This is actor Aiden McNally as “Davy” in The Craic Theatre Production of “The Lieutenant of Innishmore” by Martin McDonagh which opens tomorrow night. It’s a very funny black comedy.

This is Ranfurly House and the old police barracks in Market Square Dungannon Co Tyrone. Work is well underway on this historic building that is being redeveloped in a major refurbishment.
The ‘Old Belfast Bank’ in Market Square, Dungannon and the landscaping of Castle Hill jointly represent an investment to provide an arts centre and interpretative display in the ‘bank’ now known as Ranfurly House. It will form part of a heritage park on the site of the Gaelic O’Neill Clan stronghold on Castle Hill.

The old police barracks in Dungannon is a fascinating building in an architectural as well as a political sense. Festooned with turrets and towers, its Scottish Baronial design dates from the beginning of the twentieth century. The result of an attempt to combine its function as a barracks with defensive features, its layout and façade are so unusual for their time that a local legend arose to explain it. Due to an error in London, the wags say, the plans for the Dungannon police barracks were sent to the Khyber Pass and the building meant for Afghanistan was erected in Dungannon.

For as long as I can remember these three ducks have welcomed people to the village of Emyvale Co Monaghan.

This is actor John Ryan as “Christy” in The Craic Theatre’s production of “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” a black comedy by Martin McDonagh.

This is the view of The Square Dungannon from the newly reopened library.

This is Derryadd Lake which forms part of The Peatlands Park Nature Reserve. It’s adjacent to the M1 motorway between Tamnamore and The Birches roundabouts.

This is the walk along Coalisland Canal. A favourite amongst those of us trying to keep fit or who enjoy a nice walk in the country. Local photographer Plunkett Scullion has got some great wild life photographs along this stretch of waterway between the town and the Blackwater River which links it to Lough Neagh the largest fresh water lake in Western Europe.

Coalisland Canal (sometimes known as The Tyrone Navigation) is a canal  is about 4.5 miles long. Construction of the canal began in 1733, but progress was slow and it was not officially opened until 1787. The canal was built to reduce the cost of transporting coal from the Tyrone coalfields to Dublin. An extension known as “Dukart’s Canal” was built to link the coalfields of Drumglass with the head of navigation at Coalisland. It opened in 1777, but was an engineering failure, and closed when the main canal opened. After some difficulties with the infrastructure, traffic slowly increased, and did not reach its peak until 1931. Traffic then declined rapidly, and the canal was abandoned in 1954

This building was knocked down this week. It was the Canning’s house and butcher’s shop and was one of the oldest dwellings in Coalisland dating back to the late 1700’s The front door of the house was typically Georgian design from that era. Unfortunately the building was destroyed by fire a number of years ago and just this week was totally demolished. The Italian architect and engineer Davis Ducart who designed part of the Coalisland Canal lived in the house for a period in the 1770’s. The last occupant of the house was the late Jim Canning and his family. Jim carried on the family tradition as a butcher and was member of the local council for many many years with a particular interest in persevering local heritage. It’s sad and ironic that this piece of the towns history has come to an end.

New lambs on a farm on Carnenny Lane in the townland of Tranderagee near Pomeroy Co Tyrone.

One of the local GAA teams Brocagh Robert Emmet’s held a very successful boxing tournament in the Glenavon Hotel Cookstown to raise funds for the club in conjunction with Clonoe Boxing Club. This is Connor Kolbohm receiving last minute instruction from cornerman Jamsie Hagan. For many years our family have had a long association with the boxing club. My brother Tommy was a multi all Ireland champion in several weight divisions. He won a bronze medal at the world championships and represented Ireland in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.