Antrim

Police investigating the murder of German backpacker Inga Maria Hauser, whose body was found in Ballypatrick Forest in 1988, believe they are 'tantalizingly close' to finding her killers.

Almost 23 years after the young woman's murder, and the discovery of her body in the forest outside Ballycastle in Co Antrim, detectives have revealed they now have reason to suspect more than one person was involved.
(Source:UTV)

Armagh

A man accused of killing a dairy farmer in County Armagh was refused compassionate bail to attend his niece's christening service.

Peter Joseph Moloney is charged with murdering Victor Stewart, 45, in 2008.

On Wednesday last, Belfast High Court heard that Mr Stewart was found beaten to death at his isolated farmhouse on the Creevekeeran Road, Middletown.


Mr Moloney, 23, of Drumarg Park, Armagh, is also accused of stealing a safe from the victim's farmhouse.
(Source: BBC)

Carlow

Irish police are hunting a teenage shotgun gang responsible for assaulting a woman and terrorizing an elderly man.

The gang of males in their late teens assaulted a woman, broke into the home of an elderly man and ransacked an empty house in a 14-hour period on Sunday March 20. The crimes took place in a rural area of Co Carlow in the vicinity of Ballon, Myshall and Borris.

Gardai are fearful that the gang may be armed with two shotguns which were stolen during a robbery a week earlier.
(Source: The Herald)

Cavan

A man who got kicked in the testicles by a bullock has won a legal action against his employers.
Drover Patrick Lynch from Crubany in Co. Cavan took the case against Cavan Co-op Mart.

Drover Patrick Lynch was in a small single pen when a feisty limousin bullock delivered the short sharp shock.

It was a busy mart day back in October 2003 and the experienced drover ended up in Cavan Hospital suffering from trauma to his right testicle as a result of the kick.
(Source: Newstalk)

Clare

The deaths of two women, whose bodies were found on a beach in Co Clare last weekend, are understood to have been the result of a tragic accident.

Their bodies were found a few meters apart at White Strand beach near Miltown Malbay at around 10.30am.

They were fully-clothed and their clothing was wet.

Post mortem examinations carried out  in Limerick established that there was no foul play in their deaths.
(Source: RTE)

Cork

Pfizer has confirmed its plant in Shanbally, Co Cork is to close in August with the loss of 75 full-time jobs if they are unable to find a buyer for the facility in the intervening months.

The pharmaceutical giant also revealed they have been unable to sell their plant in Little Island to another drug manufacturer as a going concern. It is now on the market as a ‘commercial property opportunity’.
Source: (Irish Examiner)

Derry

A 49-year-old woman from Eglinton in County Londonderry is to go on trial charged with attempting to wound a man.

Jacqueline Taylor pleaded not guilty to attempting to wound the man, threatening to kill him, and assaulting him on 27 October 2010 in Derry.

She was released on bail on condition she stays out of the Waterside area and has no contact with witnesses.

The trial at Londonderry Crown Court will begin in May.
(Source: BBC)

Donegal

A frantic father tried desperately to revive his baby daughter after accidentally reversing into her as he moved their car to the back of the family home.

Thirteen-month-old Lisa Gallagher had started to walk just two weeks before the tragedy at Drumardagh, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

A jury at a coroner's court in Letterkenny last week concluded that the toddler had died due to a tragic accident resulting in severe head trauma consistent with injuries resulting from contact with a car.
(Source: Herald)

Down

A minister in Northern Ireland's outgoing power-sharing government has sacked a top adviser over alleged online sexual indiscretions.

Brian Crowe, 40, strenuously denied any wrongdoing, but was shown the door by his boss Danny Kennedy who claimed his position had become untenable.

The married former Church of Ireland minister in Co Tyrone was also suspended from a voluntary role in the church in Lisburn, Co Down.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Dublin

Police in Northern Ireland will work with colleagues in the Irish Republic to ensure the historic visit of the Queen to Dublin passes without incident.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said he has already held discussions with PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott about security tactics for the expected three-day event in May.

Mr Callinan said planning for both the Queen's trip, the first by a British monarch since the state was created, and a separate visit by US President Barack Obama in the same month is well under way.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Fermanagh

The Fermanagh county board is prepared to grasp the nettle and deal with what have been described as “issues” in a bid to restore harmony within the county following the defection of several established members of the senior football team.

Officials were clearly shell- shocked when it was confirmed that a number of leading players had intimated they were leaving the squad.

