From: TMACLEAN@shark.stmarys.ca (Terry MacLean)
Subject: The Irish Immigrant Newspaper Dec.14.92
Summary: An electronic summary of the week's news in Ireland
Keywords: Electronic,News,Sports,Stocks, 
Organization: Saint Mary's University
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 03:01:29 GMT


     =================================================================

     December 14, 1992        THE IRISH EMIGRANT          Issue No.306
     _________________________________________________________________
     Editor: Liam Ferrie                            Circulation: 1,435
     =================================================================


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     Negotiations, or the lack of them, on the formation of a new
     Government continue to dominate the news.  The European summit in
     Edinburgh vied with this story for attention over the weekend.
     During the week the IRA caused more problems in Britain with hoax
     and real bomb scares; here in the South the UFF placed incendiary
     devices in a number of locations.  Thursday's papers relegated
     political stories to report on the misfortunes of the British
     Royal family.

     We seem to be no nearer to the formation of a Government than we
     were a week ago.  The Dail meets today and no one believes that
     any of the nominees for Taoiseach will be acceptable to a
     majority of TDs.  A number of meetings between the different
     political parties took place during the week but none could have
     been described as negotiations.  The most recent were yesterday's
     exploratory talks between the Taoiseach and Dick Spring.  The
     fact that the two deigned to get together was treated with some
     indignation by the leaders of Fine Gael and the PDs.  They
     essentially told Dick Spring to forget about tripartite talks
     with them until his talks with Fianna Fail collapsed.  I think it
     is fair to say that all the other parties are annoyed at the way
     Labour is using/abusing, its new-found power.  As long as Fianna
     Fail and Fine Gael continue to see each other as the ultimate
     enemy, no one can do anything with out the co-operation of the
     Labour leader.  The media has had no difficulty in finding Fianna
     Fail TDs and supporters who are not happy with the possibility of
     a FF/Lab. coalition, and with Albert Reynolds as leader of the
     party.

     The Taoiseach must now have even more serious regrets at the
     timing of the election.  He has just spent the weekend in
     Edinburgh negotiating on behalf of Ireland with other EC heads of
     state.  He seems to have surprised even himself with his success.
     Part of the agreement worked out late on Saturday should see
     about #8bn coming to this country over the next seven years.



                         IN SEARCH OF A GOVERNMENT

     MONDAY:
     - The Irish Times reports a move within Fianna Fail to have
       Albert Reynolds replaced by David Andrews.  One scenario is
       that Mr Reynolds will resign when he fails to be re-elected as
       Taoiseach.  He will then be succeeded by Mr Andrews who will
       lead a coalition with Labour.  Later, on RTE, Mr Andrews says
       he has no ambitions to lead Fianna Fail, now or in the future.

     - "Reliable sources" claim that, at yesterday's meeting, Dick
       Spring told John Bruton he is not acceptable as the leader of a
       coalition.  Des O'Malley is expected to deliver a similar
       message to Mr Bruton today.  That meeting takes place but we
       are not told what is discussed.  Mr O'Malley says he will be
       contacting Dick Spring.


     TUESDAY:
     - Fine Gael and the PDs each express concern that almost two
       weeks have elapsed and there have been no meaningful talks
       between the three parties most likely to form a Government.
       Peter Barry once again repeats FG's position that Dick Spring
       cannot be Taoiseach and that there is no place in Government
       for Democratic Left.

     - Labour and Democratic Left announce that they have reached a
       "broad level of agreement on policy issues".  Both parties have
       to approve the 33-page document before it is released to the
       three other parties.

     - Fine Gael releases a "position paper" on policy issues.  It is
       on the basis of this that it will negotiate with the other
       parties.


