Fines issued to those parked on Bóthar an Iarainn

Bothar an Iarainn is frequently used as a free parking facility by commuters using the Matthews buses at the Marshes Shopping Centre

Gardaí this afternoon began to clamp down on those illegally parking on Bothar an Iarainn by reportedly issuing fines to those parked there.

The road, also known as the Iron Road, links the Marshes Shopping Centre and the Tesco Extra megastore and Lidl shopping outlets and runs alongside the Dundalk Gaels GFC pitch.

It is frequently used by commuters who park their cars along it before getting the Matthews bus from the Marshes to Dublin.

This has caused frustration for other road users in recent times, however, as only a single lane of traffic is able to travel along the road at a time due to cars parked on either side.

In the past Gardaí have taken registrations and even towed vehicles but Talk of the Town understands that they began to issue fines to those who are parked there today – something which will come as a nasty surprise to those who return there later. Reports are that around 20 cars were targeted just before lunchtime.

Louth County Council has installed double yellow lines this year along the road but even prior to that parking was not permitted due to the solid white line on the road. This has not prevented commuters from parking here but perhaps a build-up of fines from the Gardaí will.

Last year independent local councillor Maeve Yore, from Blakely Close, said she had witnessed one accident on the road and seen a potential other one.

Commuters have been urged to use the council’s €2 a day long-term car park on the Rampart Road.

Secure parking operated by The Marshes is also available to Matthews’ regular commuters at a monthly rate of €30, while part-time parking is also available for €20 for any 20 days entry and exit. People can arrange parking passes in advance by contacting the Marshes Car Park office on 042 9395240. The designated parking area is in Car Park 3.

Site opposite Tesco in Dundalk up for sale

The location of the site

A 0.58 acre site close to the new Tesco Extra megastore at the site of the old Dundalk Shopping Centre has gone up for sale for an undisclosed sum.

The development land, currently being used as a car park, has planning permission for a car showroom facility.

It is located in between the Tesco Extra filling station and Stapleton Court shopping complex and is in front of the Dundalk Gaels clubrooms on the Ramparts Road.

Local estate agents Sherry FitzGerald Carroll are conducting the sale.

An artist’s impression of the car showroom which planning permission has been granted for on the site

Tesco Extra Dundalk deli scoops top prize

Tesco Extra celebrated a year open earlier this month

The delicatessen at Tesco Extra in Dundalk has been named Best Deli 2015 by Checkout Magazine.

The local deli picked up the award at the ‘Best in Fresh’ awards recently.

It is a fitting way for Tesco Extra to mark its first anniversary in Dundalk with the new centre having opened a year ago earlier this month.

Post Polio Ireland information day this Saturday

The event will be held in the community room of Tesco

Post Polio Ireland will host an information day in Tesco in Dundalk this Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

All are welcome to attend on the day where survivors of the illness will be on hand to share their experience.

Dundalk Cardiac First Responder Group to hold training sessions next week

The training will be held in the community room of Tesco

The Dundalk Cardiac First Responder Group are holding training sessions in the Community Room of the Tesco Extra megastore at Dundalk Shopping Centre on Saturday August 15^th.

Sessions start on the day at 11am and run until 3pm.

All are welcome along on the day to learn a little, meet new people and also meet the team that are responding to emergencies in Dundalk.

For further details check out the group’s Facebook page.

Dundalk man Damien ordained a deacon

Damien Quigley with his parents Majella and Tommy

A local man was one of nine ordained as a deacon in Maynooth on Sunday.

Damien Quigley from Cedarwood Park in Cox’s Demesne and a member of the Parish of the Holy Redeemer joined the seminary in Maynooth in 2010.

A former student of Coláiste Rís, Damien studied in both Dundalk IT and Queen’s University where he graduated with a degree in science.

He then went on to work for Tesco for 12 years where he reached a senior management position, overseeing a number of stores in the South Dublin area.

A love of the church prompted the now 40-year-old to seek to join the priesthood though.

Damien is the youngest son of Tommy and Majella ‘Solo’ Quigley and was the only member of the Armagh archdiocese to be ordained at the weekend by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Ordination as a transitional deacon takes place one year before ordination to priesthood. As well as his family and friends, amongst those supporting Damien at the weekend was fellow local man, Barry Matthews, who is due to be ordained a deacon next year.

The nine deacons are from the dioceses of Armagh, Clogher, Cork & Ross, Derry, Down & Connor, Galway (2), and Meath (2).

They will continue their priestly formation in Maynooth for the next year.

As a deacon, the nine will be able to do almost all that a priest does with the exception of saying Mass and hearing Confession.

A deacon may proclaim the gospel, preach, preside over public prayer, baptise, assist at marriages and bless them, give viaticum to the dying, and lead the rites of burial.

