Woodlands for Health is an Eco-Therapy programme of forest-based activities prescribed by medical professionals, which involves social inclusion of people who experience severe mental health difficulties. Frank Feighan, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, visited the Sports Active Wexford Woodlands for Health Programme based in Tintern Abbey last Monday.
The County Wexford Intervention, held in Tintern Woods, was led by Pat Caulfield and Kate O’Brien, Wexford Walking Trails volunteer leaders, and has been funded over the past three years through Healthy Ireland and Get Ireland Walking.
Minister Frank Feighan chats with attendees at the Healthy Woodlands launch at Tintern Abbey.
The intervention aims to provide an opportunity for individuals with a mental health referral to walk in a nature-based environment, following the government’s Covid-19 protocols. While an outcome of the intervention is to improve participant well-being, this encompasses many factors including improved quality of life, improved sleep, enhanced physical fitness, social functioning, personal confidence, improved awareness. The programme aims to act as a complement to any clinical interventions or recommendations from an individual’s health care team.
Dr Denise Rogers, Senior Clinical Psychologist with HSE Waterford Wexford Mental Health Services said: “There has never been a more important time for everyone to get up, get dressed and get moving, especially for those with pre-existing psychological and/or physical health challenges. We are immensely proud of our relationship with Sport Active Wexford who work tirelessly with us to both maintain and find new and inclusive ways for people to be active, in adherence to COVID 19 guidance at all times.
“We were aware of the evidence-based Woodlands for Health programme and were delighted when Fran Ronan (Sports Coordinator) facilitated our engagement with the programme, which has proven immensely successful for our client group. The group looks forward to and enjoys the weekly walk in Tintern. We have noticed positive effects including improved mood and physical ability,” concluded Dr Rogers.
JOHN G MURPHY… new Chairman of Glanbia Co-Operative Society
The newly elected Chairman of Glanbia Co-Operative Society is a well-known Wexford farmer John G Murphy, Ballinacoola, Craanford, effective from today (Thursday).
Appointed to the Board in June 2010, Mr Murphy, served as Vice-Chairman since June 2nd 2017. He is also Vice-Chairman of the National Dairy Council Board.
“I am honoured to be appointed to serve as Chairman of Glanbia Co-Operative Society. I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of Co-Op members and build on the strong foundations that have been established over many decades,” Mr Murphy told WexfordLocal.com, and he added; “I would also like to thank the outgoing Chairman Martin Keane for his commitment and dedication to his role as Chairman for the last two years.”
The National Fuel Scheme, which is a means-assessed payment, will be paid for 28 weeks. It is paid at a weekly rate of €24.50 or by way of two lump sum payments of €343 each. One Fuel Allowance is paid per household.
The estimated expenditure for this non-statutory scheme is €261.35 million with over 352,000 households expected to benefit from the Fuel Allowance payment this season.
SHIVERING DAYS AT ARD LOIS, GOREY, WHEN SNOW FELL IN MARCH 2018 (File Pic; Joseph Dixon)
Wexford TD and Minister for Law Reform, James Browne told WexfordLocal.com; “The Fuel Allowance will be an added support for many County Wexford households as we approach our winter season. It is a financial aid for people living in low-income households to help towards the cost of heating oil, electricity, gas, or solid fuel.
“The Fuel Allowance scheme provides a support for householders on long-term social welfare payments to cover additional heating expenses over the winter months. Those who qualified for the Fuel Allowance payment last year will automatically receive the payment again this year if they continue to fulfil the eligibility requirements. They do not need to re-apply.
“County Wexford people who have not received the payment previously and who wish to apply for the Fuel Allowance can contact my office by emailing jamesbrownetd@oir.ie or phoning 053 9235046. My office will be glad to help people make an application”, Minister Browne concluded.
It may be the worst kept secret in New Ross, but plans for a new fire station at Hewittsland, opposite Tesco, has been given a lifeline with a €1.45 million tender which means the new building will proceed and it’s anticipated it will be operational next summer.
It will be a state of the art three-bay fire station with 14 parking spaces, a training yard, tower, lecture room and offices. The tender has been allocated to local construction company Kevin Thorpe Ltd, Adamstown.
The tender is included in the Capital Budget and was signed off by Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, yesterday (Wednesday).
Following the Government’s decision to move the country to Level 3 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19, An Garda Síochána has recommenced Operation Fanacht, as a nationwide policing operation focused on supporting public compliance with public health measures.
In support of this announcement there will be high visibility patrolling by Garda members across the country with the focus of this activity continuing to be encouraging people to adhere to national public health measures.