     WEDNESDAY:
     - John Bruton and Dick Spring meet and exchange policy documents.
       The talks last for just one hour.  Mr Spring meets Des O'Malley
       later in the day and it is announced that all three will open
       negotiations on the formation of a Government.  However,
       initially these will take the format of bilateral talks.  Mr
       O'Malley's request for tripartite talks is turned down by Mr
       Spring.  Maybe this was retaliation for Mr O'Malley's refusal
       to countenance talks with Proinsias De Rossa.  The leader of
       Democratic Left and the Labour leader also hold their first
       meeting that night.  Prevous discussions were between other
       members of the parties.


     THURSDAY:
     - Fine Gael, Labour and the PDs hold their bilateral talks but
       Michael Noonan (FG) says that all three parties must get
       together if progress is to be made.  Ruairi Quinn (Lab) says
       that there was some straight talking at his meeting with the
       PDs.  Bobby Molloy describesd the same session as "full, frank
       and friendly".

     - We are told that Dick Spring has sent of copy of the document
       agreed between Labour and Democratic Left to the Taoiseach and
       has requested a meeting with Mr Reynolds.  Before leaving for
       the EC summit in Edinburgh, Mr Reynolds tells journalists that
       he is ready to enter into immediate talks with Labour.  Fianna
       Fail has a policy paper ready and sends it to Labour as soon as
       the invitation is received.

     - Proinsias De Rossa writes to John Bruton asking for a meeting
       but receives a rebuff.

     - Someone realises that the first problem facing the new Dail is
       the election of a Ceann Comhairle.  If this cannot be done then
       the house will be adjourned without getting to the point of
       electing a Taoiseach.  There appears to be a general assumption
       that Sean Treacy will not be re-elected.

     FRIDAY:
     - Dick Spring sends a letter to John Bruton and Des O'Malley
       suggesting the start of tripartite "discussions".  The use of
       the word "discussions" is considered important as he is not
       referring to negotiations.  Apparently he is, at this point,
       just prepared to discuss the ground rules for negotiations.
       Fine Gael and the PDs express annoyance that Dick Spring should
       think of talking with Fianna Fail in parallel to having talks
       with them.

     - Spokespersons for Fine Gael and the PDs again state that they
       will not negotiate with Democratic Left.  I don't know why
       journalists keep asking the question.  At the same Proinsias De
       Rossa announces that Democratic Left will not participate in
       any Government with either Fianna Fail or the PDs.  Dick Spring
       repeats his assertion that he should be Taoiseach for at least
       part of the time in the next Government.

     - From Edinburgh the Taoiseach says that there seems to be enough
       commonality between Labour and Fianna Fail policies for
       meaningful discussions to take place between the two parties.

     - Some members of Fianna Fail are concerned with the haste with
       which Mr Reynolds responded to Dick Spring.  They also feel
       that he has given too much away in the position paper, the
       supposed contents of which is reported in the media.


     SATURDAY:
     - Albert Reynolds again rules out any question of participating
       in a Government in which the position of Taoiseach will rotate
       between the governing parties.

     - Fine Gael and the PDs confirm that they will not negotiate with
       Labour while that party is talking to Fianna Fail.  They say
       that they do not wish to get involved in an auction.

     SUNDAY:
     - RTE interviews Fianna Fail TD Ned O'Keeffe.  He wants to have
       nothing to do with Labour, will ask for a special Ard Fheis to
       approve any coalition proposals and would like to have Mr
       Reynolds removed as leader of the party.  Other FF supporters
       are also interviewed and none appears to relish the idea of
       coalition with Labour.  Some say that if that is the only way a
       Government can be formed then the party will not be found
       wanting.  They see that as a last resort after all other
       options have failed.

     - Albert Reynolds and Dick Spring hold their meeting in the
       evening and describe it as constructive.  Both will report back
       to their parties but have made no arrangements for a further
       meeting.  They do say that they will keep in touch.

     - The Taoiseach says that he will call a meeting of the party
       leaders today before the Dail sits in an effort to reach
       consensus on a Ceann Comhairle.  Sean Treacy is again the
       favourite but Fine Gael seems intent on making its own
       nomination.

