IN A gripping and insightful Arts Lives documentary, Patrick McCabe, one of Ireland¹s most original writers, tells his own story.

Author of The Butcher Boy, Breakfast on Pluto and the recent IMPAC literary award nominated, Winterwood, in Patrick McCabe – Blood Relations, Mr McCabe himself, his family and friends describe the influences that shaped him and his extraordinary writing.

Mr McCabe talks about his childhood, his career and for the first time, the tragic circumstances surrounding his parents’ deaths. He tells how they marked him and his fiction, and how they were the inspiration for his best-known work, The Butcher Boy,¬ a book haunted by their memory. McCabe also tells how the love of his children helped to heal the wounds of his childhood and released his potential as a writer.

The local man grew up in Clones, where he lives today, with his wife Margot and his daughters, Ellen and Katie. In this documentary, he recalls the mix of characters that Irish rural life offered up and how this life provided him with unceasing inspiration for his writing. His brother, Eugene, and his sisters, Dympna and Mary add to this commentary about his early family life in Monaghan and discuss how his creative talents emerged at an early age.

The film also includes contributions from writers Colm Tóibín, Eugene McCabe and Dermot Bolger who provide insights into McCabe’s life and writing, as well as clips from Neil Jordan’s film adaptation of The Butcher Boy and excerpts from McCabe’s other works.

COUNTY Monaghan’s new Library Headquarters in Clones was officially opened on Thursday last by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley.

The 1, 450 sq m building, located on Jubilee Road, Clones, was constructed at a cost of over €7 million by Monaghan County Council aided by 75 per cent funding from the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government. The library now boasts some 22,000 books, almost a 100 per cent increase on its previous stock, while its previous four computers has increased to fourteen complete with internet access.

Mayor of County Monaghan Gary Carville deemed the official opening ‘one of the highpoints in the history of this county’.

“This is a great day for Monaghan County Council. Today, the people of Clones have a new Library and a new garden. I hope that this fine edifice in the heart of this ancient town will inspire people to develop, to renew and re-generate.”

“I hope the people of Clones will play their part, to renew once again their real commitment to progress, to the built environment and moreover, to the future of Clones. This town does not yet have everything it needs, but working together we can make that a reality,”

Mayor Carville continued.

Minister Gormley said the new library was an ‘inspirational place’.

“I see a bright, modern community space, a place where Clones’ rich history can be researched and enjoyed and a place where the visitors to this library can enrich their lives through meeting others, through studying, learning languages or through borrowing books and music.”

Mayor Carville paid tribute to County Librarian Joe McElvaney’s ‘outstanding skills, his ability to achieve enormous tasks and his tremendous interest in the library service’. Mayor Carville also gave special thanks to County Manager, Declan Nelson for his commitment to the project.

Thanks were also extended to Adge King, Director of Services, Kevin McNally, Project Manager and Catherine Elliott, Senior Executive Librarian, all librarian staff, Keith Williams Architects, London, PKS Davies Langdon, Quantity Surveyors, and to ARUP, Mechanical and Structural Engineers.

By Cliona Connolly
cliona@monaghanpost.com

CLONES Regeneration Partnership will host a hands-on, practical, one day conference highlighting opportunities for investment in Clones next month. This conference will aim to highlight the opportunities for investment in Clones in view of the re-opening of the Ulster Canal.

Shortly after announcing the restoration of the Ulster Canal from Upper Lough Erne to Clones, Minister for Community, Gaeltacht and Rural Affairs, Eamon O Cuiv, said:

“Canal restoration projects have been shown to act as the catalyst for significant regeneration of rural communities in the past, including tourism growth.”

Clones Regeneration Partnership believes it is vital that Clones seizes the opportunities the canal restoration offers and would hope that many new private enterprises will be up and running when the Canal re-opens.

The partnership believes the development of a marina at the canal is crucial to the overall investment in the town. Minister O Cuiv stressed the importance of a successful regeneration of Clone in conjunction with the canal as a determining factor in the restoration of the canal from Clones to Lough Neagh.

The conference will be a practical benefit to property developers, architects, engineers, estate agents, those in the tourism and service industry as well as those in advisory roles. This unique conference is expected to draw the region’s most eminent and knowledgeable speakers. Speakers already confirmed include Chief Executive of Monaghan County Enterprise Board John McEntaggart, Director of Marketing and Communications Martin Dennany and Colin Becker of Inland Waterways.

This seminar takes place in the Cuil Darach, Clones on 19 June from 9am-4.30pm. Those interested in attending should contact Noelle Brannigan on 047 52997 or email forumcl@gofree.indigo.ie.

By Cliona Connolly
cliona@monaghanpost.com

THE community of Clones rallied in a call for funding to re-secure Clones Community Forum in its current state amidst much nostalgia at the Forum AGM on Thursday last, 17 May.

As their main source of funding runs out this August, the Forum will no longer be able to fund full-time staff and will rely solely on volunteers on the Management Committee. Members of the local community spoke of their memories and admiration of the Forum and thanked those involved for their efforts in the Town during various projects.

Liam McKeever of Border Action said Clones had experienced significant growth in cross-border and cultural activities. However, Mr McKeever felt that despite all this positive activity and the town’s increasing beauty few people had a positive view of their town. There must be increased efforts in the decommissioning of minds, he said.

