DOWN THE YEARS
Memories from days gone by
Drug dog ‘Jake’ is safe and sound June 1995
Ireland’s top sniffer dog Jake, whose abduction attracted international media attention, is alive and well. The six-year-old Labrador was found in a disused shed in Bridgetown on Wednesday. Wexford gardaí who recovered the prized canine during a search of the Bridgetown area in the early hours of the morning are certain that his kidnapping was linked to illegal drugs activity.
A senior garda spokesperson involved in the four-day investigation said it was suspected that Jake had been moved from premises to premises a number of times since his disappearance.
The successful sniffer dog, who hit the international headlines last weekend when he was mysteriously stolen from a locked kennel at the home of his handler, looked none the worse for his ordeal.
The handler, whose name and address are being guarded by the Customs authorities for security reasons, was contacted by the gardaí shortly after 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The National Drugs Team official was reported to be ‘over the moon’ as he formally identified his faithful friend and work companion to the gardaí who found him.
Then it was a period of further incarceration for Jake, as he waited in a cell in Wexford Garda Station for the arrival of senior Customs officials from Dublin who are now faced with the task of upgrading security arrangements for their handlers and sniffer dogs.
Jake himself may have been a victim of his own success because of all the Customs sniffer dogs, he has received the most publicity over the past five years. During his career in Rosslare Harbour, he helped in the detection of more than £6 million worth of illegal drugs and contributed to the conviction and sentencing of a large number of defendants.
In a bizarre twist to the tale earlier this week, Uri Geller, the British psychic, announced to the media that he had a feeling Jake was alive and locked in a basement near a petrol station and water.
And Wexford Gardaí, who make no claim to psychic powers, were saying unofficially that they believed he was alive because those responsible for his abduction could have killed him on the spot if that was their intention.
Both sides step it up in divorce debate June 1986
Both sides in the divorce debate stepped up their campaigns this week as offices were opened in Wexford and special bank accounts started as part of a major fundraising effort.
Meanwhile, the Wexford branch of the Workers Party began their campaign for a Yes vote in the referendum with the distribution of leaflets to households in the four main towns.
The Divorce Action Group opened their campaign headquarters in Walker’s Mall, Wexford, and members of the public are urged to drop in for information on the matter.
Fundraising has also begun and an account has been opened at AIB, North Main Street, Wexford. A benefit gig will also be held in The Shambles lounge next Friday night at 9 p.m.
Tonight (Thursday) a public meeting organised by the DAG will be held in The Talbot Hotel, starting at 8 p.m. It will be addressed by Fine Gael TD Monica Barnes; Labour Party Senator, Brendan Howlin; Chairwoman of DAG, Jean Tansey; and Workers Party councillor from Bray, Liz McManus.
The Wexford Anti-Divorce Campaign have opened their headquarters at Custom House Quay, Wexford, and anyone wishing to volunteer their services in asked to contact Mrs Phil O’Rourke or any committee member.
A bank account at AIB has also been set up. Flag Days have been organised for 23rd, 24th and 25th of June. The county co-ordinating committee also has a bank account at AIB.
At a recent meeting in Enniscorthy, it was agreed by the Anti-Divorce Campaign to lobby the five Wexford TDs on the issue and to urged them to support the No campaign.
Launching the Workers Party campaign for a Yes vote, Corporation member and Constituency Chairman, Michael Enright, said their campaign would complement and support the work of the Divorce Action Group.
He said nearly 10,000 leaflets would be distributed to homes in the main towns and party members would later return to canvass the residents. He called on all other political parties that favoured divorce to take an active role in the campaign and to get their members out canvassing.
Civil divorce is a civil right, he said, and it was wrong to deny that right to Irish citizens because of religious beliefs.
(Note: on the same page where the above news report appeared, also appeared an advertisement placed by the Anti-Divorce Campaign. It simply stated: ‘For God’s sake – Vote NO’).
Mormon Elders on a mission to Wexford June 2000
Elders Anthony Howard, aged 20, and Tyler Peterson, aged 19, are two new faces to Wexford, and plan to be here for a while. But you won’t see them in any of the town’s pubs.
The duo are Mormon missionaries who have left behind their families and friends and put their careers on hold to spend two years spreading the word and trying to win converts to their faith, which has 11 million members worldwide.
Most missionaries on their return home go back to full-time education or out into the workforce. Their success rate is generally very high, due to the skills and sensitivities they have developed in the mission field.
Elder Howard comes from a town in California called Red Bluff. His interests are surfing, fishing and skateboarding. You may have seen him on The Quay in Wexford.
He left Kara (his girlfriend) back home to serve as a missionary.
‘ This has been the best time of my life. I’ve learned so much and grown to love the Irish people with whom I work,’ he says.
He is one of six children and has lived in Las Vegas and Utah and is nearing the end of his mission, having spent 20 months in Ireland so far.
Elder Peterson comes from a small farming community in Rexburg, Idaho. His favourite sports are basketball, golfing, snowmobiling and four-wheeling. He also comes from a family of six, with three sisters and two brothers.
‘My mission has been the most learning and challenging experience of my life, but it has taught me good work ethics, how to become independent and strengthen my faith to stand up for what I believe in,’ he said.
One of the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as the Mormon church is officially known, teaches a health law called ‘ The Word of Wisdom’.
The young missionaries explained that this taught ‘not to take any harmful substance such as tobacco, coffee, tea, alcohol, or other harmful drugs’.
‘ The restrictions for this law are because these things damage our physical bodies and harm our spirits,’ said the elders.
Proud day a head for all in Wexford GAA June 2001
The moment which gaelic games followers have waited patiently for will finally come on Saturday next when the revamped Wexford Park re-opens its doors to the public.
The senior footballers of Wexford and Westmeath will have the distinction of playing the first game in the main county ground since it underwent a major refurbishment at a total cost of £3.35 million.
Wexford Park closed for development in 1997, and a big crowd is expected next Saturday when competitive action resumes at 7 p.m.
History will be made in more ways than one, as Saturday’s game will be the first-ever for Wexford in the new All-Ireland qualifying series.
Plans for Saturday’s game were commenced immediately after the draw took place at the weekend, and several meetings were staged in Wexford Park on Monday to ensure that the venue would be in the best possible shape for the large crowed which is expected.
The development has increased the stadium capacity to 25,000, with the centrepiece being the magnificent new stand on the Corish Park side which will host 5,000 spectators.
Concrete tiered terracing has been constructed behind both goals, replacing the old grass banks.
Other notable features of the new Wexford Park development in include a running track around the pitch (which is suitable for team training), a state-of-the-art gymnasium which is already in full use, modern chaning rooms facilities for teams and match officials, and purpose-built management and administration offices under the new stand.