     - At this stage we expect Albert Reynolds, John Bruton and Dick
       Spring to be nominated as Taoiseach when the new Dail holds its
       first meeting today.  Mr Spring should have the support of
       Democratic Left and probably one or two of the independents.
       The PDs will not nominate Des O'Malley but will not abstain.
       We have to wait until Mr O'Malley addresses the Dail to find
       out who they will support.

     - The Government has some urgent financial legislation ready to
       put before the house if a Ceann Comhairle is elected today.
       This is required by the new free market which comes into effect
       on January 1.  The other parties appear to be ready to give it
       their support if a new Government is not agreed today.


                               BEEF TRIBUNAL

     The Beef Tribunal was faced with further problems on Monday.
     Counsel for Tomas MacGiolla, the former Workers' Party TD,
     announced that his client was claiming privilege in relation to
     certain allegations he made in the Dail.  Counsel for Dick Spring
     and Pat Rabbitte said that their clients would be taking a
     similar course.  None of the three was prepared to divulge all
     the names of those who had passed on information.  The Tribunal
     chairman and Counsel for the State were clearly taken aback at
     this turn of events.  The hearing was adjourned to allow the
     matter to be raised with the Attorney General.

     Tuesday's session was short.  It heard that the Attorney General
     was of the opinion that the politicians could no longer claim
     privilege once they repeated their earlier allegations outside
     the Dail.  The chairman, Mr Justice Liam Hamilton, adjourned the
     inquiry until Thursday to consider the matter.  His eventual
     ruling was that the TDs were indeed entitled to claim privilege.
     They had this right when speaking in the Dail and he felt they
     should continue to have it when they repeated their allegations
     before the Tribunal.  He then adjourned proceedings until Monday
     to allow counsel for the Attorney General to decide if he wished
     to appeal to the High Court.


                                 EC SUMMIT

     The prime ministers of EC countries held their bi-annual meeting
     in Edinburgh on Friday and Saturday and received much more media
     attention than the general public would believe is their due.
     When it was all over it was deemed to be a successful summit.
     From an Irish point of view the big decision was an increase in
     structural funds for what are considered the four poorer nations
     of the community.  The #6bn over five years which Albert Reynolds
     promised at the time of the Maastricht Treaty was thought by many
     to have been a pipe dream, particularly in light of the worsening
     economic situation of many of the member states.  It was this
     issue which prolonged the meeting well beyond its scheduled
     close.  Spain dug its heels in and Ireland was one of the
     beneficiaries.  It is estimated that this country will receive
     #8bn from the EC over the next seven years.  What makes this even
     more attractive is that, for some types of expenditure, the Irish
     Government will only be required to contribute 10%.  After all
     his recent woes Albert Reynolds was delighted with himself when
     he returned home on Sunday.

     Agreement was also reached on some issues which concerned Denmark
     and there is now a hope that that country will accept the
     Maastricht Treaty in a replay of the referendum.  Britain still
     insists that it will not ratify the Treaty until after Denmark
     has done so.  If its is rejected by Denmark the British
     contention is that the Treaty is dead.  This is not the view of
     other member states.


          > > > > > > > > >   BITS AND PIECES   < < < < < < < < <

     - A senior civil servant returned home from work on Monday and
       discovered the body of his murdered wife in their Malahide
       home.  Grace Livingstone (56) was shot in the back of the head
       with a legally held shotgun, which was kept in the house.  She
       had been bound and gagged.  Mr Livingstone is in charge of the
       Special Inquiry Branch of the Revenue Commissioners and for a
       time there was a suspicion that the killing might have been
       related to his work.  His staff works with the Garda
       Anti-racketeering unit.  This has now been ruled out and Gardai
       are seeking a young man of about twenty, who was seen at the
       door of the house a little more than an hour before Mrs
       Livingstone's body was discovered.

     - It is now being suggested that it was the IRA who killed Colm
       Duffy in Collon, Co.Louth last week.