GARDA COMMISSIONER DREW HARRIS
It will involve 132 large-scale checkpoints a day on main arterial routes around the country in addition to thousands of mobile checkpoints on secondary routes in towns and villages a week.
Commissioner Drew Harris said: “An Garda Síochána’s priority is keeping people safe. This will be a major policing operation across the country with high visibility of Garda members to support public health measures.
“An Garda Síochána is encouraging people not to travel out of their county unless it is for essential purposes.
“Since the start of the pandemic, An Garda Síochána has adopted a graduated policing approach based on its tradition of consent. We have seen compliance by most of the public with this approach. Independent surveys have also found significant public support for it. We will continue to police in this way.
The closure of the Rosslare to Waterford railway line and the implications for the Barrow Bridge were raised in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday by Waterford Green Party’s Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh with Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Communications and Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan.
Deputy Ó Cathasaigh said; “We had an unhappy birthday lately in the south east with the 10th anniversary of the closure of the Rosslare to Waterford train route occurring within the past few weeks. This put an end to a rail link that joined towns across south Wexford to Waterford city, as well as supplying heavy rail infrastructure to two major ports, Belview and Rosslare Europort. Since the closure of the line, advocates for its reopening have kept a close eye on the fate of the Barrow Bridge, which is a 650 m span that links County Kilkenny and County Wexford over the River Barrow. A central part of that bridge can open to allow shipping traffic to access New Ross. Keeping the mechanism of that bridge functioning and in good order has always been essential if this line is ever to be brought back into active use.
“I was dismayed recently to receive a copy of a letter sent by the National Transport Authority, NTA, to the South-East On Track group. The letter states that the Barrow Bridge is to be maintained in the open position allowing marine traffic to traverse unencumbered, reflecting the fact that as there is no railway service on the line, it is entirely appropriate that right-of-way be given to the marine traffic. On further questioning from the South East On Track group, the NTA confirmed that the agreed arrangements in respect of the closed Waterford to Rosslare line do not include weed spraying or vegetation treatment programmes. This was previously done on an annual basis and so it cannot have been a huge draw on CIE’s resources. This sounds to me very much like a plan to abandon the line.
BRIDGETOWN LEVEL CROSSING on the Rosslare-Waterford railway line closed to passenger and freight traffic for 10 years.
In addition, there have been strong indications from the Chief Executive Officer of Wexford County Council that his preferred use of the rail line is for it to be converted to a greenway.
It is also worth noting that south Wexford, with towns like Bridgetown and Wellingtonbridge standing to benefit significantly if their local train line terminated at a newly built integrated transport hub in Waterford city.
“I ask the Minister to review immediately the NTA’s new maintenance agreement with Iarnród Éireann and revert it to pre-September 2020 status, so the line remains a viable piece of infrastructure, pending further review.
In reply, Deputy Eamon Ryan said; “As most members are aware, rail services on this line ceased in 2010 under an agreement made between the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann. Several improvements were made to bus services at the time to ensure continued public transport connectivity. Undoubtedly, some people are fearful that the decision to maintain the Barrow Bridge in the open position means a point of no return as to whether services might ever return on this closed line. Equally, I do not wish to give false hope regarding the imminent return of services.
“The decision to maintain the bridge in an open position is a pragmatic one, because the line has now been closed for ten years. While the line has been closed, the port of New Ross remains open and the position of the bridge reflects the need to ensure easy navigational access to the port. I am informed that up until recently there was a requirement for four full-time Iarnród Éireann staff to be on site to open the bridge to allow ships sail to and from the port, which probably strikes most people as a little odd, to say the least.
In reply Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh remarked; “I am afraid it feels like a point of no return. It is something that has been closely monitored by people with an interest in this route over the years. It feels a little like a managed decline. I am also worried that we will end up tearing out an excellent and strategic piece of infrastructure with a view to developing a greenway on it.
“We have a EuroVelo route which has been developed by Wexford County Council and runs from Rosslare Europort to the Ballyhack ferry, which transports people over onto Passage East and into Waterford. It would be a much better use of resources to develop that EuroVelo route to a higher standard and to develop a corridor from Passage East into Waterford
Deputy Ryan told the House he had a meeting with Iarnród Éireann last week and raised the specific issue of the future of Rosslare Port because it is owned by CIE and Irish Rail. “I was raising it in the context of a wider review that Iarnród Éireann is commissioning on the future of rail freight in this country. I believe there is an opportunity for the expansion of rail freight. At present, only 2% of freight is carried by rail. That is a small fraction of what the average is across Europe. While some argue that the distances here are not long enough, the rest of Europe is saying it wants to switch to even greater volumes of freight traffic.”
