Antrim

The discovery of a pipe-bomb in south Belfast last Thursday forced residents to evacuate their homes and led to traffic chaos across the city. The device was found by police a short distance away from a nursery school at a BMX track at Roden Street. The school had already been evacuated during an earlier alert. Residents in nearby Iverna Close were advised by police to leave their homes if possible during the alert. A controlled explosion was carried out on the device and police confirmed it as “component parts of a pipe-bomb”.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Armagh

Revenue and Customs officers in Northern Ireland say they have dismantled a significant fuel laundering operation. The announcement came following raids at two separate locations in Co Armagh last week. The two plants were being used to launder green diesel from the Republic of Ireland. Customs officers said the plants were capable of producing 13m liters of illicit diesel a year, with a loss to revenue estimated at £8m.
(Source: RTE News)

Carlow

A gang of Eastern Europeans was caught red-handed after targeting Carlow in a recent crime spree. The group of three, consisting of men and women, arrived in Carlow from their base in Clondalkin, Dublin last Saturday, with the sole intention of raiding local stores.

Four stores in the Fairgreen shopping complex – Next, Champion Sports, Heatons and JeanScene – were targeted when the gang entered the shops armed with foil-lined bags.

The group was caught in the act and arrested after stealing clothing and property worth just under €1,000.
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

The village of Mullagh was one of a number of targets in a major garda operation in the early hours of last Monday morning. The operation, coordinated from Store Street Garda Station, was part of an intelligence-led investigation into drug trafficking and focused on organized criminal activity primarily in Dublin. Bullet-proof vests, mobile phones, laptops, bank statements and slips, and a small quantity of cocaine were among the items seized.
(Source: The Angle Celt)

Clare

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has uncovered a major discrepancy between information supplied by Clare County Council and figures from the Minister for Transport relating to unspent road budgets in Clare. Some weeks ago, Deputy Carey highlighted the significant amount of unspent emergency road improvement funding that can be claimed on completion of works, claiming that significant amounts of funding was not spent by the local authority.
(Source: The Clare People)

Cork

One of Cork’s most popular characters passed away in Marymount Hospice last week. Pat Allen, commonly referred to as ‘Pat the Picket’, who was suffering from cancer, was well-known across the city for his active participation in various marches and demonstrations in Cork. He was 57-years-old.Mr Allen used to dress in colorful clothes when he took part in peaceful protests, which he often organized on his own. His most popular protest points were City Hall and the Courthouse and regularly spoke out against the Government.

Source: (Cork Independent)

Derry

Nadine Coyle has told the Sentinel of her plans for a city wedding. Speaking before greeting hundreds of fans at an in-store album signing at Antrim’s Tesco last Monday, the Girls Aloud star turned solo pop singer described her joy at being engaged to football hunk Jason Bell and told us: “The wedding will be held in the city or very close to it.
(Source: Lononderry Sentinel)

Donegal

A 20-year-old Donegal man whose dangerous driving caused the death of his 16-year-old girlfriend and their three-month-old daughter has been given a two-year-jail sentence substituted by 240 hours of community service. Christopher Hanlon from Lettermacaward pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Kerry-Ann Meehan, who was originally from Derry and her daughter, three-month old Neisha.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down

A new online protection facility for child care professionals working across the Island of Ireland has gone live .The North South Child Protection Hub is available for use by policy makers, practitioners, researchers and educators in both the North and South.
Announcing the initiative in Newry last week, Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews said the North South Child Protection Hub was a resource which would "support evidence informed child protection policy and practice in both jurisdictions."
(Source: Irish Times)

Dublin

Gardai are probing a would-be assassin who disguised himself as a homeless man and tried to kill two men in Tallaght. The gunman, using the element of surprise, opened fire on the pair after they stopped their car to allow him cross the street. The victims, in their late 30s, were both shot in the arm. One was also hit in the chest.
(Source: Herald.ie)

Fermanagh

Hundreds of homes remain without electricity after gale force winds batter the province.
Heavy rain and winds of almost 70mph across Northern Ireland left some 6,000 people without electricity last Thursday night. Northern Ireland Electricity said Enniskillen was hit the hardest, with 1,500 people without power. A total of 125 engineers were working to fix
the network
(Source: Belfast Newsletter)

Galway

The Crusheen to Gort motorway was opened last Friday, shaving up to a half hour off the journey between the city and Shannon Airport and taking up to 10,000 vehicles per day out of the Gort. And the good news for road users in the north of the county is that construction work on the €500m motorway between Gort and Tuam is now due to begin in the Spring with contracts to be signed by the end of the year.
(Source: GalwayBay Fm)

Kildare

Taxi drivers in Newbridge have formed an umbrella group called Driver Direct Newbridge in a bid to offer a recognizable and safe taxi service. Seven full-time local taxi drivers have joined and they recently held a leaflet drop to let locals know that taxi drivers must display ID cards and that people do not have to take the first taxi on the rank.
(Source: The Kildare Nationalist)

Kilkenny

Members of the emergency services and the defenses forces launched the Movember initiative which aims to raise awareness of and funds for prostrate cancer. Men from all walks of life have undertaken the follicle challenge and are trimming moustashes of all shapes and sizes. The fun nationwide initiative is running in Kilkenny for the second year and up to 500 men are expected to participate in the event.
(Source: Kilkenny People)

Laois

A garda investigation is continuing into the circumstances of a road accident in which a 51-year old father was killed early last weekend. Billy Hyland of Garryhinch, Portarlington died after a collision with a car while cycling at Knightstown, Emo on the R422 at around 9.10am on Sunday morning last. The late Mr Hyland is survived by his wife Maeve, son John, father Jack and mother Mary, brother Eugene, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
(Source: Leinster Express)