     - Tuesday is the traditional day when people from the country
       come to the cities to do their Christmas shopping.  The general
       impression was that trade was down and it is expected to be a
       lean Christmas for retailers.  Dunnes Stores did not help
       matters by announcing 20% reductions on toys and clothes until
       Christmas.  Other retailers were critical of this move and
       warned of job losses.

     - The latest housing statistics show an increase in the number of
       new houses being built.  In the quarter to the end of September
       6,284 houses were completed, just over 1,000 more than in the
       same period last year.  The year-to-date total was down.

     - The UFF planted incendiary devices in a number of shops around
       the country on Wednesday evening.  Minor fires broke out in
       Dublin, Dundalk, Buncrana and Moville, Co.Donegal.  Damage was
       slight in some cases and considerable in others.  Gardai are
       examining a security video which it is thought may have
       captured two men with Northern accents who were served in a
       Dublin shop prior to the fire.

     - The Government has given the St Vincent de Paul Society #1m to
       assist it in its work with the poor and underprivileged.

     - A full eclipse of the moon was visible in most parts of the
       country on Wednesday night from about 11:00pm until 12:20am.
       Thick fog hid the phenomenon in some southern parts.

     - President Robinson met a delegation representing homosexual
       groups at Aras an Uachtarain on Saturday.

     - 2,000 farmers attended an indoor rally in Dublin yesterday to
       protest at the GATT trade deal.

     - The body of a 24-year-old homeless man was found in a derelict
       building in Grangegorman, Dublin, on Saturday.  As in two
       similar cases it is thought he died from hypothermia.

     - Heroin, with an estimated street value of #40k, was found on a
       man arriving at Dun Laoghaire at the weekend.

     - NATIONAL LOTTERY Winning Numbers:
       Wed: 9, 10, 14, 28, 30, 38 - the jackpot of #384k was not won.
       Sat: 1, 5, 17, 25, 29, 37 - there was one winner of the jackpot
       of #791k


           > > > > > > > > >   NORTHERN NEWS   < < < < < < < < <

     - Northern Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew announced an increase in
       the North's security budget for 1993.  An additional Stg#45m
       will be spent, bringing the total bill to more than Stg#900m.

     - UUP proposals for power-sharing on Belfast City Council may be
       accepted by all the political parties.  This would give Sinn
       Fein members seats on the various committees.  Until now SF,
       although the second largest party on the council, has been
       barred from all committees by the unionist councillors.  The
       apparent change of heart has come about as the result of some
       recent court judgements.

     - A man was shot in the legs by the IRA, in a house in the
       Shantallow area of Derry on Tuesday night.  He managed to drag
       himself outside and was found in his garden.  He later had both
       legs amputated and was on a life support in Altnagelvin
       Hospital, where he died on Sunday.  He was named as John
       Collet.

     - The British Army has introduced a new complaints procedure.
       Members of the public can now demand that soldiers produce
       "Patrol Identity Cards" if they wish to complain about the
       behaviour of members of the patrol.

     - Malachy Carey (36), a former Sinn Fein candidate in local
       elections, was shot dead in Ballymoney on Saturday evening.
       The UFF claimed responsibility for the attack and the RUC said
       they were questioning a man.  Sinn Fein claimed that Mr Carey
       had been told by the RUC that his personal details had found
       their way into the hands of loyalist paramilitaries.

     - A group calling itself the Loyalist Military Command claimed
       that it fired a rocket at Crumlin Road prison in Belfast
       yesterday evening.  The roof of "A" wing was slightly damaged.
       The objective of the attack was to kill republican prisoners
       who were thought to be in the dining hall at the time.


            > > > > > > > > >   THE COURTS   < < < < < < < < <

     - The Government nominated Mrs Justice Susan Denham as a judge of
       the Supreme Court.  This is the first time that a woman has
       been appointed to the court.  Normally an outgoing Government
       would have come in for concerted criticism from all sides for
       making such an appointment.  On this occasion no one could find
       fault with the actual nominee and there wasn't a whimper of
       protest.  Mrs Denham is aged 47 and will be the youngest member
       of the court.  She is the daughter of Douglas Gageby, a former
       editor of the Irish Times.

