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The 42
21 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Five-star Drogheda dismiss non-league Crumlin United to begin title defence
Drogheda United 5 Crumlin United 0 Barry Landy reports from Sullivan & Lambe Park DROGHEDA UNITED BEGAN their defence of the FAI Cup in style by hitting non-league Crumlin United for five at Sullivan & Lambe Park. Whilst it was not the nine-goal hammering they dished out to Munster Senior League side Wilton United in last year's competition, it was no less comprehensive as Drogheda dominated from start to finish. The home side did not score until the 45th minute – through a Conor Keeley header – but they pressed home their superiority after the break through goals from Thomas Oluwa, Josh Thomas, Darragh Markey and John O'Sullivan. For Keeley, Thomas and O'Sullivan, theirs were first career FAI Cup goals. Advertisement It was an emotive night for Crumlin, with a minutes silence before the game dedicated in part to Nicole McNeill, the sister of player Ian, who passed away during the week. Ian took his place in the side at right back. Kevin Doherty certainly demonstrated his intent by selecting a strong XI to take to the field against the non-league outfit. Drogheda do have a sparse looking July with no European trips in their calendar. Thomas appeared as a substitute after almost five months out with a quad injury – scoring a penalty to put United two goals ahead – and O'Sullivan, on-loan from Shamrock Rovers ensured he had a debut to remember with a late goal of his own. It was a perfect night Keeley opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time – heading in Owen Lambe's corner – and Oluwa added it to just two minutes after the restart. Had the game not been over as a contest by that point, there was no way back for Crumlin. Oluwa's strike was eye-catching – a piledriver from 20 yards, but replays suggested it look a touch on the way past overworked goalkeeper Morgan Daly. He was a standout performer for a team that were under the cosh throughout. So too was winger Reece Kavanagh. He won a corner off James Bolger after one of his multiple darts into Drogheda territory in the first half. He was fleet of foot throughout and while the visitors did not test the goalkeeper, it was likely anything they would muster might come from the 19-year-old. Kavanagh had bagged two in Crumlin's 4-2 victory over Lucan United in round one but this was a much sterner test for them. Related Reads Cork City's Callum Honohan to join brother at Shamrock Rovers Sligo Rovers boost survival hopes as Derry City's title hopes take a hit Roy Keane ad and RTÉ boss miss the point as League of Ireland fans drive culture change Thomas, on loan from Swansea City, was fouled by Anthony Kay and slotted the spot kick beyond the goalkeeper himself. Markey made it four from close range soon after. O'Sullivan's 85th minute goal was well taken. Any one of several United men could have tested sub goalkeeper Ryan Donnelly. O'Sullivan did and beat him. Doherty's team are enjoying a fine season and a return to the Aviva Stadium in November will surely be in their sights, whatever obstacles the draw throws up. For now though, a trip to Salou for a training camp next week awaits in their immediate future. Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Andrew Quinn, Conor Keeley (Aaron Harper Bailey 76), James Bolger; Owen Lambe, Ryan Brennan (Shane Farrell, 60), Luke Heeney (John O'Sullivan, 59), Conor Kane (Kieran Cruise, 70); Darragh Markey; Thomas Oluwa, Dare Kareem (Josh Thomas, 60). Crumlin United: Morgan Daly (Ryan Donnelly, 83); Ian McNeill, Josh MacGabhann, Jack Funge, Aidan Friel (Kyle Murphy, 63); Jamie Whelan, Samuel O'Donoghue; Calum Bridgeman (Kane Byrne, 83), Ben Coughlan (Brian O'Meara, 63), Reece Kavanagh; Anthony Kay (Synnott Lawlor Brennan, 75). Referee: Oliver Moran
Irish Independent
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda begin FAI Cup defence in style despite heroics from Crumlin 'keeper Morgan Daly
Two-hundred-and-fifty days after their unforgettable triumph at Lansdowne Road, Drogheda's 2025 FAI Cup defence kicked off with a comfortable victory over non-league Crumlin United. In just the second of the two games the Louth club have in their unusual July schedule, goals from Conor Keeley, Thomas Oluwa, Josh Thomas, Darragh Markey and John O'Sullivan saw the cup holders prevail with their biggest FAI Cup win since last year's 9-0 third-round victory over Wilton United. Rather than kicking off their Conference League campaign next week, having been sensationally kicked out of the competition by Uefa last month due to multi-club ownership rules, Kevin Doherty's men will now fly out to Spain next week for a mid-season training camp with their name safely in the hat for the third-round draw, with the club not in action next until a league trip to Bohemians on August 1. The scoreline would have been greater had it not been for Crumlin 'keeper Morgan Daly, who pulled off a string of excellent saves, but for the Leinster Senior League side, playing their first competitive match ahead of their season, a giant-killing act wasn't to be here. It was the visitors who created the first chance of the tie, as Calum Bridgeman tested Luke Dennison, and for most of the opening half the Boynesiders found themselves frustrated by the men from Dublin 