Waterford Today | Waterford's free weekly newspaper

Waterford Pride 2011 will take place from August 1st to 7th and it promises to be the biggest festival so far. A week of events will focus on all aspects of LGBT life in the South East with sport, entertainment and celebration amongst the many things to do.

The pride parade will take place on Saturday August 6th and will be an explosion of colour. This years theme is "Celebrate You" and will focus on the belief that we all deserve to be proud of who we are. The parade will be followed by a street party in Railway Square hosted by local favourites Charmin Eletrik and Joanna Ryde and will feature local artists and some special guests including Kelly Wilde. The Main Pride Eevnt in Dignity will feature Eurovision Winners Niamh Kavanagh and Katrina & The Waves along with 90's

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incorporates attractions from both Spraoi Festival and Spraoi in the Park events.

Spraoi introduces several new venues this year including The Mall and the grounds of Waterford Courthouse. The festival features Irish premieres by companies from Germany, U.K., Italy, France, U.S.A., Afghanistan and Ireland. Spraoi is expecting to give a welcome cultural and economic boost to Waterford over the August Bank Holiday weekend. See Page 20 for full programme.

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As the designated gateway to the southeast, the largest population centre in the region and with a central location to the area involved, Waterford city is uniquely placed as the location for the headquarters of the new Vocational Education Committee (VEC) to cover Waterford city and county as well as Wexford. That's according to Cllr. Jack Walsh, Chairman, City of Waterford VEC.

Cllr. Walsh said the decision announced late last month by Ruairí Quinn TD, Minister for Education & Skills, to reduce the number of VECs nationally to 16 with the two Waterford VECs and Wexford VEC among those to merge had been anticipated.

"We had been aware for some time that there would be significant rationalisation of this sector and that this would impact in Waterford. The move to combine the City of Waterford VEC with the VECs in Co Waterford

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Statement from Senator David Cullinane, Sinn Fein: "I was recently made aware that following my election to the Seanad I am entitled to a retirement gratuity payment of over €23,000 from Waterford City Council. The payment was to be made when I reach the age of 50. I want to categorically state my opposition to these form of payments. They are of a different era and were never justified. I am not against councillors getting paid or indeed receiving a retirement payment.

"However these payments should only be made when politicians reach the state retirement age. They should also not receive the payment when in receipt of a generous salary and allowance. I will not be accepting the payment until I retire and I will not accept the payment if at the time of payment I am still employed by the

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Entry Now Open For The 2011 Community & Voluntary Awards

The 2011 County Waterford Community Forum Community & Voluntary Awards, was launched by WLR Fm on Thursday 14th of July in Dungarvan Shopping Centre. The scheme recognises and celebrates the commitment and vibrancy of the community and voluntary sector in County Waterford.

The Award scheme is now open for nominations. County Waterford Community Forum would like to encourage all eligible groups to enter the scheme and look forward to meeting those groups at the Awards Evening in November. For a copy of the Nomination Form & Guidelines please contact: Muriel Tobin, Community & Voluntary Awards, County Waterford Community Forum, Civic Offices, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Tel: 058 21198. Email: murieltobin@waterfordcoco.ie Closing date for receipt of nominations is 5pm on 23rd September 2011.

BONMAHON FLOWER SHOW

Bunmahon Flower Show will take place at the Copper

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Harry's Restaurant has been getting rave reviews and much-deserved plaudits of late. Run by Donal Doherty, the restaurant is bucking the recessionary trend by attracting people in their droves to the remote Inishowen peninsula in Donegal. How are they doing it? By serving only the freshest, local and seasonal produce, and by growing their own grub. "We had good local sources for some summer salads, herbs, root vegetables and potatoes, but outside that we were reliant largely on imports," says Doherty.

Doherty turned to GIY for help. In late 2010 he established GIY Inishowen and based the fledgling group at the restaurant. Suitably inspired, Doherty worked to convert a neighbour's disused walled garden in to a thriving vegetable garden for the restaurant. "Linking up with GIY networked us into a community of growers and sparked ideas on how we could develop

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ACTRESS Kara Tointon teamed up with Specsavers in Waterford as they launched the nationwide search for the Spectacle Wearer of the Year 2011. With the closing date for entries just around the corner, Specsavers is urging any budding models from Waterford to get involved and enter this year's competition.

Every year, Specsavers scours the counties of Ireland to find the girls and boys next door who look amazing in their specs. The competition is open to men and women aged 16 and over, who are current specs wearers or wear glasses for fashion purposes. Specsavers has been busy specs-spotting this summer up and down the country but with just a few days remaining, Specsavers is calling all spectacle wearers to come forward and enter the nationwide search for Ireland's Spectacle Wearer of the Year 2011.

Garvan Mulligan, store director at Specsavers in

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The amazing D.I.D Electrical demonstration day will take place in our Waterford branch on Thursday the 28th of July from 10am ‘til 9pm. There will be loads of demonstrations on the night including the the amazing SMART TV – this will show how your TV can be your entertainment hub, the all new Soda Stream, Cooking by Smeg, Philips Air Fryer plus demonstrations from the top brands including Panasonic, Samsung, Philips, Dyson, Smeg, Nilfisk, Vogels.