     - Building societies have about 80 cases before Cork Circuit
       Court for the repossession of homes where mortgages have fallen
       into arrears.

     - Ronald Chalmers (29), a former student minister of the Free
       Presbyterian Church, was jailed for three years at Belfast
       Crown Court.  Chalmers, who is from Glasgow, was found guilty
       of sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy in a Belfast guesthouse
       and church hall.

     - Yet another Dublin jury was discharged because of a newspaper
       report of a court case.  The Irish Independent carried the
       headline "Girl (13) 'sexually assaulted by man (55)'".  Counsel
       for the accused said that this could prejudice the opinion of
       any jury member.  When the paper's editor appeared in court he
       claimed that he was only quoting what was said by a witness.
       The judge said that the use of inverted commas did not make
       this sufficiently clear.

     - The 42-year-old businessman at the centre of the "X" case
       appeared again at Rathfarnham District Court and was sent for
       trial to the Circuit Criminal Court next spring.  The judge
       ruled that there was sufficient evidence for him to be tried on
       all nine counts of indecent assault.


          > > > >   EMPLOYMENT & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS   < < < < <

     - The 1,100 workers who were laid off at five AIBP plants went
       back to work on Tuesday.

     - The Catholic Bishops Conference issued a report on the nation's
       employment crisis.  We were told that it is not acceptable to
       place the blame on the EC or on international recession.
       According to the bishops the answer lies primarily in our own
       hands.

     - Aer Rianta and a British development company announced plans
       for a #50m business park on a 70-acre site adjacent to Cork
       Airport.  It is hoped to attract companies in the aviation
       industry to set up manufacturing and maintenance plants.

     - Workers at Waterford Crystal rejected the latest, and
       supposedly final, cost-saving proposals.  The Labour Relations
       Commission tempered earlier company demands but these were
       still considered to be too drastic.  The vote was taken by a
       show of hands against the wishes of the LRC.  Afterwards
       management said that it will probably be necessary to put the
       entire workforce on protective notice, that it has cancelled a
       #1m capital investment programme and that its factories will
       not reopen on January 4 after the Christmas holiday.  No date
       was given for the reopening.

     - Seagate Technology announced the establishment of a
       manufacturing plant in Derry.  500 people will be employed in
       the manufacture of disk drives.  This news comes almost two
       years to the day after Seagate announced that it was planning
       to create 1,300 jobs in a similar operation in North Dublin,
       and two months after the company's plant there was advertised
       for sale.  None of the Dublin jobs ever materialised.  There
       has been no comment on the about-turn by Seagate.  It is as if
       no one remembers the earlier announcement.


      > > > > > > > > >   POLITICS & POLITICIANS   < < < < < < < < <

     - The Irish Times returned to the story of the letter from the
       Workers' Party which was found in the headquarters of the
       Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  A copy of the letter was
       given to a hand-writing expert who said that "on the balance of
       possibilities" the signatures on the letter were those of
       Proinsias De Rossa and Sean Garland.  Mr De Rossa again denied
       that he "knowingly" signed the letter.  Mr Garland did not make
       himself available to the paper to discuss the matter.  As far
       as I know he has kept out of sight since news of the letter was
       first made public in October.  This was the letter which asked
       for #1m for the Workers' Party and hinted at the Official IRA's
       role in illegally obtaining funds for the party.  The Irish
       Times has uncovered other interesting documents in the archives
       of the CPSU.  One 1986 letter from the Workers' Party mentioned
       an affiliated film company which included five well known
       journalists, some of whom worked for RTE.  We were not given
       the names.

