Latest news with #CoArmagh
Belfast Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Callum Devine holds back tears to revel in ‘amazing' Donegal International Rally hat-trick success
As others wilted in the warm and humid conditions at Round Four of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, Devine – with Noel O'Sullivan once again on the notes – maintained a cool head to get his hands on the Jim Kennedy Perpetual Trophy once again. The 31-year-old becomes the fifth person to successfully achieve the feat and joins a short but illustrious list that includes Cathal Curley (1972-1974), Billy Coleman (1984-1986), Co Armagh's Andrew Nesbitt (2000, 2002 and 2003), and the late Manus Kelly, who dominated his home international alongside Donall Barrett between 2016 and 2018. Devine also becomes the first person to make it a hat-trick of wins over the same three-year period at the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship-counting Killarney Rally of the Lakes. 'To be honest, I was quite happy with my driving all weekend – not one moment, not one mishap all weekend apart from a small overshoot on the Saturday – and once I got myself into a good lead, I was able to fall back into a 'manage it' mode and go from there,' Devine said. 'Noel, again, was top-class, the team were top-class, the tyre choice – everything, really – was top-class and you need all of those things to work if you are to come out on top here. I think it also shows to people the Irish Tarmac Championship is pretty fast. 'It is pretty amazing – we are absolutely thrilled. The competition here this weekend has been top-class and all the guys that came here to race have pushed us really hard. 'For the first Donegal win, I put a lot of pressure on myself, but once you manage to get it over the line and you can see how it is done, it makes a difference.' The pendulum firmly swung the way of Devine on Saturday's repeat of 'Garrygort' when Moira's William Creighton, carrying a puncture, hit a bump and understeered off the road. Creighton started the day in fourth but quickly moved up to second and wasted no time reeling in Devine – who had to make do with no handbrake for much of the day – to sit less than five seconds behind the leading Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 before his trip into a hedge. Devine and O'Sullivan kicked off the Sunday leg with a sizeable 21.8-second cushion over Creighton's team-mate Meirion Evans and were 40 seconds clear of David Kelly's VW Polo. On the opening stage, Devine increased his buffer to half a minute, aided by a small spin for Evans in the second of the Castol-liveried Melvyn Evans Motorsports-run Toyota cars. Devine continued to take a sensible approach either side of service, pushing enough to maintain his concentration levels without putting the result in jeopardy – and it paid off. Joining Creighton on the casualties' list was Paddon, whose first Donegal foray ended on Saturday's 'Knockalla' stage when he had a soft roll on a tightening left-hander. Armstrong also failed to make it to the end as his car came to a stop on the very last test.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill declines to rule out presidential run
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has declined to rule out a bid for the presidency . Asked on Friday if she was considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill replied: 'I am working my way through our deliberations as we speak.' The Sinn Féin vice-president said the party had not finalised its deliberations on the subject. 'I think I've plenty to do, being First Minister,' Ms O'Neill said at a press conference in Co Armagh . 'But I would think the fact remains that I could stand for election, I could be elected as Uachtarán na hÉireann, but I can't vote in that election, so that's where there's a deficit and what we need to see is presidential voting rights extended to the North so the Irish citizens in the North can vote.' READ MORE Separately on Friday, former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood told the BBC that people had asked him to consider standing for the presidency. 'I'm going to take the time to think about it,' Mr Eastwood said. While SDLP leader, Mr Eastwood was involved in talks with Fianna Fáil about closer co-operation between the parties, although no agreement was progressed. It is expected that should he run in the presidential election, it would be as a Fianna Fáil candidate. Taoiseach Micheál Martin was asked if Mr Eastwood might stand on his party's behalf but he said there had been 'no contact with me' and 'no engagement that I'm aware of with Fianna Fáil'. 'It hasn't been on the agenda at all, I was surprised when I heard that this morning,' Mr Martin said. [ Nobody wants the presidency and its €250k salary. Why? Opens in new window ] On Friday, Mr Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, and Cabinet members joined Ms O'Neill, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly , and members of the Stormont Executive for a plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh. Topics the meeting focused on included US tariffs and trade, potential co-operation on gender-based violence, mother and baby institutions and Magdalene laundries . It also addressed infrastructure projects and an air route between Derry and Dublin. . Ministers also discussed the redevelopment of Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast, a project currently facing a funding shortfall. Last week the UK government said it would allocate £50 million (€59 million) to support the rebuild, with the Irish Government also set to contribute £50 million. However, even with other money from the GAA and Northern Ireland's Executive, the project is about £90 million (€105 million) short of what is required to develop a 34,000-seater stadium. A smaller ground could be built with the approximate £120 million available. At a press conference following the meeting, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and First Minister and Deputy First Minister were clear that now was the time to proceed. 'I think it is about not letting this moment pass,' Mr Harris said. 'Let's not look back in a number of years and see that this moment was squandered.' The Taoiseach said it was 'very important the moment is seized, when significant amounts of money are now on the table, that the stadium can be built here and can be developed'. Ms O'Neill said it was time for all partners involved to come together and find a way to start the work and complete the project. Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly rejected comments by former taoiseach Leo Varadkar to the BBC on Thursday that Ireland was on a 'trajectory' towards unity . He said the most recent numbers show 'a very clear majority of younger people in Northern Ireland want there to be a new united Ireland'. Ms Little-Pengelly said he was 'entitled to reinvent himself in whatever way he so chooses, but he is wrong in terms of the trajectory … I don't accept that it is an inevitability'. Is Conor McGregor really the only person who wants to be President of Ireland? Listen | 19:19
