Phone bans, development plans and the Ploughing leaves Laois: September 2024 Laois news review

Over 250,000 people flocked to Laois for the National Ploughing Championships in mid September.

From September 17 to September 19, attendees enjoyed high temperatures and dry conditions at Laois' final year hosting the event.

Attendance this year saw a massive increase of over 40,000 people, compared to 2023 which was impacted by bad weather and heavy rain.

“The overall mood for this year’s Ploughing has been incredibly buoyant and positive," said NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh.

"With so much for visitors to enjoy from quality livestock and serious machinery to fashion, celebrities, influencers and sports stars galore there was something for every member of the family to enjoy.”

a Laois district court judge said the National Ploughing Championship generates more assaults and trouble than the Electric Picnic. 

Judge Andrew Cody made the comment while assessing a bar licence for one of the bars at the event in Ratheniska. 

Judge Cody asked Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby if he was right to suggest there was more assaults and trouble from the National Ploughing Championships. 

“The statistics would back that up,” agreed Sgt Kirby. 

Two months before the General Election, tensions began to rise in Laois' political scene in September.

Cllr Conor Bergin's shock withdrawal of his candidacy to run for Fine Gael in the General Election drew gasps at the party's election convention.

Despite being nominated and seconded, Cllr Bergin said that Cllr Willie Aird was the best person to run for the party.

His withdrawal was preceded by the other candidate Paddy Buggy who also endorsed Cllr Aird before being proposed or seconded.

Senator Garret Ahern told the meeting that the directive from the Fine Gael executive was that there should be one candidate. However, he added that the executive retained the right to right to add a candidate to the ticket.

Portlaoise entrepreneur Eamon Callaghan proposed the redevelopment of the Centrepoint site on the Mountrath Rd. The Centrepoint site has been vacant for nearly two decades, with the previous building knocked in 2021.

“Businesses are ringing me since last September., up to 70% from outside the county, who want to locate in Laois. My frustration is saying no to them,” Mr Callaghan told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

Mr Callaghan is the founder and operator of Vision85 in the Clonminham Industrial Estate, and has said that the redevelopment of the Centrepoint site could bring 60 jobs to Portlaoise.

Also in September, Laois saw another budding entrepreneur start a business- a twelve year old boy from Camross.

Mountmellick Community School began the first morning of September term by getting all 700 students to place their phones into signal blocking pouches which were then locked for the day.

The locks work like security tags in shops. Release devices are kept in code activated boxes installed on walls around the school.

Principal Larry Curtin explains that teachers carry mobile unlocking devices, so that students can use their phones for supervised school work any time during the day or at evening study.

"If it's a home economics or science project we can allow flexibility in class if necessary. We have mobile laptops and computer rooms too," he said.

"With the proliferation of smartphones over the last few years, the vast majority of students had them. There is plenty of evidence that teens and adults are a lot more connected now than they were 20 years ago.

"That sort of expectation is a pressure. It was becoming more challenging to have a phone free school," he said.

September also saw a Laois shop that has lost tens of thousands of euro due to theft this year announce it will no longer be “a creche” for teenagers. 

Owner of McSorley’s Drive Centra on the Mountrath Road in Portlaoise, Martin McSorely, described the last 18 months as an “absolute nightmare” and said he would like to see parents held responsible for the actions of their children.   

Theft and antisocial behaviour is threatening the viability of his Laois store and causing great difficulty for his staff, Mr McSorley explained.  

He said the youngsters have smashed toilets, abused staff and broken benches outside the shop. Last month a decision was taken to close the in-store seating in the evenings.

"I’m sorry but due to the constant rowdy behaviour, abuse to staff and vandalism we are now closing our seating area and toilets to the public at 7 pm every evening," Mr McSorley had said.

"Of course in genuine situations we will try to assist but no teenagers will be allowed to hang around the site anymore or sitting in our seating area like the local club. If these are your teenagers then you should be ashamed and please ask them to stay away from our site," he said.

Laois residents were 'at their wits end' in September over boy racers on the main road between Rathdowney and Borris-in-Ossory.

Residents described 'anti-social behaviour' by a group of late-night drivers who've been causing them torment for the past four years.

One resident said that he and his neighbours have made up to 20 written complaints to Gardaí over the past four years due to the problem. Numerous verbal appeals for help have also been made.

Laois Gardaí said actions have been taken and mounted in the vicinity. It was pointed out that the network of roads in the area makes the issue difficult to resolve.