Lynch appointed new Dundalk Democrat editor

Local man David Lynch has been appointed the new editor of The Dundalk Democrat.

The 31-year-old will succeed existing editor Sheila Reilly in January.

Lynch has worked for the Democrat for the last two years in the paper’s sports department, predominantly covering GAA.

He is a graduate of Coláiste Rís Secondary School and Independent Colleges, where he received a Masters in Journalism.

Lynch will become the 11^th editor in the paper’s 165 year history and will follow in the footsteps of the likes of TF McGahon, Frank Necy, Tom Roe, Peter Kavanagh, Joe Carroll, Dolan O’Hagan and Anthony Murphy.

Having been established by Joseph Cartan back in 1849, The Dundalk Democrat was sold to the Roe family in 1872 and remained under its ownership until 2000 when it was bought by the Leinster Leader group. The paper was then acquired by Johnston Press in 2005 before changing hands to Iconic Newspapers in March of this year.

Towell in the running for Player of the Month award

Dundalk will be aiming to make it a two in-a-row in terms of Player of the Month awards after midfielder Richie Towell was nominated as one of the contenders for the August prize.

Pat Hoban clinched the July award, with Towell hoping to follow in his footsteps after a scintillating August that was capped with a superb goal in last Friday’s win over UCD.

Also in the running for the Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland’s monthly prize are Bohemians’ Anthony Murphy, Cork City’s Danny Morrissey, Drogheda United’s Michael Schlingermann, Sligo Rovers’ Kieran Djilali and St Patrick’s Athletic’s Conan Byrne.

Voting closes on Friday with the winner set to be announced next week.

Related articles

• Dundalk’s Hoban is SWAI Player of the Month for July (talkofthetown.ie)

St Brigid’s Way Pilgrimage to leave Dundalk this Sunday

A nine day walk called the St Brigid’s Way Pilgrimage will be held between Sunday July 7^th and Tuesday July 16^th.

Local women Dolores Whelan and Karen Ward are inviting people to join them on walking pilgrimage from St Brigid’s Shrine in Faughart, Co Louth to her monastic city in Kildare town.

Amongst the stops they will take in include Fairhill Ringfort, Mount Oriel, the Hill of Slane, the Hill of Tara, Clarkstown Enclosure and The Curragh of Kildare.

Brigid’s Way is an alignment of ancient and sacred sites in Ireland which stretches from Brigid’s Well in Faughart, County Louth to Kildare.

This alignment was discovered by former Dundalk Democrat editor Anthony Murphy and his co-author Richard Moore during research for their book ‘Island of the Setting Sun’.

The route passes through some of the most prominent sites of Irish pre-history and Christianity, including the Hill of Tara and the Hill of Slane, Mount Oriel, Beauparc Motte, Realtoge Moated site and ends very close to a ringfort in the Curragh of Kildare.

This alignment of sacred sites reflects the Cygnus (Swan) constellation which was prominent in the skies at the time of Brigid’s birth in the 5th Century AD and is its reflection on earth of a heavenly configuration.

It might have formed an ancient “sightline”, pointing out the place on the northern horizon where the cross-shaped swan constellation (Cygnus) was rising in ancient times.

The pilgrimage will set out from Faughart at 2pm on Sunday and people are invited to join for even one day only.

Full details of how to get involved and where to stay (if required) ca be found on www.stbrigidsway.ie