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Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
International fire service photographers visit Louth's five fire stations
John Godwin, the UK-based managing editor, and Jean-Paul Heyens, a European correspondent based in Belgium recently toured the county's fire stations. The pair contribute to a global website that documents the history, development, and operational use of fire and rescue vehicles in over 100 countries. Each year, members of their team visit different fire services across the world in pursuit of their hobby, to showcase their respective fire fleets and the great work undertaken by firefighters. The photographers were particularly impressed by two preserved vintage fire engines, the Albion/Merryweather pump escapes housed in Drogheda and Dundalk Fire Stations. These historic appliances were originally deployed during the Belfast Blitz in April 1941. Managing editor John Godwin said: 'We are grateful for the assistance of Joe Lumsden and for the warm welcome we received at each of Louth's fire stations. It has been a fantastic opportunity to photograph Louth County Council Fire and Rescue Service's various fire vehicles and rescue equipment, as well as the two vintage Albion/Merryweather pump escapes, both of which were deployed during the Belfast Blitz in April 1941.' 'We look forward to sharing these new photographs on our website over the coming weeks, which will help to promote Louth's fire and rescue capabilities to firefighters and enthusiasts around the world,' Godwin added. Joe Lumsden, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said: 'We were delighted to welcome John and Jean-Paul to our fire stations recently. Their commitment to recording fire service fleets around the world will be invaluable to historians in the years to come. From our perspective, it was great that they were able to capture our two preserved Merryweather fire appliances, which we are particularly proud of. They represent an important piece of Louth's fire service heritage.' The new photographs will soon be published at offering a global audience a closer look at Louth's modern and vintage fire service.
Chicago Tribune
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
‘I was feeding off it': Chicago Cubs experience electric atmosphere in 3-0 exhibition loss to Hanshin Tigers
TOKYO — A cacophony of chants, horns, drums and cheers greeted Chicago Cubs right-hander Julian Merryweather as he faced the Hanshin Tigers leadoff hitter on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers support section in right field kept the Tokyo Dome buzzing every bottom half of the inning, with coordinated cheers erupting for each Hanshin batter, a vocal ferocity maintained through the entire at-bat. While silence greeted Cubs hitters against Hanshin starter Keito Mombetsu and its relievers, the nine Cubs pitchers who appeared in the 3-0 exhibition loss experienced a very different atmosphere. Merryweather wasn't fazed by the electric environment, needing only six pitches to record a perfect first inning in a bullpen game for the Cubs. 'It was different for sure, first time experiencing anything like that,' Merryweather said. 'I mean, obviously we're used to sellouts at Wrigley, but the fans were just cheering the whole time. … I kind of liked the energy from the crowd cheering. I think the language barrier helped because I didn't know what they're saying, but it was good energy so I was feeding off it.' The contrasting silent backdrop didn't seem to help Cubs hitters against Mombetsu, who was perfect through five innings. Miguel Amaya's one-out single in the sixth versus reliever Nick Nelson finally put a runner on base. The Cubs, though, managed just three hits in the loss, including a single by Seiya Suzuki, who was greeted by constant cheers throughout the game. Suzuki smoked two other balls for bad-luck line outs — both barreled balls that had an expected average of .720 and .970, respectively. 'He deserved a hit with how hard he hit a couple balls today,' manager Craig Counsell said. The Tigers broke through with a run in three consecutive innings, taking advantage of a two-out double off lefty Caleb Thielbar in the third, a one-out double after a steal against right-hander Tyson Miller, and a double following a single and walk with right-hander Porter Hodge on the mound. Amaya had an idea of what the environment might be like from watching previous World Baseball Classic games in Japan, as well as checking out a few Nippon Professional Baseball games. 'I know they go crazy, but once you're in the game, you're engaged in the game, you're just locked in with your pitcher, with your teammates,' Amaya said. 'It was such an amazing experience playing in front of these fans.' Although the Cubs possess some basic knowledge of their exhibition opponents — Counsell noted in Friday's press conference how much Hanshin likes to run; they were 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts Saturday — they otherwise don't possess much insight for advance scouting reports. That's the nature of the crossover games. Counsell, though, was looking forward to that element of the Cubs games versus Hanshin and the Yomiuri Giants. 'We live in an era of baseball now where information dominates every bit of preparation, and we get to play two games where there's not a lot of information, and that's fun as an older person going back to an era where I played, like, we might have to ask the hitter before what's he got?' Counsell said. 'So I think that's fun. Now we'll see if our hitters like it. I think our hitters, they want the information. I think our pitchers, you just stay on the attack, pitch to your strengths. So a little bit easier from that end.' Amaya experienced both ends of that. Behind the plate, he noticed Hanshin hitters were not as aggressive in the first inning. But once the game progressed, he felt the Tigers were swinging more. From the hitter side, Tigers pitchers often relied on their two best pitches before flashing another 'they had in the back pocket.' 'They're trying to compete too,' Amaya said, 'it was an amazing experience.' The Cubs get another taste of an NPB environment Sunday in Japan when they play Yomiuri. Perhaps watching the raucous chants and cheers that NPB teams' supporters break out will inspire Cubs fans to bring that same type of vibe to the Wrigley Field bleachers. Merryweather is on board with the idea. 'Sure, let's see what they come up with, at least throw it out there,' he said before adding, 'Might be dangerous.' Suzuki laughed when asked whether Cubs fans should come up with songs for all the hitters.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Spitfire dream comes true for 89-year-old care home resident John
A "massive fan" of the RAF saw his dream come true when he got the chance to sit in the cockpit of a Negus, who will soon be celebrating his 90th birthday, enjoyed a trip to the RAF Museum in Cosford, Shropshire, organised by the care home where he is a came after staff at The Haven in Metheringham, near Lincoln, asked their residents what they would like to do in Merryweather, whose brother was shot down during the Battle of Britain, also went along for the day. Sadie Langton, the care home's activity co-ordinator, said John "absolutely loved it"."He walked the whole way round, and climbed in and out of the cockpit as if he was 21," she had originally requested a flight in a Spitfire but was more than happy to sit in the cockpit and comes from an RAF family and is "just a massive fan", Ms Langton said. "I think he practically ran the whole way round – stopping just briefly for a quick sandwich."We took Donald as well – his brother, who was a rear gunner, was shot down at the age of 20 in a Wellington during the Battle of Britain."The Wellington exhibition was closed, but we fluttered our eyelashes and they let us in to see [it] as well." Ms Langton said the trip happened after residents were asked what they would like to do in 2025 ahead of New Year celebrations at the care home."We had quite a lot of big ones," she said."We are going to try to work our magic as much as we can."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
