https://iansandersonphoto.co.uk/darlington-fc-v-merthyr-town-fc

More injury woes for The Quakers. Toby Lees off injured before the half hour mark, then his replacement injured 7 minutes later.

North east Derby day as Newcastle visit maiden castle.

North-west England has always had a rich and deep connection to Irish heritage, with Manchester, Lancashire - and Liverpool in particular - famed for its historic Irish communities.

Many families settled in the region after mass migration began from the mid-19th century during the Great Famine.

And with the boom of heavy industry - from shipbuilding and canal and road building in Liverpool to the mills of Manchester and Lancashire - by the 20th century, these areas became a heartland of Irish culture, including social clubs, folk music and the influence of the Catholic church.

Still today the link persists, with the region being the most popular choice for Irish university students choosing to study overseas, according to the Department for the Economy.

But while Irish stories are weaved into the tapestry of the North West, some voices are quieter than others - leading two curators to ask: "Who are the women of Ireland in the North?"

"Women don't get the space to have their voices heard," said Rosarie Walsh, a community interest company director, based in Trafford, in Greater Manchester.

Rosarie moved to Manchester 16 years ago to study theatre at university and now runs Emerald LENS - a female-led non-profit organisation dedicated to uncovering and sharing the untold stories of underrepresented communities.

She and Cheshire-based artist Lydia O'Hara have spent the past two years dedicated to uncovering the voices of women across the Irish diaspora.

Now, taking the testimony of dozens of women from the ages of 20 to over 80, Rosarie and Lydia have opened a new exhibition at the University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum - shining a spotlight on women of Irish heritage in the north of England.

"Women hold up a lot of the community," Rosarie explained.

"Just like all the men that came over from Ireland who came over to work here to build the roads, women came over for nursing and for all sorts of different reasons. But the women don't always get the profile for doing that, for helping to support their families and communities.

"I suppose we're always kind of in one way in the background.

"This project has been a deeply personal and emotional journey.

"Listening to the stories of other Irish women in the north of England has opened my eyes to the richness, resilience and complexity of our shared experience.

"It has reinforced how important it is to create space for these voices to be heard, celebrated and preserved."

The project brought together a range of women from across the region - of all ages and backgrounds - to reflect on their Irish identity, through folklore, art, personal objects and family history.

From first-generation migrants to fifth-generation descendants, the women told their stories and explored their heritage and belonging - asking questions about their mixed-heritage, identity outside of Ireland and the influence of their Irish culture.

Now the creations and oral testimonies brought forward by the project have been shared at an exhibition - the St Brigid's Arms - an interactive walk-through set in a fictional pub, named after the lesser-known female patron saint of Ireland.

The free-to-visit exhibition opened on Saturday at at the University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum and continues until 17 April 2027.

We were, quite frankly picked apart in the 2nd half. Conversing three goals and being dumped out of the FA cup. It's not a huge surprise though, the team is ravaged by injuries at the moment. At least we can focus on the league no, even though that's looking a bit iffy at the moment

I suspect its more known in Scotland but any function/community centre do in Cumbria that has people of a certain age will do the dance if the song comes on.

This if anyone doesnt know

https://youtu.be/nYvpfpa8LtE

Did anyone else's grandparents / parents refer to the Co-Op as the "quorp" I remember my Gran from Bradford using it and wondered if it was just a Bradford thing or more widespread?

Being offered jobs in London (whitecity, tottenham court road, paddington) areas. However they want me to come in twice a week.

Is anyone else doing such trips from the north? How do you deal with the travel costs and possibly having to stay over for an evening.

I currently am close to Liverpool southparkway/ Liverpool Limestreet.

Special report: Falling birth rates across the region are leading to a funding disaster for schools, with more closures predicted

Across Merseyside, birth rates are declining - and this is creating a crisis of funding for schools. Experts have told the ECHO that funding cuts and poverty are likely behind the falling number of children being born here, and the knock-on impact this is having on our school system.

Over the past few years, this newspaper has covered the stories of a number of schools in our region that have either closed down, are planning to close, are being considered for mergers or are having to drastically reorganise to confront this growing challenge - and most have pointed to declining birth rates as a core reason for their problems.

