In Short

A round-up of today’s other regional news stories in brief

A round-up of today’s other regional news stories in brief

President to address 1916 conference

President Mary McAleese and Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman are among the speakers who will address a conference on the Easter Rising at University College Cork on Friday.

Entitled The Long Revolution: the 1916 Rising in Context, the conference is organised by Prof Dermot Keogh and Gabriel Doherty of the history department at UCC and will take place this Friday and Saturday.

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Other speakers include Prof Keith Jeffery of Queen's University Belfast and Dr Rosemary Cullen-Owens and Dr Owen Magee, both of UCD.

Dr Brian Murphy, OSB of Glenstal Abbey, Dr Jerome aan de Wiel of the University of Rheims, and military historians Brendan O'Shea and Gerry White will also address the conference.

Further details can be obtained from Gabriel Doherty at 021-4902783, e-mail g.doherty_at_ucc.ie.

Hospital workers stage protest

Over 100 workers yesterday staged a lunchtime demonstration in protest at the outsourcing of clerical and administrative jobs at University College Hospital, Galway, writes Lorna Siggins.

Assistant general secretary of Impact Denis Rohan said the demonstration was part of a continuing campaign against the outsourcing of work carried out by HSE employees.

Sex education on Valentine's night

Parents in Killarney, Co Kerry are to trade the romance of St Valentine's night to take part in a two-hour pilot workshop on sex education on Tuesday, February 14th .

The "Something to Talk about" drama workshops are for "adults only" but are for the benefit of children aged 8-12 years.

Senior health promotion officer with the HSE Southern Area Terese McElhinney said the St Valentine's date was not deliberate, but that it might create more interest.

A number of sessions are being piloted in the county on Tuesday nights and some 30 schools are involved.

The workshops will look at new ways of talking to children about puberty and how to handle difficult conversations.

Bundoran review angers McEniff

Chairman of North West Tourism Seán McEniff, yesterday called on Bundoran Town Council to consider taking legal action against the Lonely Planet Ireland guide following criticism of the town in its new edition.

The guide says the County Donegal seaside town has long been "one of Ireland's tackiest holiday resorts, a kitsch assortment of half-baked fairground rides, flashing arcades, fast-food diners and over-priced B&Bs".

Mr McEniff, whose family run a number of hotels in the resort, said the town council has been very good in providing facilities for tourists.

"We're always very much aware of tourists because they are our major industry. Bundoran depends on tourism and it's very hard for people like us to take a scathing article like that."

He agreed the town has fairground rides, arcades and fast-food outlets, but insisted they were "top drawer".

Fionn Davenport, the Dublin-born author of the report, said he was standing over his account.