Damien Quigley supported by his family and friends at his ordination on Sunday

Blow for Long Walk Shopping Centre as Carroll’s closes its doors after 20 years

The Long Walk Shopping Centre has suffered a blow to start the year following the year closure of Carroll’s Newsagents and Hallmark store.

The business, run by Ian Carroll, had occupied two units in the centre since its opening in 1994.

It is understood that the Carroll family opted to close the units following a request for higher rent.

Six staff are understood to have lost their jobs as the business turns its local focus to the Hallmark store in the Marshes Shopping Centre. The store will now primarily concentrate on the likes of greeting cards and gifts and will no longer sell newspapers.

The closure of Carroll’s in the Long Walk comes almost exactly 10 years on from their decision to pull out of the old Dundalk Shopping Centre as owners Wanze Properties looked to redevelop the site.

The Carroll family had been one of the original tenants of the Dundalk Shopping Centre when it opened its doors back in October 1974 along with Kate English, Michael Connolly, Michael Gallagher and the late Eamon Dowd.

The closure of Carroll’s is the latest blow to the Long Walk Shopping Centre following the closure of the anchor store, Penneys, last year.

There was some good news for the centre last week when, despite local speculation to the contrary, Tesco announced they would not be closing any Irish stores this year.

The closure of Carroll’s isn’t the only recent store closure locally after the Left Bank Restaurant on Park Street shut its doors just before Christmas.

Tesco won’t be closing any Irish stores

The new Tesco Extra megastore opened in Dundalk last August

Tesco have confirmed they will not be closing any stores in the Republic of Ireland this year.

The supermarket giant is going through the most difficult trading period of its 95-year history at present and recently announced plans to close 43 unprofitable stores across the UK.

However, group chief executive Dave Lewis said yesterday that there would be no store closures in Ireland this year.

That will be of some relief to local Tesco staff and customers. Speculation over the future of its store in the Long Walk Shopping Centre has raged since the new Tesco Extra megastore opened last August, with many locals speculating the supermarket giant could close its smaller second store to concentrate on its multi-million euro investment in the town.

Yesterday’s announcement means that is now unlikely to happen with Mr Lewis insisting that all 149 stores nationwide would be staying open.

There could even be benefits for local customers. Tesco Ireland will now come under the British division of the company, who plan to use savings from the store closures in the UK to fuel price cuts in a bid to claw back customers from the likes of Lidl and Aldi.

Wilton House sells at auction for double its reserve price

 

An iconic Dundalk building sold for double its reserve price at yesterday’s Allsop Space auction in the RDS.

Wilton House in Stapleton Place had a reserve of €120,000 but in the end sold for €240,000.

The office building comprises of a detached two storey period house with a modern two storey extension to the rear. The building extends to approximately 412sqm (4,434sq ft) in total and is situated on a site extending to approximately 0.24 acres.

Situated opposite the new Tesco Extra shopping centre, the building is currently vacant but has been occupied in the past by the HSE.

Also going under the hammer at the same auction was Custer’s Bar and Cookhouse in Bridge Street, which sold for €65,000 – just below its €70,000 reserve price.

Double yellow lines to be installed on An Bóthar Iarainn to prevent illegal parking

An Bóthar Iarainn is frequently used as a free parking facility by commuters using the Matthews buses at the Marshes Shopping Centre

Louth County Council are set to paint double yellow lines on An Bóthar Iarainn in a bid to stop drivers from parking illegally along it.

The road, also known as the Iron Road, links the Marshes Shopping Centre and the Tesco Extra megastore and Lidl shopping outlets and runs alongside the Dundalk Gaels GFC pitch.

It is frequently used by commuters who park their cars along it before getting the Matthews bus from the Marshes to Dublin.

This has caused frustration for other road users in recent times, however, as only a single lane of traffic is able to travel along the road at a time due to cars parked on either side. Last month Talk of the Town revealed that Gardaí had begun to take registration numbers of cars parked along there with at least one vehicle being towed.

Parking is not permitted along roads with a solid white line but this has not prevented commuters from parking here and now the council are set to put double yellows down to further deter those who are parking illegal.

The recent municipal district meeting in Dundalk was told that council officials are recommending that double yellow lines be installed on the south east side of the road, and also at the roundabout.

Independent local councillor Maeve Yore, from Blakely Close, told LMFM that she was delighted action was being taken.

She said: “I was witness to one accident and a potential second accident in regards to the new road up to the Tesco store. This is solely because of the double parking on both sides of the road and the parking at the roundabout as well and I’m glad that the council are taking on board the recommendation to put double yellow lines on the south east side of the road.”

Commuters affected by this have been urged to use the council’s €2 a day long-term car park on the Rampart Road.

Secure parking operated by The Marshes is also available to Matthews’ regular commuters at a monthly rate of €30, while part-time parking is also available for €20 for any 20 days entry and exit. People can arrange parking passes in advance by contacting the Marshes Car Park office on 042 9395240. The designated parking area is in Car Park 3.