s High School, Draperstown, before training to be an electrician.   A small service of remembrance was held at the school yesterday as staff and pupils tried to come to terms with the teenager’s death. 

“It’s unbelievable,” said Principal Roisin McKenna.  “It’s so devastating because he was such a fabulous fellow. Every descriptive word you could think of, you would associate with him.  “He was just a gentleman in every respect in his dealings with staff and pupils and very popular within the school community.

“He was caring and considerate and a mentor to younger children. He was always eager to help others. His passing has left a big hole.”  The teenager’s mother Rosaleen is a career’s advisor at the school. 

“The grief is close and immediate,” added Mrs McKenna.  “ His peers are still at the school in our upper sixth year and they are finding it most difficult this morning. Our heart goes out to his parents, I don’t know how anyone could come to terms with it at all.”  News of Karl’s death filtered through to his home club as mourners gathered at the St Colm’s complex for a meal after the funeral of club secretary Danny Scullion’s mother.   Mr Scullion said the club has been gripped by grief.  “Karl played a central position and was the leader of the pack,” he said.

“He was popular and entertaining.”

The Ulster Hurling Minor Championship between Ballycran and Middleton, which was due to be held in Draperstown on Sunday, was cancelled as a mark of respect.   Karl is survived by his parents Danny and Rosaleen and brothers Gavin and Shaun.  Requiem Mass will take place in Draperstown tomorrow. 

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A County Derry woman has spoken of her heartbreak just weeks after she buried her baby daughter.

Anita Logue has been left devastated by the death of her 17-month-old daughter Chloe last month.

The tiny tot bravely battled illness throughout her tragically short life before slowly slipping away in her mother’s arms on November 4.

Clutching a picture of her dead daughter in the living room of her Feeny home, 19-year-old Anita explained how little Chloe clung onto life against the odds.

“She was born with brain damage and was sick her whole life,” she said.  “She had no swallow, no suck and she was fed through a tube.  “Chloe also had a tube inserted in her tummy. She also had epilepsy and cerabyl palsy. Just before she died we found out she had a lung disease as well.

“She also wore glasses and needed a hearing aid. She eventually died of pneumonia.   “She spent the first two weeks of her life in Antrim hospital and the rest of it in Altnagelvin Hospital.

“She had three operations and was taken to hospitals in Belfast seven times for them.  “In all we only had Chloe home for six hours in the 17 months she was alive.”

Anita says her little angel had to be fed strong pain killers in her final days.  “She hadn’t been well and they eventually gave her morphine to kill the pain.

“Her breathing was slowing down and her wee heart just couldn’t take it. At about 7.15 her breathing got more shallow and a few minutes later she just stopped breathing in my arms.  “We could have put her on a life support machine but we didn’t want to make her suffer when her suffering was over, even though we wanted to hold on to her.  “She was a great wee girl, a lot of hard work, but it was worth it.”

Chloe’s grandmother Marie paid tribute to family and friends who helped out during Chloe’s short life.

“There were so many people who helped us, all the doctors and nurses in the hospitals and people who came to the wake and funeral.

“We would like to say a special thanks to Margaret Brown who was always there. When we needed something she was the first here and the last to leave.

“Now Chloe is buried beside my mother and at peace.” 

A pensioner has broken her leg after falling on a pavement on one of Magherafelt’s busiest streets.

Madge Andrews, from the Moneymore Road, broke her knee cap after falling at Rainey Street last Wednesday.

Now the unfortunate pensioner will spend a painful Christmas with her right leg wrapped in plaster.

The 81-year-old, who did not want to be pictured, says road bosses should do more to fix up the town’s footpaths. “It was a terrible shock for me,” she said. “

A couple of men came to help me and lifted me up and then blood started to come out of my nose.

“It actually managed to drive home and it wasn’t until my daughter came home and saw my knee that she took me to the Mid Ulster Hospital in Magherafelt.

“When I got there they put a plaster on me from the ankle to the top of my leg. Now I’m going to be like this for Christmas and that’s what has annoyed me.”

The pensioner says DRD chiefs should act before someone else follows her fate.

“They are spending money on other works and they should concentrate on fixing pathways as well.”

A spokesman for the DRD said: “The footways on Rainey Street were resurfaced in the mid 1990s.

“All adopted footways are routinely inspected and any defects repaired were necessary.

“Roads Service investigate all complaints raised by the public but to date have not been contacted regarding this accident.”  

Hundreds Hundreds of people gathered in Belfast on Sunday to audition for the latest series of Big Brother. The County Derry Post’s Patricia Devlin was among the eager wannabes. Here’s her diary of a very eventful day.

