The prestigious Ladies Cup over the famous Punchestown Banks Course was won by Singing Banjo (14/1) who initiated a double for Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival today (Tuesday).
BARRY WALSH enjoyed his first track winner at Punchestown Festival.
Owned by John Walsh, Ballyday, Gorey, and ridden by his son, Barry Walsh, Singing Banjo battled to the finish line with Vital Island and prevailed by one and one-quarter length. This was a first winner on the track for Barry who has seven career point-to-point winners to his credit.
Rothwell said afterwards; “It is great for the Walsh family. He comes over a few weeks before he runs and we ran him in a couple of hunter chases to have him ready for today. It is a huge family thing for the Walshes and it is all about them more so than me.
“Barry’s (winning jockey) brother Aaron rode a couple for me around the banks here and we were second a couple of times,” he added.
It was an eventful race as the track became slippery as light rain fell on fast ground, with two horses slipping-up and another unseating jockey on bends.
Rothwell’s first winner of the day came in the opening novice handicap hurdle with the fast finishing Cousin Harry, (25/1), who pipped the 5/1 favourite Light Brigade by a neck with Meath jockey Paddy O’Hanlon up.
Speaking afterwards the winning trainer said; “Michael Carthy heads up the Roc Racing (owners) syndicate and every horse they’ve had with me has won. This fella (Cousin Harry) has been great this year. I’m absolutely thrilled.”
The Fairwood Stables had three runners today but do not have a huge number for the rest of the week.
Homes and businesses in the Coolballow area of Wexford will soon enjoy a safer, more reliable water supply as Irish Water, working in partnership with Wexford County Council will begin works to replace approximately 2.1 kilometres of problematic water mains with polyethylene (plastic) pipes in early May.
To complete works safely and efficiently, a road closure of the Coolballow Road will be required for the duration of works from 08.00hrs to 17.00 hrs Monday – Friday. Local access will be maintained, however, traffic travelling south east/east will be diverted via Sinnotstown Lane toward the Rosslare Road. West and south west bound traffic will be diverted via the Rosslare road southbound to Sinnotstown Lane.
The new pipe is to be installed from the junction of the L3507-1 (Coolballow Rd) to the R-730-37 at Kerlogue Nursing Home and up to Starve Hall reservoir on the L-3506-3. When works reach the L-3506-3 further traffic management may be required and will be advertised closer to the date. Pipe installation, testing and switching of existing connections over to the newly installed water main will take approximately 20 weeks in total.
These works are being carried out as part of Irish Water’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.
JOE CARROLL, Networks Programmes Regional Lead for Irish Water
Networks Programmes Regional Lead for Irish Water, Joe Carroll said; “We are delighted to be able to bring a more secure and reliable water supply to the residents and community of the Coolballow area. The benefits of these works will come by way of replacing water mains and service connections that will reduce the instances of bursts and the occurrences of water outages which will ensure a reliable supply of water to customers and local businesses in the area.
“Finally, I would like to thank the residents for their patience as we carry out these essential works which will take about twenty weeks to complete. We should be finished in total in late September,” concluded Mr Carroll.
Eamonn Hore, Director of Services at Wexford County Council, stated that the replacement of the Coolballow watermain pipeline is very welcome news for consumers in the Wexford area. “The existing pipework has been in place since the late 1970s and has failed regularly over the last number of years leading to frustration and water outages, not to mention the additional costs involved in repairing the pipe and roadway after each burst.
“The replacement watermain has been designed by the Wexford County Council design team and will be delivered on site by Wexford County Council’s own pipe laying crew with the significant €0.5million investment from Irish Water.”
Coolballow is also an area of archaeological importance and the attendance of an archaeologist for a section of the dig close to a church site of the Knights Templar, graveyard and St James Well will be required.
Planned water shut offs will be advised in advance to the affected consumers and a letter informing residents of the works has been delivered. Customers have been notified about the works and can phone Irish Water on 1850 278 278 if they have any questions about the project or check out the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website for regular updates.
