Latest news with #Mourne
Irish Examiner
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Skort survivor McCartan just happy everyone has choice
She might be in the minority, but you will find Sorcha McCartan donning a skort in Sunday's All-Ireland senior camogie final. The issue was the subject of much controversy in the springtime. And this week Camogie President Brian Molloy urged the multitude of people who rowed in on the debate to come out and back up their words by supporting the women on the biggest stage of all. The Down-now-Cork forward appreciates having the option to wear a skort or shorts. 'The vote was for choice,' she says. 'I think the skorts are just more comfortable, they flatter me a bit more and give me a bit more coverage. I like the look of them and the feel of them a bit more than shorts. 'The choice was brilliant and that is what players wanted. I don't like to be superstitious but that is a part of it as well. I've always worn a skort in matches. I wear shorts at training.' The former Mourne star, who will come up against her old teammate and now Galway leading light Niamh Mallon in GAA headquarters, is daughter of 1994 All-Ireland football medallist Greg. Read More Watch: Meabh Cahalane carrying on the family tradition of captaining Cork She relocated south four seasons ago on an UUJ placement to MTU and upon the completion of her studies is currently enjoying downtime by working at Sam's Coffee (Sam Ryan) in Togher. She scored 1-1 in the 2023 All-Ireland decider against Waterford and following her second-half introduction against Galway in 2024, the impact sub fired a pair of crucial points. Competition for places meant she wasn't in from the start, and even though her contribution was pivotal in a tight game, it's only natural the Castlewellan native felt it was a missed opportunity. 'Last year was hugely disappointing for me and that drove me when I came on in the final. I had a bit of grit between my teeth and I wanted to prove myself. 'I took that into the club season (won a county championship with St Finbarr's) and then Ger (Manley) rang me at the start of the year and told me he could see a place for me if I would be willing to put in the work. 'I did put in the work and I got a bit of an injury (a leg fracture in the league final) but I got myself back and thankfully he's given me the jersey back. 'But look, Orlaith Mullins came on and made such an impact against Waterford, I'll definitely be training hard right up to the final and see how I get on.' She mentions coach Liam Cronin - now part of John Kiely's backroom team with the Limerick senior hurlers - as somebody who had a positive influence on her career after manager Matthew Twomey invited her to join the senior panel in 2022. Two years previous she secured an All-Ireland intermediate medal with Down, but the move up the ranks would prove to be a formidable challenge. 'I never expected to be asked to join the Cork set-up. I was just testing how good I could get or how I fared out amongst the Cork players. What got me through it for the first two or three years was sort of ignorance. I was just throwing myself into training. 'Liam Cronin coached me properly and he taught me how to play. It wasn't just winning a ball and fling it over your shoulder, it was using your brain and movement and stuff. So I feel like I've come on coaching wise since I've moved down to Cork.' As the game evolves, the physical exchanges do too and they have become more intense. As a result, her role, she believes, can be self-sacrificing at times. 'To be fair, I give it as good as I get so I can't complain about that,' she laughs. 'I throw my body anywhere and sometimes I would pick up a bit more of the niggles and stuff. I think I use it as my strength. It makes me different from the Amy O'Connors. Katrina Mackeys and the Orlaith Cahalanes that I can use a bit of physicality in a positive way. I suppose that is what management sees. 'It is a bit of a selfless one as well when you hold the ball up and you are not the one getting the scores or the fancy stuff. But I don't mind as long as I do the job for the team. Sometimes it is about getting the job done.'