     - On Monday, British Prime Minister John Major flew into Dublin
       for a meeting with the Taoiseach prior to the EC summit in
       Edinburgh.  Mr Reynolds repeated Ireland's objections to
       British proposals to reduce aid to the poorer EC states.  The
       two men reviewed the Northern Talks during their two hours of
       talks.

     - EC Commission President Jacques Delors said that Ireland's next
       Commissioner should be named as a matter of urgency.  There is
       an expectation that the next incumbent of the #130k per year
       job will be named this week if a new Government is not formed
       today.  The two names most frequently mentioned are Padraig
       Flynn and Maire Geoghegan Quinn.  The deadline for the
       nomination is next Monday.

     - The PDs have a bit of a problem in replacing Pat Cox as an MEP
       now that he is a TD.  The party has frequently preached that
       politicians should only have one job.  In the European
       elections, parties name replacement candidates who will take
       over in the event that the elected MEP dies or resigns.  One of
       Pat Cox's replacements is David O'Keeffe who was dismissed as
       the party's general secretary earlier this year.  Mr O'Keeffe
       then sued for constructive dismissal but on Monday an
       Employment Appeals Tribunal was told that the action had been
       settled.


         > > > > > > > > >   THE IRISH ABROAD   < < < < < < < < <

     - If you plan to return to live in Ireland some day, and happen
       to be passing through Dublin Airport between December 18 and
       24, you should look out for members of the International
       Network for Ireland.  They will be in the arrivals hall
       distributing brochures on their 4th annual Information Fair.
       This will take place at Buswell's Hotel, Dublin, on December 29
       and 30.  The INI is a non-profit organisation, whose primary
       aim is to supply Irish people overseas with information about
       employment opportunities at home.  If you wish to find out more
       about the International Network for Ireland (and the High
       Skills Pool) then phone Donna or Eleanor at 353-1-687155, or
       write to them at: Powerhouse, Pigeon House Harbour, Dublin 4.

     - Two small IRA bombs exploded in the Wood Green shopping centre
       in London on Thursday.  A warning had been given and the area
       was being cleared when the blasts occurred.  Eleven people
       received minor injuries.  On the previous night a small bomb
       exploded in a vehicle left in the carpark of a north London
       underground station.  No one was injured and damage was
       minimal, but there was considerable disruption to rush hour
       traffic.  Earlier in the week, what appear to have been hoax
       bomb warnings from the IRA caused serious difficulties for
       rush-hour travellers in London and Manchester.  Two of London's
       main railway stations were evacuated.  The caller in Manchester
       claimed that a bomb was left on a bus.


        > > > > > > > > >   TRAVEL AND TOURISM   < < < < < < < < <

     - In the US, Aer Lingus was given the "Quiet Airline Award" for
       keeping down noise levels on take-off from Kennedy Airport, New
       York.

     - On Friday an accident at Stranraer Harbour caused the deaths of
       two men.  They were working on a crane which fell into the
       harbour.  The port was blocked for a number of hours and
       sailings to Larne and Belfast were disrupted.  I was on my way
       to Scotland for a funeral and was due to travel on the 16:30
       SeaCat service but this was cancelled.  I eventually got away
       on the 20:45 sailing.  I returned on the 10:15 sailing
       yesterday and can enthusiastically recommend SeaCat as a method
       of travelling.  The catamaran can accommodate 80 cars and 400
       passengers.  It travels at 37 knots and takes just 90 minutes
       from the centre of Belfast to Stranraer.


          > > > > >   CONSERVATION & THE ENVIRONMENT   < < < < <

     - The company which illegally demolished Dundalk Grammar School
       in 1989 has been granted planning permission to build a
       shopping centre on the site.  An Bord Pleanala has attached 24
       conditions to the permission.  These require the developers to
       build a facade identical to the original 18th century building,
       using specified materials.


               > > > > > > > > >   BOOKS   < < < < < < < < <

     - "A Voice for Somalia" by Mary Robinson was officially launched
       on Tuesday.  This is an account of the President's recent visit
       to the famine stricken country.  Proceeds from the sale of the
       book will go to Irish aid agencies operating in Somalia.


