Congratulations to European champion Joe Ward

Hats off to Moate's Joe Ward, who has once again displayed his boundless talent with a fantastic victory in Turkey last Friday. Joe's career trajectory has been ever upward since he first donned a pair of boxing gloves at eleven years of age. His talent has been evident from the off. Remarkably, he has yet to beaten on Irish soil in a bout. Internationally too he had been making steady progress, having taken medals at European Schoolboy and European Junior level. He then progressed to the gold medal place on the podium at the 2009 World Junior (Under 17) light middleweight Championship at the age of 15. He followed that up in 2010 World Youth (Under 19) middleweight Championships in Azerbaijan at the age of 16. In recognition of those world titles, Joe was crowned Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Star of the Year winner for 2009 and for 2010. Earlier this year, he became a household name having dethroned ten-time national champion and Olympic medallist Kenny Egan at the Irish Senior Boxing Championships. And now at the tender age of 17, in only his eighth adult boxing fight, he was crowned European light-heavyweight boxing champion. Joe is a level-headed individual, who knows that the secret of his success is his hard work and dedication allied to his natural skill. Hopefully, this dedication to his sport will allow him to continue to enjoy further successes in the future. Although, the Irish Boxing Association's decision to host box-offs for the right to represent Ireland at the World Championships and Olympic Games qualifying tournament could mean he has to renew acquaintances with Kenny Egan, the London Olympic Games remain his major focus. The South Westmeath region should be proud of such a talented sporting ambassador. Difficult times but there are bright lights It continues to be an extremely difficult business environment locally - with unemployment still at a worryingly high level, emigration a constant phenomenon, and business closures and restructuring continuing to happen on an almost weekly basis. However, in Athlone, there remains some hopeful signs, such as the job creation announced by Ericsson last week, and the continued This weekend there is the opportunity for many local businesses to benefit from a healthy trade. With over 2,000 competitors expected to take part in TriAthlone and a free weekend of entertainment organised by Athlone Town Council, there should be plenty of reasons for people to flock to the centre of Athlone. Let's hope it helps to fill the coffers of a few local businesses. Smart thinking has become a cliched catchphrase in Government and official circles in recent times, but there is evidence that businesses which adapt and innovate can stay ahead of the game. The Fiver Friday initiative, which began on Joe Duffy's Liveline show, is one example of a simple project which could help to bring customers through the doors. This week, we report inside on some local businesses which are taking on board the concept. Last weekend's Athlone Agri-Show was another fine example of the sort of community initiative which can help to The show was well attended and provided an important showcase to a plethora of businesses in both the trade stands section and the Made in the Midlands Food Village. There has been a realisation that amidst all the focus on high tech and pharmaceutical industries, Ireland as a nation has forgotten its core skills of agriculture and food production. The Athlone Agri-Show, if nothing else, helped to bring home how crucial this industry is to our future.