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New garda units, created in the wake of the Abbeylara inquiry, will be sent out on to the streets from today.

The concept of a local unit to respond to a critical incident involving firearms or the taking of a hostage was devised by a garda review group following criticism of the tactics deployed by the force during the Abbeylara stand-off, which resulted in the death of John Carthy.

The regional support units (RSU) will be deployed by local commanders to react to major incidents rather than waiting for the Dublin-based Emergency Response Unit.

They will be fully operational in all five regions outside Dublin from the end of next year.

And the first unit, covering the southern region, was launched yesterday at the Garda College in Templemore, and will be deployed initially on the streets of Limerick and Cork.

They will operate on a pilot basis with regular reviews to improve the concept.

In Limerick, it is expected that the RSU will be deployed to back up local armed units patrolling areas where feuding has flared in the past. It will replace ERU personnel sent there temporarily in the past.

Each RSU will have an initial strength of 24 officers, including supervisors; but Assistant Garda Commissioner Nacie Rice, who is in charge of the review, says the strength can be modified, depending on local demand.

The units will operate normally as unarmed, uniformed gardai but will switch into tactical dress if ordered to respond to an incident.

This will involve pulling on a zip-up jacket over the uniform and donning a special cap, with "armed support unit" markings.

Estates

The members will operate in purpose-built, Volvo XC 70 police specials, which are based on an estate car but have a reinforced chassis and modifications to the brakes, engine and suspension -- with the off-road capability of a jeep.

Affixable indentifying strips, flashing lights and an identifying matrix will mark out the turbo diesel cars, which will carry patrols of two or three officers and firearms ranging from MP7 sub machine guns and Sig handguns to less than lethal weapons.

The gardai are the first police force in the world to use this vehicle. Four XC 70s will be in use initially but an order has been placed for a total of 30.

Mr Rice said all RSU personnel were uniformed gardai who had not been carrying firearms regularly, but had proven experience as gardai.

An internal advertisement for members was oversubscribed and those selected were intensively trained in critical incident response, tactical deployment, negotiation techniques, less than lethal weapons, firearms, driving and forcing entry.

Officers said an RSU could also be used to deal with less serious issues such as serving a warrant in a difficult area.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said the RSUs would enhance the overall level of service provided by the force to the community through a multi-purpose, skilled and well equipped group of personnel.

However, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said it felt the concept blurred the traditional ethos of the unarmed, uniformed gardai, which had served the country well, but it had agreed to the pilot scheme going ahead.

Perhaps its a reflection of parts of modern Ireland going down the shit-pipe or maybe its progress in combating crime. Either way, if any good can come from it hopefully some real scum-bags get a good kicking and Abbeylara's kept to a minimum i.e. zero

[Proposed changes to the Leinster Hurling championship for 2009.]

GAA President Nickey Brennan has revealed the details of the newly-structured Hurling Championship proposals which are set to be placed before Special Congress on 4 October at Croke Park.

Speaking at the launch of the M Donnelly All-Ireland Handball 60 X 30 Finals which will be held at Headquarters on Saturday next, Brennan pointed out that the HDC plans are coming on well, with Leinster Council officials the last of the provinces to have their say on the proposed changes at a special meeting in Portlaoise on Tuesday night.

The President is hoping to ease the concerns of Leinster officials, over the proposed introduction of both Antrim and Galway to their provincial championship.

He explained: 'What we want to do in Portlaoise is explain to Leinster how we feel about why we are asking them to facilitate Galway and Antrim.'

'We were up in Ulster last week and Ulster have completely come on board at this stage. If there are any fears on the Leinster side let them mention them tonight and we will hopefully allay those fears.'

A new four-tier structure is being proposed by the Hurling Development Committee (HDC), which will see an additional tier to the current system, with the fourth competition, proposed to be called the Lory Meagher Cup to cater for teams at the bottom end of the hurling structure.

The Liam McCarthy will continue with 12 teams and then under that there will be three tiers of competitions with eight teams each.

Proposed changes to the Leinster Hurling championship for 2009.

The championship will comprise of seven teams - Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly, Laois, Dublin, Galway & Antrim

The proposal will be that the Leinster champions (Kilkenny)automatically get into the semi-final.