Added to these informative demonstrations there will also be sensational 1 day only deals, lots of prizes plus 10% OFF Kitchen appliances, small appliances and TV's and computing.

Why not join us and bring the kids along as there will be kids entertainment including and onsite face painter, complimentary refreshments and much much more!

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Moving from Northern Ireland and bringing your disability payments with you

Question: My brother aged 50 has lived in Northern Ireland all his life but now wants to sell his house and move south, closer to me. He is deaf from birth and receives Incapacity Benefit and the care component of Disability Living Allowance. Will his benefits be affected if he comes to live in this jurisdiction?

Answer: There are no legal barriers to prevent your brother from living here. As long as he still satisfies the medical conditions attached to the payment, he can continue to receive Incapacity Benefit. Before he moves, he needs to complete form BF5 and hand it into his local Job Centre Plus office.

He can also continue to claim for the care component of Disability Living Allowance thanks to a European Court of Justice ruling. He should

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Waterford news 1946

Michael moloney cont. from last week

At Poleberry Post Office a contingent of armed Free State troops were in possession there when the three I.R.A. men entered the office. There was a scuffle within, the three men rushed out and fanned out in different positions on the road. A party of Free State troops carrying rifles rushed out after them, there was a burst of firing and Michael Moloney rolled over dead on the roadway. A short distance from him, a comrade, Tom Walsh, lay, shot dead, again by rifle fire.

Michael Moloney was buried in the Republican Plot at Ballygunner, he was just turned 17 years at the time. His boyhood he had consecrated to Ireland and Ireland accepted his offering in the flower of his youth.

War time restrictions

War-time restrictions, now happily ended, which forbade the blowing of factory

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In next 12 months Nursing Homes Ireland survey reveals up to 500 nursing posts available in nursing homes nationwide at present

A Nursing Homes Ireland survey has revealed that up to 1,400 nursing posts are to be created within the private and voluntary nursing home sector over the next 12 months. The recent survey, carried out among members of the organisation, also reveals up to 500 nursing opportunities are immediately available within the private and voluntary nursing home sector. And up to 70% of member nursing homes are reporting difficulties in filling nursing posts.

The Nursing Homes Ireland survey of its members reported the levels of nursing employment and the projected number of posts to arise over the next 12 months.

The main findings of the survey, which was carried out between June 30th and July 4th, were as follows:

- 61% of those

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Minister of State with Responsibility for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch T.D., has launched a new study on young people's attitudes when seeking help for mental health problems.

The research and evaluation report, Learning to reach out: Young people, mental health literacy and the Internet, is the first of its kind in Ireland, and was conducted by ReachOut.com, a leading Irish youth mental health online support service that helps young people get through tough times. The report comprehensively deals with understanding and using online mental health resources safely, the mental health literacy of young people in Ireland, and the first ever ReachOut.com user-profile survey.

Launching the report, Minister Lynch said "This valuable research illustrates that professional, dedicated online resources, whilst not a replacement for face-to-face mental health support, play a unique and complementary role by facilitating young people in identifying and getting help

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Cultural organisations including drama, dance and other artistic groups are being encouraged to avail of EU grants worth up to €30,000 before a deadline of September 1st.

The European Cultural Foundation allocates "collaboration grants" averaging at €15,000 to projects by independent groups working together across borders and disciplines. In order to qualify for a grant, the principal applicant must be a cultural group based in any EU country, although partner applicants can work in sectors outside the cultural field, such as local authorities.

Munster MEP Sean Kelly, a member of the European Parliament's Culture and Education Committee, has urged cultural groups to grasp the funding opportunity with both hands. "Ireland has a wonderful, thriving cultural heritage and this scheme represents another chance to expand the reach of cross-border projects," said the Fine Gael MEP.

MEPs in bad Moody's over US rating agencies

Irish MEPs

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Therapie Clinic, Barronstrand Street, Waterford has been open just over a month now, offering the most advanced and high-tech laser hair removal and revolutionary skincare treatments. The highly acclaimed and prestigious, yet affordable clinic has a presence nationwide, also located in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Mullingar, Limerick, Belfast and Derry.

We can reveal that Therapie Clinic has a special treat in store for Waterford this week with the arrival of celebrity doctor, Dr. Paul Munsaje, who will take free consultations at the clinic on Thursday, 28th July.

We all know the key to looking young starts with a healthy lifestyle, a good skincare routine and regular visits to the professionals at the likes of Therapie Clinic! To a certain degree and up to a certain age, this works wonderfully well and delivers glowing, radiant and more youthful-looking skin. After a certain age however

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New Waterford president Kathleen Fitzgerald being welcomed by out-going president Derek O'Byrne and Tony Fitzgerald, the recipient of the Paul Harris award.

It's all change at the top as Kathleen Fitzgerald takes up the reigns as president of Waterford Rotary club.

Kathleen was welcomed as the new president of Rotary Club of Waterford on Friday July 8th by outgoing President Derek O'Byrne.

Kathleen has been a Rotarian for six years and her commitment to the club has earned the respect of fellow members who were only too pleased to vote her in as their new president for the forthcoming year.

Kathleen said: "I am delighted to become the president of Waterford Rotary Club, It's going to be a very exciting year. This year, we are planning to do continue the

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