Latest news with #McGrattan
Press and Journal
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Cove Rangers boss Paul Hartley hits out at 'laughable' red card following 2-1 loss against Airdrieonians
Cove Rangers boss Paul Hartley intends to appeal the red card he was shown in the aftermath of his side's 2-1 defeat against Airdrieonians. Cove left themselves with work to do in the Scottish Championship play-off final following a narrow 2-1 first leg loss at Balmoral Stadium. Dylan MacDonald headed the Diamonds in front with only his second goal of the season, before Cove levelled through a Lewis McGrattan own goal. Cove made a promising start to the second half, but Lewis Strapp gave Airdrie the advantage after 63 minutes. Hartley was shown a red card after the full-time whistle by referee Lloyd Wilson for complaining about a late challenge between Airdrie goalscorer MacDonald and Cove substitute Connor Scully. He said: 'It was laughable. 'I felt it was a free-kick for us so I approached the referee after the game. 'My player was there to witness it and so were the two linesmen. 'I said to them there were two teams on the pitch and I felt that was a free-kick to us, and I was shown a red card. 'If that is a red card, what has the game come to? 'There was no foul language – I just said it was terrible and there are two teams on the pitch. 'I am going to appeal that. That red card is out of order.' Cove made only one change from the team who defeated Queen of the South 2-1 on Saturday, with captain Fraser Fyvie returning in place of the injured Adam Emslie. Rhys McCabe's side, who finished second bottom of the Championship, earned their place in the play-off final with a 5-2 win on aggregate against Stenhousemuir. The hosts made an encouraging start against an Airdrie side struggling to find their rhythm in the early stages, with Mitch Megginson's low drive blocked as they pushed for the opener. But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock after 15 minutes when MacDonald was left completely unmarked to head home Adam Frizell's in-swinging corner. Cove almost gifted Airdrie a second when Benjamin Wilson pounced on Will Gillingham's attempted headed back pass. He rounded goalkeeper Nick Suman, but Michael Doyle cleared the striker's attempt off the line. McGrattan tested Suman from the edge of the area before Findlay Marshall shot over at the other end as both sides pressed for the crucial next goal. It would fall Cove's way in the 34th minute with McGrattan diverting a Fyvie corner into his own goal. This was no more than Cove deserved and they ended the half on top, with Declan Glass drawing a smart save from Cade Melrose in the Airdrie goal in the final minute of the half. Cove continued to look the more likely after the interval, with Blair Yule's downward header hacked clear by Alex Bannon. The home side had Airdrie penned in and Melrose was forced into action to keep out Fyvie's low drive from a well-worked corner. Suman had to look alert at the other end to hold a Chris Mochrie attempt, before Cove almost took the lead in stunning fashion when Glass hit the crossbar with an audacious attempt. But then, against the run of play, Airdrie took the lead again – Wilson doing well to cut the ball back to Strapp, who made no mistake. Airdrie grew in confidence after the goal, with Cove bringing on Myles Gaffney for Megginson with eight minutes to go as they searched for a late equaliser. Instead it was the visitors who looked the more likely to add to their lead, with substitute Lewis McGregor guilty of heading wide with the goal at his mercy. There was an even bigger reprieve for Cove in the 88th minute when Frizzell's strike bounced back off the post with Suman beaten.