The other six teams will go into the first round proper. There will be a draw made for them in October this year after Congress and there will be three winners.

Those three winners will go into the hat with Kilkenny to pair off the semi-finalists. It is propsed that the draw for the semi-final will not take place until after the first round is completed in May 2009.

Beyond Leinster

The three losers in Leinster will meet up with the loser coming from the first round in Munster. That will be called pool one. They will play off down to two teams.

The other pool will be the two beaten semi-finalists in Munster, and the two beaten semi-finalists in Leinster. They will play down to two teams and then there will be crossover games between both pools.

They will be quarter-finals involving the beaten provincial finalists, with the winners of those playing the Leinster and Munster champions respectively in the semi-final."

Ulster Championship

The Ulster Championship will remain in place for the 2009 season. Along with their involvement in Leinster, Antrim are also expected to partake in their own provincial series.

The plans outlined above, if ratified by Congress are expcted to be in place for five years.

.......according to the Independant have both retired,

So I'd like to thanks them on their services to Meath football over the years and the huge part they played in bringing A-I glory to us in '96 and '99. Darren was the foundation of the best defense in the country during those years and even in more recent times was an immense figure. Even during the ensuing lean years his performances were still gutsy and determined as ever.

As for Graham, well theres no shortage highlights. His points against Cork in 99 or the way he tore through the Tyrone defense in 96 and again last year with his flick of the ball over the keepers head. His battles with the Dubs over the years and the 'affection' he recieved from Hill 16 was always amusing. Especially when he broke their hearts. His partnership with Ollie Murphy was also something special. Together they were the talking point of 2001, especially the way they scrambled a draw from the jaws of defeat against Westmeath with a goal from Ollie that was made on the understanding they had of each other.

So to Darren and Graham thanks for the memories and your always welcome back if you think you've got it in you!!!

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/articles/1/28421

this would make you sick. What makes a kid do this to another. I would imagine they hear it from their parents. I actually was naive enough to believe before the immigration wave of the last decade, that Irish people wouldnt be inclined to be racist. How foolish.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0703/breaking25.htm

An Irish man has been shot dead by a police officer in the US state of Oregon.

Andrew Hanlon (20), who is believed to be from Dundrum in Dublin, was shot by a police officer responding to a call about a burglary in the small town of Silverton on Monday night. He died at the scene.

Witnesses reported hearing five or six shots.

Deputy District Attorney Doug Hanson declined to say whether Mr Hanlon was armed or give further details of the incident, citing a pending investigation. The officer involved, who has only been on the force since 2006,  has since been placed on paid administrative leave.

Mr Hanlon had been visiting his sister Melanie Heise in the town, which has a population of around 7,000. He arrived in the US last summer and staying on illegally after his visa expired.

Ms Heise said this morning her brother was suffering from bouts of paranoia and delusion in recent months. She said arrangements were being made to send him home to Dublin to receive treatment.

"A bunch of different people saw him just before it happened and he seemed fine," she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

However, she doubted he would have been carrying a gun at the time he was shot. "He's not that kind of kid," she said. She also questioned why a Tazer wasn't used to subdue Mr Hanlon.

Around 100 people held a protest in Silverton yesterday over the shooting. "There's an awful lot of anger," Ms Heise said. "They want to know why there was such excessive force used."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa-championships/best-dressed-fan/best-dressed-gaa-fan-photo-competition-1412521.html

Anyone got the fabric for this. Not sure what they're looking for, something mad or wearing the county colours in some stylish way

['because the Prods aren't sexy enough'.]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/22/northernireland.ianpaisley

A biopic of Ian Paisley has run into financial difficulties with its screen writer claiming it would have been easier to fund his script if it had been about the IRA.

Award winning dramatist Gary Mitchell has completed the screenplay and started auditioning actors to play Paisley, but he claims that financing the project is proving difficult 'because the Prods aren't sexy enough'.

Mitchell, who will also direct the film, also said the Paisley family no longer supported the film because it was a 'warts and all' story about the recently departed First Minister of Northern Ireland. The Observer contacted the Paisley family last week but they refused to comment.