Now GAA chiefs in the Erne county are understood to be keen to tackle grievances which the players are understood to have aired in relation to the county team management’s policies.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Galway

Two men were charged in connection with the seizure of €250,000 worth of herbal cannabis in Oranmore last week.

The major drugs seizure was part of an intelligence-led operation involving the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Galway Drugs Unit and the Revenue’s Customs Service.

Michael Connolly (45) and Gerard Mooney (49 were brought in custody before Judge Mary Fahy at Galway District Court on Wednesday last.

The men are charged with possession of cannabis, and possession of cannabis with intent to sell or otherwise supply to others at a location in Oranmore on March 22, 2011, contrary to Section 3 and 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
(Source: Galway Advertiser)

Kerry

A 45-year-old man is in a serious condition at Cork University Hospital after he became ill while in custody at a garda (police) station in Co Kerry on Thursday.

The man was arrested under the public order act just after midnight at Staughtons Row in Tralee.
It is understood he had been found lying on the street.
(Source: RTE)

Kildare

The President of Ireland's largest training college for priests has said media reports suggesting the national seminary may close "are without foundation."

St Patrick's College Maynooth in Co Kildare has been preparing men for the priesthood since 1795.
Monsignor Hugh Connolly said: "There are 72 men studying for the priesthood in Maynooth, making us the largest seminary on these islands and one of the largest in Europe. Media reports about the possible closure of the seminary are without foundation.
(Source:UTV)

Kilkenny

Two women and a 10-year-old boy were taken to hospital in a road crash in Co Kilkenny lastweek. They were traveling in a car which crashed southbound on the M9 just north of the Danesfort Junction at around 2.30pm in the afternoon.A man and two other children were in the car at the time, but escaped injury.??None of the injuries are life-threatening.
(Source: Irish Examiner)

Laois

Police examined the scene where a man died in a fire at a mobile home in Timahoe, Co Laois in the early hours of last Thursday morning.

The man was named locally as Martin Murray and aged 41. He was originally from the UK but had been living in Garryglass, Timahoe, for a number of years.

The fire occurred “some time during the night in the early hours”, according to Garda Supt Philip Lyons, who told the Irish Times that the gardaí are carrying out a technical examination of the scene and “there are no suspicions attached at the moment”.
(Source: The Journal)

Leitrim

Leitrim GAA was plunged into mourning recently with the passing of former County Senior players Tony Hayden and Seamus Dillon.

Bornacoola’s Tony Hayden passed away on Friday, March 4, in Sligo and was buried on Monday following requiem mass in Sligo Cathedral. Selected in the left half-back position on the Leitrim Team of the Millennium, Tony appeared in four Connacht Senior Football Finals in a row and was a regular on the Connacht Railway Cup team.
(Source: Leitrim Observer)

Limerick

More than 12,000 chickens were killed in a fire at a Co Limerick farm last Thursday.

The fire broke out at 4am on the farm at Monelena, Castlemahon, Co Limerick, around three miles outside the town of Newcastle West. Some 12,500 chickens perished in the blaze, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

Five appliances from Limerick county fire service attended the scene, and it took almost three hours to bring the fire under control. There was still a strong smell in the area last Wednesday afternoon, and a number of people at the scene were upset by what had occurred.

The chicken farm is owned by Connie Nash, a well known Co Limerick business. His son John Nash said the chickens were just four weeks old.
(Source: Irish Times)

Longford

Public art theft is becoming an increasing concern for local arts officers following the removal of a unique sculpture at the M6 near Moate, Co. Westmeath. Stolen for its scrap value, the Grainne Og statue by Ann Meldon Hugh was taken on March 14 last giving rise to fears that a worrying trend of public art theft may occur in the midlands.

(Source: Longford Leader)

Louth

Up to 33% of Irish people believe Leprechauns exist, according to a poll carried out by Cooley Distillery.

The online survey comes ahead of the second annual National Leprechaun Hunt, in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Dublin, which took place in Carlingford, Co. Louth on Sunday.

As many as 55% of those questioned say Leprechauns existed in Ireland in the past, but the current financial crisis and scarcity of gold due to the rising commodity market prices may have forced many leprechauns to emigrate in recent years.
(Source: Breaking News)

Mayo

A man aged in his 40s was arrested in connection with the disappearance of a woman (29) in Co Mayo more than 10 years ago.The man was arrested in Ballina last Thursday and is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Ballina Garda station.A woman (21) who was arrested last Wednesday in connection with the same inquiry, was released without charge. Sandra Collins disappeared on the night of December 4th 2000 in the seaside village of Killala. Ms Collins visited a shop in Killala at 7.45pm that night, and was last seen at a takeaway on George’s Street at 11pm.
(Source: Irish Times)

Meath

Eurolink, operators of the M3 and M4 motorways, is switching to competitive energy provider Energia in a majEurolink M3 and M4 are the two public private partnership companies responsible for the build and operation of two motorways which pass through County Meath.

