To see the full list of recipients, video footage from the evening and a photo gallery, click here.

THE Catholic Church has been slammed for charging £3,000 for new graves at Milltown Cemetery.

If all 1,300 graves are sold it will net the Church a massive £3.9 million.

Adding to the anger of potential buyers is the fact that they are not told the location of the plots until they hand over the cash.

Dermott Hill woman Eilish Gibson says her elderly parents have been put off by the steep price.

She said: “Both my parents are quite elderly and had been planning to buy a plot at Milltown – but not after they were quoted £3,000 and found out that they wouldn’t be told where the plot is until they handed the money over.

“They were also told that they would only be given 28 days to come up with the money. It’s scandalous that the Church is behaving like this.”

There is a huge shortage of graves in Belfast’s Catholic cemeteries. Because the Belfast City Council-owned City Cemetery is full there has been a huge demand for the 1,300 new Milltown graves.

The interest has allowed the Catholic Church to get away quoting a  high price tag of £3,000.

Amazingly, plots at the mainly Protestant Roselawn Cemetery in East Belfast can be bought for as little as £460.

A Catholic Church spokesman confirmed new graves are being sold at Milltown for £3,000, but said these are in line with private cemetery prices.

He defended the price tag, adding that Milltown costs £300,000 per year to maintain and that £750,000 was spent on improvements there last year.

More than 85,000 people are buried at Milltown. 

As a private cemetery it does not receive any funding from Belfast City Council. 

Milltown is currently owed around £80,000 by families with loved ones buried in the graveyard.

Four times more people will die under the age of 75 in working class areas like Ardoyne than in more affluent stretches of the Antrim Road such as Fortwilliam.

This and other shocking statistics contained in a report produced by Belfast Healthy Cities, highlight the direct link between wealth and health and shows North Belfast as having the worst mortality rate in the city.

The Divided by Health report confirms the area's high rate of deaths by suicide and, alarmingly, shows the highest increase for both men and women in incidences of self harm.

Commenting on the findings released last week, health researchers specialising in North Belfast said educational attainment, social economics and the legacy of the troubles added to the health inequality across the area.

The detailed report examines mortality rates and health figures by council ward and 'super output' areas, smaller regions within the ward examined.

In one 'super output' area of the Ardoyne ward, 72 per cent of deaths, registered in 2006 were people under the age of 75 while in Chichester Park and Fortwilliam figures were as low as 12 per cent and 16 per cent respectively. 

In other working class areas the percentage of people who die younger than their more prosperous counterparts is similarly unequal.

In Cliftonville 72.7 per cent of deaths in one super output area were under the age of 75, the New Lodge just over 65 per cent and the Waterworks, 71 per cent.

Programme director of Belfast Healthy Cities, Joan Devlin said higher stress levels due to money and other worries could lead to ill-health, adding suicide was a priority issue in the area.

"It is a major issue particularly in Belfast North and Belfast West Parliamentary Constituencies, where the suicide rate for males aged 15 and over doubled between 1991-97 and 1998-2004 and were among the highest across the UK. 

"In a UK wide comparison suicide rates for males in Belfast North (rank 11 out of 426) and Belfast West (ranked 13th), and for females in Belfast West (ranked 33rd), were found to be over 50 per cent higher than the UK average rate."

The Health minister Michael McGimspey said that while some progress has been made in the Belfast City Council area, other statistics were alarming.

"It is unacceptable that in this day and age with all the modern medical interventions available, there has been slow progress raising life expectancy for the most deprived in our society," he said. “Health is everyone’s responsibility. We must do more to engage the population to take that responsibility seriously. And as policy makers, we must focus on tackling inequalities in health and their root causes and make this a priority."   

A groundbreaking Channel Four television show was in North Belfast last week giving out cash to some of the most deserving in the community.

The Secret Millionaire, which sends multi-millionaires into deprived areas under different guises, was in Ardoyne and the Shankill assessing the communities needs before handing out life changing windfalls to individuals and groups in the area.

In the prime time series the millionaire leaves their luxury life behind, takes on a secret identity and lives undercover in a deprived area.

 Living on a limited budget with little mod-cons they must forge their own way in the community by working and volunteering alongside the locals and finding individuals and projects who they think deserve a cut of their fortune.

On their final day, the millionaires come clean and reveal their true identity to the people they have chosen, surprising them with overwhelming gifts of thousands of pounds to improve their lives.

The North Belfast News understands a sum of money was given to John Paul the Second Youth Club in Ardoyne to help boost their facilities. It is also believed individuals in the area as well individuals and groups on the Shankill benefited from the undercover millionaire’s generosity.