Mitchell insisted that the film would go ahead. 'I hope that when we make it we can show that Northern Ireland is a good place to make a movie and, of course, that this place can be put on screen from a Protestant perspective for a change.' However, this final detail could be the main stumbling block to the financing of the film. It seems TV and film companies have no problem with dramas about the IRA or films from a Catholic/nationalist perspective, as Hunger, Bloody Sunday, H3 and The Boxer would suggest.

'Look at the talent these films have attracted over the years like Daniel Day-Lewis, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. I doubt very much that a film on this theme could attract this kind of attention,' he said.

The north Belfast-born writer said his script had already managed to upset both sides of the sectarian divide. On seeing the first draft the Paisley family pulled their support while a reader given the script to analyse said it was too pro-unionist, Mitchell said.

'That is the peril of attempting impartiality when you write about Northern Ireland - you end up annoying either side. It reminds me of The Force of Change [Mitchell's 2000 play] when certain Protestants said it criticised the RUC too much and certain Catholics said it didn't criticise them nearly enough.'

In the script, Mitchell places much of the responsibility for the origins of the Ulster Troubles on Paisley. He said this did not fit in with Paisley's new image as one of the so-called 'Chuckle Brothers' - the moniker used to describe him and his former foe Martin McGuinness. Last week in Paisley's home town, Ballymena, the pair were seen laughing and joking, as they were during the DUP founder's year-long reign as First Minister when McGuinness was his deputy.

The dramatist said he has included scenes of a group of nascent loyalist paramilitaries who followed every word Paisley spoke in the late Sixties but then became disillusioned with 'the Big Man' as the Troubles erupted and they went to jail. Mitchell's outspoken views have landed him in trouble with loyalist terrorists. Three years ago he was forced to leave his home on the Rathcoole housing estate on the northern outskirts of Belfast by local members of the Ulster Defence Association. They had objected to the way Mitchell portrayed them in his stage plays and on television.

The former writer-in-residence at the Royal Court Theatre in London won support for his plight from writers, poets, artists and intellectuals across the world. He has since returned to Northern Ireland and is currently a writer-in-residence at Queen's University Belfast.

I've been asked to do a poster for the club to be put in schools to get more players for the underage teams. I've had a browse through google but found little of use. Basically looking for pictures of kids playing football, hurling and camogie. If you have any multi-cultural pictures that would be great. I'm using photoshop so if you just send me a link or post them up here will do.

Thanks

heres a movie about a real hero 
http://www.lemmymovie.com/

Looking for cheap central accomodation in Cardiff? suggestions? anyone been over to the Heiniken Cup able to help me? thanks

1 standing ticket

Sunday 25th May,
RDS Dublin

Price €81 (face value)

Selling me ticket as I was offered a chance to go on a trip to Italy, will be going to see the Boss in Cardiff in June instead.

Give me a Private Message, first come first served!

Thanks


EDIT
***********Sorry didnt see the thread below*****************

http://www.guinness.com/ie_en/hurlingcubed/#

New tournament launched by Guinness, looks like a good laugh. 3-a-side indoor hurling in a giant perspex cube. coming to a city near you!

Coming up this Sunday, it will be very interesting to see what we're like. No disrespect to Carlow but if we have any serious ambitions this year we should win this without too much of a scare. One thing I'd like to know is who went to Portugal, just wondering who's going to get a run out. I've only heard rumours and one is that Tagdh Brosnan is likley to be included. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_xO5TJTN1A

The 5th Annual Beach Gaelic Tournament

This is an invite to all Gaelic Football clubs in Ireland, UK, Europe and North America.   

To enter a team to this years 5th Annual Beach Gaelic Tournament, which takes place in Long Beach, New York, September 6th, 2008.  We have been successfully running this exciting new hybrid sport for the last four years and to celebrate its 5th year we are offering a cash prize of $5000 for the winning team. 

The tournament is an all day 7a-side Gaelic Football tournament played on the beach.  Long Beach is one of New York's most popular beaches and the Beach Gaelic tournament generates a lot of local public interest.  The tournament promotes Gaelic Football in a exciting competitive manner,raising the awareness and interest in Gaelic Football to the American public.   