Detector dog Flynn assisted as 40kgs of cannabis with an estimated value of €800,000 was seized at Rosslare Europort yesterday (Monday).
FLYNN.. top detector dog.
The drugs were discovered when Revenue officers stopped and searched a Polish registered articulated lorry and its accompanying trailer that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France. The search, carried out with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and detector dog Flynn, led to the discovery of the drugs concealed within the spare tyres of the trailer.
A man in his fifties was arrested by Gardai at the scene and taken to Wexford Garda Station.
Investigations are ongoing.
These routine operations are part of Revenue’s ongoing work targeting drug smuggling. If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
Senator Malcolm Byrne has called for the new Office of the Gambling Regulator to be in Gorey. The North Wexford public representative was speaking in a Seanad debate on forthcoming gambling legislation.
SENATOR MALCOLM BYRNE
Senator Byrne recalled that in 2007, the then Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, promised that the planned Office of the Gambling Regulator would be in Gorey!
“The legislation has been delayed a long time but as part of my contribution in the Seanad on Friday on regulating gambling, I urged that the Office, once established, would be based in Gorey. The necessary office infrastructure is already in place in the town and would be an ideal home for the new regulator,” Senator Byrne told Wexford Local.com
He pointed that the legislation deals with all aspects of gambling in Ireland and will focus on ways to tackle gambling addiction.
It is being steered through the Oireachtas by Junior Minister James Browne and his Fianna Fáil colleague added that he would hope that “Minister Browne could deliver on Michael McDowell’s promise of 14 years ago!”
Revenue Officers at Rosslare Europort detained 13 COVID-19 rapid test kits. The kits, which originated in China, are unauthorised for use in the EU, including Ireland, and were discovered when an Irish registered van which had disembarked a ferry from Cherbourg, France was stopped and searched.
Seizures are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the shadow economy and smuggling. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
More Wexford householders can now benefit from Irish Water’s free leak repair service following approval by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to extend the scheme that helps reduce leakage and safeguard water supplies.
The First Fix scheme is a key element of the national Leakage Reduction Programme which is addressing the serious problem of leakage in Ireland’s water network. The scheme provides customers with support in identifying and fixing leaks. Irish Water offers a free leak investigation and, when a potential leak has been identified, a free repair to a leak detected on an external supply pipe on the customer’s property.
Since its introduction in 2015, the First Fix scheme has resulted in savings of 155 million litres of water every day, enough water to supply 450,000 homes a year. To date more than 87,000 investigations and 60,400 leak repairs have been completed. The changes approved by the CRU this week will open the scheme to customers who were not included in the original scope, including those without a water meter. As a consequence up to 600,000 more customers nationwide will now be able to benefit from the service.
Irish Water’s Customer Strategy and Capability Manager Geoffrey Bourke said; “We are making steady progress by replacing old water mains, fixing leaks and upgrading our water network as part of the Leakage Reduction Programme.”
Following the completion of the CRU review of the First Fix Free scheme, Irish Water will work with the Regulator and our delivery partners to implement the recommended changes, including; Unmetered domestic customers can now avail of the scheme.
Domestic customers with usage above 213,000 litres per annum will be prioritised for leak investigation under the First Fix Scheme; An Internal Stop Valve is no longer needed for a customer to be eligible; Some mixed-use customers will now be eligible; Properties with a shared service connection will now be eligible; and Customers no longer need to be registered with Irish Water to avail of the scheme.
Full details of the First Fix Free scheme can be found at www.water.ie. Customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries.
Irish Water working with Wexford County Council partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.
Point-to-point action today (Sunday) took place at Fairyhouse where rider Luke Murphy and handler Denis Murphy each recorded a double.
DENIS MURPHY
Runwiththetide was the four lengths winner of the four-year-old mares race for the Monbeg Syndicate and Sean Doyle. A fifth winner of the season for rider Luke Murphy.
First time out Hidden Heroics won the four-year-old geldings maiden race for owner/handler Denis Murphy, The Ballagh, by two and a half lengths with Jamie Codd showing good form ahead of the Punchestown Festival this week. This was Denis Murphy’s 230th winner in his 15 years of training point-to-pointers.