BBC News
03-08-2025
- General
- BBC News
Tollymore: Fears for future of mothballed outdoor activity centre
Sports enthusiasts have voiced their disappointment and frustration that Tollymore National Outdoor Centre in County Down will be closed for up to a year, while a review of the centre's future is carried Bryansford-based activity centre has been closed since January, following damage from Storm É NI, which operates the centre, said the current operating model was no longer financially sustainable and would result in "a small number of local redundancies".Kath Maguire, who trained as an instructor at the centre, and is founder of The Feel Good Factor, a multi-sports club for women, said her group had "really missed" the facility. Located on the outskirts of Tollymore Forest Park, the centre provides a range of courses in rock-climbing, hillwalking, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, mountaineering and orienteering."The Tollymore staff team have been exceptional and supportive to The Feel Good Factor over the 10 years and we are disappointed at the redundancies for local staff," she said. "We are hopeful that a solution will be found to help this fabulous resource in the heart of Mourne thrive."I have been an instructor for 25 years, since getting my qualification there."Hopefully this will not see the centre closed on a permanent basis and it will be brought back stronger and much better used."Ms Maguire said the club had been invited to take part in the Sport NI review."I have sent an email to Sport NI saying I am concerned," she added."It is a facility we love and our community hub."Sport NI said the review would look at a wide range of options aimed at reimagining the role and function of Tollymore National Outdoor Centre "in a financially sustainable way, and ensuring it continues to develop our outdoors sector in an impactful and effective way". 'A brilliant place' Maxi Scullion, secretary of Gilford Youth Climbing Club, said she was disappointed, describing the centre as "a brilliant and unique place".She said more than 50 members had stayed at the facility two years ago and participated in a range of activities."We slept in the accommodation, used the climbing wall and high ropes, and also had some food there," she said."They supplied instructors to help with the climbing wall and the high ropes course that we did."We had a great time, a lot of the children in our group had never done a high ropes course before."The feedback was hugely positive, it was brilliant." Alliance Party assembly member Andrew McMurray said his first association with the Tollymore centre, was as a teenager learning how to later blossomed when he met his future wife Shalene there as a trainee got married at the centre in has since introduced his two children to the facility."You have to see these centres as living organisms, they are a residential centre, so there's always people about them, they are a 24/7 operation," he said."As a trainee, it is almost like a second home, to a certain degree."A lot of happy memories, and a lot of associations and I know a lot of other people will have similar memories, so it is very disappointing to see that it has got to this stage."McMurray previously worked as an instructor at the outdoor learning centre at Ardnabannon in County Down, which closed in 2017 and said staff facing redundancy should be engaged with in a "respectful manner".He highlighted the important role Tollymore played in training instructors and facilitating activities for clubs and schools."Tollymore National Outdoor Centre is the last remaining bespoke outdoor centre that trains coaches left on the island of Ireland," he said it was "incumbent" on Sport NI that whatever model it decided on was implemented Education Authority confirmed that after a review of its outdoor education facilities in 2017, the decision was taken to close the outdoor education centres at Ardnabannon, Bushmills, Killowen and Killyleagh "based on economic viability and proximity to other outdoor education centres". Shimna Integrated College principal, Steve Pagan, said he was "very concerned to hear about the challenges facing the centre".The school is near Tollymore and pupils are regular users of the centre."No less than many other schools across Northern Ireland, the centre has been a fantastic resource down the years, facilitating practical activities as part of examination courses, supporting our extra-curricular programme and providing essential staff training for the Duke of Edinburgh Award," he described it as a "tremendous asset". 'Exceptional waste of resources' The trade union Nipsa has expressed "deep concern and disappointment" at news of the review into the future of the outdoor said six staff had been identified as being at risk of assistant secretary Alan Law said it was an "exceptional waste of resources because the centre was deemed to be the jewel in the crown of Sport NI provision". Richard Archibald, interim chief executive of Sport NI, said "very regrettably" the organisation had started redundancy consultation with some of the centre's permanent added that while the centre was never intended to be profit-making, Sport NI had "a duty to ensure value for money for the public purse and for the whole sports sector".Sport NI said the centre generated an income of about £250,000 in 2024, while it cost over £1.3m to run.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Mourne Mountains gondola project costs reach nearly £1.35m
The Northern Ireland Audit Office has said it is monitoring developments in relation to the Mournes Gondola project which, to date, has incurred costs of nearly £ month it was confirmed that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was planning to move the cable car project from Newcastle to Rostrevor after the National Trust confirmed it would not be leasing land on Slieve Donard for the News NI requested the council provide a breakdown of expenditure from 2017, when the Strategic Outline Case and Outline Business Case (OBC) for the project was developed, until 31 March of this Mourne and Down Council confirmed that a total of £1,349,118.74 has been spent. This includes £122,405 on pre-OBC costs, £218,840 on OBC development, and £1,007,873.74 on ICT Fees.A further breakdown of expenditure was refused by the council on confidentiality of commercial or industrial information Newcastle project was expected to cost £44m, with £30m coming from the Belfast Region City Deal and the balance from the council. It would have involved the development of a 1km cable car structure from Donard Park up to a disused National Trust has said the project should not go ahead in light of the "fragile and threatened" state of the Mourne landscape. No amended costings or route have since been provided by the council in relation to the Rostrevor of the project say it would drive tourism and the local economy with the potential of attracting up to 350,000 visitors a have raised environmental concerns as well questioning whether local access roads could accommodate that many visitors or whether the project would indeed attract that many people in the first place. In a statement issued to BBC News NI, the NI Audit Office said: "A number of issues regarding the Mourne Gateway Project have been raised with NIAO. "The local government auditor continues to monitor developments and is keeping the matter under consideration."BBC News NI contacted a number of local councillors in relation to the matter. Some said they had not been contacted by the audit councillor confirmed that a number of councillors had spoken to the audit office in relation to the project after the withdrawal of the National Trust, with governance and transparency concerns council has been contacted for comment.