 
6.00am: It’s an early start as my alarm bleeps me out of bed. Auditions start at 8.30am and with a forty minute drive in front of me, I have no time to waste.8.35am: It’s the first time the auditions have been in Belfast for a few years so I’m expecting a big crowd. As I walk up to Queens Sports centre, I spot the trademark Olympus Security men guarding the entrance. As I walk up the steps one burly and slightly scary looking man steps forward. “Big Brother auditions?” I nod my head, “Follow me…” 
8.40am: After walking up a million steps, I’m led into a hall where around 60 people are waiting. The first thing I spot are a TV crew filming a familiar face, Seany, from last year’s Big Brother! Being slightly star struck I walk on up and join the rest of the applicants. It’s not long before the once half empty hall becomes full as more and more people come to audition for the most famous reality show in the world. 
9.30am: After a while I’m put into a group of 16 people, where I meet a number of big characters including Nick, 47, a member of a Rockabilly band. He’s told his family he was at work for the day, “My daughter would kill me if she knew I was here,” he laughs. We start the session with some warm ups, starting with the all famous Hokey Cokey and finish with a rib tickling session of Chinese Whispers. A member from the Big Brother production team split’s us into two groups of eight, we’re then whisked off to the first elimination round….  
10.36am: My group are led over to the other end of the hall where we line up in front of three women bearing Big Brother T-shirts. “Right, we want everyone to split into pairs and tell us three juicy facts about each other. And they have to be good or you’re out!” One of them shouts. I pair up with Aidan, a 22 year old arts degree graduate who once dressed up as a fried egg and brought an old man home. I think I had enough ammunition to get through to the next round… 
11.17am: After cruelly naming who we would evict out of the group and why, (I picked fried-egg Aidan) we are asked to hold out our right hands. If we get a stamp, we’re onto the next round, if not, well it was home time. I held out my hand and held my breath. And with a huge click I look down to see the infamous Big Brother eye staring up at me, I’m through! 
1.30pm: After getting my official Big Brother audition picture taken as well as filling out a lengthy application form, I’m now sitting outside one of three main interview rooms. Feeling nervous I get chatting to a very camp-looking man in a glitter shirt. His name is Gary and it’s his third year running for Big Brother, I asked him if he had any tips and he replied, “Darling, you just have to be yourself and if yourself isn’t good enough, well then just forget about it!” Door number three opens and a female crew member steps forward and asks me to come in. 
2.15pm : After being grilled by two Big Brother producers and an in-your-face TV camera, I’m back outside the interview rooms trying to evaluate whether I made a complete fool of myself or not. When I see an important looking man with a clip board walking in my direction, I knew this was make or break time. “Congratulations Patricia, you’re through to the next round.” After hugging the poor man, I’m taken into a huge room where around twenty other people were furiously filling out an inch thick application form. “Here you go, this should take you around two and a half hours to fill out, when your finished come back to me for your second interview.” This was going to be a long day. 
4.50pm : After over two hours of answering questions about my dreams, likes, dislikes, embarrassing moments and scenarios, as well as drawing a self-portrait, I’m now outside a bigger and more intimidating room, labelled THE DIARY ROOM. A young crew member whisks me inside where I’m placed inside a tiny boxed space with only a camera and a bright light in my sight. After waiting for five minutes Big Brother addresses me; “Hello Patricia, how are you today?” And so it starts - personal questions, house scenarios and 45 seconds to explain why I’d be an excellent house mate. After fifteen minutes of heated conversation I leave the diary room. After finishing the final interview I collect my things and leave the building, waving goodbye to Seany on the way out. I feel exhausted but I‘m glad I got the chance to take part in the experience.

And who knows, it might not be over just yet.

The topic that has been on everyone’s lips for the past few months will top the agenda at Derry’s Annual County Convention at Owenbeg this Sunday (5pm) after one club proposed a motion to block grants being paid to county players.  

St. Mary’s Faughanvale, who have no current representative on the Derry senior panel, have submitted a motion to go before the board at Sunday’s meeting to stop the payment of grants which were released by the Irish Government this week and will see each player pocket in the region of €1,200 per year.

The North Derry club claim that the receipt of grants by players is in breach of Association rules.

They have proposed that “the GAA shall not administer grants of any form to any player within the Association and shall not officially recognise the so called ‘Gaelic Players Association,’ whose activities and actions are in breach of Rule 11 of the Official Guide.”

The said rules states that “a player, team, official or member shall not accept payment in cash or in kind in conjunction with the playing of Gaelic Games.”  The maximum possible punishment for breaking the rule is expulsion from the Association.

In his report, county secretary Danny Scullion will tell those present at the Owenbeg Centre of Excellence (which may be renamed the Eamonn Coleman Centre of Excellence if motion 4 is passed) that the current situation surrounding the grants impasse, which was finally cleared last week, is ‘saddening’.

The Ballinascreen clubman, who will step down from his role to be replaced by a new full-time administrator in the coming weeks, will affirm his belief that county players are presently well treated and insists that players were ‘encouraged’ to fall into line and support the potential strike action that was averted last week.

“Many players are uncomfortable with what is happening.  They have witnessed and appreciate that the greatness of the GAA lies in the community spirit generated by volunteerism.  However, they are being encouraged to look on the game from a purely selfish perspective.

“I personally would be very disappointed if players refused to represent their county when selected.  All players deserve to be looked after and I believe that all members of our county squads are well treated and receive appreciation for their contribution to the GAA in Derry,” he states.