Denis Murphy managed a double when Loughderg Rocco was best by 12 lengths in division one of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. A double on the day for rider Luke Murphy.
The Wexford senior hurling team returned to the Ferns Centre of Excellence for a squad session following Covid-19 restrictions earlier this week and the shock news for supporters was the announcement that Paudie Foley, (26), All-Star nominee in 2019, is not expected to be part of the Wexford panel for the coming season.
PAUDIE FOLEY (Pic courtesy of The Irish Examiner)
Crossabeg-Ballymurn man Foley started both 2020 Championship defeats to Galway and Clare. He made his debut in 2014 and played a pivotal role in the Model County’s first Leinster SHC success in 15 years two seasons ago.
Top GAA journalist Brendan Furlong, writing in this week’s editions of The People Group Newspapers, quoted manager Davy Fitzgerald, who said; “I spoke at length with Paudie but he had no interest in continuing for another season. You must remember that Paudie also took time out in 2017 before returning to the squad.”
Foley’s decision has also made national GAA headlines.
Gardaí in Gorey seized €215,000 worth of drugs and arrested two men and one woman during a search operation which was conducted on Wednesday as part of an ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the Gorey area and several properties were searched.
In one search, Gardaí seized approximately 5kg of suspected cannabis with an estimated street value of €100,000. A quantity of suspected cocaine was also seized with an estimated street value of €40,000.
GOREY GARDA STATION
One man, aged in his 40s, was arrested at the scene and taken to Gorey Garda Station where he was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
In a second search, Gardaí seized cocaine and cannabis and cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €75,000. One man and one woman, both aged in their 20s, were arrested at the scene and taken to Enniscorthy Garda station where they were both detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
Both men have been charged and appeared at a special sitting of Wexford District Court on Friday night.
The woman has since been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Monageer handler Michael Goff and Pat O’Rourke from Silverspring, Bridgetown, each recorded a double success at Tipperary point-to-point today (Saturday) where seven of the eight races were won by Wexford stables.
Michael Goff got off the mark with newcomer Daily Present winning division one of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden race by four lengths with Joey Dunne in the saddle. Goff’s regular rider Shane Fitzgerald recently turned conditional on the track but the young Dunboyne lad proved an able replacement.
MICHAEL GOFF enjoyed double at Fairyhouse today.
Goff’s double came in division one of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings with Great D’Ange by six lengths with Liam Gilligan, (19), up. Both Goff’s winners ran in the colours of his wife Caitriona.
The O’Rourke family from Silverspring, owner Phyllis, trainer Pat and their son, James O’Rourke in the saddle, also enjoyed a fine double victory. It began with Whatsstoppingyou by a neck in division two of the five-year-old mares maiden and continued with Cosmic Outlaw by one and a half lengths in division four of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. James O’Rourke has now ridden 70 career point-to-point winners.
Pierce Power from the Hook saddled the winner of the four-year-old auction race. Newcomer Merry Maker by three lengths with Foulksmills rider Shane O’Rourke firmly in control.
Another newcomer Anyharminasking kept the Monbeg Syndicate and Donnchadh Doyle flag proudly flying with a narrow success in the second division of the maiden race for four-year-old geldings. The verdict was ‘a head’ and a victory for Tinahely rider James Walsh.
Mary Ellen Doyle’s Baltimore Stables at Tomgarrow, near Enniscorthy, took the second division of the five-year-old geldings maiden race with newcomer Gandhi Maker by six lengths. A winning ride for Barry Stone from Cleariestown.
Colin Motherway is back in his native Cork after a number of years in the Blackwater area and he saddled Paddy’s Plant to an eight lengths victory in division three of the maiden test for five-year-old geldings. The winning rider was Jamie Codd.
In other Wexford point-to-point news bad luck to Jamie Scallan (24), who has suffered a broken wrist and is expected to be on the sidelines for the rest of the season. The Tomhaggard rider picked up the injury in a first fence fall at Fairyhouse on Saturday week.
WexfordLocal.com 