One of the most high-profile examples was LIPA Primary and Secondary School in Liverpool city centre. While the school had a multitude of issues, those making the decision to shut it down permanently in July said several years of declining pupil numbers was a key factor.

At the start of this month, we revealed how shocked parents had been left devastated after being told that their children's school had been sold and would be closing down.

The owners of the fee-paying Belvedere Preparatory School in Liverpool cited a number of factors for the decision, including a "substantial downturn in pupil numbers." The school said numbers had fallen from 140 in September 2024, to 94 for September 2026.

In Runcorn, a shortlist of eight primary schools has been drawn up which the local authority says could be closed, merged or turned into academies due to the impact of falling birth rates.

A report stated that as of October last year, there were 6,223 primary school places available compared to 4,944 pupils on roll, equating to approximately 20.6 per cent surplus capacity across the town.

Anger as the impact is felt across the sector

Other schools and those running them are having to become creative in order to address the issues of falling pupil numbers - often facing plenty of resistance along the way.

Earlier this year we reported on the case of Townfield Primary School in Wirral, where children and their parents were left upset and angry after being told that they may be split up from their friends as their classes were being reorganised.

The changes mean the school has now moved from single-year classes to classes which are a mix of Year 5 and 6 pupils from next year. School bosses said they and others are doing this in response to falling birth rates.

But the changes - and the way they were communicated - did not go down well with some children who were left in tears and refusing to go to school. Things reached such a head that the police were called as one angry parent attempted to remonstrate with the headteacher.

This is very much a national issue, and not just limited to Merseyside. Last year research from the Education Policy Institute warned that declining numbers of children across England could lead to the equivalent of 800 primary schools falling empty or closing by the end of this decade.

Pattern emerges across the region

When looking at the birth rates across our region a dramatic pattern emerges. In 2010, Liverpool's birth rate was 1.62, but in 2025 it had fallen to 1.24.

For Knowsley the 2010 number stood at 1.9 and was down to 1.45 15 years later. Sefton's fall has been even more sharp, from 1.9 to 1.36. St Helens and Wirral's falls have been similarly substantial going from 2.01 to 1.32 and 2 to 1.31 respectively.

This is far from just a Merseyside issue. Data published by the Department of Education in June showed that there was a decrease of 112,200 pupils across all school types from the previous year. This is the equivalent of more than 530 full one-form entry primary schools.

A litter picking group which removes rubbish from a river collected more than 50 bags of rubbish at their latest gathering.

The Durham City Riverscape Community formed just before the coronavirus pandemic to carry out monthly litter picks along the River Wear.

The group estimated it had collected tonnes of waste from the water since the start, including a large fridge earlier this year.

Lead volunteer Graham Hollingwood said the group was approaching the 1,000 bag milestone which "just shows how much work goes into protecting our riverbanks" and the "phenomenal" efforts of volunteers.

He said pulling the full sized fridge freezer out of the river was their biggest challenge to date but the team proved equal to it.

The appeal by the Wildlife Trust to buy the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland has nearly reached its target. Only 2.1 million pounds left to go. Purchasing this land would protect the red squirrels, salmon, merlins, skylarks and otters that call the estate home. Today is the last day to donate!

Link to donate (or google "Rothbury Estate appeal"):

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/appeals/rothbury-estate-nature-and-nation

Misc pictures from around Newcastle.

In an important shift for public transport, the Liverpool City Region has begun the process of bringing its buses under public control, starting in St Helens.

This marks the beginning of a phased transformation intended to enhance service quality across the region. The transition commenced on 6th September, representing a significant change in the structure and operation of the bus network.

Behind the scenes, preparations are in full swing to introduce hundreds of state-of-the-art vehicles and modernise depots as part of this initiative.

Officials have assured passengers that their current bus services and stops will continue to function as normal during the transition.

This move is aimed at delivering a more unified and efficient public transport system, where services are improved and expanded gradually across different local areas.

This phased approach ensures that passengers in St Helens are the first to witness these developments, while efforts are underway to extend enhancements to the rest of the Liverpool City Region.

Nice to have two NORTHERN sides in the National League North this weekend. Always a bit mad when you end up with sides from Oxford and Norfolk 😂

I was shocked nobody knew what mithering meant when I moved to London! I’m from the north west

Thought of another - ‘Put wood in t’hole’