Please visit www.beachgaelic.com for more information about the event or email;beachgaelic@gmail.com

http://www.beachgaelic.com/new/home.asp?menuid=1


Looks like great craic

*****May have been discussed already******

London GAA have decided to let one of their grounds go to waste for 12 years and are now hoping to build upon it. Locals are opposing any development as the land they consider is now community and green space. The fact that the site has "naturalised" ie overgrown some would reckon it is now a valuable habitat for local wildlife as well. Anyway they seem pretty pissed as can be seen by their website no matter what the outcome wont reflect well on the GAA in London

http://www.ragedresidents.org.uk/

We have the support of GLA Members, Bexley and Greenwich MPs, Local Councillors, Lamorby and New Ethan Residents Associations, Sport England, The Football Foundation, The National Playing Fields Association, Planning Aid for London, English Nature and Disabled Charities.

We support the Government, GLA and Local Authority legislation and planning controls that protect this site. For over 40 years it has been recognised that London needs its Green Spaces to act as the GREEN LUNGS for us all. In these days of serious air pollution in London, the old Green Belt contributes to the health and well being of all Londoners.

The site is threatened under Greenwich's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) as Greenwich Council wish to declassify the site from its Private Sports Ground and Community Open Space designation. They propose to designate it as for Mixed Use which is code for "YOU CAN BUILD HOUSES HERE"

With the forthcoming Olympics, Child Obesity and ever increasing Pollution the land should be put to use for the amenity and health of residents and visitors to the Greenwich and Bexley Boroughs, as well as all of London.

The site has been WILLFULLY LOCKED AWAY AND NEGLECTED for over 12 years, by its owners. This a cynical, land grabbing and profiteering action to reap Millions of Pounds from getting the land built upon.

The Gaelic Athletic Football Association hope that local residents would wish to ditch the Sporting and Green aspects of this site in favour of housing. In reality the site is returning to nature and is now supporting a wonderful diversity of wildlife with endangered species.

We wish to return the site to Sports and Recreation taking account of all the ecological, health and environmental aspects it serves today.

Hi all,

Me and some friends might be heading to Glasgow at the end of May for a weekend. Can anyone recommend some places to go or stay. We're all in the same line of work, Architects/Landscape Architects and saw some pictures of nice public squares and buildings etc....... Also things to do, places to drink and eat would be great.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/apr/25/goth.violence

Sophie Lancaster, the 20-year-old beaten to death by two teenage boys in a park in Lancashire last summer. Sophie died because of the way she looked. She was killed trying to protect her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, who had already been knocked unconscious by the boys.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7287772.stm

Dont know if anyone followed this case, but its something i think is just very sad. Im not a goth or even like the way they dress but I dont take exception to it either. They are the last people to actualy cause anyone a bit of harm (except themselves but thats another matter) or bother yet some people seem to have a problem with them just for being different.

I got abuse in school for being a "grunger" despite the fact that I dont like grunge. I listen to Rock and Metal but that only makes up about 60% of what I listen to. Yet I got labelled as such despite not having long hair, peircings, tatoos or even black clothes, (ok I have the odd band T-shirt)

But it doesnt matter, I can take the abuse but that someone would kick a girl or anyone to death for how she/they look is sickening and frightening.

Will be interesting, really like both teams. hopefully these teams will rise to the top in the summer as well.

Controversy has raged in Ratoath this week following the posting on the internet of video footage of the chairman of Meath County Council, Colr Nick Killian, apparently lunging at youths on the main street of the town, following a vandalism attack on a local house.
Angry local residents say that ongoing anti-social behaviour in the village is causing misery for local residents and many comments posted on the YouTube website - which featured the recording - have been supportive of Colr Killian.
Colr Killian admitted himself that his behaviour was unacceptable but said his actions were borne out of frustration.
"I do not condone any acts of violence and I would always encourage citizens to co-operate fully with the appropriate authorities and to deal with anti-social behaviour in a peaceful and harmonious way," he said this week.

Fair play to him, he should have pushed them under a car, would do the world a big favour.

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/story.asp?stID=2644

Footage here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRlAV2qukWo

I think Dublin wants its accent back........