12. There was more frustration for the hosts when Conor Keeley saw his volley denied by a top-drawer save by Daly before the break, but from the resulting corner, came the breakthrough. Owen Lambe's corner found the head of Keeley, who cleverly got away from his marker and found the top corner. After the restart it took Drogheda just three minutes to double their lead. The visitors coughed up possession too easily as Luke Heeney slotted Oluwa through. The striker was given far too much space to roam around the edge of the box, before unleashing a rocket into the roof of the net. Moments later, Daly pulled off a quite incredible point-blank save from a Fuhad Kareem header that 99 times out of 100, the 19-year-old striker would score, but any hopes of a potential Crumlin comeback were extinguished with 20 minutes left on the clock by substitute Thomas. The Swansea loanee marked his first appearance since February 21 by winning and burying a penalty to put the tie to bed, having recently returned from a quad injury. Markey added the fourth six minutes later before O'Sullivan, who signed on loan from Shamrock Rovers earlier this week, hit the fifth on 85 minutes with his first FAI Cup goal on his Drogs debut, as the cup champions began their defence on the right note. Drogheda United: Dennison; Quinn, Keeley (Harper-Bailey 76), Bolger; Lambe, Brennan (Farrell 58), Heeney (O'Sullivan 58), Kane (Cruise 70); Markey; Oluwa, Kareem (Thomas 58). Crumlin United: Daly (Donnelly 83); McNeill, MacGabhann, Friel (Murphy 63), Funge; Whelan, Bridgeman (Byrne 83), Coughlan (O'Mara 63), McKay (Lawlor Brennan 75); Kavanagh, O'Donohoe. Referee: O Moran
Irish Times
12-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Ireland's Greenest Places 2025 competition: 40 shades of green initiatives
It's fair to say that 20 years ago, doing your bit for your local environment amounted to beautifying neighbourhoods; planting flowers – probably exotic species rather than wild natives – tidying up public spaces and planting the odd tree, mostly cosmetic purposes. Looking at entries to Ireland's Greenest Place competition, environmental transformation has taken root in communities ranging from the most deprived – and least green – urban spaces to remote locations such as offshore islands and rural areas with dispersed populations. The key is sustained volunteerism, small armies of people often delivering multilayered initiatives. Sometimes it is a handful of people overseeing a single project with impact, or an inspired individual seeking a better way. Any notion that there is a common characteristic in these environmental helpers is dispelled by Olga Tiernan, who nominated Pearse Park Community Garden in Crumlin, Dublin, 'an area not well known for tree-lined streets or leafy enclaves'. READ MORE 'Currently in full bloom, it is intoxicating, massaging your skin from the moment you enter the gate, asking you to lay rest to the chattering in your mind and leave the self-centred bullsh*t outside,' says Tiernan. 'On any given Saturday, you might find an 84-year-old grandmother who can dig better holes in the ground than most of the men in their 40s, or a 72-year-old recent retiree who brings apple tart ... This is not a community of 'like-minded people' – what does that even mean? No, this is very much a hot mess of every type of wayward, lost, bored, curious, passionate, young, old, irritable, cynical, hardworking, complicated gorgeous flood of people.' Ireland has an ambitious goal of planting 8,000 hectares of new forest annually, yet the amount totalled just 1,573 hectares in 2024. It is a big factor in land being a source of carbon, rather than capturing it with the right species in the correct places, while enhancing biodiversity and nature-based flood protection. Waterford Trees for Life project. Photograph: Pauline Beglin The extent to which tree planting is being ratcheted up at community level, reflected in entries, is cause for optimism. It is typified in Waterford Trees for Life project. The brainchild of the local Lions Club and backed by local businesses, this has prompted the planting of 4,000 native trees including orchards, a sensory garden and 'pocket forests'. Many widely different groups supported the initiative, from local residents associations to Comeragh Mountaineering Club, which planted trees along Waterford Greenway. It was a similar motivation that led Ronan MacSweeney to acquire seven acres outside Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, in an effort to accelerate rewilding where once a Christmas tree farm was located. Charliewood: 'We built a massive pond using a land drain for water a source and created a dolmen on an island,' says Ronan MacSweeney Charliewood, named after his son, 'is a bold move towards sustainability', he says, as 3,000 native trees will be planted this year with the creation of five 'Miyawaki forests'. 