COLUMN: Michael Hand – The meaning of faith


I DON’T like the term ‘to lose your faith’. It implies an element of carelessness, like losing your car keys or your wallet. I prefer to think about it as faith evolving. In my case, I no longer believe the rigid set of beliefs that was imposed on me when I was young. I have […]


Calls for rail to be extended to Fermanagh


THE ONGOING work to bring the railways back to the west could see tracks with speeds of 200km per hour, it has been revealed. However, as it stands, Fermanagh won’t be connected to the revolutionary infrastructure project. Recently Minister John O’Dowd suggested the tracks proposed by the All-Island Strategic Rail Review would be high-speed when eventually […]


Rotary Youth Leadership Development Competition


MOUNT Lourdes pupil Isabella Nethercott recently took part in the Rotary Ireland Youth Leadership Development Competition. The Rotary Ireland Youth Leadership Development Competition, in conjunction with Euroscola, is one of the Rotary Club’s longest running youth projects and it rewards young people with clear leadership potential. Isabella wasn’t successful in winning the competition but visited The Rotary Club meeting recently […]


Fuel

Irish duty move will ‘fuel’ tourism to NI


THE Irish government’s decision to restore excise duty on fuel will encourage people from the Republic to go to Northern Ireland to purchase diesel and petrol, a motoring industry insider has predicted. On Monday petrol increased by four cents per litre while diesel was raised by three cents per litre. According to the Irish Road Haulage […]


Galway calling for the Tumbling Paddies


FRESH off the back of a major tour of Australia, The Tumbling Paddies have released details for a busy and action-packed April calendar. The six-man band, who have risen through the ranks and become of the top music groups in the country, are set to kick off their month of tours in the Black Box […]


Semis are calling for Fermanagh singer Karl Kirkpatrick


AFTER a standout duet with rising Country music star Claudia Buckley, Derrygonnelly’s Karl Kirkpatrick has secured his spot in the semi-final of ‘Glór Tíre’. The Fermanagh farmer, who currently is a member of Pettigo’s Paul Kelly’s band, fought off stiff competition to book his place in the next round of the TG4 talent show. Kirkpatrick’s […]


Fermanagh invites extended to US Special Envoy


THE INVITES to US Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III to return to the local area for a visit just keep coming. Last week Mairaid Kelly, who led the successful campaign to save St Mary’s Primary School in Fivemiletown, travelled to Boston as part of an Ulster University (UU) leadership programme. While there Ms Kelly, who was selected […]


Fermanagh woman Shelley Cowan defeats Cuilcagh


DESPITE fighting illness for the past 26 years Michelle Cowan has reached the top of Cuilcagh Mountain. Michelle, known as Shelley, took on this challenge to raise funds for the group she founded, JustUs. Bed bound for 12 years, she spoke about what it felt like when she made it to the top. “It was […]


Pay rise for Pilgrim Food Masters workers


WORKERS at Pilgrim’s Food Masters in Enniskillen have agreed an inflation-busting pay rise, with the boost being lauded as a trade union victory. Members of union Unite at the processing factory, which was formerly Kerry Foods, have ended their industrial dispute with bosses after accepting a pay rise of £1.02 per hour. The new offer […]


Even more reason to cry into your beer


PINTS are about to get even more expensive in Fermanagh. International alcohol distributor Diageo will increase the price of its draught beers by at least 5p. These include Guinness, Harp, Carlsberg, Hop House 13, Smithwicks and Rockshore. Meanwhile, Guinness 0.0, the non-alcoholic version, will go up by as much as 10p. The hikes will come into […]