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The Week that Was: Our most viewed stories of the past seven days

Boost for Laois club as former Kildare footballer transfers in

St Joseph’s have been handed a massive boost ahead of the 2022 season with the confirmation that former Kildare footballer Eoghan O’Flaherty has transferred to the club.

O’Flaherty, who played for Kildare from 2009 to 2019 and made 120 appearances, has moved to St Joseph’s from his home club Carbury.

O’Flaherty is married and living in the St Joseph’s area for the past number of years and has now decided to throw his lot in with the club.


Former senior selectors and minor boss among new appointments as Laois clubs confirm managers for 2022

Two former Laois senior selectors and a former minor manager are among the new men appointed to lead football clubs in Laois this year.

We checked in with all the senior football clubs of the county to see who is in charge of who for the 2022 season.


In Pictures: Smiles galore as more Laois students among graduates in IT Carlow

More Laois people have been pictured receiving their certificates following graduations ceremonies at IT Carlow recently.

Our selection of images proved a big hit when posted online on Monday.


Laois manager Sheehan disappointed with result following O’Byrne Cup final defeat

In the last 15 years, Laois have rarely run any Dublin team as close as they did in the O’Byrne Cup final yesterday.

However, new manager Billy Sheehan has no interest in moral victories or valiant defeats – he wants to win and believes his team should have yesterday.

Laois played with an extra man for 40 minutes following the dismissal of John Small but they failed to make it count and the manager took the blame for that in his post match interview.


Jack Fenlon

Laois athlete in line for European Championships following two stunning runs in four days

A Laois athlete is in the running to represent Ireland at the European U-18 Championships following two stunning performances in four days.

St Abban’s athlete Jack Fenlon, who hails from Ballybrittas, has achieved the standard time required to qualify for two events in Jerusalem in July.


Laois residents raise concerns for their village ahead of meeting on County Development Plan

A residents group who are representing people who live in Ballylinan have raised their concerns over proposals contained in the County Development Plan.

Laois County Councillors will meet tomorrow to approve a plan which will cover the county until 2027.

A spokesperson for the Ballylinan group says that the village does not have the infrastructure to cope with all of the houses that are being planned for the area.


Martin Kirwan RIP Shanahoe

Sadness in Shanahoe at the passing of the highly-regarded Martin Kirwan

There was sadness in the rural community of Shanahoe last week with the passing of the highly-regarded Martin (Murt) Kirwan.

The Kirwan family haulage business is known far and wide and the family are also deeply associated with Shanahoe GAA and Laois ladies football.

His wife Ann has been a driving force in the Shanahoe ladies football club and his daughters Mary, Martha and Noirin all represented Laois at senior level.


Glamping under the Stars

Business Briefing: Glamping under the Stars on their latest developments, their long-term aims and the importance of being ‘instagrammable’

Laois Chamber CEO Caroline Hoffman caught up with Kyra Fingleton, Managing Director of Glamping Under the Stars, located in Cullenagh, near Portlaoise.

“Glamping Under The Stars offers a magical glamping experience for families and groups,” said owner Kyra Fingleton.

“Set in beautifully landscaped grounds, we now have two very special boutique glampsites for guests to choose from: Mountain Glampsite – our ‘hobbit village’, and Meadow Glampsite – for classic glamping.

“Since we first opened in May 2016, we have won several hospitality awards, been featured on national TV, press & radio, and welcomed guests from all over Ireland and abroad.”


N80 Stradbally

€3 million allocated for Laois for cycling and walking infrastructure in the county

Laois has been allocated €3 million for improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure across the county.

Nationally, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has allocated funds to Ireland’s local authorities with a view to spending €289 million on walking and cycling infrastructure in 2022.

A total of 18 projects have been selected with the Triogue Blueway (€200,000) Father Brown Avenue Cycle Scheme (€235,000), Beladd Cycle Scheme (€73,000), Portlaoise Cycle Parking (€40,000) Dublin Road, Portlaoise Pedestrian, Cycle and Traffic Management Scheme (€55,000), and Portlaoise Local Transport Plan (€150,000) all located in Portlaoise.


HGVs

Calls for HGVs to stay out of small towns as survey shows 30,000 come through Laois each year to avoid tolls

Calls have been made for Higher Goods Vehicles to stop travelling through Laois towns after a survey revealed 30,000 are doing so each year.

A Laois County Council survey of a 24 hour period in Durrow, Abbeyleix and Cullohill, found 580 HGVs passed through.

492 of these were deemed to have a valid reason – deliveries etc – 88 were found to have none and the survey assumes they did this to avoid paying the €4.90 M7 toll.