Calgary Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
'Great joy': Election of first American Pope celebrated in Alberta
As Father Paul Kavanagh was finishing Mass for Life at the Alberta legislature Thursday morning, a steady vibration in his pocket signalled a momentous change in Catholic Church history. Article content Article content 'I must say, my phone was buzzing in my pocket, and I wasn't sure why,' said Kavanagh, who serves on the leadership team of the Archdiocese of Edmonton as he recalled the moment with surprise. 'And when Mass was over, many of us who were here, the bishops of Alberta included, they also then realized, 'Oh, the Holy Father's been elected.'' Article content Article content As word of the election sank in, Catholic leaders and parishioners across the province watched history unfold as Cardinal Robert Prevost was chosen as Pope Leo XIV, the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first American ever to hold the role in history. Article content Article content Kavanagh, speaking on behalf of Archbishop Richard Smith, called the moment one of 'great joy' and said the quick election demonstrated the 'gift of the Holy Spirit within this election today.' Article content But it was the chosen name that drew the attention of Bishop William McGrattan, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Calgary-based bishop noted the historical significance of invoking the name of Leo XIII, a Pope recognized for his outspoken advocacy on socio-economic issues during the Industrial Revolution. Article content 'I think his choice of Leo XIV is to go back to Leo XIII,' McGrattan said. 'There was a lot of division in Europe at the time. There were socio-economic problems. There was great poverty, unemployment, all of those issues, and the church was speaking out at that time through Leo XIII. So I think he is sending a message that the church's social teaching, that body of teaching and of truth, is important for the world today.' Article content Article content McGrattan, who has met Pope Leo XIV on several occasions, described him as 'a very quiet man' with 'a sense of justice,' someone who listens before he speaks and who seeks to understand the context of an issue before responding. Article content Article content 'I found him to be very sensitive. A person who listens first before speaking, one who asks questions in order to be able to really appreciate the context of the issues that you're presenting,' he said. Article content The election of the first American pope potentially offers a voice that speaks to the truth and helps both Americans and Canadians recognize the global impact of social issues they may not fully see at home, McGrattan said, calling it 'quite a surprise.' Article content Leo XIV, who spent more than two decades as a missionary in Peru and has worked closely with Indigenous communities, brings with him what McGrattan calls 'a missionary heart,' who will 'make sure that we as brother bishops were supporting what Pope Francis did here in Canada.'
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Sunday World
Ex-Lord Mayor found drinking in office above pub during lockdown avoids conviction
Judge Gerard Jones said they were 'two decent men' and struck the charges out after they each made €1,500 charity donations. A FORMER Dublin Lord Mayor and his business partner found drunk in an office above a pub during lockdown have been spared convictions for breaching Covid regulations. Dublin City Councillor Nial Ring (65) and the pub owner Liam McGrattan (70) were among five men caught by gardai in the room at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Judge Gerard Jones said they were 'two decent men' and struck the charges out after they each made €1,500 charity donations. Ring, from St Laurence Road, Clontarf and McGrattan of Clontarf Road, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 4 of the Health Act, prohibiting people from leaving their residences without a reasonable excuse. The emergency provision was brought in at the time to prevent, limit, minimise or slow the spread of Covid-19. Liam McGrattan Summonses for allegedly holding or taking part in an event were previously withdrawn by the prosecution. Dublin District Court heard the incident happened on April 17, 2020 while restrictions on movement were in place. Garda sergeant Farrah Fox said officers on patrol in Ballybough at 11pm saw the shutters come up on the Ref pub and three men leave in separate directions. When they went over, the shutters had gone back down and they could see lights on and hear people inside the building. They banged repeatedly on the shutters and put their patrol car's flashing blue lights on in an attempt to gain the attention of those inside. They could see people drinking from bottles upstairs but nobody responded to requests to come to the door. It took 45 minutes before someone came and opened the shutters and gardai entered the premises. There were five men in a room upstairs who were consuming alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated. They all had 'different stories' as to why they were there, Sgt Fox said. The licence holder at the time, McGrattan, said no drinks had come from the bar downstairs. On inspecting the premises, gardai found 37 glasses in the dishwasher and saw a note beside the CCTV that stated: 'put the plug back in the camera when leaving the pub.' Ring and McGrattan were co-owners of the office where they carry out their business, defence barrister Peter Maguire said. 