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The rapid increase in Data Centres connected to the grid in Ireland is getting a lot of the blame for this current supply crunch. There’s now 70 centres in Ireland, 60 in the Greater Dublin Area. New centres numbers increased by 25% in a year, and currently they are using 11% of national Electricity Supply. With the current & future applications for more data centres this could be near 40% of projected electricity demand on the grid.
However whilst there is no doubt a policy issue with most of the new national energy demand coming from Data Centres sector. There are Electricity Market issues here, inc delays to wind farm development & slow govt policy, that have led to this power blackout warning. Not forgetting the big increase in global wholesale gas prices (Russia restricting supply to Europe & Far East new gas demand) which affects our oil prices here, and wholesale electricity market prices in Ireland too. Most non green electric power stations use imported Gas to power the turbines.
Funnily enough, this big increase in Data Centres connections to the grid, might actually quicken the development of Wind Energy in Ireland this decade. Wind Energy being a local free independent source of energy once the farms are built and backed up on the grid by new flexible gas power plants, gas & wind storage facilities and industrial demand management.
Dundalk Chamber are encouraging employers to reward their employees up to €500 tax free under the Revenue’s Small Benefit Exemption.
Under the Small Benefits Exemption Scheme, a Company Director and Employees can receive a non-cash bonus of up to €500 in value on a completely tax free basis each year.
Dundalk Chamber said that as the payment must be in a non-cash form, the most common way to avail of this scheme is by purchasing gift vouchers.
Shop Local Gift Vouchers can assist you save money by taking advantage of the Government Small Benefit Exemption Scheme, according to Dundalk Chamber.
Employers can save
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SEEK Urban Arts Festival makes a colourful return to Dundalk from July 31st – August 7th with some of the world’s best outdoor muralists & urban artists arriving into town.
The festival kicks off with three of our five head lining artists Friz, Basik and Omin, who are tasked with some of our most ambitious murals to date! Friz will take on Francis Leopold-McClintock better known as The Artic Fox, Basik will explore the theme of Saint Oliver Plunkett, and Omin will celebrate our rich railway and manufacturing heritage with a mural inspired by blueprints of locomotives built by the Great Northern Railway works.
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Cuchulainn Cycling Club’s underage structure continues to produce good results, the latest being Callum McCaffrey 5th place in the Noel Taggart Memorial held last weekend in Banbridge. Callum was racing in the under 14 boys event, where 3 riders escaped early on. This small group stayed away to take the podium places and when the main bunch came in Callum was 2nd in the sprint to take 5th place, a great result and testament to his hard work in training.
Rhiannon Dolan had another good placing when she was 6th place in the Under 14 girls race in Athy on Sunday last.
On the
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Even the bad weather couldn’t dampen the spirits as restrictions eased, allowing for a range of activities to resume for the first time this year.
From getting a haircut to shopping by appointment, from going to Mass to picking a book in the library, a big chunk of normality returned and the people of Dundalk and surrounding areas were quick to enjoy this new taste of freedom.
Local hairdressers have been busy answering the phone and taking appointments since the news broke that ‘personal services’ could resume yesterday.
Church goers were among those welcoming the opportunity to attend mass in person for the first
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Pupils and staff of St Nicholas NS in Nicholas Street are looking forward to the completion next year of a €3 million extension to the school.
Work began in February and is expected to be finished in April 2022.
On the ground floor of the two-storey extension to the front of the original building will be a special needs unit for children with autism, with three new mainstream classrooms overhead.
The development also includes a sensory room and sensory garden.
At the moment pupils are accommodated across three sites. Junior Infants, Senior Infants and 1st Class remain in the school, while 2nd to 6th
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Four schools in Dundalk have been included in a programme that will see pupils get hot meals.
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys launched the Hot School Meals Programme which has been expanded this year benefiting 35,000 pupils in 189 primary schools.
The extension of the scheme means primary school pupils who had been getting a cold lunch will now be given a hot meal.
The Dundalk schools selected to be part of this year’s scheme are Redeemer Boys National School, Redeemer Girls National School, St. Nicholas’ Monastery National School and St Joseph’s National School.
Schools will be expected to provide a menu choice
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Cuchualinn Cycling Club recently held their AGM online and a productive meeting was had, with attendance well up on previous years.
Children’s Safeguarding Officer Philip Kerley did make a special presentation to Kevin Dolan, whom after 56 years involved in the club was stepping down. Kevin has been on both sides of the table having started racing with the club in 1964. His road and track racing career was incredibly successful, which saw him win 27 senior national medals, alongside numerous race wins, including two editions of the prestigious Tour of Ulster. He also rode in Ireland’s premier cycling event The Rás on 6
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THE dusk to dawn ‘Darkness Into Light’ walk has been a date to save for thousands of people across Louth over the last few years.
But with Covid restrictions continuing to impact on public events, the annual Darkness into Light event will take on Saturday 8th May 2021 with participants asked to complete the 5km walk or run in their own time and while adhering to all public health guideline that are relevant at the time.
Seán Kelly, Event Director for Dundalk added ‘ Our DIL 2021 event will be entirely community based. Walkers will take part in
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Former League of Ireland manager and current member of the Dundalk FC backroom team Shane Keegan is set for a move into hurling management.
Keegan has had stints in charge of Galway United and Wexford Youths in the League of Ireland but Laois Today are reporting that he will take charge of the 2019 county senior champions Rathdowney Errill for the new campaign.
The Rathdowney native was ratified as the club’s new manager over the weekend. And while he is most readily associated with soccer, he is a highly regarded coach who had been linked to the Meath hurling role at one stage.
Keegan
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