'This method of afforestation, which focuses on dense planting of native trees, exemplifies the numerous benefits that can be reaped quickly, within a lifetime, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations,' he says. Farmer Ray Lynch from Ballinguille-Cookstown, between Ballincollig and Macroom in Co Cork, wanted to change his way of farming to benefit biodiversity and improve water quality, especially given his proximity to a river, a tributary of the Bride that feeds into the Lee. It led to the Ochaul River Project and a realisation that native trees had to play a role. With help from his family and the 100 Million Trees project, native trees were planted along the river bank, which has become a rich wildlife corridor. The 100 Million Trees initiative is a not-for-profit run by siblings Richard, David and Tina Mulcahy. It aims to plant 100 million native Irish trees across the island of Ireland over the next decade. It is championing the Miyawaki method too. There is a palpable sense of all this being done for future generations, which pupils at Gaelscoil Raifteirí in Castlebar, Co Mayo, an entrant in the greenest community category, say is a must. Submitted by múinteoir Michelle Uí Charraig on behalf of Rang 5, they outline their love of growing plants and vegetables 'in their garden and geodome, and learning to work with nature and encourage biodiversity'. They grow plants and sell them to the community, using the money to restart the process every September. Classmates Tríona (11), Maggie (12) and Finn (12) note: 'We are the future. In a few years' time, us kids will be adults, and we need to know not just how to grow food but how to live sustainably. No one knows how the future will be, and we need to be able to gather our resources and use what is available to us. It's important that we keep our environment clean for the future.' Two other trends stand out; the ability of large urban places to achieve collective action, and the absence of complacency in places of great natural beauty or long-established heritage. In the former category are Skerries in north Co Dublin and Kinsale in Co Cork; in the latter, Killarney, Co Kerry, and Abbeyleix, Co Laois. Sustainable Skerries aims to make the town 'resilient, regenerative, and a great place to live – now and for future generations', says Katie Lattimore. 'We're active in biodiversity, water management, sustainable energy and transport, waste reduction and raising awareness.' This is made possible by collaboration with local groups and Fingal County Council, and by staging events that build public engagement. The Skerries Eco Town booklet shares local stories and tips for sustainable living; initiatives such as a beach toy library and urban forest school summer camp for children add fun. Proximity to the sea means they monitor and maintain that environment in many ways. Kinsale is no newcomer to sustainability. With 20 years' work under its belt, it has the hallmarks of an environmental trailblazer. Through Transition Town Kinsale, a voluntary community initiative is striving to transition from dependency on fossil fuels to a low-carbon future. 'Our vision is [for] a resilient, self-reliant and sustainable town,' says Elizabeth Creed. In 2005 Rob Hopkins, a teacher of permaculture at Kinsale Further Education College, produced an action plan with his students, exploring ways to prepare for peak oil. One of them, Louise Rooney, developed the transition towns concept, culminating in the historic decision by Kinsale Town Council to adopt the plan. It has broadened its agenda since, 'working with others towards a vision of an inclusive, thriving 'low carbon' community', Creed adds. Projects range across local food: energy, zero-waste, nature loss and transport including a solar-panel bulk-buying scheme (involving 40-plus homes), skill-sharing, a repair cafe and Kinsale Loves Bikes. There is a high level of participation in local schools – a sustainability chaplain has been appointed in the community school. [ The rise of repair cafes: 'It's not sustainable to keep buying new stuff' Opens in new window ] Killarney shows how natural beauty and community-driven sustainability can go hand in hand, says Bridget O'Keefe. It has the backing of many voluntary organisations, which also help stage events such as the Wander Wild Festival , which fosters deeper connection to nature 'through mindful outdoor adventure'. But challenges arise because of its location. On its doorstep is Killarney National Park, a 25,000-acre Unesco biosphere reserve of ancient woodlands, lakes and rugged mountains, one of Ireland's most sensitive ecosystems. It is one of Ireland's most-visited places. Through Killarney Sustainable Vision 2030, it is building resilience and delivering eco-friendly tourism, biodiversity protection and transitioning to renewable energy, she says. Killarney became the first town in Ireland to eliminate single-use takeaway coffee cups – preventing more than 1.5 million cups from reaching landfill. 'Through education, innovation and collective action, Killarney has nurtured a culture of environmental pride that is both inspiring and impactful,' says O'Keefe. Abbeyleix is a beacon of good urban planning dating from the 19th century. Like many towns it has wrestled with decline. But a mission of maintaining its physical character and ensuring 'a fully inclusive and sustainable future' is taking root, says Robbie Quinn. The community in all its guises wants to play 'a leading role in showcasing how rural-based communities can navigate the transition to the new green and sustainable economy', he adds. Core priorities are in biodiversity; climate and energy, creating 'a smart village' embracing active travel and public realm work. This has delivered an impressive range of environmental initiatives with lasting impact. Nearly 20,000 trees have been planted, including a NeighbourWood and 35 mini-orchards – enhancing biodiversity, capturing carbon and enriching public spaces. A dedicated tree plan was developed in partnership with UCD, alongside a citizen science and tree-recording project, which 'empowers residents to monitor and care for the town's tree canopy'. Much of the midlands is pivoting to restoring vast tracts of bogland as the era of peat extraction has ended. The 500-acre Abbeyleix bog 'is a model of ecological rehabilitation, with active rewetting, habitat monitoring and community involvement'. What sets Abbeyleix apart is its inclusive, bottom-up approach, says Quinn. 