The Irish Sun
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Delighted Down star declares ‘the county is booming' after win over Louth seals All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final
CEILUM DOHERTY reckons Down football is 'blooming' after they got the better of Louth in Newry's Páirc Esler yesterday. The Mourne men saw off the Leinster champions by a point to seal their place in an All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final at a minimum. Advertisement 2 Down beat Louth to secure an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final Credit: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile 2 Ceilum Doherty declared football in the county was blooming Credit: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile A win in their final game against Monaghan will secure their spot in a quarter-final. And Doherty — who scored two points — said: 'The county is blooming. People are looking to get out to watch football . 'They're seeing neighbouring counties doing very well. So that only gives you the bite and the teeth to get out and watch games and, look, it's amazing. 'I'm delighted there's a lot of children there to see it and hopefully we can show them the direction and that's the future of Co Down.' Advertisement Read More on GAA But the Mourne had to withstand a fierce fightback from Louth. And they needed a last-ditch block from Adam Crimmins to deny Tommy Durnin a chance to level it. Down thought they had blown the Wee County away en route to a nine-point interval lead. Their torch was lit when Odhran Murdock caught the throw-in with one hand and proceeded to stroke over a two-pointer inside 14 seconds. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football Ryan Magill, Ryan McEvoy and Doherty tagged on points before Danny Magill's two-pointer and a converted two-pointer from Murdock put Down clear. Sam Mulroy's free was all Louth could muster in the first quarter. Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - Louth finished the half with Ryan Burns, Conor Grimes , Ciarán Downey and Mulroy on target but further scores from Danny Magill and Pat Havern gave Conor Laverty's men a healthy lead at the interval. Down managed to remain nine points ahead with 15 minutes to go. Advertisement But the Leinster champions cut that lead down to five and then to only one point. Four two-pointers from Mulroy and another by Craig Lennon swung the game and momentum was fully behind Louth. But Down grabbed points from Shay Millar, Havern and Magill to stay ahead. And when it came to the crunch, it was Crimmins who became the hero for the Mourne men. Advertisement Louth must beat Clare in their final group game to reach the preliminary quarter-finals. DOWN : R Burke, P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty 0-2, R Magill 0-1, P Laverty, M Rooney, A Crimmins 0-2, R McEvoy, D Magill 0-6, 1tp, O Murdock 0-5, 1tp, 1tpf, F McElroy, J Guinness , P Havern 0-6, 1tp, J McGeough 0-1. Subs : C Mooney 0-1 for Guinness 46 mins; S Millar 0-1 for McEvoy 48; E Branagan for McElroy 50; F Murdock for Rooney 63. LOUTH : N McDonnell, D Nally, D Campbell, D McKenny, C McKeever 0-1, P Lynch, C Lennon 0-3, 1tp, T Durnin 0-2, 1tp, C Byrne, B Duffy , C Downey 0-4, C Grimes, C Keenan, S Mulroy 0-12, 2tp, 2tpf, R Burns 0-2. Subs : D McDonnell for Duffy h-t; A Williams for Lynch 41 mins; P Mathews for Grimes 61; Kieran McArdle for Byrne 61; D McKeown for Keenan 68. REFEREE : D Gough (Meath) [N Mooney (Roscommon), 21]. Advertisement
