A group set up in defiance of proposals by Dublin City Council to extract water from the river Shannon at Lough Derg and pipe it directly to Dublin, is forming another branch in addition to it’s Limerick and Athlone wings.

The group, The ‘River Shannon Protection Alliance’, has called a public meeting for 8 pm on Thursday 28th April at the Lough Derg Yacht Club in Dromineer as it builds opposition to the €470 million scheme to abstract 350 million litres of water a day from Lough Derg and pump it to the Dublin region and commuter towns along the way.

The group warns that once the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government has given approval, as the scheme’s promoters expect, the plan is to obtain planning approval from Bord Pleanála in 2014.

The RSPA says the extraction threatens to damage water quality, in breach of the Water Framework Directive and would have serious consequences for the life of the river and upset the balance and natural order in the water.

“I also worry who will control the abstraction and who will have the authority to stop it to protect the river when necessary. Will it be DCC, ESB, Bord Na Móna – or a privatised water company?,” RSPA Chairman Gerry Siney points out”

“If we don’t organise now, the case against will fall by default, the integrity of our wonderful Shannon will be compromised, our Shannon-side economy will suffer, and public money will be wasted.”

The Limerick branch was launced last year.

Community groups united against litter Tuesday, taking part in a spring clean of the City Centre.

Volunteers from the Westfield’s Wetlands Committee, Abundant Life Christian Church, St Mary’s Aid, St Munchin’s Community Centre, Limerick Civic Trust and Caherdavin Community Centre, took part in the city centre spring as part of an anti-litter awareness promotion.

Group of volunteers donned florescent jackets and spread out across the city on the hot spring day picking up litter.

Over 1,000 ‘bin your butt’ ashtrays were aslo distributed along with pencils, pens and shopping trolley tokens printed with the ‘Love Limerick Don’t Litter message’.

Limerick Mayor Maria Byrne said she was delighted to see so many volunteers taking part in Tuesday’s initiative.

“I am calling on community and volunteer groups across the city to get involved in spring clean up initiatives,” Byrne said.

Limerick City Council is making a major effort within to ensure the city comes in at a respectable place in the next IBAL litter league table

The day’s message was a simple one organisers said, “do your bit for the environment, love Limerick and don’t litter.”

“It’s the biggest party in Ireland on the May Bank Holiday weekend so come and join us in Limerick”

Limerick is set to come alive over the May Bank Holiday weekend as the city hosts its annual ‘Riverfest’ Summer Festival with the return of Ireland’s largest BBQ and a huge fireworks display over the River Shannon.

Details of the four day festival, which aims to showcase all that is great about Limerick City, from the best resource of the river Shannon to the music, sporting, artistic and food communities, were announced this week and along with the usual favourites this years event includes a free live open air rock concert and the second annual Great Limerick Run.

Thousands of rugby fans will also enjoy the festivities as they flood into Limerick over the weekend to see Munster take on Harlequins in the Amlin Cup semi-final at Thomond Park Stadium, while thousands more flock to the city to take part in the Great Limerick Run Marathon, Half Marathon and Six Mile race.

Riverfest will take place between April 29th and May 2nd.

“The feedback from the tourism sector is very positive and the festival of events, which has something for everyone, is expected to generate between €15m and €20m in visitor expenditure over the weekend,” John Crowe of Shannon Development says.

Limerick Mayor Maria Byrne says Limerick is now on the map as a festivals and events destination.

“After the success of our St Patrick’s Festival, it’s great to see Limerick in a celebratory mood launching Riverfest and for people to enjoy what our city has to offer. The Great Limerick Run along with the BBQ, the big match between Munster and Harlequins and all the other events taking place means that Limerick will be alive and buzzing and a fantastic place to be over the May Bank Holiday weekend,” she said.

On Friday the 29th the Milk Market will be transformed into a “Shopper’s Heaven” as Limerick’s top store present Riverfest Fashion Friday with live fashion shows, vintage chic and a flea market.

A favourite of the Riverfest, the Great Limerick BBQ event returns to Georges Quay on the Saturday of the weekend. The competition fires up at 3pm.An amateur competition, the day long event will host three different cooking categories based on flavour, texture and presentation. Up to 70 teams will take part.

At 1pm Saturday HMV presents the Limerick Live open air concert in Arthur’s Quay from 1pm. Top bands such as Royseven, Na Fianna, The Shoos, The Flaws, The High Kings, Ivan St John, Mark O’Connor and Windings perform in this open air free concert.