Deputy Ryan concluded: “I commit to doing further work with the Deputy and other Deputies in the Waterford and Wexford region to examine what possibilities there might be.”
The search for two missing Gorey girls, Rachel Walsh-Wolahan and Sinead Doran, has ended successfully with both girls found safe and well.
The Walsh and Doran families are thankful to the Gardaí and the public who responded on social media.
“The response from the public was absolutely outstanding and within minutes there was a groundswell of people looking and helping us. At the same time the Gardaí in Gorey were pulling out all the stops. There have been over 11,000 shares of our request for help.
MAIN STREET, GOREY
“The Garda search moved from Gorey to Howth where Gardaí from Raheny spent many hours searching Howth Hill in the dark and successfully found the two girls in the early hours of this morning.
“The successful result was down to the unbelievable help and support which we received from the public and the utmost professionalism and determination by the members of Gorey and Raheny Gardaí to find the girls.”
“They are now both safe and a double tragedy has been averted. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you all for your help from the people who just pressed the share button and the many people who went out searching. Thank you all so much,” said a statement posted on social media.
A father has launched a public appeal on social media concerned about the whereabouts of his daughter Rachel Walsh Wolahan. He claims she has gone missing since 7pm yesterday evening (Tuesday). She is with another girl from Gorey, Sinead Doran. “They are both very vulnerable and we need urgent help from everyone to find them,” he said. Rachel was last seen in Killiney at 7pm last evening and Sinead was last seen in Gorey at 2.30pm yesterday afternoon. He concludes; “They are together and they need help. Please share.”
Tragic circumstances of how off-duty Garda David ‘Dave’ Hearne lost his life in a diving tragedy about 20kms off Hook Head, were recalled at an inquest, where the coroner returned a verdict of “death by drowning”.Sympathy was expressed to his family on their tragic loss.
Mr. Hearne was an experienced and accomplished technical diver, a former member of the Garda Water Unit, and a member of the Hook Sub Aqua Club who organised a ‘dive on’ from Slade Harbour to a shipwreck off the Wexford coast on May 25th 2019.
GARDA DAVID ‘DAVE’ HEARNE
Mr Hearne was found by diving companions near the seabed, unresponsive and with his breathing mouthpiece displaced.
Desperate efforts to revive him failed. He was removed by the Coast Guard R117 helicopter personnel to University Hospital Waterford. The naval vessel LE Orla was also sent to the scene.
A post-mortem examination was conducted at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) by pathologist Dr Fergus McSweeney.
At the inquest, the Coroner, Gerard O’Herlihy, said that death was by drowning. “Something went wrong down below, and it appears to have been a spike in oxygen, for whatever reason. It seems that the late Mr Hearne was not able to deal with that spike, it had caused him to go into a convulsion, the mouthpiece went out of his mouth.”
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the Coroner’s statement.
Back in 2014, Waterford Marine Search and Rescue presented Garda Hearne with a new PFD (personal floating device) after he had rescued three people from the River Suir and the Colligan River in Dungarvan in the previous years. Dave trained to be a Garda at Templemore in 1994 and was initially with the Santry Underwater Unit, was later transferred to Cahir, Tipperary, and in recent times was based in Waterford Garda Station at Ballybricken.
From Innyard, Fethard-on-Sea Dave Hearne, 47, lived at Upper Grange Road in Waterford city with his wife Barbara and their children Dylan, Toby, Noah, and Libby. He was son of Declan and Gemma and brother of Bríd, Maeve and Declan and other loving family, relatives, and legion of friends.
He was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery following Requiem Mass in the Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Duncannon. R.I.P.
Public Masses in the Diocese of Ferns will be suspended as and from midnight tonight and will remain suspended for the duration of Level 3 of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions imposed by the government.
The Bishop of Ferns, Dr. Denis Brennan has asked the faithful to approach the newly announced Level 3 restrictions with ‘a spirit of cooperation and solidarity, mindful of the need for sacrifice in the interests of the common good.’
BISHOP DENIS BRENNAN
“I would like to thank the priests and people of the diocese for the great energy and creativity they showed in reopening the churches. Adherence to best practice was made possible because of an army of very committed and diligent volunteers who set a standard worthy of emulation,” he said. In returning to online celebration only for daily and Sunday Masses, the bishop encouraged priests and parish personnel “to repeat and continue the high standard broadcasts which were so well developed during the last lockdown.” Bishop Brennan concluded; “Unfortunately we find ourselves in a worrying situation nationally – and responsibility which we endeavour to exercise as citizens and Christians – dictates that we double down now together, follow the basic guidelines and hopefully emerge sooner to a time when we can resume physical attendance at public worship.”
The churches of the Diocese will remain open for private prayer.
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