Antrim

The cousin of the first man from Northern Ireland to die from a heroin overdose has blasted the dealers he blames for destroying a billboard highlighting the evils of drug abuse.?Promoting the message that 'Drug Dealers Don't Care', the hard-hitting billboard urged locals whose lives have been blighted by the underground trade to report the kingpins to police.? Following the tragic death of his cousin Gary Cathcart from an overdose 13-years-ago this month, the UUP man vowed to stand firm against the dealers - and he has urged local people 'living in their dark shadow' to ignore the apparent warning.”
(Source: Antrim Guardian)

Armagh

A young mother, walking with her two children, was attacked and raped in Derramore Woods, near Bessbrook last Saturday afternoon.

Around 4.45pm the 23-year-old had been walking with her  young children in the area known as the Bridge when she noticed a man with a dog following her.  Suddenly the man attacked her, pushing her up against a rock and subjecting her to a “serious sexual assault”, a police spokesperson said.  The assailant only ran off when one of the children began to cry.
(Source: crossexaminer.co.uk)

Carlow

A Vicious dog attack on a flock of sheep in Rathvilly has been described as “the most horrific damage you’d ever seen done to an animal”.??The attack took place at lands in Ra hill, Rathvilly, leaving nine hogget lamb s dead and a flock of over 200 sheep terrified.??“One chop literally took their heads off ... it must have been a huge guard dog because their face were so bitten the noses were clean off. It’s as bad as you could imagine,” said owner Mark Fenton.??“I’ve seen three dog attacks in my lifetime, but nothing as bad as this. It’s definitely the worst,” he added.?? (Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

"Guys are struggling and are just hitting a wall right now," warned an expert as he summed up the grave financial situation facing County Cavan pig farmers.

Teagasc pig advisor Seamus Clarke was explaining to a special meeting of Cavan County Council the deepening crisis facing pig farmers due to their inability to secure additional credit to buy animal feed.

With time running out it is feared that some pig units maybe forced to close by the end of the month. A lifeline is now needed to save an important indigenous industry employing 1,500 locally and 7,000 nationally.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

Clare

As emigration continues to hit GAA clubs across the county, two clubs have been forced to withdraw teams from this season’s hurling competitions.?Both Wolfe Tones and Clooney-Quin have withdrawn from the intermediate hurling grade, citing emigration as the main reason for their drop in numbers.?Last year, Wolfe Tones had three adult hurling teams competing at senior, intermediate and junior grades. This year, they will compete in the senior and junior B championships after Brian and Gary O’Connell, John Coen, Jamie Roughan, Jamie Walker, Sean Cahill Johnnie Bridges and Sean Condren were listed amongst those to have emigrated
(Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

An inquest into the deaths of three German retirees whose boat caught fire in Bantry Bay last August took place last week. Mike Schmidt, aged 70, who lived at Firkeale, Glengarriff, Richard Harman, aged 69, The Village, Glengarriff and Wolfgang Schroder, aged 62, of Dromleigh South, Bantry all died from drowning on an angling trip near Adrigole Harbour in Bantry Bay on 16 August.

The accident happened after they were forced to abandon Mr Schmidt’s motor cruiser, Castaway, when a fire broke out on board.
(Source: Cork Independent)

Derry

A Claudy sheep farmer died after being shot at least nine times in the head and chest, an inquest in Derry has heard.Patrick Devine (51), was shot dead on Monday, September 13, 2004. His body was found by family members in the kitchen of his small cottage on the remote Mullintill Road, Strangawilly, near Claudy. Wednesday) Coroner John Lecky , said that Mr Devine died of at least nine gunshot wounds to the head and chest. A PSNI detective leading the investigation revealed a full investigation into all the evidence is currently underway. Detective Chief Inspector Magee said the investigation was ongoing.`   
(Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

Two prominent Donegal political figures have expressed conflicting views over the proposed state visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland in May.Bundoran Town Councillor Michael McMahon says the visit is “inappropriate” and it “enrages” him that the Queen hasn’t apologized for Bloody Sunday.

However, former Fine Gael TD Paddy Harte says he personally asked the Queen to come to Ireland way back in 1998.

Mr Harte said that when he met the Queen at the Peace Park in Flanders in 1998, all the media wanted to know what he said to her as they shook hands.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down

Police are still searching for the weapon used to murder Newcastle student Paul Owens last weekend.
They are also seeking to identify “many more witnesses” to the stabbing, which happened on Newcastle’s Bryansford Road in the early hours of last Saturday morning sparking an enormous police investigation.

Three people were quickly arrested by detectives following the 18 year-old’s death and last Monday afternoon a 26 year-old Newry man appeared in court charged with the murder.
(Source: Down Recorder)

Dublin

A Grisly find on a Dublin beach is proving more baffling than the infamous "body in the suitcase" probe ten years ago.

