Deirdre Verney

Stories by Deirdre Verney

Below are recent stories by Deirdre Verney

• Published: 25 Jan 2012 17:05

  University town status for Athlone?

  Athlone IT could be part of a new technological university which would become the largest educational institution in the State, catering for over 27,000 students.

• Published: 25 Jan 2012 17:05

  Work may start on Athlone health campus in March

  The HSE and the agents for the developers of the proposed Primary Care centre in Clonbrusk have both maintained this week that the project is going ahead this year, amid growing uncertainty whether work would ever start on the health infrastructure.

• Published: 25 Jan 2012 17:05

  Ballymahon GP received over €469k in medical card payments in 2010

  A Ballymahon-based doctor received over €469,000 in payments from the State for treating medical card holders last year, the Westmeath Independent has learned.

• Published: 25 Jan 2012 17:00

  Gardai investigate fatal accident in Roscommon

  Gardai in Roscommon are investigating the circumstances of a single vehicle fatal road traffic collision on Monday night which claimed the life of a local man in his 20s.

• Published: 18 Jan 2012 17:30

  Fears over pub trade after closures

  Fears have been expressed about the future of the Athlone pub trade this week after a number of recent high profile closures and widespread speculation that others are set to follow over the next few weeks.

• Published: 18 Jan 2012 17:30

  TDs' silence on Custume Barracks future criticised

  Dáil deputies in Longford/Westmeath have yet to come out to reassure the public that Costume Barracks will remain open and that its status is secure, according to Cllr Kevin 'Boxer' Moran.

• Published: 18 Jan 2012 17:15

  Winning Streak bonanza for Glasson native

  A Glasson native has kicked off 2012 in style taking home a cash bonanza of €98,600 on a TV gameshow at the weekend.

• Published: 4 Jan 2012 18:01

  Ballinahown man facing extradition on abuse charges

  A Ballinahown native wanted for trial to answer sex abuse allegations could be back in this country next week after being deported from Brazil to England on St Stephen's Day.

• Published: 4 Jan 2012 17:30

  Christmas trading boost for local businesses

  A big increase in footfall and a bigger spend than last year has been reported by many retailers in the Athlone area according to local chamber President John McGrath.

• Published: 4 Jan 2012 17:30

  €300 reward for parrot's return

  An Athlone resident has offered a €300 reward this week for the safe return of his beloved pet, an African Grey parrot who went missing before Christmas.

• Published: 28 Dec 2011 17:30

  Spectacular Westmeath aeroplane stunt recalled in new GAA book

  A new book has shone the spotlight on surely one of the most dramatic, innovative marketing stunts in the history of GAA, and it all happened in Westmeath.

• Published: 28 Dec 2011 09:30

  Far away from home this Christmas...

  Thousands of miles away from home, friends and family, Christmas may be sad this year, but to a Bolivian woman who now calls Athlone's asylum seeker accommodation centre home, it's more important that she is safe and sound.

• Published: 21 Dec 2011 09:30

  Iceland is coming to Athlone in 2012

  Athlone is set to welcome supermarket chain Iceland to the local retail landscape during 2012 and with it up to 50 new jobs.

• Published: 16 Dec 2011 15:15

  No guarantee Coosan water disruption at an end

  The council has said it cannot give any guarantees that the water disruption experienced in the Coosan area over the last fortnight is at an end, but they are hopeful water outtages will only last a few hours and be localised to certain estates in the run-up to Christmas.

• Published: 7 Dec 2011 17:30

  Athlone students hit by budget "triple whammy"

  Athlone IT's main student representative has blasted Monday's budget cuts as a "triple whammy" for students which will force many to leave third-level education altogether and go on the dole.

• Published: 7 Dec 2011 17:30

  Local garda stations escape budget axe for now

  Rural garda stations in the Athlone and South Roscommon areas have escaped the budget axe this week with none among the 31 nationwide earmarked for closure.

• Published: 7 Dec 2011 17:15

  Santa's house in Glasson brings festive cheer

  Mike Irwin jokes that he wouldn't have a clue how many bulbs are contained in his massive Christmas lights display at Kilfaughney, Glasson,but it takes over a week to put them up!

• Published: 30 Nov 2011 18:00

  National closure plans renew fears about future of St Vincent's

  There is fresh concern this week about the future of St Vincent's Care Centre in Athlone.

• Published: 30 Nov 2011 16:30

  Romancing the chicken in Ballykeeran!

  When I said I was romancing a chicken on a Tuesday night the default reaction was a quizzical look or arched eyebrows accompanied by a laugh.

• Published: 23 Nov 2011 17:30

  The Athlone Titanic six who never came home

  A poignant 100-year-old portrait of an Athlone mother and her five sons who all perished on the Titanic will go under the hammer in Dublin next month.

• Published: 23 Nov 2011 17:30

  R and D investment boost for Covidien

  One of the town's leading employers, Covidien, has announced a €25 million investment in six research and development projects at its plants in Ireland, one of which will be based at its Cornamaddy plant, a development it's hoped may yield new positions in the future.

• Published: 23 Nov 2011 17:30

  Athlone bids farewell to one of its best known characters

  Athlone and Coosan has lost one of its best loved characters and traditional musicians with the passing of Larry Benson after a short illness last week, at the age of 87.

• Published: 23 Nov 2011 16:30

  Making cheese the biodynamic way

  A organic Westmeath family farm who make products on a biodynamic basis - for the unitiatied, that's on favourable days in the moon's cycle - has been featured in new glossy definitive guide to Ireland's farmhouse cheeses.

• Published: 16 Nov 2011 17:56

  Campaign for public park in Moate moves to tender stage

  Committee hopes that new amenity will be in place next year

• Published: 16 Nov 2011 13:25

  R&D investment boost for Covidien

  One of the town's leading employers, Covidien, has announced a €25 million investment in six research and development projects at their plants in Ireland, one of which will be based at their Cornamaddy plant which it's hoped may yield new positions in the future.

• Published: 9 Nov 2011 17:30

  Local air ambulance service could be in place early next year

  There are high hopes this week that an emergency air ambulance service for the Midlands and West could be in place by early next year, meaning patients in the Athlone area could be transferred to Galway in just 15 minutes.

• Published: 9 Nov 2011 17:10

  Buttons are the key to success for Coosan woman

  An Athlone woman who has made a full-time business out of making distinctive, quirky jewellery from the humble button will feature on RTE 1's Nationwide tv programme next week.

• Published: 2 Nov 2011 17:30

  Councillor says he witnessed "horrific" Traveller feuding

  A local councillor described being caught up in Traveller feuding last year as "horrific" and "frightening" at last week's meeting of a special committee designed to facilitate a joint response across the community to policing issues.

• Published: 2 Nov 2011 17:15

  No opening date yet for Clonark Garda Station

  Contrary to local speculation, gardai in South Roscommon say there is no official opening date as of yet for the newly refurbished and redeveloped Clonark Garda Station.

• Published: 2 Nov 2011 17:15

  School extension proposals in Ballymahon go to planning stage

  The long running campaign for new accommodation at Ballymahon Vocational School has moved a step closer to bricks and mortar in recent days, after an application was lodged with Longford County Council for the development