Leitrim

Leitrim was the only county in the North West which actually saw an increase in the number of people made redundant last month.45 people lost their jobs in the county last month but according to the CSO Leitrim's live register fell by 2% in the same month.99 less people were signing on in October compared to September this year.
(Source: Leitrim Observer)

Limerick

Richard Harris famously liked a drink, and nowhere more so than in his "second home" - Charlie St George's on Parnell Street. Now, the upcoming annual Richard Harris tribute night will name a cocktail in his honor. A specially invented 'Harris cocktail' will be "sampled for the first time ever anywhere in the world on the night" on Tuesday, November 16. The actor once famously said: "I formed a new group called Alcoholics-Unanimous. If you don't feel like a drink, you ring another member and he comes over to persuade you."
(Source: Limerick Leader)

Longford

Longford Gardai have recorded seven heroin seizures over the past two weeks, including one instance where a quantity of drugs was discovered beside a child's cot. The seizures commenced on November 1 when a man was arrested in the College Park area, while gardai also arrested another man following a similar incident on the Ballinalee Road last weekend. Despite no formal charges being issued, a small amount of heroin was recovered from both men and a file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
(Source: Longford Leader)

Louth

A Dundalk man who downloaded over 7,000 child porn images and 260 pornographic movies of children is still capable of having his "residual" character defamed, a judge has decided. In a landmark case, Judge Joseph Matthews said that convicted child porn user Barry Watters of Hazelwood Avenue, Bay Estate, Dundalk retained a residual reputation capable of being damaged.
(Source: Dundalk Democrat)

Mayo

An Achill farmer was counting the cost of a savage attack on his flock of sheep by a group of dogs last Sunday evening which resulted in seven lambs being killed and four having to be put down. The incident happened late last weekend when a group of dogs in the Achill Sound area attacked a flock of 35 lambs belonging to Achill farmer, Tony Keane. The dogs chased the flock killing seven, year-old lambs and seriously injuring four more which resulted in them being put down.

(Source: The Mayo News)

Meath

More than 10,000 people took to the streets of Navan last Saturday week, in a massive show of support against the downgrading of Our Lady’s Hospital. Chanting “We are the people, we have the vote”, young and old from all over the county made their way from the Enterprise Centre on the Trim Road through the streets of the town before gathering close to the hospital in a huge show of strength that took even the organizers by surprise.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Offaly

The case of a man charged with the murder of Tullamore man Derek McDonagh has been adjourned until January.Richard Donovan appeared at Cloverhill District Court last week charged with the murder of father-of-one Derek McDonagh (27) in Tullamore on September 20. Mr McDonagh was fatally stabbed outside his parents’ home in the Arden View estate in Tullamore.
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

Reports relating to welfare concerns for more than 200 children in the county were received in 2008, the Herald can reveal. Figures detailed in a report into the Adequacy of Services for Children and Families have revealed the extent of welfare, neglect, and abuse cases involving children in the county in 2008.
(Source: The Roscommon Hearld)

Sligo

A sligo school has won the overall award at this year's national FÍS Film Festival for the second time in as many years. St. Aiden's NS scooped the Aileen Mac Keogh award, presented by President Mary Mc Aleese, for their film ‘Awful Arabella’ – described as “a simple, amusing bedtime story for young children to enjoy”. David O’Gara, principal of St. Aidan’s NS, spoke proudly of his filmmaking students.
(Source: The Sligo Weekender)

Tipperary

Huge concerns have been expressed about the presence of a number of vicious dogs in a housing estate in Thurles, including pit bull terriers, following an attack on a cat which was ripped to pieces in front of residents last week. The shocking incident which has been reported to An Garda Siochana left many residents reeling especially when they realized that the animals could just as easily have savaged a child or adult.
(Source: Tipperary Star)

Tyrone

Gale force winds left more than 6,000 homes without electricity across Northern Ireland last Thursday night. And up to 600 homes remained without power on Friday, according to Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE). The worst affected areas were Enniskillen and Omagh, where up to 1,500 homes were without power.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Waterford

A drinking game spurred on by a €5 bet claimed the life of a talented hurler, who died two days after his 19th birthday. An inquest heard that UCC student Gary Brian Murphy of Grantstown, Waterford, downed a quarter of a bottle of vodka in one slug for a dare at a party in his student flat at Victoria Mills, Cork, on December 6, 2009.
(Source: Waterford News $ Star)

Westmeath

An Athlone woman is now the second oldest person in the State after she celebrated her 108th birthday on November 6th.The incredible longevity of Kathleen Murray - a native of Crannagh, Summerhill - was celebrated with a small gathering of relatives and some music at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Roscommon on November 6. Kathleen, who never married, had always been very fond of music and singing. Born in 1902, she grew up in a farming family and trained as a cook.
(Source: Westmeath Independent)

Wexford

The asking price for a former Carl Zeiss Vision industrial property on 5.05 acres near Wexford town has been reduced from €3m to €1.035m. Located in the Whitemill Industrial Estate, the property is being offered by private treaty sale through Kehoe and Associates in one or more lots.
(Source: The Irish Independent)

Wicklow

Acc bank has secured summary judgment orders for €2.3 million against five Wicklow businessmen over unpaid property loans. In other proceedings, the bank obtained a €2.55 million summary judgment against a Galway businessman. None of the defendants had opposed summary judgment and the orders were granted by Mr Justice Peter Kelly at the Commercial Court last week.
(Source: Irish Times)