'This was not in a pub… nobody was found in a pub,' he stressed. Ring, a city councillor and former Lord Mayor had had a 'very substantial input' into what was a marginalised inner city community.' The office was in the heart of the constituency and at the time, the accused were involved in 'the distribution of a leaflet in relation to coronavirus and how it could be controlled.' The News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, 6th of May Weeks earlier, the taoiseach had made an order that essential workers included local authority members, he continued. Ring as a councillor was deemed to have been an essential worker and had a certificate from the chief executive Owen Keegan, Mr Maguire said. 'If there was a breach, it was a very technical breach,' Mr Maguire said of the offence. Ring was embarrassed and remorseful and the adverse publicity the case had already received was a 'significant penalty' for him. McGrattan had been on the phone to PPE providers abroad and had to make calls at that hour because of the time difference, Mr Maguire said. Neither accused was denying alcohol was consumed. The gardai had a key to the premises where they had previously been allowed to use the toilets and to make tea while on duty nearby at Croke Park, the barrister said. He added that McGrattan's home was 1.8km from the premises. However, he said the accused were pleading guilty and throwing themselves on the mercy of the court. Both Ring and McGrattan were excellent and 'outstanding members of society,' and had apologised, Mr Maguire said. Judge Jones said the accused were 'two decent men' with no past criminal record. He struck the charges out after they each made donations to the Pieta House charity. Two other co-accused were previously left without convictions after making €500 charity donations each. Ring, an independent councillor for the north inner city, previously served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from June 2018 to June 2019. Last year, he and his co-accused lost a High Court challenge against the State's Covid-19 regulations.
The Journal
06-05-2025
- The Journal
Former Dublin Mayor found 'intoxicated' in an office during Covid lockdown spared criminal conviction
FORMER LORD MAYOR of Dublin Nial Ring and his business partner have been spared criminal records after gardaí found them and three other men intoxicated in an office during the early days of the coronavirus lockdown. Independent councillor Ring, 65, from St Laurence Road, Clontarf and former pub owner Liam McGrattan (70) of Clontarf Road, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 4 of the Health Act, prohibiting people from leaving their residences without a reasonable excuse. They were caught on April 17, 2020, within weeks of new restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19. Gardaí patrolling Ballybough in Dublin at 11pm saw the shutters come up on the Ref pub, and three men left in separate directions. Outlining the evidence court, Garda Sergeant Farrah Fox told Dublin District Court that it took 45 minutes for someone to let gardaí in. They entered an office located over the pub and found Ring, McGrattan and three others, who gardaí said had 'a lot of different stories about what they were doing'. There were 37 glasses in the dishwasher, and they appeared to be intoxicated, the court heard. Gardaí also noticed a sign saying 'Plug in camera'. The prosecution proceeded today after the failure of their High Court challenge to the constitutionality of laws brought in during the pandemic. Defence barrister Peter Maguire said that as a councillor, Ring had done substantial work for his marginalised area and, at the time, was using the office to distribute leaflets about the coronavirus and how it could be controlled or at least restricted. Advertisement The barrister said Ring was regarded as an essential worker, but he clarified that Ring was admitting a technical breach of the law and was apologetic, embarrassed and remorseful. Maguire said the local politician had already been acutely in the public eye because this case garnered press attention. Counsel submitted that the councillor had received a significant penalty indirectly due to the adverse publicity. McGrattan had the pub for 20 years without any problems, and it changed hands about six months ago. Counsel said that McGrattan was trying to order personal protective equipment (PPE) for Covid-19 from Canada. He was in the office that late because of the time difference. The judge heard he apologised profoundly to the court. Counsel said McGrattan lived 1.8 kilometres from the office when the law stated people could not go more than 2 kilometres from their homes. Maguire described his offence as a technical breach, too. Counsel stressed that both men worked as business partners in the office, which was separate from the pub. It was also available to gardaí on duty for events at Croke Park, who had a key to go there and make tea or use the toilets. Two others arrested that night were given the benefit of the Probation Act previously and were spared court convictions. Maguire said his clients were 'throwing themselves at the mercy of the court' and added that they were excellent members of society. Neither man addressed the court or were required to give evidence. Judge Jones ordered them to each donate €1,500 to the Pieta House suicide prevention charity. The two men paid the money within minutes, and the judge struck out their cases, sparing them criminal records.
