2023 in review - Looking back on May in Louth

May 2nd 2023

The opening of a Pieta House centre in north Louth, was the aim of the Dundalk Darkness Into Light committee as in May it appealed to people in Dundalk to help make this year's walk the biggest yet.

The Darkness Into Light walk took place on Saturday 6 May, with the walk starting at 4.15am at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT).

Event Director, Cllr Seán Kelly, spoke to the Dundalk Democrat ahead of this year's event and said that “in order for us to get a Pieta centre for north Louth, we have to show, 'look how successful Darkness Into Light is, look at the work we've done here since it commenced in 2017'.

“That's why we want as many people as possible to come out – basically back our own.”

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May 9th 2023

Plans for a multi-million euro regeneration of the St. Nicholas Quarter in Dundalk moved a step forward with the appointment of a design team.

Louth County Council announced the appointment of BDP Ltd as the Architectural Lead Design Consultants for the St. Nicholas Quarter and Backlands Phase 1 Regeneration Scheme.

This first phase of the project consists of the Public Realm works to the Northern Gateway, Bridge Street, Linenhall Street, Northgate Street and the Peace Park at the Fairgreen.

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The Fine Gael party in Louth selected Robert Nash to replace Maria Doyle as councillor in the Dundalk South Local Electoral Area, following the resignation from Ms Doyle in February as a Louth County Councillor.

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An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission with revised conditions for a new housing development in Blackrock which will consist of 29 new homes.

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May 16th 2023

Over €1.85 million in District Court fines issued in Louth between 2018 and 2022 remain unpaid according to figures released to the Dundalk Democrat under Freedom of Information (FOI) in May.

Figures showed that over the last five years 6,075 fines totalling just under €2.65 million were issued through Dundalk Court Office which includes the District Court Areas of Dundalk, Drogheda and Ardee.

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Louth’s five TDs and two senators claimed a total of €302,639 in Parliamentary Standard Allowances last year, according to end of year statements for 2022 published in May by the Oireachtas.

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Dundalk’s Townwatch scheme was relaunched with gardai, Dundalk BIDS and local traders coming together to tackle the ongoing security and safety issues that are facing Dundalk town businesses.

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May 23rd 2023

Louth County Council spent €17,034.36 on sending a delegation to New York for St Patrick’s Day this year, the Dundalk Democrat exclusively revealed.

The Louth delegation included An Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Conor Keelan, as first citizen of Louth, Cllr Kevin Meenan, Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District, Cllr Michelle Hall, Mayor of Drogheda, and Cllr Paula Butterly, Cathaoirleach of Ardee Municipal District.

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€455,827 was allocated for the refurbishment of the playground and the bandstand in St Helena Park, from the allocation of €1,515,727 to Louth from the Community Recognition Fund.

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May 30th 2023

At the end of May, a murder investigation was launched after a woman's body, named locally as Catherine Henry, was discovered in a property on Bridge Street.

The following morning just metres up the road a man who was walking on Clanbrassil Street was rushed to hospital after bricks fell from the roof of a building onto the street below.

In a third separate incident a body was tragically recovered from the Castletown River on the same afternoon.

Meanwhile, a man, subsequently named locally as Gary Clarke, tragically lost his life following a jet ski accident in Carlingford.