           > > > > > > > > >   BUSINESS NEWS   < < < < < < < < <

     EXCHANGE RATES:

                  IRISH POUND         Dec 11    Dec 4
                  Sterling            106.69   106.36
                  US Dollar           1.6651   1.6532
                  Deutschmark         2.6234   2.6429
                  French franc        2.9657   8.9810
                  Dutch guilder       2.9517   2.9705
                  Belgian franc        54.03    54.41
                  Italian lira       2322.40  2319.70
                  Japanese Yen        206.14   207.11
                  Swiss franc         2.3378   2.3761
                  Swedish krone      11.3000  11.2962
                  Canadian dollar     2.1222   2.1217
                  Australian dollar   2.4125   2.3958

     - The punt was doing sufficiently well on Monday for the Central
       Bank to reduce overnight interest rates from 30% to 20%.  For
       the next few days there were no problems and the punt was
       stronger than both the Danish and French currencies.  On
       Thursday the Norwegians decided that their currency should be
       allowed to float, which caused a bit of a rush to buy
       deutschmarks.  That had the effect of renewing the pressure on
       the punt, and other currencies, and pushed overnight rates back
       up to 27%.

     - There was a further fall in inflation when the quarterly
       figures were announced on Thursday.  Price increases for the
       year to mid-November were just 2.3%.  This is 0.5% lower than
       the August figure and lower than most projections.  It is our
       lowest level of inflation in four years and is currently
       bettered by only Denmark and Belgium in the EC.  The
       devaluation of sterling had a significant impact.

     - The Tribune Group announced expected losses of #2m for the 15
       months to the end of June.  This includes the #750k written off
       when the group closed the Dublin Tribune.

     - Ron Bolger, managing partner of KPMG Stokes Kennedy Crowley,
       has been appointed chairman of Telecom Eireann.  He succeeds
       Professor J.O. Scanlon who was appointed on a temporary basis
       following the sacking of Brendan Hynes.


              > > > > > > > > >   WEATHER   < < < < < < < < <

     The weather was much improved this week with some pleasant sunny
     days.  Friday brought constant misty rain but it was dry again on
     Saturday.  The drizzle reappeared from time to time on Sunday.

     Latest temperatures: Day 12C........................Night 8C


             > > > > > > > > >   S P O R T   < < < < < < < < <

              > > > > > > > > >   G.A.A.   < < < < < < < < <

     All-Ireland Club Football- Quarter-final:
                   Tir Chonnail Gaels 1-7 Lavey 0-12
                    (Britain)             (Derry)

     Leinster Inter-Club Senior Football - Semi-final:
                   Ballyroan 1-6          Clanna Gael 0-6
                    (Laois)                (Louth)


              > > > > > > > > >   SOCCER   < < < < < < < < <

     Premier Division:
                   Bray 0                 Shamrock R. 5
                   Derry 0                Bohs 2
                   Drogheda 0             Cork 0
                   St Pats 2              Waterford 1
                   Shelbourne 4           Dundalk 1
                   Sligo 0                Limerick 1

     First Division:
                   Cobh 0                 Galway 0
                   Kilkenny 0             Finn Harps 1
                   Longford 2             St James G. 0
                   Monaghan 3             Athlone 1
                   UCD 3                  Home Farm 0

     First Division Table:         P  W  D  L  Pts
               Galway U.          12  8  2  2   18
               Athlone T.         12  5  5  2   15
               Cobh               12  5  5  2   15
               UCD                12  5  5  2   15
               Monaghan           12  5  3  4   13
               Finn Harps         12  5  3  4   13
               Longford           12  3  3  6    9
               Home Farm          12  3  2  7    8
               Kilkenny           12  3  2  7    8
               St James Gate      12  2  2  8    6

