1 – Anger as Laois teenager left stricken on GAA pitch for two hours as ambulance fails to arrive
A Laois teenager who sustained a serious injury in a GAA match last night was left stricken on the field for hours afterwards as an ambulance failed to arrive.
The minor hurling championship got underway across the county last night and the meeting of Park-Ratheniska-Timahoe and Na Fianna took place in Ratheniska.
The game, which threw in at 8pm, was just 21 minutes old when a 15-year-old Park-Ratheniska-Timahoe player suffered a leg injury. Once the severity of the injury was detected, the game was abandoned and an ambulance was called for.
However, at 10.20pm, the ambulance still had not arrived and the player had now been lying on the field for two hours.
At this point, officials managed to locate a van and carry the injured player on a stretcher and place him into the back of it to transport him to A&E in Portlaoise.
2 – Watch: Lions rugby star sends best wishes and congratulations to Laois hurlers and Matthew Whelan
A double header of TV on Saturday for many local sports fans involved sitting down to watch the Lions rugby first test match against South Africa on Sky Sports, followed by the Laois hurlers against Westmeath on TG4.
Both the Lions and Laois managed to win after incredibly tough battles, and one of the Lions stars, who has taken an interest in Laois hurling in recent weeks, has sent a video of congratulations, where he also wishes Matthew Whelan well in retirement following a great career.
Ken Owens from Wales, who came on in the second half at hooker instead of England’s Luke Cowan-Dickie, recorded a video message for Laois from the team hotel in Cape Town.
3 – In Pictures: Two Laois sisters raise almost €10,000 in memory of beloved dad
Two Laois sisters have raised almost €10,000 in memory of their beloved late dad.
Paula and Gemma Delaney, who hail from Camross, raised €9,468 for the A&E Department of Portlaoise Hospital and the Irish Heart Foundation – with each receiving €4,734.
The pair generated the funds in memory of their dad Jim Delaney by climbing Carrauntoohil.
4 – Watch: Hundreds turn out for a drive-by celebration in Portlaoise to wish Gary O’Reilly the best of luck in Paralympics
Wow, what a send off!
The Borris Road in Portlaoise had its own Italia 90 moment this evening as hundreds well wishers turned out to wish Gary O’Reilly the best of luck as he departs for the Paralympics tomorrow.
Over a hundred cars took part in a drive-by event, most of them decorated with Ireland flags, balloons and good luck signs. All of them honking horns. It was like the most frenzied of county final celebrations and there was even a few ‘C’mon the Towns’ thrown in for good measure.
5 – Scintillating Scully saves Laois hurlers as they retain Division 1 league status
Laois retained their NHL Division 1 status for another year after an outstanding display from PJ Scully saw them edge out Westmeath in a thriller at O’Moore Park.
The Borris-Kilcotton man scored 0-17 – ten from frees, four from 65s and three from play – as he guided Cheddar Plunkett’s side through a nerve-jangling second half.
Westmeath had controlled most of the first half, leading by nine points at one stage, but the dismissal of Aaron Craig before half-time, and a goal from nothing by Ross King, gave Laois a footing in the game they eventually took advantage of.
6 – Covid incidence rate in Laois among highest in the country
The incidence rate of Covid-19 in Laois is now among the highest in the country as the daily number of cases nationwide continues to increase.
The most recent available figures show up to last Thursday night, July 22, and highlight that there had been 308 cases in Laois in the previous 14 days – 229 of them in the previous seven days.
It means Laois’s 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 people is 363.6, behind only Louth and Donegal on the overall table.
7 – James McKeon ready for the latest chapter as strong family tradition continues
As James McKeon prepares to launch McKeon Memorials, he’ll acknowledge that there’s not much he doesn’t know about memorial head stones.
And why wouldn’t he. There’s a family history there stretching back 70 years to when his father James took the first steps to setting up the business that is now McKeon Stone, employing almost 50 people between its stone factory base in Stradbally and quarry in Kilkenny.
Indeed it stretches back even further.
8 – NPHET guidance sought by Laois County Council on Electric Picnic decision
NPHET should provide an urgent recommendation to Laois County Council on whether Electric Picnic should be given a license to proceed in Stradbally at the end of September.
The issue was the subject of a motion put forward by Stradbally-based councillor Paschal McEvoy to this week’s full meeting with Council CEO John Mulholland agreeing with the fears expressed by the council despite not normally commenting on a live licence application.
The festival is currently scheduled for September 23-26, three weeks later than usual, but is subject to a licence being granted.
9 – Adult debut brings first senior goal for Laois teenager as Bohemians advance in FAI Cup
The first round of the FAI Cup took place last weekend and there has been plenty of Laois involvement.
Dublin side Bohemians took on College Corinthians of Cork in Turner’s Cross this afternoon and won 5-0.
Manager Keith Long reshuffled his pack against the non-league outfit and this paved the way for a Laois teenager to shine.
Portlaoise youngster Aaron Doran was named on the wing today in what was his debut at this level. And Doran made quite the impression as he scored a brilliant goal in the first half.
10 – Well-known Portlaoise man to be appointed peace commissioner
A well-known Portlaoise man says he is ‘honoured’ be selected as a Peace Commissioner, a prestigious role that is appointed by the Minister for Justice.
John O’Neill, who is actively involved in a number of community initiatives around Portlaoise, recently received his official documents from the department for the role.
Among the duties of a Peace Commissioner is to witness signatures on documents required by various authorities and sign certificates and orders under different Acts.