'This is a town where nature restoration, clean energy and community wellbeing are woven together – demonstrating how a rural place can lead on climate action and inspire others to do the same.' Glangevlin in west Co Cavan. Photograph: Eamon Fitzsimons Glangevlin in west Co Cavan represents 'a truly unique green way of life, both in its physical environment and in its values', says Eamon Fitzsimons. Locals embrace low-impact agriculture and peatland conservation. They promote renewable energy, reinforced by traditional building techniques using local materials. 'These efforts directly contribute to carbon reduction, flood mitigation and protection of vulnerable native Irish species,' he says. '[This] is a model of rural resilience and regeneration that goes beyond individual action.' Ambition stands out: 'This deep sense of community connection to nature creates not just environmental impact but also social renewal,' says Fitzsimons. Glangevlin demonstrates how a small, rural place can offer big lessons in how to live in harmony with our surroundings, proving that a greener world is possible when people and place come together with care, vision, and determination. It is not only surviving. We are quietly leading the way.' It is a compelling and often understated strategy deployed throughout the island of Ireland. Categories for Ireland's Greenest Places are: Ireland's greenest suburb; greenest village, greenest town and greenest community – from which an overall winner will be selected. Closing date for entries is July 19th. The inclusion of projects here is no indication of the eventual winners, which will emerge from a separate judging process. The Irish Times Ireland's Greenest Places competition is in association with Electric Ireland
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Pictured: Campaigning journalist Veronica Guerin's killer strolls in summer sunshine as he enjoys his first steps of freedom on day release from prison after 26 years
Strolling in the Summer sunshine on a street in Crumlin, south Dublin, this is the man who murdered campaigning journalist Veronica Guerin, enjoying his first steps of freedom on day release after 26 years. Gangland enforcer and getaway driver Brian Meehan was part of a two-man hit team who struck to silence the fearless reporter on June 26, 1996, in a shooting which would shock the entire nation and usher in a new era of law enforcement. Her life was portrayed in the eponymous 2003 Hollywood movie starring Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell and Ciaran Hinds. Known for her fearless coverage of Ireland's drug underworld, Veronica Guerin, 37, was shot dead in broad daylight while stopped at a traffic light on the Naas Road in Dublin. Her murder, chilling in its audacity, would not only spark national outrage but ultimately lead to the downfall of some of Ireland's most powerful criminal empires -including the conviction of Meehan, who was the getaway driver. Guerin, a mother of one, was a reporter for the Sunday Independent and had carved out a reputation as one of Ireland's most courageous journalists. While many in the media avoided naming or even hinting at the identities of Dublin's criminal figures, Guerin went further. She didn't just allude - she investigated, reported, and exposed. Using her disarming charm and sharp intellect, she infiltrated the world of drug barons and gangland bosses, attending court hearings, knocking on doors in inner-city housing estates, and confronting major players face-to-face. Her work put her in grave danger. In 1995, she was shot in the leg after answering her front door. Her home was routinely watched. Her phone rang with anonymous threats. But she refused to back down. One of the men her work repeatedly targeted was John Gilligan, a ruthless drug trafficker who had risen through the ranks to become one of Ireland's most feared gangland figures. Guerin was on the brink of publishing an exposé linking Gilligan directly to his vast drug enterprise when she was murdered. Gilligan was subsequently charged with Veronica's murder but acquitted. Meehan, now greying and in his late 50s, with a beard, was given a life sentence on his conviction in 1999. He was the getaway driver of the Kawasaki motorbike, and a second man, the late Patrick 'Dutchy' Holland, pulled the trigger. Holland was never charged with Ms Guerin's murder due to lack of evidence, but gardaí named him in a subsequent drugs court case as the man who pulled the trigger. Holland denied it up until his death in an English prison at 70 years of age in 2009. Earlier this year, Meehan was moved to an 'independent living unit' on the grounds of Shelton Abbey Prison in Co Wicklow, and enjoys day releases, ahead of a potential full release from jail. As our exclusive