The Leicester Jester and the Ginger Magician

March 21 promises to be a dazzling night for snooker in Mullingar when Steve 'Ginger Magician' Davis and Mark 'Jester from Leicester' Selby will entertain fans of the sport.A witty and skilful exhibition of world class snooker at a display in the Greville Arms Hotel, in aid of the local Carers" Association.Last year Steve Davis charmed the crowd with his amusing repartee and awesome talent. Steve himself is a big fan of Mark Selby saying that 'Mark has a fantastic all-round game and can play any type of snooker'. This augurs well for snooker enthusiasts and for those who enjoy the game and a bit of banter.Steve himself is a legend who was the snooker world"s No. 1 for seven years - he recorded the world"s first televised break of 147 and became the sport"s first millionaire!Mark Selby was snooker"s youngest professional when he joined the paid ranks as a 16-year-old in 1999, but it wasn"t until the 2007 888.com World Championship that he really showed the world what he can do. Currently ranked at No. 4 in the world this is a talent to watch out for - No. 1 here he comes!The question for Mark is - can he stand up against unbeatable local hero Richie Toal who defeated Steve Davis last year and Ronnie O"Sullivan the year before? Can Richie, a member of St. Mary"s Snooker Club, make this three in a row?The overall winners on the night will be the local branch of the Carers" Association who are thrilled that supports and services to Family Carers will be supplemented by this sporting extravaganza. The branch currently provides respite and training as well as lobbying for and providing a listening ear to Family Carers who often work a 24/7 day caring for their loved ones in the home.Manager Caroline Poole took the opportunity to thank John and all at the Greville Arms, Michael Cane and the members of St. Mary"s Snooker Club for their staunch support.Tickets can be purchased from the Greville Arms Hotel (044) 9348563 or the Carers" Association in Mullingar (044) 9347922.More dirt on the way? - With an emergency budget just around the corner bookies Paddy Power are betting there"s more DIRT and even dirtier income tax rate hikes on the way for cash strapped Ireland.If Paddy Power"s odds are anything to go by, Lenihan could announce a jump of 2% on the current top rate of income tax to 43% from 41%, while it"s just 6/4 that consumers will suffer a further increase in the standard rate of VAT. Paddy Power are also offering 5/1 on a new super tax rate of 50% being implemented and 3/1 that DIRT will increase by as much as 3% to 26%.Despite the uncertainties still hang over what steps will be taken with regards to tax, one thing does seem certain with Paddy Power - any reduction in the top rate of income tax looks completely out of the question at 100/1!Paddy Power said: 'There"s more chance of me running through Dublin starkers than there is of the Government reducing tax. There"s no question about it, these are difficult times and I think everyone is bracing themselves for the next budget blow!'Meanwhile a Fine Gael/Labour coalition to form the next government remains the 4/5 favourite with Paddy Power.Daffodil Day volunteers needed locally - This year"s Daffodil Day will take place on Friday, 20th March 2009 and the Irish Cancer Society - which uses the proceeds to provide free patient care and specialist nursing services to people with cancer and their families all over Ireland - is seeking people in Westmeath who are willing to act as volunteers selling daffodils in the community or workplace.Further information on becoming a volunteer is available from the Daffodil Day office on CallSave 1850 60 60 60, or locally, by contacting Caroline Maslin on 086 0418035.The Society is launching its 2009 Daffodil Day campaign in the wake of startling predicted increases in the number of new cases of cancer. 25,465 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Ireland in 2005, and the leatest data shows that in 2005, 488 people developed cancer in Westmeath.Last year the Society raised €4 million from its Daffodil Day campaign of which €1.7m was spent on the night nursing service; €920,000 on the employment of twenty-seven hospital based cancer liaison nurses to work in major cancer treatment hospitals across the country; €528,245 on cancer homecare teams; €70,800 for bursaries to 104 nurses undertaking the higher diploma in oncology nursing; and €40,000 to fund a play specialist for the children"s cancer unit in Our Lady"s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.Of the 1,642 families who availed of the night nursing service in 2008, 72 were in Westmeath and Longford; and of the €528,245 allocated to cancer homecare teams, €9,737 was allocated to homecare teams operating in the Westmeath area.Daffodil Day monies were also used to fund the Irish Cancer Society"s Helplines (freefone 1800 200 700), and of the almost 15,404 calls received last year, 117 were from callers in Westmeath.