world wide madness

Again, nothing to do with Limerick, but it has something to do with Father ted, so thats my excuse!! Galway born, Patrick Gibson is a gameshow contestant without parallel.Not only has he already scooped the elusive stg£1m jackpot on ITV's 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire', last night the father of two won the BBC's 'Mastermind' - the title to which all quiz buffs aspire.

A software developer, whose specialist subject was the cult television show 'Father Ted', Patrick beat a university lecturer and freelance translator to score 31 points and take the Mastermind crown, beating five other finalists on the way.He took home the famous crystal bowl, and the knowledge that he is officially the quiz champion of the UK. He was born in Galway before moving to Belfast where he attended university. A computer software writer for a betting firm, in April last year he hit the headlines when he became the fourth person to win the top prize on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. Patrick used his 50/50 lifeline and then phoned a friend before correctly answering the stg£1m question. At the time of his win, a neighbour described him as a "quiet, jolly little man" with a talent for quizzes.

He answered 17 questions on his chosen topic of Father ted... we salute you... down with that type of thing.... careful now

It looks like the holiay on ice thing that was down in the potato market last year is making a return visit this year, so casualty out in the regional will probably see an upsurge in cut fingers and damage to other limbs being extended more than normal!! In nothing to do with Limerick news it looks like we could have a new International Soccer manager shortly enough. Also, it seems as if the City Council is really in the the "deep D'oh " now as it looks as if they will have to fork out in the region of 50 million euro to Uniform Construction after the High Court has decided not to change the decision made by an arbritator after the council terminated a contract on the Main drainage project in 2001.

It appears that Limerick is going to get its first private hospital after it was confirmed that a new hospital , which entails a total investment of 60 million euro, will be based at the Blackberry Retail Park on the Dock Road. The construction of the 95 bed facility is expected to be completed within twelve months. It will also contain six operating theatres, a physioterapy centre and 14 recovery units. 300 construction jobs will be created, during the building phase, with 150 medical staff
being employed, when the hospital is up and running. This may be a good thing, seeing as results last week placed the regional hospital in Dooradoyle fairly close to the bottom of the hygiene scale. The surgical wards in the Regional Hospital are currently the most unhygenic in the country. The intensive care units at the facility are rated as Ireland's second worst with an average score of 65 per cent. The Regional's medical wards are seventh lowest of the country's 54 hospitals while the outpatient departments are reported to be fifth lowest of all hospitals!

There are 7 munster players in the starting 15 for the slaughter on Saturday... sorry, - game against the All Blacks... Mayber if there were another eight on the team and it was played at Thomond pk, there might be some hope, but dont count on it. the team is ..

G Murphy (Leicester); T Bowe (Ulster), G D`Arcy (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), A Horgan (Munster); R O`Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), S Byrne (Saracens), J Hayes (Munster), D O`Callaghan (Munster), M O`Kelly (Leinster), S Easterby (Llanelli, capt), J O`Connor (Wasps), D Leamy (Munster).

Replacements: R Best (Ulster), S Best (Ulster), M McCullough (Ulster), N Best (Ulster), K Campbell (Ulster), D Humphreys (Ulster), G Dempsey (Leinster).

And to finish, LIMERICK Marine Search and Rescue, is to benefit from a fund-raising night, taking place at the Boro Club in Janesboro this Saturday, November 12. Tickets are a fiver and it starts at 9pm... A very good cause if ever there was one!

Well, things just were too quiet around town over the last fourteen months. The second murder within two weeks is being investigated after a man died of injuries received from an assault on the Old Cratloe Road last Friday night. LIke the buses, none for ages and now it seems as if its back in fashion. Hopefully it will be just a blip and things will settle back down again, but one should never been too hopeful when it comes to this type of thing around Limerick.

Keeping up to date with the local crime news, a handgun and ammunition were recovered on the southside yesterday.

Out the county, the 16th road death of the year happened near newcastlewest when a Lithunain was killed when his vehicle hit a wall in the early hours of the morning.