Clones is now a vibrant community and an example of best practice of cross-border community work according to Border Action and while groups such as the Forum will have to be more creative in seeking funding, there should be funding available to it in the future.

Guest speaker Paddy Logue, Independent Peace and Conflict Impact Consultant Research and Policy Adviser, said he was always struck by the appearance of Clones as a very quirky, truly iconic, historical town.

“It is terrible that this is last AGM because I would say it is only the beginning. There are still a lot of problems and difficulties to be overcome and the work of border groups should be intensified not wound down.”

Brian Morgan, Chairman of Clones Regeneration Partnership, agreed that as a community Clones does not boast enough about their town. Mr Morgan said he was hopeful that the grant aid for the Sports Complex would come through and that this will be a huge attraction for people in the town and lead to increased population as the Ulster Canal will be.

The Forum’s Josephine Treanor said all the hard work was down to the great team of people working in the forum. Ms Treanor thanked all the forum staff and paid special thanks to Angela Graham whom she described as “a genuine friend and a woman of integrity who brought so much to the community”.

Ms Treanor concluded saying she was confident that the management committee will continue to work in the community though the level of projects may be reduced.

Thanks are extended to those who sponsored the AGM raffle draw; Cuil Darach Restaurant, Pauric Geoghan’s Butcher Shop and McDaid’s Pharmacy.

By Cliona Connolly
cliona@monaghanpost.com

HOLLYWOOD could be coming to the Flat Lake Literary & Arts Festival at Hilton Park this August, festival sources have revealed.

With the visit of the Neath Welsh Male Voice Choir singing at this unique arts festival this year, Catherine Zeta-Jones is said to be keen to catch up with two of her cousins from back home, who are members of the sixty strong choir. Combined with her husband, Michael Douglas’s love of Pike fishing, their trip to County Monaghan will be just the ticket before jetting over to South Wales for their annual family holiday.

Although festival organisers, Kevin Allen and Pat McCabe, are thrilled at the prospect of the A-lister’s visit, they are also concerned that the Hollywood star’s security entourage doesn’t affect the convivial atmosphere of the festival.

“The absence of VIP enclosures last year really contributed to the relaxed atmosphere and we don’t want to spoil that, so their bodyguards will have to wear casual gear”

remarked Butcher Boy writer, Mr McCabe.

“Catherine is a real trooper when it comes to mucking in”

Mr Allen said with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

“I’m sure she’ll do her best to keep a low profile and Mike is welcome to borrow my rod if he fancies his chances against the big boys lurking in the Hilton Lake. I know how much Welsh Choir music means to them both and we’ll do our best to make them feel at home.”

However, landing access at the beautiful Hilton woodland estate in Clones could prove a problem again this year and the showbiz couple may have to land as far away as the Monaghan Army Barracks. “I don’t have a problem with a helicopter landing in the grounds” said Hilton Park owner Johnny Madden, “but the well being of our sheep herd has to be taken into account, it’s really in the hands of the aviation authorities!”

The visit of the Neath Male Voice Choir is one of many jewels in the Flat Lake crown this year. Along with Poet-Laureate, Seamus Heaney, and a host of amazing festival surprises, the massed voices from the Swansea Valley will surely make many a festival hair stand on end when they perform on the Hilton lawn.

“Having a choir of this caliber coming from the area in which I was brought up means so much to me” said Allen “ it’s a dream come true”. Festival organisers are also negotiating the possibility of the choir singing at Mass in the Scotshouse church, adjacent to Hilton Park during the festival weekend.

The Flat Lake Festival will be held at Hilton Park on 23-24 August. For further information visit www.theflatlakefstival.com.

TWO Clones brothers who appeared in the town’s District Court yesterday were told that they should count themselves lucky they were not in Dublin facing a manslaughter charge.

Kenneth and Bryan Fitzpatrick of Fremagh, Ture, were facing a number of charges arising from an incident that took place on Fermanagh Street on New Year’s Eve.

The court heard that the two brothers, in the presence of Garda officers, attacked local man Emmet Mulligan, punching him to the ground before “kicking him around the mouth” as he lay there.

Pleading guilty to assault the brother’s defence solicitor told the court that an “awful lot of drink” had been taken on the night before the incident.

Taking time to read the medical report, Judge McBride, said Mr Mulligan “could have been killed” in the assult.

“He is lucky he didn’t receive more injuries. But for the the presence of the Garda that is what would have happened.”

The Judge referred to the injuries sustained by Mr Mulligan which included bruised ribs and a swollen wrist and meant he had to attend Cavan General Hospital for his injuries where he recived a plater of paris on his wrist as a precaution.
Asking Emmet Mulligan to tell the court how he was after the assault, he said that he was still feeling the effects.

“(Psycologically) it is still there but it is not as bad.”

He went on to say before he was attacked the brother’s accused him of owgin them money.

“They want to apologise unreservedly to the Gardaí and to Mr Mulligan,”

said the brother’s solicitor.

Referring to their “outrageous behaviour,” Judge McBride said that because the two brothers had no previous offenses he would order them to pay €1000 each to Emmet Mulligan and ordered that probation reports be compiled. He recommended that they be subjected to councilling for their behaviour and alcohol use.

The case was then adjourned until June 18 to give them time to pay the money and for the probation reports to be submitted.