photograph shows, he has also been allowed out of the open prison to attend training courses as well as for social meetings, and visited the home of his elderly parents last week. Meehan who was seen with grey hair, in his late 50s, sporting a beard, was given a life sentence on his conviction in 1999 The move into an independent living unit is seen as another step closer to freedom for Meehan, who has enjoyed playing golf since entering Shelton Abbey in 2021. In 2017, Meehan lost a final appeal to overturn his conviction. Meehan's case is believed to be coming before the Irish Parole Board soon, and Ms Guerin's brother Jimmy was asked if he wanted to make a statement, but declined. Mr Guerin, who is an independent councillor on Fingal County Council, told the Sunday Independent in May that he 'didn't want to get into that process'. 'We went through this two years ago,' he said. 'The Parole Board considered Brian Meehan's release and it was declined. 'He still has to go before the Parole Board again. I have never submitted a statement to them before and I won't. It is a matter for them whether he is deemed eligible for release under licence, as a convicted murderer.' He said the family's situation would be no different from other relatives bereaved by murderers. 'His possible release is something I have no control over. 'In a way, it would be no more difficult than when John Gilligan was released [on drug trafficking charges in 2013]. 'My sister will be dead 30 years next year. Every time there is a serious crime, her name is brought up, so there are constant reminders.' The public reaction to Guerin's killing was instant and furious. More than 1,000 people attended her funeral. The Irish government, facing immense pressure, enacted emergency legislation to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), a newly formed agency designed to strip criminals of their ill-gotten wealth. Homes, cars, racehorses, and foreign bank accounts linked to Gilligan and his associates were frozen or seized. The State finally turned its full force against organised crime. In the months that followed, the Gardaí (Irish police) launched Operation Oak, a massive investigation into Guerin's murder and the activities of the Gilligan gang. A breakthrough came when Gardaí found the abandoned motorbike used in the assassination. Forensic evidence linked the bike to Meehan. Meehan, a small-time criminal turned trusted hitman, was a key enforcer in Gilligan's gang. He was known for his aggression and loyalty—qualities that, in the brutal calculus of gangland life, made him an ideal candidate for such a hit. He had previously worked as a car thief and getaway driver and had been involved in countless acts of intimidation and violence on behalf of the gang.
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Census 1911: Dublin housing was in crisis a century ago with one-room tenements comprising 60% of homes
It will not provide much consolation to those caught up in Dublin's housing crisis , but the situation was even worse more than a century ago. Data from the 1911 Census, which has been released online by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), shows that 60 per cent of all homes in the capital then were one-room tenements. The city, which consisted of the area between the Royal and Grand canals, along with parts of Cabra, Crumlin and Ballyfermot, had a population of 304,802 at the time. There were 35,477 homes, 21,133 of which were one-room tenements. Nearly 70,000 people, almost a quarter of the population, lived in tenement buildings. In Dublin , 132 families lived in a one-room tenement with 10 people or more. Five families lived in a one-room tenement with 12 people in them. READ MORE Before independence, Dublin had a reputation of having some of the worst slums in the United Kingdom . The housing situation was one of the principal motivations behind the Dublin lockout of 1913, with two tenements collapsing in Church Street causing the deaths of seven people that year. A government inquiry, published in February 1914, showed that many elected councillors on Dublin Corporation were complicit in the abject state of housing in the city. It found three members of the corporation alone owned 46 tenement houses between them, while 10 other members of the corporation owned or partially owned one to three tenement houses. They were able to avail of tax rebates in relation to the housing they owned despite the substandard nature of much of the accommodation. The government report revealed the 'want of a firm administration has created a number of owners with but little sense of their responsibilities as landlords, and that it has helped much in the demoralisation of a number of the working classes, and increased the number of inefficient workers in the city'. [ Housing target should be revised up to 60,000 homes per year, Dublin Chamber says Opens in new window ] Slum clearance did not really begin until after Irish independence, but it took until the 1960s for all the tenements to be vacated. No other city in Ireland came close to the number of tenements. In Belfast , then the biggest city on the island, only 1 per cent of homes were one-room tenements. One-room tenements were also found in rural districts, mostly situated close to the Atlantic coast. Belmullet in Co Mayo, for example, had 14 one-room tenements per 100 houses inhabited.