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BreakingNews.ie
Motorcyclist (25) killed in Armagh collision
A 25-year-old motorcyclist has died after a crash also involving a car in Co Armagh. The crash happened in the Tandragee area on Thursday morning. Advertisement Inspector Cherith Adair: 'Officers received and responded to a report of a collision involving a motorcycle and a Renault Scenic car at Mullahead Road shortly after 8.10am. 'Colleagues from partner services were also in attendance. 'Sadly, a 25-year-old male motorcyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. 'Road closures were in place for some time but the Mullahead Road has since reopened, while a closure remains in place at Ballymore Road. Advertisement 'We are appealing to anyone in the area at the time and has dashcam or mobile phone footage to get in touch via 101, and quote reference number 231 of 19/06/25, or report online at
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
N Ireland motorcyclist, war veteran and public inquiry chairwoman honoured
One of the world's most renowned road racers, an astrophysicist and the first woman to chair a public inquiry in Northern Ireland are among those being honoured by the King in his birthday honours. The region also has the oldest person to be honoured on the list, with 106-year-old Second World War veteran Norman Irwin, from Coleraine, in line for a British Empire Medal (BEM). Dozens of people from Northern Ireland have been recognised, including former permanent secretary at the Department of Health Peter May with the Order of the Bath for public service, and Michael Dunlop, 36, being made an MBE for services to motorcycle racing. From starting his racing journey as one of the famous Dunlop family dynasty of Ballymoney, Co Antrim, in 2006, Michael has gone on to become the most successful rider in the history of the Isle of Man TT, with 32 wins, and has overall won more than 120 national road races. He said: 'I've spent years pushing through every high and low life could throw at me. No matter the challenge, I've always given everything 100% on and off the track. 'To now be recognised in this way is a privilege beyond words.' Astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, 81, originally from Lurgan, Co Armagh, who as a doctoral student discovered the first radio pulsars in 1967, is to be made a Companion of Honour, and Christine Smith KC, from Co Down, chairwoman of the Urology Services Inquiry, is being made a CBE. Ms Smith said she is 'deeply honoured'. 'I feel privileged to be the recipient as the first woman to chair a public inquiry in Northern Ireland,' she said. 'I see it as a recognition of the incredible mentors and champions I have had throughout my career, and I am most grateful for their support. 'I also see it as a reflection of the collective effort of my team on the Urology Services Inquiry (USI,) and those I have been lucky to work with on previous inquiries, including the Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI), the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry (RHI) and in particular the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA).' Meanwhile, Richard Taylor, governor of Hydebank Wood Secure College and Women's Prison, is being made an OBE for public service. Mr Taylor credited the whole team of staff for being part of a 10-year process of turning the south Belfast facility around, following a critical inspection report in 2013, to being described as a 'model of excellence'.
BreakingNews.ie
13-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
22 police officers injured in night of disorder in Portadown
More than 20 police officers have been injured following overnight disorder in Portadown. Officers came under sustained attack with heavy masonry, fireworks and beer kegs in the Co Armagh town on Thursday night. Advertisement A police spokesperson said 22 officers were injured and two people were arrested. Youths in Portadown in Co Armagh on Thursday night (Brian Lawless/PA) A woman aged in her 50s and a man in his 30s were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and other offences in connection with the disorder. The latest incidents followed three consecutive nights of violence, mainly in Ballymena, Co Antrim which followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault. There was also sporadic disorder elsewhere in Northern Ireland on Thursday night following mainly peaceful protests, including in the Templemore Avenue area of east Belfast, where bricks were thrown through the windows of two houses in Avoniel Road in what police have termed a racially motivated attack. Advertisement A person wears a Union flag and stands near armed police in Portadown in Co Armagh (Brian Lawless/PA) A small fire at the Manse Road roundabout in Newtownabbey was also reported, and anti-immigration hate graffiti is being investigated in Newtownards. Meanwhile, a house fire in the Mount Street area of Coleraine which led to the evacuation of a family with three young children, is being treated as deliberate and a racially motivated hate crime. Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher warned on Thursday his officers would be coming after the 'bigots and racists' behind the disorder. A resident clearing debris in Portadown (Brian Lawless/PA) He also said that the young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting across the week. Advertisement In a statement on Friday morning, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police had come under sustained attack in Portadown. 'Officers deployed a variety of public order tactics to restore order to the town as quickly as possible,' he said. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson speaks to media in east Belfast earlier this week (PA) 'Twenty-two officers were injured and I am so grateful to them for their bravery and selfless dedication in protecting the community of Portadown from this criminality. 'We saw calm in Ballymena and I hope the powerful words of the family who asked for calm during this really difficult time were heard and continue to be heard over the coming days.' Advertisement He warned that while two arrests have been made so far in terms of the disorder in Portadown, more will follow. 'I repeat, once more, our appeal for calm across Northern Ireland in the coming days,' he said. By Thursday, 41 police officers had been injured, with 15 arrests.