     Irish League:
                   Ards 1              Glenavon 2
                   Ballyclare 0        Distillery 2
                   Coleraine 1         Cliftonville 1
                   Crusaders 2         Carrick 0
                   Glentoran 1         Ballymena 4
                   Larne 4             Newry 2
                   Omagh 1             Linfield 1
                   Portadown 3         Bangor 0

     First Division Shield Final:
                   Home Farm 0         Galway 2

                         LEAGUE OF IRELAND ROUNDUP
                           Reporter: Gary Spain

     - Limerick stay on course for a top 6 spot after a hard earned
       victory over Sligo Rovers.  Limerick dominated a poor game but
       a resolute Sligo defence withstood the onslaught.  The sticky
       mud made good football very difficult and a Peter Mumby goal,
       one minute after the interval, was the difference between the
       teams.

     - Bohemians travelled to Derry and had a great 2-0 win over the
       home side.  Donal Broughan was the hero as he made both goals.
       Tony O'Connor headed home the first midway through the first
       half and Tommy Fitzgerald finished from close range 9 minutes
       later.  Mark Ennis did hit the bar for Derry but they were well
       beaten.  Both sides finished the game with 10 men.

     - Shamrock Rovers went nap at the Carlisle grounds.  Derek Swan
       scored a hatrick as they overwhelmed Bray for the 2nd time this
       season.  Rovers had already beaten them 6-1 at the RDS.

     - St Pats kept up their top 6 challenge by defeating Waterford.
       Pascal Keane gave the visitors the lead early in the game but 2
       John Ryan goals either side of the interval settled the issue.

     - Shelbourne continued their good form by hammering Dundalk 4-1
       on Friday night.  The Reds are still in a strong position to
       retain their title while Dundalk, who could have gone to the
       top two weeks ago, are now struggling to hang onto a top 6
       spot.

     - Galway earned a point in Cobh but Athlone lost ground, losing
       3-1 in Monaghan.  UCD maintained their promotion challenge as
       they hammered Home Farm 3-0, thanks to a Darren O'Brien
       hat-trick.
                                                          - Gary Spain

                                  *******

     - Tommy Coyne has recovered from the broken arm which he suffered
       a few months ago and was back playing for Celtic reserves on
       Saturday.  He clearly does not see his future in Glasgow, and
       Manchester City and Everton are both said to be interested in
       signing him.

     - Rangers (1-2 at Falkirk) and Celtic (1-0 v Dundee) both won
       while Aberdeen was dropping a point at Dundee U. (2-2).  Hibs
       overcame Partick by the only goal and Hearts drew 1-1 away at
       St Johnstone.  Motherwell had their first away win of the
       season (0-2) at Airdrie.


               > > > > > > > > >   RUGBY   < < < < < < < < <

     Interprovincial Championship:
                   Exiles 13           Ulster 16
                   Munster 20          Connacht 10

     Championship Table            P  W  D  L  Pts
               Ulster              3  3  0  0    6
               Leinster            3  2  0  1    4
               Connacht            3  1  0  2    2
               Exiles              3  1  0  2    2
               Munster             4  1  0  3    2

     - David Curtis has ruled himself out of the Irish team for this
       season's five-nation championship.  He cited "business
       pressures".

     - Four Irish players were on the Oxford University team for the
       annual match against Cambridge which took place at Twickenham
       before a capacity crowd.  Cambridge were the winners.


           > > > > > > > > >   SPORTS SHORTS   < < < < < < < < <

     - CYCLING:  Stephen Roche confirmed that he will retire at the
       end of next season at the age of 33.  He says that the sport is
       putting undue pressure on his family life.

     - GOLF:  Nick Faldo will not defend his Irish Open title next
       year as he believes it will interfere with his preparations for
       the US Open championship.


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          *                                                     *
          *  This newsletter has been prepared primarily from   *
          *  press and radio reports.   It should not be taken  *
          *  as representing the views of my employer or those  *
          *         of other companies within the group.        *
          *                                                     *
           * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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