Under the terms of the new deal, which will be worth in the region of €300,000 annually, Energia will supply Eurolink's tolling operations at Kilcock and Dunboyne with over three gigawatt hours (GWhrs) of electricity.

(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Monaghan

Gardaí (Irish police) are no longer treating the death of a man whose body was found in a house in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, last weekend as suspicious.

The decision was made after a postmortem was carried out by the assistant state pathologist Dr Michael Curtis.

The man (57) was found with head injuries at 1.40am last Sunday and pronounced dead just under two hours later. His house on Main Street in the town was sealed off for a time.
(Source: Irish Times)

Offaly

Gardaí (Irish police) in Clara, Co Offaly, are investigating the disappearance of a €64,000 seven meter sculpture known locally as “The Bronze Lady”.

Commissioned in 2007, the statue depicting Gráinne Óg by Ann Meldon Hugh was located along the M6 slip road approaching Moate in Co Westmeath.

Gardaí believe a number of people used machinery to remove the bronze and stainless steel piece.
(Source: Irish Times)

Sligo

A Co. Sligo farmer is due to be sentenced this week after admitting cruelty to animals which  a judge heard  were so hungry  that they were eating fence posts in a field. Pending his sentencing the judge remanded him in custody.

James “JP” Curley of Cooga, Culleens, Easkey, Co Sligo, pleaded guilty at Sligo District Court last week so three counts of cruelly ill-treating two donkeys and a horse in February 2010.

He also admitted  one count of allowing a carcass to remain unburied on his land.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

Two members of the board of management of a Co Tipperary school have resigned in protest after students there were circulated with political letters by Independent TD Michael Lowry.

Mr Lowry, a deputy for Tipperary North, has already defended the decision to give hundreds of letters to schoolchildren at Borrisokane Community College outlining his success in securing a new school building.

Fianna Fáil councilor Jim Casey and Canon Stephen Neill have both tendered their resignations from the board of management in recent days.
(Source: Irish Times)

Tyrone

The husband of a woman who was shot dead in 1981 met the First Minister last week to discuss the investigation into her murder.

Joanne Mathers, 29, a mother of one, was shot dead as she collected census forms in Londonderry.
Lowry Mathers said he hoped the meeting with Peter Robinson would lead to the case being re-opened.

It follows the confirmation by the Historical Enquiries Team that they will investigate Mrs Mather's death.
(Source: BBC)

Waterford

Army bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled explosion on a second World War era grenade found in Co Waterford.

Members of the bomb disposal team were called in by gardaí (Irish police) after the grenade was discovered by members of the public on farmland in the Annestown area of Tramore. The team arrived on the scene at about 2pm and the grenade was declared safe at 2.45pm. The Defense Forces bomb disposal teams have attended 48 call outs so far in 2011.
(Source: Irish TImes)

Westmeath

Three men charged in connection with the theft of a lorry carrying €46,000 worth of vodka in Co. Westmeath nearly five years ago, have gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Siomon Maxwell, of Leadstown Lodge, Leadstown, Mullingar, Thomas Maxwell, of Stonehall, Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath, and Philip Hickey of Grennanstown, Athboy, Co. Meath have pleaded Not Guilty to separate charges in relation to the incident.
(Source: Midlands Radio)

Wexford

The recovery of a local fisherman’s body in Waterford Estuary after a month-long search has been welcomed by locals.

There were renewed expressions of sympathy for John Ennis’s relatives. The father of four from Ballyhack, Co Wexford, had been missing since February 18th when the 9m vessel Na Buachaill sank off Duncannon in Co Wexford. The boat’s skipper Richard McNamara survived and swam ashore.
(Source: The Irish Times)

Wicklow

Ireland's first ever biodiversity audit has revealed that the country's mountains, woodlands and waterways are home to more than 31,000 different species of plants and animals.

The survey reveals that Ireland's waters boast more than 560 different species of marine fish, most of which are perch-like or ray finned fish, while 29 different fish species inhabit Irish inland waterways.
(Source: Afloat.ie)