Youngsters from the youth club were told about the cash boost last week. When contacted John Paul the Second Youth Club declined to comment.

The pair are to meet to discuss issues relating to the environmental improvement schemes in the Markets area, one of which was given the go-ahead last week (see page 3).

It was during a debate about the area on September 30 that the minister repeatedly made reference to the murder of Robert McCartney in January 2005.

Assembly Speaker Willie Hay censured Ms Ritchie at the time, saying her comments “did not meet the standards of good temper and moderation.”

Mr Maskey said he would not let tomorrow’s meeting overshadow the “bigger issue” of the Markets’ schemes.

“I have a number of items on the agenda and I am only interested in dealing with the minister on behalf of the people I represent. 

“However, given the minister’s outburst at the time, I will have to satisfy myself whether she will be able to set aside her own feelings and work for the good of the constituency.

“She made her views very clear at the time, so will she be able to put away that personal bias and deal with the issues?”

Mr Maskey said the issue of Ms Ritchie’s outburst was still in the hands of his solicitors

“As far as I am concerned, her comments were unprovoked and completely disgraceful. The speaker rebuked her at the time, but to the best of my knowledge, she has never responded to either Mr Hay or myself.

“She read her remarks from a script, so I believe they were predetermined. To me, that is more a measure of her character than anything else.” 

Mr Maskey added that he believed Ms Ritchie’s comments were “an attempt to deflect attention” from the issue of the environmental improvement schemes in the Markets.

“It may well be that she was trying to grab the headlines to remove the focus from the fact she seemed to have no intention of going ahead with the schemes in the first place.

“I believe her mind was already made up before the debate, which her response indicated. In my eyes, that was further confirmed with her outburst in the Assembly against me, which had nothing to do with the issue.”

An SDLP spokesman said the minister would not be commenting on the issue.

Messages on a website set up to oppose the introduction of the sports by the principal of Belvoir Park Primary School, William Tate, accuses the teacher of "poisoning children's minds", and calls for the headmaster to bring his "glorification of Gaelic and IRA martyrs to a Catholic school".

A local community representative told the South Belfast News that he believed the majority of people did not want Gaelic games in the area as it "is and always has been a loyalist estate".

However Mr Tate, who has brought Gaelic sportsmen into the mainly Protestant school as part of the classes, played down the comments, blaming any criticism on a "core group opposed to change”.

"We've had Gaelic footballers in, the children loved it and there was no real bother," said Mr Tate.

"This is a mixed school, we do all sorts of sports and I've only received two real complaints about the Gaelic."

However, a local community representative said there had been mounting disquiet in the Belvoir estate since the introduction of Gaelic football and hurling.

Barry Wilson from the Belvoir/Milltown Community Association said GAA games at the school had upset a lot of people in the staunchly loyalist estate.

"Belvoir is and always has been a loyalist estate and the majority of people do not want Gaelic games here," he said. "It's fine if people want their children to get involved but we were never informed and that is wrong.

"A lot of parents have withdrawn their consent and Gaelic practice has been moved to the rear of the school, such is the extent of the ill-feeling."

A website, which Mr Wilson says was set up by family members of children at the school, calls for an end to "sports governed by the IRA" being forced upon schoolchildren without parents' consent and asks, "Do you want the children of Belvoir having to salute the Irish Tricolour while listening to the Soldiers' Song? If you let hurling into Belvoir Primary School this is where it will lead."

The site also calls for locals to send letters of protest to the school in a bid to keep Belvoir "non-sectarian".

DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt said he had previously  been made aware of "some disquiet" surrounding the development.

"It is important that the Board of Governors of the school and the headteacher act in a spirit of co-operation with the parents and pupils of the school to allay community concerns," he said. 

"But it is important to remember that a single website does not necessarily represent every person connected to the school or even from the area."

Hitting out at the factual inaccuracy of the anti-GAA site, South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said those who try to politicise the association do "no service" to any community.

"The GAA is one of the largest and most successful amateur sporting organizations in the world and is deserving of public support for the range and depths of its voluntary activities," he said.

"Clearly the attack on the GAA on the website is not remotely factual and although this is obviously a matter for the school principal to work out with the parents and pupils concerned, I would of course encourage any and every opportunity for people to engage with each other on a cross-community basis, including sports."

Francisco Notarantonio used a 13-inch chef’s knife to kill Gerard Devlin in front of his partner and six children.

