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Around Ireland Derry man murdered in England

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Patrick markey

Police have opened a murder investigation following the death of a Derry man in Cambridgeshire, England. Alaistair Peoples, 32, of Drumahoe, was found unconscious outside a nightclub in St. Ives early on a recent Saturday morning and was rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital suffering from a severe head injury, according to the Belfast telegraph. He died soon after.

Cambridgeshire police confirmed today that a 31-year-old St. Ives man was being questioned about the incident.

The victim’s mother, Jean, said today she was heartbroken by the loss of her son, who was a long-distance truck driver with a Moy-based firm.

“I am absolutely devastated by Alaistair’s death,” she said. “I can’t believe after living here with all the troubles that he was killed in England.

“He was a gentle giant, he wouldn’t have hurt anyone, got on with his own business and had a lovely set of friends. Alaistair was on a ventilation machine to help him breathe but he passed away at midday.”

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Slimy green moneymaker

It’s green, slimy and worth millions, at least to Galway.

Seaweed contributes over _5 million annually to the Irish economy, but is still not recognized as a valuable resource, according a study by the Marine Institute of Dublin.

Connemara, along with much of the Galway coast, is potentially one of the richest harvesting grounds for seaweed – more than 21,000 tons were harvested in 1996, according to the Galway Advertiser.

This latest study reports that the potential yield stands at more that 37,000 tons over a 350-kilometer coastline.

Worldwide, the seaweed industry is worth in excess of $4 billion every year, most of it commercially processed in the Far East. Over 85 percent of Irish produce is currently exported, the paper reports.

This latest study is an attempt to formulate a plan to put the industry’s concerns on the agenda at a national political level.

According to the report, “the increasing worldwide demand for seaweed and the range of new value-added projects emerging represents a real economic opportunity for Ireland”.

The project was undertaken by the Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute at NUI, Galway and is the most significant seaweed-research project ever commissioned in Ireland.

Seaweed is used extensively in industries such as European food ingredients, agriculture, soap, skin care and snack food.

The institute is already involved in a project to assist the industry and has overseen an investment of more than _500,000 since 1994. Seaweed production has increased from 35,000 tons to 45,000 tons annually, doubling of the industry value to _5 million.

First time family reunion

They’ve never even met each other, at least not as a whole, but last week the 12 siblings of the McNamara family of Maryfield, Pollagh, planned to get together for a first time family reunion.

The Connacht Tribune reports that the family’s bizarre tale of missed opportunities started when some of the older members of the family immigrated to America before the younger children were born. For example, Sr. Bernadette had entered the Holy Ghost Order and was serving in Texas before Seamus, the youngest child was born.

The family members in descending order are Tommy (Cleveland), Mary

Celine (Ohio), Sr. Bernadette (Mississippi), Patricia (Chicago), Philomena (Florida), Denny (Chicago), Anne (Florida), Michael John (Shropshire), Margaret Mary (Ballina), Carmel (Achill), Imelda (Castlebar), and Seamus (Castlebar).

Family members had made many attempts over the years to get the siblings together. In 1966 when their father Michael passed away, two members were unable to return home from America. They missed each other again at a 1983 reunion in Keel when only 10 could be present. In 1990, 11 siblings managed to celebrate the birthday of

mother Mary in Chicago.

Again, when Mary passed away while still on holiday in Cleveland, many of the European-based members traveled home, but some of the America-based family could not attend the funeral in Achill.

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