LOCK up your daughters! The country’s sexiest men are set to battle it out in Limerick next month for the title of Mr Ireland.

The popular pageant will be held in Limerick for the first time and organiser Greg Ryan is inviting hot males to put themselves forward to represent Limerick in the finals.

“Names are already pouring in from all over the country,” said Mr Ryan. “So if you think you have what is takes to be our Mr Ireland and do us proud at the Mr World contest in Korea in September, then enter now.”

The finals will take place at Angel Lane on Friday July 24 next. Doors open at 8pm.
The winner of Mr Ireland will receive a €1,000 cash prize, a modelling contract, a makeover, and a glamorous photoshoot.

Closing dates for entries is July 10. To enter, send your details to gr.ryan@yahoo.co.uk

Nick Rabbitts

THOUSANDS of people across Limerick have sent a message to criminal gangs across the city: that enough is enough.

In excess of 5,000 people – most of whom dressed in red – brought the city centre to a standstill yesterday afternoon as a protest march against the brutal gangland killings in Limerick took place to express their revulsion of the violence.

The event, organised by Stephen Collins, the father of 35-year-old businessman Roy Collins who was shot dead a month ago yesterday, began at Pery Square, and took in Mallow Street, Henry Street and Arthurs Quay, before culminating at city hall, where Mayor John Gilligan and Mr Collins addressed the crowd.

Limerick man Ron McKnight said: "They (the Collins family] are good honest people, working people. I met Steve 30 years ago. He was a gentleman then, he's a gentleman now, and what happened to his son was absolutely horrible. This country has to get back to respecting people who walk the streets."

And he also called for internment, fearing the new Criminal Surveillance laws - which will give gardai the power to use sophisticated covert technology to track suspected criminals - may not be enough.

"I believe at this point in time, we should have internment to lift these criminals off the street. Get them sorted, put them away until things improve. I think the process is too slow - these criminals are laughing at the law. If I throw a can on the ground, I could be arrested - but these people know all the tricks."

Tony Nolan, whose son was murdered in Dublin last year, said: "There is no justice here for murder. The system is corrupt to high heavens, and there is no law.

"The Justice Minister (Dermot Ahern] is blind as a bat. He has done nothing. When the rugby chap (Shane Geoghegan] was killed he came down to Limerick and went back home and has done nothing.

"Nobody is doing anything. No-one understands what it is like to lose a child, especially to murder."

Following a minute's silence, Mr Collins told the crowd: "This has been a traumatic time for our family, and we felt it should not go by without sending a message out to these thugs have destroyed our lives; have let us down and let the good name of Limerick down.

"By your actions here today, you have spoken and said you have had enough of the low-life mutants that have eaten into the fabric of our society. It's a cancer that must be cut out."

Meanwhile, Mayor John Gilligan described the criminal gangs - who over the last 12 months have claimed the lives of Mark Moloney, James Cronin, Shane Geoghegan and Roy Collins - as "cruel heartless people without any compassion, guilt or any kind of grief."

Bishop of Limerick Dr Donal Murray was unable to attend the rally due to a prior commitment, but his appeal for an end fo the violence was read out at Sunday Masses across the Diocese of Limerick.

By Alan Owens

A CHEQUE for €75,000 is to be presented to the head of the Symptomatic Breast Cancer Care Unit in the Mid-West Regional Hospital at a special Ball this May.

The large amount of money is the fruit of several months labour by local man David Dineen, who organised a series of events after his wife Julie-Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"On behalf of Julie-Anne and my family, we were bowled over with the kindness of Limerick people," said David, who will present the cheque to Professor Gupta of the Breast Cancer Unit at a special Celebration Ball to take place in the Limerick Strand Hotel on Friday, May 15.

"Everyone was congratulating me on the success of all the events but the real success story is that in bad times, the people of

Cancer Unit at a special Celebration Ball to take place in the Limerick Strand Hotel on Friday, May 15.

"Everyone was congratulating me on the success of all the events but the real success story is that in bad times, the people of Limerick always come up trumps. We want to celebrate that in the Strand Hotel on May 15 and show everyone the results of their good efforts."

The large sum represents the proceeds of a number of initiatives including the Celebrity X Factor event held in Smyth's Bar in December, a Fashion Show featuring breast cancer survivors in Russells Bar in February and the Celebrity Jigs and Reels event held in Clohessys Bar in March.

On that occasion, more than a thousand people turned out in support of the event, which was won by Limerick hurler Niall Moran.

Julie-Anne Dineen also reached number one in the Irish charts with the single, Do You Believe, which was written by Philip Scanlon and recorded a day after her second course of chemotherapy for breast cancer, in a bid to show other women there is life after battling the disease.

Julie-Anne reached number one on the day she finished her treatment for the disease and praised the people of Limerick for their support.
"I think it snowballed because cancer affects everyone, in some way or another. It has touched everybody's heart and that is why I think it has done so well," explained Julie-Anne.

"The support has been unbelievable, absolutely fantastic. As I said to someone the other day, you only hear the bad things but I am so proud to be from Limerick and we wouldn't have been able to do this without the support of Limerick people."

Tickets for the Celebration Ball are priced at €75 and are now on sale. Contact Julie-Anne on 085-7635768 for more details.


The full article contains 458 words and appears in Limerick Leader Wed T newspaper.