This time there is no body -- only a severed right arm that washed ashore at Dollymount Beach on February 8 last.

The Herald understands that the right hand had been expertly cut from the limb -- and there are no fingerprints.

The expert severing has raised concerns that body may not be that of a suicide, but instead a murder victim.

However following examination by the State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy identification remains a mystery.
 (Source: The Evening Herald)

Fermanagh

Despite republican protests at a previous parade in 2008, homecoming marches are to be held in Northern Ireland to mark the return of the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) from Afghanistan.

They will take place in Belfast, Lisburn and Enniskillen, with the first happening on Friday, May 20 in the Co Fermanagh town, followed by Lisburn the following Saturday and Belfast on the Sunday.

"Earlier this year I wrote to the Secretary of State for Defence, Liam Fox and asked him to arrange a series of homecoming events for the RIR who are soon to return from Afghanistan," the North Antrim MP said.(Source: 4NI.co.uk)

Galway

A man has been found guilty of stealing trees from land owned by Libertas founder Declan Ganley.
John Keane of New Houses, Faugheen, Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary has also been found guilty of stealing trees from another man in the same area.

The 33-year-old had denied both charges at Galway Circuit Criminal Court.

It took the jury of seven women and five men just forty five minutes to find John Keane guilty on both charges of theft.

He has been found guilty of stealing 8 ash tree stumps from Declan Ganley's woodland at Moyne Park, Tuam on June 12th 2009.

He has also been found guilty of cutting down 14 ash trees and taking away stumps belonging to Thomas McHugh two days earlier.
(Source: GalwayBay Fm)

Kerry

The jury in the trial of a man charged with rape has been discharged at Londonderry Crown Court for legal reasons.

Patrick McNamara, who is 35, originally from County Kerry, denies three charges of raping the 46-year-old.

The alleged offences took place at his then home at Ardanlee Crescent, in the Culmore area on September 9 2008.

He also denies attempted rape, false imprisonment, indecent assault and assault.
(Source: Irish Times)

Kildare

Gardai (Police) in Naas are warning people to be on the alert after two men impersonated members of the gardaí in order to rob an elderly person’s home.

A spokesperson from Naas garda station said that the incident was a “rather nasty” one.

The incident occurred on 1 March in the evening when two elderly people living in the Caragh area opened the door to two strangers.
(Source: The Kildare Nationalist)

Kilkenny

The Diocese of Ossory is certainly moving with the times. In a major Lenten drive to communicate more effectively with a broader base, the Adult Faith Development Group has embraced 21st-century communication.

As part of this year’s Lenten outreach to the people of the Diocese, a new Twitter account has just opened and the diocesan website has gone mobile.

It is hoped that these new initiatives will lead people to explore and rediscover their Christian faith in a more contemporary way.
(Source: Kilkenny People)

Laois

Ten jobs are to be created at an independent living facility in Co Laois, it was announced last week. Nua Healthcare Services is opening Ireland's first residential centre for people living with Asperger Syndrome, in Taliesin.??The facility will house six adults, and will employ 10 people.The company currently employs 120 staff in Kildare and Laois.??It comes after two other jobs

nnouncements on the same day. Newry software company First Derivatives is to employ 360 people, while elsewhere, 55 new jobs are being created in Co Offaly by medical manufacturing company Kelcourt Plastics.

(Source: Morning Advertiser)

Leitrim

The High Court in Ireland has declared that two licensees did not have a duty of care to a man who died in a road crash after downing six pints of Guinness in their pub.

The action against Seamus and Concepta Kelly of the Diamond Bar, Tullaghan, County Leitrim was taken by the estate of the dead man, John Connolly, which sought an indemnity or a contribution from the Kellys.
(Source: Leitrim Observer)

Limerick

The head of the Limerick garda (police) division has revealed that a number of covert operations targeting prostitution related crimes in the city are ongoing.

However, details of the operations have not been revealed by Chief Supt David Sheahan who says the action is being taken in response to complaints he has received from members of the business community.

Over the past twelve months over a dozen brothels across the city have been raided by gardai (police) and more than 60 woman have been prosecuted at the local court for prostitution offences.

In most cases the woman who have appeared in court have been from Eastern Europe and from Romania in particular.
(Source: Limerick Leader)

Longford

Cash-strapped families are being forced to switch off their electricity for several hours at a time due to soaring utility bills caused by energy-sapping storage heaters.

Caroline Keenan, a mother of two and resident of Longford County Council-owned Sli Na Mona housing estate in Ballymahon said she cannot turn on her heating system for fear of what ESB bills may come through the post each month.

(Source: Longford Leader)

Louth

Retailers in Dundalk could be set for a e1 million windfall if shoppers part with just e25 each on St Patrick’s Day, according to Dundalk Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Tosh.