The Limerick sky will light up with a spectacular fireworks display from 9pm on Saturday night. Thousands will gather on the bridges around the River Shannon to watch. The best viewing points will be at Sarsfield Bridge, Clancy’s Strand, Thomond Bridge and Arthur’s Quay Park.

On Sunday thousands of runners who will descend in Limerick for the second ever Great Limerick Run. All three races (Marathon, Half Marathon and 6 miles) start at the People’s Park and end in O’Connell Street and take in a host of historical and cultural sites along the way.

Other Events over the weekend include the Limerick Regatta, a Fishing Competition and Gandelows, Angling Cots and Curragh Rowing displays. Riverfest will also feature an array of Continental and riverside Markets.

Much more detailed information can be found at www.riverfest.ie

Two men were recovering in hospital Sunday following a violent incident in O’Malley Park.

The men, both aged in their twenties, are thought to have sustained stab wounds during a dispute at a house in the Lilac Court area of Southill around 2.30am Sunday morning.

They were taken to the mid western regional hospital in Dooradoyle where their condition is described as stable.

A Garda investigation in under way into the incident and the scene has been preserved for forensic technical examinations.

There have been no arrests and anyone with information is asked to contact Roxboro Garda Station on 214340.

The Government has announced it is to nominate Limerick Judge Tom O’Donnell for appointment by the President to the Circuit Court.

Born in 1954 and educated at the Crescent College and University College Dublin O’Donnell enrolled as a solicitor 1976 and joined the Legal Aid Panel 1980.

Eight years later he was appointed as a Judge of the District Court. It was in 1999 when he was appointed to Limerick District Court where he was presided ever since.

The current vacancy arises from the retirement in March last of His Hon. Judge Frank O’Donnell.

The Government will now advise President McAleese of the nomination in accordance with Constitutional procedures.

O’Donnell has been a member of the District Court Rules Committee since 2003.

An Austrian airline is to commence charter flights between Shannon and Vienna from late May to September, it has been revealed.

Clare Labour TD Michael McNamara has learned Niki Luftfahrt GmbH, also known as flyNiki will begin scheduled flights between Shannon and the Austrian capital from May 28th.

Bookings are being taken on the airline’s website up to early September. The service will arrive and depart each Saturday.

It’s hoped the new service will provide holiday makers, those with relations in Eastern Europe and the Balkans along with the business community, direct access into the region.

In March the launch of two inaugural services from Shannon including a new Aer Lingus service to London Gatwick and an Aer Lingus Regional service, which is operated by Aer Arann, to Edinburgh was widely welcomed.

A deadly superbug which has already affected up to eight at the Limerick Regional Hospital is not believed to be responsible for the recent death of a patient there, HSE officials have said.

Klebsiella pneumonia carbapanemase, or KPC, is described as virtually resistant to most drugs and was confirmed at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in early March.

Two other cases have been reported in a hospital in Dublin. One involves a patient who had been an inpatient in Limerick. No new cases have been detected since mid-March.

The Irish Examiner reported comments from a HSE official Friday,

“KPC has not been identified to be the cause of death in any patient in the Mid Western Regional Hospital.

It must be remembered that all patients, those with KPC colonised and those infected, are in the hospital for other reasons. Some have more complicated underlying conditions than others.”

“There are at present five confirmed KPC cases, two infections and three colonisations, in the hospital,” HSE officials said in a statement Thursday.

Meanwhile strict visiting restrictions in place at the Mid Western Regional Hospital have now been relaxed regarding the ongoing norovirus situation and the KPC bug.

Visiting is now permitted during the normal visiting hours to all wards with the exception of IB, 4C and the High Dependency Unit. No new confirmed cases of norovirus were reported today although there are three suspected cases.

The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has also provided international expert advice to the Irish Government regarding the KPC outbreak.

A major manhunt was underway in County Limerick Saturday evening as Gardai searched for an armed gang who raided a jewellery store in Newcastle West.

Gardai are searching for possibly up to four men who pulled up outside Cowpers Jewellers on Bridge Street in the town just before 3pm Saturday, believed to be armed with hatchets and handguns.

It’s believed staff were held at gunpoint by at least two men while they smashed glass casing, grabbing as much jewellery as they could.

The gang then left the scene in a white van but this was later burned out on Maiden Street, just a short distance away. The gang switched to a Saab. This was subsequently found in flames in Ballyagran.

It’s understood the Garda helicopter has been called to the area to carry out searches and officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything to come forward.

Four staff, who were in the shop at the time, were said to be shaken following the incident but nobody was injured.

Cowpers Jewellers is an independent family run Jewellers established in 1888 and has been targeted in similar raids in the past.

Owners say they will be open for business as usual this Tuesday.