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Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Derry City and Bohemians violence condemned by politicians
The FAI are continuing to work with relevant authorities to determine how violence erupted between some Derry City and Bohemians fans on Friday night. Rival gangs attacked each other with iron bars, sticks and bats in the vicinity of the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium. Videos of various flashpoints went viral on social media, and showed how fireworks were also used as weapons. Cars and property in the area were damaged and two people required treatment in hospital. The PSNI believe the violence was pre-arranged while a Derry City supporters group has said those involved had 'nothing to do with football'. Local politicians in Derry have now called for both Derry City and Bohemians to hold the feuding fans accountable. Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme: "The clubs need to hold these young people to account. We saw masked youths armed with weapons fighting on the street and then turning on the PSNI. "It was just terrifying for local residents, including children, who witnessed these events but, ultimately, any footage that is available needs to be sent to the PSNI." SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan was at Friday's match and said the incidents outside the stadium were 'deeply upsetting'. He told the BBC: "I've never experienced an atmosphere like it at the Brandywell or at any football match anywhere.' Durkan had also posted on Facebook shortly after the game and wrote: '(It) had all the hallmarks of an organised attack…..this madness must stop before someone is killed.' Neither club has commented while on Saturday the FAI said it was speaking to the relevant authorities. An FAI statement read: 'The League of Ireland and Football Association of Ireland are currently investigating reports of public order incidents in the vicinity of Friday's fixture between Derry City and Bohemians at The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. 'We will continue to work with the relevant authorities and both clubs to ascertain the full information related to the incidents and any further information will be provided when available.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Belfast Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Thousands attend opening parade for the annual Foyle Cup tournament
Almost 1,000 teams from across the world are set to compete in 3,600 matches, all aiming to be crowned champions in their respective age groups ranging from U-8 to U-18, with ladies teams once again taking part from U-9 upwards. As part of the cup around 20,000 players will take part. Crowds gathered for the tournament's annual parade which took place through Londonderry. Leaving the Magee campus of Ulster University shortly after 10am, teams were led by Lislaird Pipe Band and marched around Derry's city centre before concluding at Guildhall Square. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today show, tournament organiser Philip Devlin said the event 'does the heart good'. "The work that goes on in the background is immense,' he told the programme. Watch: Flash Flooding hits parts of Northern Ireland "We used to have it on the Tuesday but moved it to Monday as we felt it really gears the kids up for the week ahead. "If you live close to a pitch there will be a game there, there are games everywhere.' Matches are set to take place at a number of venues across counties Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. The tournament will be running until Saturday and organisers have advised anyone attending matches to plan ahead for attending the fixtures due to the likely traffic disruption.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nun's family ask visitors to be respectful of grave
The sister of a nun, who has taken the first step towards sainthood, has appealed for people to be respectful when visiting her gravestone and her family home. Sister Clare Crockett, 33, died after the school she was teaching music at in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, collapsed during a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in April 2016. In November, Sr Clare was declared a Servant of God by the Catholic Church - the first step towards being canonised. Shauna Gill said: "There are days you come to that grave and you would have to queue and we love that people come to the grave, but they are disrupting other graves around it." The council, which owns the City Cemetery in Londonderry, is to consider installing paths and railings around the grave of Sr Clare to accommodate an influx of visitors to the site. "There are just so many people that come from everywhere, they are not just from Derry, they travel from afar," Shauna Gill told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today. "I totally understand other families' disappointment when they see other people are standing on graves. "They are touching Clare's gravestone and posing for photos with the headstone, so some people are just not thinking about their surroundings. "A lot of people are respectful, but there are some graves that are being damaged around it." Ms Gill said the narrow path makes it difficult for people to navigate the grave and believes removing hedging at the back of the grave and installing railings could help with access. "This could take all that congestion away from the front of the grave," she said. Ms Gill said she understands why people come to pray to Sr Clare, but they must understand their parents are also buried there. She said it can be hard for her family to visit the grave for a quiet moment of reflection knowing "you might not get near the grave". Sr Clare Theresa Crockett, from Brandywell in Derry, was previously an actor but turned down the chance to present on children's TV channel Nickelodeon to become a nun. Friends were said to be in disbelief after she announced her decision while holding a "beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other". She then took a vow with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother order. Her motto in life was "all or nothing" and has previously been associated with fertility miracles. Sr Clare and another Irish nun injured in the quake, Sr Thérèse Ryan from County Limerick, had been teaching guitar and singing with five young women postulants - who were entering the religious order - when the earthquake struck. It is believed they became trapped on a stairwell as they ran out of the building. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed at least 480 people, injured more than 4,000 and left 231 missing. How does someone become a saint? Catholic Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has said every grave is sacred and every family should have the right to pay their respects. He said the grave was "a major attraction" at the cemetery and a number of signposts had been erected to guide visitors to it. "Many people who have even come to visit me in Derry and have asked specifically to visit the grave," he said. "I just hope something can be done for all the family involved." He said long-term plans are being considered to manage the sheer volume of people arriving into the cemetery and sites linked to Sr Clare. Shauna Gill said they are also dealing with people arriving at Sr Clare's old house, which is currently occupied by a family member. "They can show up at any time of the day and can knock at the door," she said. "We have had people come and touch the walls or stand outside the house. "They have even asked for clothes or anything that Clare had, they just want a bit of Clare. "This is all new for everybody, so we are all trying to come to terms with it both as a town and as a family and we are just trying to find out what we can do about it." Ms Gill said it was difficult to navigate the many complexities associated with being the sister of a nun who is in the process of becoming a saint. Derry nun's family 'proud' as sainthood journey begins Funeral for nun killed in earthquake Sister Clare takes first step towards sainthood
