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Eight students studying at an Irish language college in County Donegal's Gaeltacht have been assaulted by a gang of up to 20 youths.

The pupils, aged 15 and 16 and from counties Armagh and Down, were walking back to Colaiste Mhuire in Loughanure on Tuesday when they were attacked.

It is understood some had their hurleys taken off them and these were used to beat them.

Although they were treated for cuts and bruises, none had to stay in hospital.

Joint principal of the college, Donal O'Neill from Belfast, said the attack came out of the blue although in the past there had been some verbal incidents.

He said he was "absolutely at a loss" as to why the eight students had been attacked.

Mr O'Neill said the students were shocked by the attack.

"They were shaken up by it last night but they are in better form today and are looking forward to the rest of the course," he said.

"We have a good understanding with the people of Loughanure and it is unfortunate that this group of thugs are intent on attacking our students."

I know it has been mentioned on the Robinson's thread, but I think he deserves a thread of his own. Has anybody any idea where Jeffrey and Willie McCrea have got to? They are conspicuous by their absence from the Hillsborough talks, particularly as Jeffery is Gerry Kelly's counterpart in OFM/DFM.

Congratulations to  Carrickcruppen Ballad Group and Silverbridge GFC in reaching the All Ireland Final of Scór na nÓg 2010 in 4 events.

Coming back from London last night wife pointed out an article in the Ryanair in house magazine. They are currently exploring the possibility of introducing spaces for standing passengers on flights of less than 1 hour duration. The idea would be something similar to a bus or train with 50 standing spaces, 20% of which would be free and 20% at half price. They're about to start negotiations with Boeing about the safety considerations that they'd have to take into account.

Don't know if there's a thread about this already, if there is I apologise. Sad thing here is how the audience treated the protester. The guy deserved a standing ovation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FmVopEs9yI

Good luck to Sihane O'Neills U14 Girls  representing Co Armagh in the 2009 Football Feile at the weekend

Higgins in 'mad man' snooker rant

Thursday, 19 February 2009


Snooker player Alex Higgins has been dropped from a charity event in Limerick next month after he allegedly threatened and verbally abused spectators and a referee at a separate match.


The Belfast-born former snooker world champion is reported to have reduced a 10-year-old boy to tears, threatened to smash a snooker ball into a spectator's face and told the referee at last Thursday's exhibition match in Kildare that he would stick his cue "up your a***".

Higgins' latest debacle took place in Athy, Co Kildare during a game against Jimmy White.

As a result, Limerick and North Tipperary Carer's Association, who had arranged for the 59-year-old to play in a charity match in Limerick next month, have dropped him from the schedule and replaced him with seven-time world champion, Stephen Hendry.

Sports Editor with the Kildare Nationalist newspaper, Brendan Coffey, acted as referee at last week's match and experienced Higgins' abuse and threatening demeanour at first hand.

Mr Coffey claimed Higgins behaved like a "mad man".

"Alex didn't seem drunk. He wasn't acting like a drunken man, just a mad man," he said.

"At one stage he picked up the cue like someone with a spear in Braveheart and said that if anyone annoys him, he'd stab them in the chest with it.

"He shoved a ball in front of one person's face and said he smash him between the eyes with it if he distracted him again," Mr Coffey claimed.

Higgins was also alleged to have scolded a 10-year-old boy sitting in the front row for apparently distracting him. The boy was reduced to tears.

For the last 2 years or so the Irish Digital TV Body was running a digital tv test in Dublin and North Leinster. During this period I was able to receive all the Dublin TV and Radio stations from the Cooley transmitter in North Louth through the digital freeview facility on my television. The test stopped at the end of August but RTE indicated that they intended aid they'd continue it on. I've noticed that while its back on I can only get sound and no picture when I now turn to the digital freeview facility on my TV. Has anyone else in noticed this or got any ideas what the problem might

Iàm on holiday in Italy at the moment staying just outside Rome. Anyone out there know of any pubs in Rome that might be showing the Ulster Final?

Good Morning Ulster must be about the most pathetic morning show on radio with  Conor toffee nose Bradford and Seamus insincere twat McKee. However McKee really outdid himself the other morning in an item about some blind guy who has had an operation to have some sort of camera fitted so that he can see again. It's a miraculous story and one that hopefully will give hope to a lot of blind people. Mckee's line of questioning was as follows: Q  'When did you realise that you could see?' A When they took away the nandages and I could open my eyes? Q What difference did you notice?  A Well I couild see things. I think the interviewee was rather shocked himself.

When up in Derry one day last week the car radio tuned itself into Radio Foyle. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they don't have to listen to Hugo Duncan but instead Sean Coyle has a show between half one and three. It's not fair that we're inflicted with him when the area from which he comes from gets off scott free. To make matters worse they don't have tubby Nolan either