Mr Tosh said that between 35,000 and 40,000 people are expected to attend this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17. He added that retailers could benefit from a significant boost if each attendee spent e25 on the day.

(Source: Dundalk Democrat)

Mayo

A Newport man described how he nearly fell off his chair when he was told an autograph of John Lennon and Yoko Ono which he obtained when he was a teenager sold at auction for €1,300.

Charles Mulchrone from the Castlebar Road in Newport obtained the autograph of the former Beatle when he was staying in the Great Southern Hotel, now the Mulranny Park Hotel in Mulranny in the summer of 1968.

The autograph album which contained the two signatures was sold last week at Sheppard’s auction house in Durrow, Co Laois.
(Source: The Mayo News)

Meath

A Carlanstown family expressed their hurt and upset last week when their son was sent home from school because he had dyed his hair for a charity fundraiser.

Leaving Cert student Jack Lawes was devastated when he was sent home from Kells Community School last Tuesday because of his bright pink hair, which was dyed as part of the Today FM Shave Or Dye charity campaign to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

The charity is particularly close to Jack's heart, as his mother, Cicely, has recovered from cancer.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Monaghan

The International Fund for Ireland has announced that it is to allocate £8.2m (9.8m euro) more to peace-building and reconciliation projects in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic's border counties.
(Source: Irish Times)


Offaly

Two Offaly travelers were rushed to Dublin city hospitals after being shot at the Smithfield Horse Fair in Dublin last weekend.

The men, believed to have addresses at the Kilmucklin halting site in Clara, were shot at around 11.30am in Smithfield. It’s believed the incident was part of an ongoing feud involving many Traveler families.

Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

A freak accident claimed the life of a farmer as he fed his cattle.

Stephen Gannon (65), from Caragh east, Kiltoom, Co Roscommon, died after a large portable silo containing cattle nuts toppled over on him.

He had unhooked the grain silo from his tractor and, it is understood, he was releasing nuts from it when it overturned.

Mr Gannon died at the scene.

(Source: The Roscommon Champion)

Tipperary

A number of sporting bodies as well as champion racehorse trainer Aidan O'Brien have lent their support to a proposed €460m sports and leisure complex planned for Co Tipperary.

Mr O'Brien and his wife Anne-Marie were among a number of observers who attended the second day of an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the Tipperary Venue.

Businessman Richard Quirke wants to develop an 800-acre site at Two Mile Borris, outside Thurles, into a complex which would include a hotel and casino, golf course, indoor entertainment venue, equestrian centre

(Source: Tipperary Star)

Tyrone

A man has been abducted and assaulted in Co Tyrone.

He was taken from a house at Eastview Terrace, Omagh, by three men in a blue van at 12.45pm last Saturday.

The victim, 27, was driven to the remote Pigeon Top area where he was attacked and then abandoned. Police want to speak to a motorist who picked him up as he made his way home.

A man aged 32 has been arrested and released on bail.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Waterford

A man in his 40s has pleaded guilty to having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 17.

The man was facing three charges of defilement of an underage girl in Co Waterford three years ago. He was charged under the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act 2006.

He pleaded guilty this morning to the three charges, each one of having sexual intercourse with the girl who was then under the age of 17 at two locations in Dungarvan.
 (Source: rte.ie)

Westmeath

An Archaeology enthusiast in Co Westmeath has unearthed human remains dating back more than 4,000 years in his back garden.

The National Museum of Ireland has described as “significant” the find by Pat Tiernan at Rickardstown, Collinstown.

Mr Tiernan had been excavating soil for the construction of a “lean-to”, or shed, at the rear of his home when a spell of bad weather led to a small landslide.
(Source: Westmeath Independent)

Wexford

A pair of elderly neighbors who came to blows over a stray leaf have been ordered to stay away from each other following a doorstep brawl involving garden shears and a walking stick.

Pensioners Richard Furlong (70) and his next-door neighbor Lagus Rupp (68) were ordered to keep the peace for two years after Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) previously issued against the pair failed to stop them from attacking each other, a court heard last week.
(Source: The Irish Times)

Wicklow

Farmers could be looking at extraordinary value in a Co Wicklow farm that is being brought to the market in one of the biggest ever auctions of receivership properties next month.

Having been previously sold for nearly €1.29m at the height of the boom in 2006, Glen House, Kyle, Co Wicklow, is now being offered with exactly €1m slashed from the reserve price -- at just €290,000.
The 55ac farm is laid out in more than 14 small fields, along with some rough grazing ground.

It was described by Robert Hoban of joint selling agents, Space, as a "lovely bit of grazing ground", although one local auctioneer contended it was "tough, stony land".

(Source: The Wicklow People)