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Village ready as 'Windies' seek revenge against Ireland
It is a village of just a few hundred people, yet it is going to host to one of the major cricket teams in the world. Magheramason, in County Tyrone, is the home of Bready Cricket Club where the West Indies are seeking revenge against Ireland for a sore that has lasted more than half a century. Advertisement The last time the two sides faced off in the north west was back in 1969 at Sion Mills, when Ireland recorded a historic victory over the "Windies" by bowling them out for just 25 runs. Now, weather-permitting, thousands will attend three T20 matches between the teams on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with many more around the world watching on TV. Ossie Colhoun played against the West Indies at Sion Mills in 1969 [Belfast Telegraph] Chairman of Bready Cricket Club Norman Allen said the bigger games tend to go to Dublin and Belfast, so for them to get the West Indies was "huge". "We are determined to show Cricket Ireland that we can put on cricket as good as anybody," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme. Advertisement Ossie Colhoun, 87, from Sion Mills, was Ireland's wicketkeeper in the clash against the West Indies 56 years ago. "The ground was completely packed, there was maybe 3,000 people because this was a really big deal to have the West Indies here," he said. As the local boy, he was tasked with taking the West Indies team to their hotel in Lifford, County Donegal. This led to speculation that Ossie had taken the team for a drink and that that was why they were off their game the next day. "When we went over the bar was closed, they got no drink at all," he insisted. Ossie will be at the match on Saturday to ring the bell. 'Mops and brushes' Kathryn Rough says the final preparations were stressful but it was worth it [BBC] The final preparations to get the cricket ground ready have been taking place all week. Advertisement Kathryn Rough, the interim general manager for the North West Cricket Union, said it was all hands to the pump. "We've got people who normally work in finance and people who go out coaching dressing curtains, running around with mops and brushes, everybody is prepared to help," she said. In addition to the matches, there are corporate events, a kids zone and a food village showcasing local produce. The half-time entertainment will be Irish and Scottish dancers and bagpipes. "It is stressful but it is really exciting, we are all really invested," added Kathryn. As head groundsperson, Trevor Hamilton is not sleeping well ahead of the series [BBC] However, the biggest pressure is probably being felt by Trevor Hamilton, who is in charge of making sure the ground is in peak condition. Advertisement "I would say my sleep at night isn't the same as usual, so it comes with a lot of nerves," he said. "But I've been a lifelong member of Bready Cricket Club and so it's an immense honour to be hosting Ireland and the West Indies." Ironically, Bready's cricket colours are similar to the West Indies kit. That is because the people who set up the club loved the West Indies and were inspired by their culture of cricket. "For this club to actually be able to host the West Indies is really special for all the cricketers here, but also for the local people to have international sport on their doorstep," added Kathryn Rough.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents say factory smell like 'rotten eggs'
People living near a milk powder factory have said more needs to be done to tackle a "pungent odour like rotten eggs" which is coming from the site. Residents of Artigarvan, County Tyrone, said they had been concerned about the smells coming from the Lakeland Dairies plant in the village for around five years. Some people are now planning to move away because of the stench, which has been described as "worse than slurry". The factory owners said they were "reviewing a small number of complaints" connected to a smell "noticed on occasion around our site". The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), which investigates environmental safety breaches, said it had received 58 complaints about the smell, noise and dust coming from the factory in the last 12 months. The agency has issued three enforcement notices to the company over the same time period. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Ruth Campbell from the Artigarvan Environment Group said concerns had been raised directly with the company a number of times. "For the past five years we have had a thick pungent odour like rotten eggs sweeping through the air in Artigarvan," she said. "We feel like we are hitting a brick wall every time we raise the smell officially. "No one is helping us." Ms Campbell said some people were even taping their windows shut to keep the smell out and that some parents were not letting their children play outside. She said some children even get "teased about living in smelly Artigarvan". Residents believe the smell is coming from the factory's effluent plant. Charlene Austin said the smell was "worse than slurry". "It's like rotten boiled eggs," she said. "It hits the pit of your stomach. We can't even open our windows or dry our clothes properly. "We have been shouting about this a lot and are fed up to the back teeth. "Something needs fixed now." Artigarvan resident Emma Kelly said trying to get the problem addressed had been "very frustrating". "We feel ignored in so many ways. We've kept a close eye during high milking season and low milking season and the same pungent odour is present. "People are already selling their houses and they are going to struggle selling up. I know if I came into the area I'd turn the car," she said. In a statement, Lakeland Dairies said the facility was "among the most modern in the UK, Ireland and worldwide". The company said it had invested "significantly" in the Artigarvan plant, including the waste water treatment facility. "The company works tirelessly to ensure the plant continues to meet all its legislative requirements and endeavours to meet the expectations of residents," a spokesperson said. "We are monitoring and reviewing a small number of complaints regarding a natural and safe odour that was noticed on occasion around our site in Artigarvan." Lakeland Dairies said it engaged regularly with local people and would continue to do so. "This excellent relationship is not something we take for granted and we will continue to work closely with the residents and their representatives on issues of mutual interest," the company said. The NIEA said of the three enforcement notices one related directly to the odour, one was in connection to a breach of emission limits at the site's effluent treatment plant and the third was related to a surface water breach. "These notices have led to the company carrying out significant improvement works at the site, with more work currently ongoing". The agency said the work had included improvements to their effluent treatment plant, drainage on the site and containment of potential odour sources. It said additional work required at the factory would be completed by the end of next month.