Details about the fatal Ballymurphy stabbing emerged at Belfast Crown Court on Friday during the appearance of five men from the same family who admit being involved in the brawl that led to Mr Devlin’s death.

Francisco Notarantonio, 21, admits manslaughter. Four others – Christopher Notarantonio, 56, Anthony Notarantonio, 50, William Notarantonio, 24, and Paul Oliver Burns, 26 – have pleaded guilty to affray. The five were due to be sentenced on Friday. However the decision on their punishment has been postponed so judge Mr Justice Stephens can consider the facts.

During the proceedings it emerged that Francisco Notarantonio stabbed Mr Devlin with a fearsome 13-inch chef’s knife.

The 39-year-old died from a single stab wound to the back, which entered between the ninth and tenth ribs and moved up into the chest, puncturing vital organs.

When details of the injuries were read out Mr Devlin’s tearful parents – Mary and Pat Devlin – left the courtroom.

The court heard how two relatives who rushed to Mr Devlin’s aid – Anthony McCabe and Thomas Loughran – were also attacked.

Francisco Notarantonio stabbed Mr McCabe in the chest, leaving a three-inch wound.

He also attempted to stab Mr Loughran, but missed. During the melée Mr Loughran was hit over the head with a spindle from a stair-banister.

The brawl, which occurred on February 3, 2006, began when Mr Devlin arrived at his partner’s home in Whitecliff Parade to collect her and his six children.

He intended taking them to the village of Glenavy to show them their new house.

As they were leaving, his son, Gerard Devlin Jnr, became involved in a confrontation with William Notarantonio.

Gerard Devlin intervened and began fighting with William Notarantonio, who ran into a relative’s house and summoned help.

Francisco Notarantonio, Christopher Notarantonio, Anthony Notarantonio and Paul Burns ran on to the street, armed with a variety of weapons, and began attacking Mr Devlin. Seeing their relative being assaulted, Mr Loughran and Mr McCabe ran to his aid. It was during the resulting brawl that Francisco Notarantonio inflicted the fatal stab wound. Mr Devlin was taken to hospital where he died.

In the hours after the fight  angry crowds gathered in Whitecliff Parade. The home of Victor Notarantonio was attacked before the PSNI and community activists managed to restore calm.

Three days later police discovered a bloodied knife hidden in a garden in Ballymurphy Road. It contained blood belonging to Mr Devlin and Mr McCabe.

During questioning Francisco Notarantonio told detectives he had a knife but did not stab anyone.

But he would later plead guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Devlin, the malicious wounding of Anthony McCabe, and the attempted malicious wounding of Thomas Loughran.

The court was told Francisco Notarantonio has a previous drugs conviction.

Anthony Notarantonio has convictions for possession of firearms with intent, and possession of documents likely to be of use to terrorists. He was sentenced to eight years for these offences before being freed on licence in 2005 having served half his sentence.

Because the terms of his licence do not expire until 2009, Anthony Notarantonio may have to serve the full term of his original sentence on top of that which he receives for affray.

The court was told the three others – Christopher Notarantonio, William Notarantonio and Paul Burns – do not have criminal records.

The five men are due to be sentenced later this month.

A packed public gallery heard Mr Justice Stephens say he would defer sentencing until a later date.

A dozen PSNI officers, some in riot gear, separated around 20 members of the Notarantonio family from 30 members of the Devlin family.

After years of close calls and near misses O’Donovan Rossa’s camógs finally clinched their first-ever All-Ireland Senior title in Ashbourne, Co Meath on Sunday.

The state-of-the-art Meath sports complex where they won the title is close to the historic site of the Battle of the Boyne and on Sunday afternoon the West Belfast girls wrote  their own names in the annals of Irish sporting history.

Rossa’s hero was Jane Adams, who was once again magnificent on her way to an individual haul of 2-9.

“Day in, day out Jane will go up to the pitch and practice. She’s just top class,” said proud manager Mickey McCullough in the immediate aftermath of the game.

Wild scenes of celebration greeted the final whistle as a sea of blue and yellow clad supporters engulfed their panel of heroes. McCullough was fulsome in his praise of the players involved young and old.

“This isn’t a one-year thing we’ve been here five or six years knocking on this door and we’ve finally kicked it down,” said McCullough.

“It was unbelievable relief at the end but we got there.”

Meanwhile beaming captain Adams expressed her overwhelming pride at the club’s unique achievement. She praised all the people involved with the club, past and present, for their support and belief.

“I’m so proud and honoured to be an O’Donovan Rossa person,” said the All-Star.